New Zealand v Wallabies, Eden Park, Sat 22nd October

[Braveheart81]

I would have retained Cooper at 10.

I think moving Foley out of 12 is a good decision for the longer term. Hopefully Hodge does well there and we don't need to revert back to playing Foley at 12.

For those that feel Cooper has been hard done by (which I agree with), you'd think that a poor performance by Foley will give Cooper the inside running to start in two week's time against Wales.

It is a hard ask for whoever is playing 10 this weekend. We've lost Genia who has been in outstanding form at 9, we have a guy playing only his 6th test starting his first game at 12 and we're playing the All Blacks at a ground they haven't lost at for 20 years (and we haven't won at for 30 years) where they are trying to set a record for the most consecutive wins.

 

[The torpedo]

10. Bernard Foley (36 Tests)

 

[amirite]

We've lost Genia who has been in outstanding form at 9.

I think this impacted the Foley V Cooper decision. Why not name the Foley-Phipps combo, you can't name Genia and they're comfortable with each other.

Give Genia-Cooper an opportunity to get this same (or similar) back line going against Wales.

 

[Tangawizi]

How's Hodge with drop goals? They'll be expecting him to crash through but could he just pot a few over?

Not sure that Foley deserves the 10 over Cooper but just hoping its a tight match.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[Braveheart81]

Give Genia-Cooper an opportunity to get this same (or similar) back line going against Wales.

Genia won't be back against Wales. It's still outside the international window.

He will be available for the middle three tests of the five test series unless the Wallabies manage some sort of deal with Stade Francais.

 

[amirite]

Genia won't be back against Wales. It's still outside the international window.

He will be available for the middle three tests of the five test series unless the Wallabies manage some sort of deal with Stade Francais.

Still, the point largely stands.

 

[KOB1987]

Quade's on the bench and I'm sure he has an important role to play. Foley is a more conservative bench option to cover several positions, quade can do that as well as light it up a bit if he is on his game.

 

[fatprop]

I agree that the root problem for where this match will be lost is up front, as it ever is. The margin might well be altered by who we have and where in the backs. I would have kept Cooper at 10, if it was my call. For mine, the goal-kicking question is moot - they both probably are much of a muchness, and I doubt the game will be decided by a couple of missed goals. I think the loss of Genia is a bigger issue than whether Cooper or Foley plays 10, to be honest. I think Phipps is OK, but Genia has been in very, very good form.
Maybe Cheika is foxing us all?

It is funny that we continually argue about the backs while we have real form issues with stalwarts like Kepu and Moore and the disappearance from the team of Slipper.

Honestly the only positive of this season is that we look to have finally found a pair of decent locks in Coleman and Arnold

 

[Lorenzo]

fortunately, phipps and foley have a combination. unfortunately, it sucks

 

[ACT Crusader]

Yeah what's the go with Slipper? A year or so ago he was being touted as future captain material and was playing excellent footy at set piece and open play. Now he can't make a 23 (or 24).

 

[Scrubber2050]

I genuinely wish the players good luck.

Chek is just Chek and not inspirational at all. Plenty of talk.

The game will be lost in the tight 5, particularly our front row. Think Moore missed several tackles last game and both Keps and Sio are way off the pace. However Moore's performance over the last 2 games has improved somewhat. Sio has made 2 runs in 4 games. Something is wrong with the bloke, whether it's injury or lack of interest.

Phipps will use his forwards much more than Genia to try and build a platform to continue the attack.

The locks, particularly Coleman, will be targeted bigtime.

Once forward dominance is established, Barrett will weave some magic

TBH Foley and QC (Quade Cooper) have neither been playing well, but I fail to understand Foley back to 10.

Hopefully Hodge and Speight go well.

AB's will be all over Samu as he now is our major attack weapon. Folau will be tackled out of the game before being given any space.

I hate to say it but I think we will cop a belting.

How we move on is the thing !

 

[Brumby Runner]

It isn't really comparing apples with apples is it, Foley has no success playing 10 vs England & the ABs

Cooper has success against teams closer to our standard, but no better against the AB's.

I would suggest that Foley at 10 vs the Argies and Boks @ home would have had the same results

My point, Cooper or Foley? neither are our savior.

Test rugby is all about the units numbered 1 to 5 out preforming the other lot for enough of the match

Used to be FP, but nowadays the whole of the ABs' side play like backs or when the situation requires like tight forwards. They really have raised the standard to be a 15 man side able to perform whatever skills the situation requires. We have to try to match them across the park; just winning the tight five battle is no longer adequate imo.

 

[Ignoto]

Yeah what's the go with Slipper? A year or so ago he was being touted as future captain material and was playing excellent footy at set piece and open play. Now he can't make a 23 (or 24).

Players form comes and goes, it's completely unreasonable to expect a player to be performing consistently at their best. Perhaps he was rushed back from his shoulder op and didn't have his base S&C set prior to being thrown back into the Reds. Since then he's been playing catch up which isn't possible during the season.

Give him the off-season to rest and rebuild and I think you'll see a much improved Slipper in 2017.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

Slips just hasnt been given an opportunity. They had a great analysis piece earlier this year on the roar which demonstrated how good he has been off the bench for us this year, then one average performance against the boks and hes out of the 23. Very unfair for him but when hes such a good player he will force his way back in.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yeah what's the go with Slipper? A year or so ago he was being touted as future captain material and was playing excellent footy at set piece and open play. Now he can't make a 23 (or 24).

He struggled off the bench at scrum time in South Africa and then Robertson and Ala'alatoa did well off the bench against Argentina.

I think that must be the reason Cheika is persisting with the two newbies.

 

[Train Without a Station]

But Robertson didn't actually do well.

People just keep saying that.

By no means was he poor but how well did our scrum do comparatively? Didn't we not even win a scrum while he was on?

 

[TOCC]

Wallabies will lose the kicking game and the line out.. I'm dreading even watching this game

 

[Gillys_ghost]

Slipper has performed well for us in like 70 tests. If Cheika is dropping him because of form but retaining Foley, Mumm, Kepu and Sio then it doesnt make sense. And i dont know why Foleys combination with Phipps is enough to dislodge Quade when the Phipps Foley combination has been poor all year. I agree that having Quade at 10 isnt going to stop us losing but i dont see a logical reason to keep foley.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I don't like the retention of Mumm at 6 or the replacement of Quade at 10 by Foley. There is also a question over Speight in favour of Naivalu. Poey on the bench will on the face of it weaken our lineout at the back end if he replaces either of Mumm or Timane.

I will feel most sorry for Hodge if Foley plays as he did at 10 in the early tests this year. He will be smashed and the ball will be unlikely to make it out to Kerevi much if at all. I'm thinking we will be kicking from 10 and 12 whenever we get a bit of space.

Will be interesting, but I think the Abs will win quite handsomely.

 

[Braveheart81]

Will be interesting, but I think the Abs will win quite handsomely.

Does team selection impact this? The bookies sure don't think so.