Our Centre Partnership - Moving Forward

[tranquility]

In 2007 the Australian schoolboy midfield consisted of 12. Tapuai, 13. Rob Horne. Keeping JOC (James O'Connor) on the bench.

Ironically Rob Horne burst onto the scene ahead of time, and was appearing as if he were to be the reincarnation of Jason Little. Meanwhile Tapuai meandered in Brisbane club rugby, and worked on his areas on weakness, primarily fitness and adding subtlety to his ranging skillset. To most it seemed like he was underachieving, but now it looks as though he could be a key player moving forward. Meanwhile, Rob Horne despite showing so much early promise has lost all enterprise and looks a very ordinary player currently.

Pat McCabe is a crucial player to the Wobs, but at what position noone is sure. I tend to think that it will be fullback.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) looks best at 13, and should stay there until someone can play an entire season of super rugby and outplay him head to head.

My thoughts on the matter are long-term; 12. Taps, 13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), 15. McCabe

Discuss..

 

[TOCC]

Its difficult to predict these things depending on injuries and where these guys are playing in their respective super rugby clubs...
For example, whether the Tahs will persist with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at fullback..

Potential centres for the future: Joe Tomane, Luke Morahan, Tom Kingston, Mitch Inman, Nick Cummins, Ben Tapuai..
Morahan, Kingston and Tomane are probabaly more likely to be brought in as wingers/fullback before they are brought in as centres given where they play at Super level..

But Inman, Cummins, McCabe, Fainga'a, Horne and Tapuai should be starting centres in 2013 for their super rugby clubs..

 

[wamberal]

Inman's too slow, Kingston is too small. Cummins is a winger. Fainga'a needs to show something in attack occasionally. I have never seen Morahan play anywhere other than wing or fullback.

CFS is my tip for a quick ride into the Australian team, could be a great centre I believe. I also rate Jono Lance very highly, certainly I would put him in the squad ahead of Morahan.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

12.Taps 13.Cummins for me. Ball playing runner and a Crash baller. Both Great on Defence and both go all day.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is the Best 13 ATM but he is what 28 not sure he will be around come RWC 2015.

 

[Braveheart81]

12. McCabe 13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) for now.

Tapuai needs to produce a strong Super Rugby season and not be injured at crucial times to put himself really into contention.

JOC (James O'Connor) needs to excel at the Rebels next season.

Horne and Fainga'a both need to improve their attacking game considerably to be realistic options going forward. Fainga'a needs to learn to kick if he wants to play 12.

Barnes could end up playing 12 next season for th Tahs if Cheika decides he wants Foley at 10. Barnes needs to improve his option taking. He has all the skills to make him a good option. His goalkicking improves his chances.

Mike Harris needs to develop his game in all areas to become an option at 12. Currently he is a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none. His stocks go up if there are no good goalkicking options.

 

[Scoey]

12 McCabe
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

I really like the look of Taps (read: massive fan) but until he's done some time in the Green and Gold (Pat & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) have) and performed well against top opposition (ie AB's) it's really hard to say how he'll go. Notwithstanding, I am really happy with the current centre pairing (Pat & Adam) and hope they stick with that for the immediate to long term.

 

[Braveheart81]

The sad reality for players like Lealiifano and Tapuai is that without significant Wallabies experience, injuries at key times means they fall well back down the pecking order and need to start again next season.

 

[Swat]

I think the key thing will be where the contenders will play in next years Super Rugby.
The 2 annoying factors for me are Tomane/McCabe and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Horne. I'd love to see all 4 of these guys play a season at 13 but that will never happen. I'd also like to see JOC (James O'Connor) and Taps play a full season at 12.

 

[wilful]

O'Connor at 12. A bit wasted on the wing.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't get why people say anyone is wasted on the wing.

Ioane is consistently one of our best players and plays on the wing.

O'Connor has been consistently one of the Wallabies best when playing on the wing too.

 

[Scarfman]

Have we ever - even for 5 minutes - played 12 JOC (James O'Connor) and 13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)?

I realise that playing players in their best positions is not Robbie's forte, but this one must be the most absurd rejection of the obvious that I've ever seen (if not the other one, about switching LHPs and THPs).

 

[Scoey]

I don't get why people say anyone is wasted on the wing.
Ioane is consistently one of our best players and plays on the wing.
O'Connor has been consistently one of the Wallabies best when playing on the wing too.

Exactly. I know this thread is about centres but if you allow me to digress for a few seconds, imagine a back three of (a fully fit and in form) Kurtley, Digby and JOC (James O'Connor). I wouldn't say either of them would be "wasted" there.

That would rival Dagg, Jane & Savea/Gear I reckon!

 

[TOCC]

Actually one player i forgot about is Matt To'omua, we haven't seen the best from this guy yet i don't think.. To'omua and Lealifano could make a very potent combination in 2013..

The salary cap for an Aussie super team is about $4M for 30 players (and I assume the EPS players get sod-all). So on average that's $133k a player. Big names get up to $400k so the journeymen get $50 -$80k. Yeah it's not setting them up for life but they aren't all rugby all the time, they can and many do also study full time or work in the off-season. Wallabies players of course get top ups (not sure how much) and those players that can get cash endorsements (which aren't many - JO'C for Swisse the first and only one that readily comes to mind) are the ones that can possibly retire at the end of their career. I think O'Connor gets about $2-$3M a year.

Tom Kingston has a big frame similar to Shipperly, currently he might be a bit small but he will grow into over the next few years... We are talking about centres for the future...
Its too early to be talking about CSF as a Wallaby centre, he is at least a couple of years away from been a realistic consideration.

 

[southsider]

think our future options would be horne, Fainga'a, taps, o'conner, tomane or sautia

horne needs to string a season together first

Fainga'a i would pick depending on the teams balance, would have him there for defence

taps same as Fainga'a but would have him there if we were going for more attack

o'conner just depends who else is in the team and where we need him to play

tomane just think he has that x factor and will really push on in the next year or so

know Sautia is young but if he has a good season next year i think he will make the cut, would initially start him on the wing but his palming ability and his unselfish play leads me to think he would be a good outside

 

[Bowside]

I think for the lions tour the only guys who are in contention, realistically are:

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), McCabe, Tapuai, JOC (James O'Connor), Harris, Horne, Fainga'a.

I'd like to see a combination of the first 4 players, preferably with O'Connor or Tapuai at inside centre.

 

[qwerty51]

I don't want JOC (James O'Connor) marking Roberts.

 

[Jiggles]

Horne and Fainngaa have been given ample time to shine in Gold and have largely been 'meh'.

Fainga'a has been more consistant in Super Rugby than Horne, but I think we know what he has to offer now. A handy and dependable injury stop gap is his future role. The Wallabies need players who can come into the squad as injury cover and slide right in. I think he this player.

Horne has played inconsistently in Super Rugby, having good games against poor teams, large injury periods, and very poor runs against all sorts of opposition.

I'd say Fainga'a has been more consistant (i.e. just getting the job done with no fuss) at test level than Horne, who has done some pretty silly things in his time so far. Horne needs to be consistently good next year with no injury to move back up the pecking order IMO. If he can't do that then the other options need to be given their shot behind AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) who is clearly the best 13 we have right now. I'd like to think McCabe can move into that role over the next year or 2 also and see him step aside for a more rounded 12.

I see Taps and JOC (James O'Connor) as the logical 12s over the next 5 years. Both are solid defenders, can play the ball both sides of the body, can kick pretty well enough, great footwork and are strong in contact. We haven't had that sort of 12 since Horan. I like McCabe but I think we need to move towards that sort of 12 more than what he offers.

Like Scarfman aludes to above, I am sick to death of our backline players playing every position under the sun. This is the same shitballs stunt Robbie pulled when he was Assistant Coach at the All Blacks. We should have a set pecking order of players in 1 position and these players should be made to play that position at Super Rugby level.

Our 10s are Cooper, Lilo, Barnes etc.
Our 12s are JOC (James O'Connor), Taps, McCabe.
Our 13s are AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), McCabe, Fainga'a, Horne.
Our Ws are Ioane, Mitchell, Shipperly, Tomane, Speight
Our 15s are Beale, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Morahan, Mogg.

The only case I can see where a shuffle would be needed is if Beale files off the rails again next year and Morahan/Mogg aren't ready. Then you put either AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or McCabe at 15 while the other is at 13. IF a player is injured then the next in line is moved up. It ain't rocket science.

 

[TOCC]

I don't want JOC (James O'Connor) marking Roberts.

Roberts is overrated...
Of the Robbie Fruean variety

SBW is the only player who concerned me in the size difference, primarily because of his uncanny ability to offload and smaller players couldn't really do ball in all tackles

 

[qwerty51]

How is he overrated.... he was crucial to Wales' WC and 6N success. Why do you think their backline did poorly down here?

 

[southsider]

i think we have a real problem though if ACC is seen as our best 13 option. You can predict a good 7/10 of the time what his going to do in attack. catch, dummy,palm, run if he broke the line more often i wouldnt have a problem but he doesnt reallydo that :/