Palu's Replacement

[Bullrush]

I'd be inclined to get an outside back for the russia game, then reassess where we stand re: injuries after that.

A tier 1 nation lining up a no.8 on the wing (despite his prior experience there) is embarrassing. It says an awful lot about our belief in our depth back at home.

Players coming back from injuries pre-emptively into a knockout comp is a good way to get knocked out. I'd be inclined to go with fit players who just missed the cut rather than crocked players who made it.

Ssssshhhhhhhhhh........stop talking that common sense bullshit!! The rest of us are facinated with what the Wallabies are doing this RWC

 

[#1 Tah]

George Smith? Fuck some people on here has some strange ideas.

I hate to burst all of your bubbles, but Phil Waugh will get called up before George Smith.

 

[fatprop]

Samo will play wing, well that will be his number anyway.

He will defend the 10/12 channel and be used as a crash ball in attack in the seagull mode he is prone to play at times. JOC (James O'Connor) will probably defend on the wing with Cooper at 15.

 

[James Buchanan]

Samo will play wing, well that will be his number anyway.

He will defend the 10/12 channel and be used as a crash ball in attack in the seagull mode he is prone to play at times. JOC (James O'Connor) will probably defend on the wing with Cooper at 15.

That does certainly work with our structures.

We will be playing with a 6-1 bench split or thereabouts though.

 

[Slim 293]

I hate to burst all of your bubbles, but Phil Waugh will get called up before George Smith.

I don't think anyone actually believes he will get the call up, but rather putting forward the fantasy that if he was somehow made available he would be their choice.

Because let's face it, if the planets aligned and George Snith signed with the ARU tomorrow he'd be on a flight to NZ the sane day.

No one else in that list is anywhere near as good, which is unfortunate.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Quit calling Giteau a crab. When you have a good pack you need not do it.

We need a back.

 

[SuperGrover]

How about Timani? Yes he has hands like feet sometimes, but he can bend the line and he was part of the wider training squad. I'd like to see him at 8 with 20mins left in a game

 

[Braveheart81]

Surely Phil Waugh has been drinking since Saturday afternoon. I don't think he'd have stayed sober in the hopes of getting a RWC call up.

 

[antipodean]

Now that Pocock is fit again, why send someone over on the off chance he gets injured again?

 

[Slim 293]

Let's see... Who haven't we named yet?

Michael Hooper.

Aus u20s player of the year.

 

[light]

Benn Robinson, I know he's still recovering from the injury but it would do wonders for the squad. Pocock is a machine and I don't see a point sending over a replacement for him. If we send Fatcat our scrum might actually improve?

How far off was he pre-world cup, surely he's got to be close to ready now..

 

[Braveheart81]

Umm... pre RWC, Benn Robinson was trying to prove fitness without having a knee reconstruction.

Now he's had the knee reconstruction. He'll be months away from a return.

 

[Slim 293]

Matt Dunning.

Drop goals could play a part in the final stages.

 

[antipodean]

Matt Dunning.

Drop goals could play a part in the final stages.

Nice.

 

[Braveheart81]

Dunning could also act as a backup for Samo on the wing due to his extensive seagulling experience.

 

[DPK]

Stirling Mortlock? If it's just for the Russia game.

 

[stoff]

Matt Burke. 2007's George Smith. He can cover pretty much any spot in the backs. Also given he is one of the few people who is qualified to boo professional rugby teams, it should lessen the Wallabies anxiety about a poor performance knowing he is in camp, and not giving it to them from the stands.

 

[Antony]

He (Samo) will defend the 10/12 channel

You wouldn't want that against a team with a backline though. I'm sure he can tackle anyone if they run right at him, but I doubt his lateral movement is particularly great. Someone like Carter/Sexton/even-Steyn-now-that-he-can-apparently-run would be drawing and putting people through that channel all day long.

This is a hypothetical concern anyway, he clearly won't be on the wing or defending at 10 after this round.

 

[Ash]

Surely Phil Waugh has been drinking since Saturday afternoon. I don't think he'd have stayed sober in the hopes of getting a RWC call up.

Not only that (Waugh would be in retirement mode), but Phil Waugh wasn't even exactly in good form in club rugby either, nor was he in the 40-man squad. Whilst Waugh would get called up ahead of Smith (who is an impossibility and merely a sentimental call at best), there's no way Waugh would or should get called up. There's no doubting Waugh's commitment and effort he puts in, but he just would not be capable, and thus Cannon is plain wrong.

James Buchanan had it 100% right: call up an outside back for Palu, stick them on the wing (or rotate AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) there and put them at 13) vs Russia, then re-assess Pocock post-Russia. If Pocock is bad post-Russia, immediately send one of Horne or McCabe home and call in Hodgson or Beau Robinson.

Simple, right?

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't think Deans wants to send McCabe or Horne home which is why I think he has delayed the decision on replacing Palu.

Samo will probably score a hattrick on the wing this Saturday.