Pom Vs Wallabies

[Scotty]

If Cooper gets a start at 10, then he must:

1. Be told to under play his hand for at least the first half (passing and long kicking only with the occasional run)

2. Be given some protection from the big English centres and loosies running at him (Smith and Brown - Palu should not start)

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Agree and if he does that he very well could be a playmaker come second half. The POMS won't be anywhere near fit yet

 

[Not Cougar Again]

I would like to see a couple of changes. Gits is deadset luggage at 10 and Burgess is more than inadequate at 9.

15 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) - (still deserves to be at 15 but needs to lift his game somewhat)
14 Mitchell
13 Mortlock - (only because he is the boss, wouldn't make the team otherwise)
12 Cross - (cross in for Tahu who should be sent home to play in the little boys games)
11 Turner - (love to see him turn on a good one)
10 Cooper - (obvious choice with Barnsy buggered)
9 Giteau - (can't play 10, has a fair boot so at 9 for me)
8 Brown - (this guy is the real deal)
7 Smith
6 Mumm
5 Chisholm
4 Sharpe - (not a big fan of Sharpy but if MMM could or would play 4 i'd throw him in)
3 Baxter - (what choice doe we have)
2 Moore - (TPN needs to control the ball better)
1 Robinson

The wallabies threw away 15% - 20% of posession to the Ities last Saturday from shit ball retention and sloppy passes. fix this area up and we'll give the poms something they hate........a bath!

 

[TOCC]

whilst i would love to see Cooper start at 10, i still dont think he has the maturity or experience to control and close out a game from 5/8, his barely getting there at S14 level let alone test level...

Would love to be proven otherwise though

 

[Lee Grant]

It's good to see people coming around to the view that Giteau, whilst a good no 10 at the S14 level, is no flyhalf for the big occasion in test matches. Many of us had thought that from the start.

But with the loss of Barnes, Deans will probably play him there again with Mortlock at 12 and Cross at 13.

Playing Quade Cooper at 10 would be a bold move but not out of the question. It's not that the Pom backline is chock full of experience either.

Care is a top player who could make the scrummie position his own for a long time. He has had a top season for his club to date and continued that on the weekend. I'd love to see this guy play under the FK sanctions of the S14 because he is so quick off the mark when he taps. Doesn't mind a tap when there' a penalty either. Our blokes will have to be told about him and retire quickly at whistle time.

Although he didn't have his top game against the PIs, Cipriani is a good player despite the hype, and Oz fans wouldn't appreciate how fast he is unless they've seen a bit of him - he has the pace of a quick outside centre. The midfield of Flutey and Noon is good but not overly dangerous on one viewing; the wingers are very quick and raw-bone and MOTM Armitage is going to around a long time if that game and his club form this year is any guide.
.
This Pom team is not the bashing type team of the RWC Q/F. They have a few hard heads but but not many more than we do.

They played well in the 2nd half against the PIs and looked fitter, but they were hardly supermen, especially in the first half. Their scrum will be a major concern unless the refs make LHP Sheridan hit straight on. Our aim should be to get the hit just right and get channel 2 ball out before their second shove is done.

Our backrow should be able to handle theirs, on paper. It's good but not as good as the Blacks. They have a fine new lock in Kennedy who is going to be around a long time especially if the ELVs prevail - similar to 3M in style.

I think that we have a good chance provided our backs play better and to a game plan that suits their skills (ie not a lot of up and unders). Giteau should remember the discomfit he caused to the Bok backs in Durban with some nice grubbers behind them.

The other proviso is that we are not mullered too badly in the scrums.

 

[whocares]

whilst i would love to see Cooper start at 10, i still dont think he has the maturity or experience to control and close out a game from 5/8, his barely getting there at S14 level let alone test level...

Would love to be proven otherwise though

Spot on with my concerns. And i agree with your intilial point too Lee. Due to the lack of experience at test level, and for that matter S14 level, Deans will probably go for the Gits-Morty-Cross combo again and i have to agree its probably a safe option (even though I hate the idea of having Gits at 10 and 3 outside centers on the field since AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will probably go to fullback again). Although in saying that I'd like to see him mix it up a bit and put Copper in there for at least half a game.

However if he doesn't then Gits needs to find a happy medium. There are some games where he just tries too much and doesnt come off and others when he just does nothing (like against Italy). If he finds that spot in the middle and get the ball out but also has a go at the defence he could have a good game.

 

[Scarfman]

Lee - you've got mail!

 

[Spook]

Who played fly half for most of the match last time Australia beat England at Twickers and also picked up MOTM?

 

[Cutter]

I'm guessing either Flats or Nathan Grey. Grey is an outside bet but I seem to recall him playing at 10 for the wallabies at Twickers. It might have been as a replacement though.

 

[fatprop]

I can't believe that you guys are really contemplating throwing Cooper in against the Poms. Ten minutes of not f*cking up does not make him a test player

 

[Sully]

Just sick of Giteau playing out of position! We are getting desperate. I was really hoping Deans would come to his senses and play Barnes there all Tour.

 

[Pfitzy]

I'm guessing either Flats or Nathan Grey. Grey is an outside bet but I seem to recall him playing at 10 for the wallabies at Twickers. It might have been as a replacement though.

Grey started at 10 in 2003 against them in Melbourne after Flats was ruled out due to disciplinary measures and Larkham was injured.

 

[Spook]

I'm guessing either Flats or Nathan Grey. Grey is an outside bet but I seem to recall him playing at 10 for the wallabies at Twickers. It might have been as a replacement though.

Wrong, it was Gits. He kicked us to a victory that day and set up the winning try.

 

[Scarfman]

I can't believe that you guys are really contemplating throwing Cooper in against the Poms. Ten minutes of not f*cking up does not make him a test player

You're onto him, mate. :thumb Couldn't agree more. God help us if Cooper is our future.

 

[RugbyReg]

I can't believe that you guys are really contemplating throwing Cooper in against the Poms. Ten minutes of not f*cking up does not make him a test player

You're onto him, mate. :thumb Couldn't agree more. God help us if Cooper is our future.

Ideally we wouldn't need Cooper this week, or could use him off the bench. Ideally Giteau would be on top of his game and a world class 10. Ideally the combination of Mortlock at 12 and Cross at 13 was, again, world class and didn't limit Morty's game. Ideally we'd have a 15 who could kick and take the pressure of Gits.

Unfortunately, none of these seem the case at the moment. So I say Cooper's worth the risk. Its only going to help him as a player.

 

[fatprop]

Gits is the best we have by a long way.

 

[RugbyReg]

in form, undoubtably, but he's heads not there I reckon.

 

[Cutter]

I can't believe that you guys are really contemplating throwing Cooper in against the Poms. Ten minutes of not f*cking up does not make him a test player

You're onto him, mate. :thumb Couldn't agree more. God help us if Cooper is our future.

Ideally we wouldn't need Cooper this week, or could use him off the bench. Ideally Giteau would be on top of his game and a world class 10. Ideally the combination of Mortlock at 12 and Cross at 13 was, again, world class and didn't limit Morty's game. Ideally we'd have a 15 who could kick and take the pressure of Gits.

Unfortunately, none of these seem the case at the moment. So I say Cooper's worth the risk. Its only going to help him as a player.

This is my view as well.

God help us if we play Mortlock and Cross as a 12, 13 combo. Better ball skills at a chess championship than in that centre pairing.

 

[Spook]

Was Alexander at tight head for most of the game against the Italians? :nta: I know he had 1 on his jersey but...

 

[fatprop]

Dunning was THP all game