Pick your Wallaby team for EOYT

[Virgil]

You making a late charge for a Scarf award, V?

Most Cocky Winner?

:lmao:

 

[Cutter]

My two others
Tahu
Beale

fp do you really think Beale is i) that much better than Cooper or Lealifano to give him an inside run when he has been injured; ii) ready for international rugby; and iii) not better served learning to tackle at home?

I have changed my mind and think I would take Horne instead of Tahu if Staniforth isnt fit.

I think taking Chisolm is a luxury we cant afford. We already have two lock/6s in Mumm and MMM so a third is over the top. Your props are Baxter, Dunning, Robinson and Kepu. I would swap Dunning and Chisolm for Holmes and Shepherdson. You are talking about Kepu as a THP but I thought he was primarily a LHP?

 

[naza]

Is Mitchell Chapman injured or has his stock plummeted that dramatically that he doesn't rate a mention by anyone ?

 

[barbarian]

Is Mitchell Chapman injured or has his stock plummeted that dramatically that he doesn't rate a mention by anyone ?

I think it is a case of a little from column A, a little from column B...

 

[fatprop]

My two others
Tahu
Beale

fp do you really think Beale is i) that much better than Cooper or Lealifano to give him an inside run when he has been injured; ii) ready for international rugby; and iii) not better served learning to tackle at home?

I have changed my mind and think I would take Horne instead of Tahu if Staniforth isnt fit.

I think taking Chisolm is a luxury we cant afford. We already have two lock/6s in Mumm and MMM so a third is over the top. Your props are Baxter, Dunning, Robinson and Kepu. I would swap Dunning and Chisolm for Holmes and Shepherdson. You are talking about Kepu as a THP but I thought he was primarily a LHP?

Beale better than Cooper and Lealifano? - yep, clearly, he is the closest to being able to boss a game, as he did for the Tahs and directed them to the S14 final playing on the gain line. Cooper makes Beale look solid and Lealifano caught and passed all season without doing much else.

Tahu is physically up to it and will learn from those defensive errors which were more about decision making than talent.

Dunning is THP cover and he is a better prop than Sheperdson who has looked average for southern district and Aus A and showed no form n the S14. THP is still cactus with no one standing up unfortunately.

Kepu played THP for Aus A, he ain't great but..... There was also Alexander as LHP cover. Chisolm was there because he has been in the squad when Vickerman wasn't.

 

[Cutter]

I appreciate your reasoning. I have no idea of current form for non Wallabies so accept your views on that basis.

I still wouldnt take Chisolm for the reasons above.

Shepherdson is surprising. He looked promising but seems to have regressed significantly.

 

[formeropenside]

apparently there is a BaaBaa's game vs Aus on 3 December as well as the tests

 

[Virgil]

apparently there is a BaaBaa's game vs Aus on 3 December as well as the tests

Yup, Richie McCaw will be playing that one too

 

[fatprop]

Dangerous time not to tour me thinks

Tuqiri in doubt for Spring tour

September 18, 2008 - 11:54PM

Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri is in doubt for Australia's Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong and Spring Tour to Europe after undergoing knee surgery.

The star winger had an arthroscopy on Monday to remove loose knee cartilage and may be on the sidelines for up to six weeks before returning to full training.

Tuqiri told News Limited he would be touch and go for the six-match tour with the Wallabies departing on October 27.

"I'll be liaising with doctors but it will depend on how I'm personally feeling," he said.

"You have to think about long-term damage, I don't want to push myself and hurt it even more."

Tuqiri will be named in the 33-man squad next Tuesday but will be monitored by Australian Rugby Union medical staff.

 

[formeropenside]

dangerous for who? LT or Oz rugby?

Actually, I just had a thought: has Turinui ever played fullback? I know he has played on the wing with limited success.

 

[fatprop]

Lote has been good going in forward and in defense, but his work off to ball is still average (as is most of the Aus backs), all the players Deans has brought in are dedicated workers. A back three of Shepherd/Mitchell, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) & Hynes will get through a shed load of work and create more opportunities because of it.

 

[naza]

Lote not touring ? Ah, that's the best news I've heard all week. (Apart from delighting in further fallout from the sub-prime 'crisis').

Lote's attitude is shit. He's a fingerpointer, not a problem solver.

Robbie Deans hyped up how the Wallabies had a license to play what's in front of them. Cue the media and SIW brigade predicting our backs would murder teams with running rugby and counter attack. Didn't happen. Lote continued to respond by running sideways, transferring pressure to his teammates, and rarely breaking out of a trot in support or kick chase situations. Oh yes, what a class player. :

 

[fatprop]

, and rarely breaking out of a trot in support or kick chase situations.

He ain't alone there, the whole backline rarely broke out of a trot to get into position.

 

[formeropenside]

In case anyone has not seen it yet...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=F9HGGFaAGSE

 

[cyclopath]

Very funny, FOS!

 

[Scotty]

Robbie Deans hyped up how the Wallabies had a license to play what's in front of them. Cue the media and SIW brigade predicting our backs would murder teams with running rugby and counter attack. Didn't happen. Lote continued to respond by running sideways, transferring pressure to his teammates, and rarely breaking out of a trot in support or kick chase situations. Oh yes, what a class player.

I think much of the problem is that some people haven't realised that we don't have anywhere near the best backs in the world anymore.

Tuqiri < Tune

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) < Burke/Latham

Barnes < Horan

Giteau < Larkham

We should stop expecting anymore from them than what they are capable of.

 

[naza]

110% in agreement Scotty.

Then again, I also expect professional rugby backs to be able to draw and pass, run straight, and mark up in defence. They ought to be capable of that, surely.

 

[Mainlander]

110% in agreement Scotty.

Then again, I also expect professional rugby backs to be able to draw and pass, run straight, and mark up in defence. They ought to be capable of that, surely.

Don't believe any of the tri teams backlines preformed particularly well this season.

Crucial from TSF (had a beer with him in Welly last week) believes the ELV are to blame and are stifling back play.

He reckons we'll see teams with three fullback and no wingers soon.

 

[naza]

The ELVs are pants. I miss seeing mauls. Backs have no space now. And the game is played between 22s with more kicking this season than the bloody RWC !

 

[Aussie D]

110% in agreement Scotty.

Then again, I also expect professional rugby backs to be able to draw and pass, run straight, and mark up in defence. They ought to be capable of that, surely.

Don't believe any of the tri teams backlines preformed particularly well this season.

Crucial from TSF (had a beer with him in Welly last week) believes the ELV are to blame and are stifling back play.

He reckons we'll see teams with three fullback and no wingers soon.

The first point backs play has been slowly deteriorating over the past 5 years with more emphasis on players being 'athletes' rather than rugby players (it shits me no end to hear coaches recruiting so-and-so because he is a great athlete when he doesn't have any rugby nous).

From what I have seen the space is there on the field, unfortunately too many players have become 'programmed' and are too scared to take chances or when they do don't know exactly how to use the ball.

On the third point I think it was back in '04 when Eddie Jones selected an Oz side with 3 fullbacks. He had Lote at 'left' fullback, Wendell at 'right' fullback and Latho at 'centre' fullback, whihc if I'm not mistaken was before the concept of ELVs first came about.