Pick your Wallaby team for EOYT
- Thread starter Pfitzy
- Start date
- Status
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Was going to get in to mention "Rabbit" O'Connor, who I had forgotten, but Noddy beat me to it. One thing for sure - he wouldn't be fazed by anything.
I don't know about Cooper who I thought was a bit flakey in the S14 this year and the one Oz game of the U20 IRB comp I saw, but you have to let young players have a go at some point, and he could be a better bet than I'm thinking at the moment.
The lastest news on Tuqiri is that he may be fit to tour but I'd rather him stay at home, and not because as others think, that his 3N was bad, but to avoid long term damage.
I don't know about Cooper who I thought was a bit flakey in the S14 this year and the one Oz game of the U20 IRB comp I saw, but you have to let young players have a go at some point, and he could be a better bet than I'm thinking at the moment.
The lastest news on Tuqiri is that he may be fit to tour but I'd rather him stay at home, and not because as others think, that his 3N was bad, but to avoid long term damage.
Lee Grant said:
Hear, hear. Tuqiri should spend the next few months recuperating to ensure he's perfectly fit for next year. It'd be good for Hynes to adopt some responsibility as the senior winger and for talented youngsters such as Ioane and Turner be given the chance to develop their skills.
Virgil
Larry Dwyer (12)
With the huge money invested in Lota Cash, is that really an option?
Id imagine the ARU would want to get all they can out of Lote, sure that has to be balanced with not breaking him. But touring Europe without one of your biggest and most recognizable names wouldnt be pleasant.
Id imagine the ARU would want to get all they can out of Lote, sure that has to be balanced with not breaking him. But touring Europe without one of your biggest and most recognizable names wouldnt be pleasant.
F
formeropenside
Guest
Well, I'm not sure I would have taken Dunning, Chisholm, TPN or Waugh. Or Cordingley for that matter: Lucas would have been a better choice.
Cooper is very lucky, but hopefully the trip will do him good.
Cooper is very lucky, but hopefully the trip will do him good.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Well done to the Rabbit for getting picked. I knew this kid was going to be dynamite since I reported his play in the U16 tournament on the other forum. The only question was his size; for even then one could see he wasn't going to be a big man.
So, the mail on Cooper was correct. He wouldn't have been my pick but I wish him well and if Gits gets hurt, God forbid, at least there is a history of 10 Cooper 12 Barnes at the Reds. I thought Beale may have got a development gig but maybe he wasn't fit to tour, and if he was but was overlooked he only has his own tackling to blame; not that Cooper is exactly rock solid either.
I didn't pick Kepu either and when I saw his name I thought what a pity for Ben Alexander, but he's going too - then the penny dropped that Greg Holmes wasn't in. A pity they didn't take a punt on a development THP like Danya Edwards though. If Kepu gets on the park at least it will lock him in for the Wallabies. Same thing for young Quade.
Cliffy Palu is deemed fit to tour which means Hoiles misses out. Great to see Pocock in but don't know about Chisolm though others may rate him higher than I do. I would have liked Kimlin in instead.
No Cameron Shepherd? We have to assume that he's unfit. I am not enamoured of Digby Ioane who has less value under the ELVs, and I would have left Tahu at home but I guess the cupboard is a bit bare.
SNK may have been a good tourist to cover for injuries but he is not really international class.
TPN is very lucky to be touring in my opinion, but now that he's in let's all hope that his throwing improves.
Cordingley's selection is a bit of a shocker - young Lucas should have been picked.
Good to see a bit of a punt on young players rather than punts on usual suspects.
PS have just seen that Beale wasn't considered because of lack of game time - fair enough.
So, the mail on Cooper was correct. He wouldn't have been my pick but I wish him well and if Gits gets hurt, God forbid, at least there is a history of 10 Cooper 12 Barnes at the Reds. I thought Beale may have got a development gig but maybe he wasn't fit to tour, and if he was but was overlooked he only has his own tackling to blame; not that Cooper is exactly rock solid either.
I didn't pick Kepu either and when I saw his name I thought what a pity for Ben Alexander, but he's going too - then the penny dropped that Greg Holmes wasn't in. A pity they didn't take a punt on a development THP like Danya Edwards though. If Kepu gets on the park at least it will lock him in for the Wallabies. Same thing for young Quade.
Cliffy Palu is deemed fit to tour which means Hoiles misses out. Great to see Pocock in but don't know about Chisolm though others may rate him higher than I do. I would have liked Kimlin in instead.
No Cameron Shepherd? We have to assume that he's unfit. I am not enamoured of Digby Ioane who has less value under the ELVs, and I would have left Tahu at home but I guess the cupboard is a bit bare.
SNK may have been a good tourist to cover for injuries but he is not really international class.
TPN is very lucky to be touring in my opinion, but now that he's in let's all hope that his throwing improves.
Cordingley's selection is a bit of a shocker - young Lucas should have been picked.
Good to see a bit of a punt on young players rather than punts on usual suspects.
PS have just seen that Beale wasn't considered because of lack of game time - fair enough.
Well let's hope its a proper BaaBaas match. Thusly:
15 Drew Mitchell
14 Peter Hynes
13 Timana Tahu
12 Matt Gitteau (c)
11 Digby Ione
10 Quade Cooper
9 Luke Burgess
8 Richard Brown
7 David Pocock
6 Hugh McMeniman
5 Dean Mumm
4 Mark Chisolm
3 Sekope Kepu
2 Tatafu Polata-Nau
1 Ben Alexander
16 Stephen Moore
17 Benn Robinson
18 James Horwill
19 Wycliffe Palu
20 James O'Connor
21 Adam Ashley-Cooper
22 Lachlan Turner
But because of the match's "significance" I expect the test team to play.
15 Drew Mitchell
14 Peter Hynes
13 Timana Tahu
12 Matt Gitteau (c)
11 Digby Ione
10 Quade Cooper
9 Luke Burgess
8 Richard Brown
7 David Pocock
6 Hugh McMeniman
5 Dean Mumm
4 Mark Chisolm
3 Sekope Kepu
2 Tatafu Polata-Nau
1 Ben Alexander
16 Stephen Moore
17 Benn Robinson
18 James Horwill
19 Wycliffe Palu
20 James O'Connor
21 Adam Ashley-Cooper
22 Lachlan Turner
But because of the match's "significance" I expect the test team to play.
Here's the Australia squad for the Euro tour. The big news is that Aussie Robbie Deans has continued to pump in fresh talent with four new caps - he even created an extra 34th spot for James O'Connor, although presumably he only needs a childs plane fare.
The other new caps go to flanker David Pocock, prop Sekope Kepu and the bunny-hopping Quade Cooper. For Cooper to be in I can only assume Beale is still borderline injured or partying his arse off, such was the gulf between these two players through the year.
Other new old faces include Mark Chisholm and Digby Iaone back in the Green and Gold. I would have liked to have seen us blood another full on lock in the shape of Kimlin, although Chisholm brings as many caps as Mumm, McMenimen and Kimlin would have between them, and also had a good year with the Brumbies as a lock.
As for Iaone - do we really need another Winger? I would have thought blooding another centre like Tyrone Smith or Tom Carter would make more sense. Thankfully Luke Burgess is fit to go as Sam Cordingly hitches a lift to France by somehow snagging a spot, and the reports of Antipodeans' faith in Tim Tam Tahu appear to be correct. We still do not have a fullback though.
Roughly speaking the balance looks about right between new and old(ish), and it's an important balance as it's the Wallabies season is in the balance. A valiant finish to the tri-nations will look much more like a crappy loss should our arses get handed to us in Europe as has happened in recent years.
As for our dominance over scrums like the Kiwis....a certain cold wet November day at Twickenham will put that to the test
Forwards: Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Alastair Baxter (Waratahs), Richard Brown (Western Force), Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), Matt Dunning (Waratahs), Adam Freier (Waratahs), James Horwill (Reds), Sekope Kepu (Waratahs), Hugh McMeniman (Reds), Dean Mumm (Waratahs), Stephen Moore (Reds), Wycliff Palu (Waratahs), David Pocock (Western Force), Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs), Benn Robinson (Waratahs), Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), George Smith (Brumbies), Phil Waugh (Waratahs).
Backs: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Berrick Barnes (Reds), Luke Burgess (Waratahs), Quade Cooper (Reds), Sam Cordingley (Reds), Ryan Cross (Western Force), Matt Giteau (Western Force), Peter Hynes (Reds), Digby Ioane (Reds), Drew Mitchell (Western Force), Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies/capt), James O'Connor (Western Force), Brett Sheehan (Waratahs), Timana Tahu (Waratahs), Lote Tuqiri (Waratahs), Lachie Turner (Waratahs)
The other new caps go to flanker David Pocock, prop Sekope Kepu and the bunny-hopping Quade Cooper. For Cooper to be in I can only assume Beale is still borderline injured or partying his arse off, such was the gulf between these two players through the year.
Other new old faces include Mark Chisholm and Digby Iaone back in the Green and Gold. I would have liked to have seen us blood another full on lock in the shape of Kimlin, although Chisholm brings as many caps as Mumm, McMenimen and Kimlin would have between them, and also had a good year with the Brumbies as a lock.
As for Iaone - do we really need another Winger? I would have thought blooding another centre like Tyrone Smith or Tom Carter would make more sense. Thankfully Luke Burgess is fit to go as Sam Cordingly hitches a lift to France by somehow snagging a spot, and the reports of Antipodeans' faith in Tim Tam Tahu appear to be correct. We still do not have a fullback though.
Roughly speaking the balance looks about right between new and old(ish), and it's an important balance as it's the Wallabies season is in the balance. A valiant finish to the tri-nations will look much more like a crappy loss should our arses get handed to us in Europe as has happened in recent years.
As for our dominance over scrums like the Kiwis....a certain cold wet November day at Twickenham will put that to the test
Forwards: Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Alastair Baxter (Waratahs), Richard Brown (Western Force), Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), Matt Dunning (Waratahs), Adam Freier (Waratahs), James Horwill (Reds), Sekope Kepu (Waratahs), Hugh McMeniman (Reds), Dean Mumm (Waratahs), Stephen Moore (Reds), Wycliff Palu (Waratahs), David Pocock (Western Force), Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs), Benn Robinson (Waratahs), Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), George Smith (Brumbies), Phil Waugh (Waratahs).
Backs: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Berrick Barnes (Reds), Luke Burgess (Waratahs), Quade Cooper (Reds), Sam Cordingley (Reds), Ryan Cross (Western Force), Matt Giteau (Western Force), Peter Hynes (Reds), Digby Ioane (Reds), Drew Mitchell (Western Force), Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies/capt), James O'Connor (Western Force), Brett Sheehan (Waratahs), Timana Tahu (Waratahs), Lote Tuqiri (Waratahs), Lachie Turner (Waratahs)
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
PaarlBok said:Must be in a special club with a Saffer mum & Kiwi dad, so can play for all three nations.
PB
I saw him playing in an U/16 tournament in Sydney and you didn't have to ask why his nickname was "Rabbit". He was so small that he looked like one of the ball boys but he was bloody hard to stop.
There was no discussion that he would play rugby union for another nation (I didn't even know his dad was a Kiwi). The fear was, even the certainty almost, that he would play rugby league. At that U/16 tournament I was told by a female relative and I think it was his mother, but can't remember, that he had been given a scholarship by the Parramatta Eels.
The Eels are a rugby league team.
They were training him in the school holidays as a half-back but either he didn't like the position, or liked union better, but anyway about 12 months ago I found out that he had committed to union and not long after that came the news that the Force had snapped him up.
He has some skills as a ball player and has a kicking game but his great strength is his running game.
I hope professional rugby treats him better than Brent Russell was treated over there. I always thought that it was a pity for Russell in those days that he wasn't an Aussie.
Russell is faster but they are similar players.
PaarlBok
Rod McCall (65)
Think RugbyGal will like that, she is a Brett Russell fanatic. :-\ Maybe his parents was Rugby Union people and this always plays a big role in the youngsters decision.Lee Grant said:
Oh well I'll like to see him play now. For our lot its a big jump for 18 year olds to get to U20 level. We have 19 year olds playing CC but higher then that , not in SA. Francois Steyn, Schalk Burger & Pierre Spies was the freakish lot in our books.
B
brokendown gunfighter
Guest
Lee Grant said:
not in a hurry I think Lee,back in june he signed a 2 year deal with the Force
- Status