Poms Vs Wallabies

[Scarfman]

Everyone is picking Mumm to start; Cross to be dropped; 10/12 to change.

We'll see.

 

[Spook]

...and get rid of JOC (James O'Connor) until he turns 21.

 

[Gagger]

So Dingo perseveres with Gits at 10 and JO'C in the backline all the way through the Tri-Nations against teams 1 and 2 in the world, to then ditch them and stick in Quooade when you get to Pommyland.

Can't see it happening.

Remember - we're not about to play the Kiwis or Saffas again, we're about to play the poms for the first time.

Bizarrely, shaking it up now makes even less sense than keeping it the way it was for Tokyo.

 

[cyclopath]

Yeah, agreed. Sorry Cyclo, I love you like a brother, but I think locks need to work in tight, with just the occasional run of 3m through the ruck.

Fair enough, I'll accept I'm wrong, as long as everyone regards me as visionary if Chisolm becomes the ball-running Messiah. Or at least the ball-running Brian.

 

[Scotty]

I would like to see Mumm start, not because I am sure he will do better than Horwill because our 2nd rowers need a shake up. Move Giteau to 12 or bring Cooper in at 12 and let them swap during the game. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 13. JOC (James O'Connor) to stay at 15. Despite his very good game in Tokyo, Smith to come back in for Pocock.

This looks pretty unlikely since he has been named as captain in the midweek team.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26294250-5016959,00.html

Mumm, hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, winger Drew Mitchell, centre Ryan Cross, halfback Luke Burgess and reserves James O'Connor, Matt Dunning and Mark Chisholm will all make the six-hour round trip to Gloucester after featuring in the Test 22 against the All Blacks.

Cross is the only player being asked to start the first two matches of the tour, the former NRL ironman only too happy to assist embattled coach Deans in his hour of need.

This could be a good sign as far as the non-selection of Cross vs England, but obviously Mumm will be on the bench. I guess Cross not being picked would point to Ioane at 13, but may also lead to Cooper at 10 with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) back to FB?

 

[Scotty]

So Dingo perseveres with Gits at 10 and JO'C in the backline all the way through the Tri-Nations against teams 1 and 2 in the world, to then ditch them and stick in Quooade when you get to Pommyland.

Can't see it happening.

Remember - we're not about to play the Kiwis or Saffas again, we're about to play the poms for the first time.

Bizarrely, shaking it up now makes even less sense than keeping it the way it was for Tokyo.

I couldn't agree less. Why pick the same guys we know have failed? In particularly Giteau at 10 and J'OC at 15. They can't stand up in big games (one due to not being in his best position and one due to age), so why pick them in what could be a tour defining game? If Giteau has a fantastic game against some average defense, then we will see him picked at 10 for the rest of the tour, and never get to see an alternative, then we will find out once again at next years 3N that he is an average 10 at international level.

 

[Moses]

JOC (James O'Connor) has only failed against New Zealand, he's been superb against every other team...

 

[Scotty]

Giteau has only failed against NZ and South Africa, he is superb against ever other team.

 

[Cutter]

I agree with Scotty and Cyclo.

Ball carrying locks - Brad Thorn, Simon Shaw, Paul O'Connell, Alun Wynn-Jones. You need the big munters to take the pressure off your other ball carriers. Particularly against static defence, the big fellas shunt it up, take the hit and, hopefully, push the defence back one or two feet (that's all that is needed) and give relatively quick ball for the next hit up. The ball runners like Palu and Elsom are better at running at thinner defensive lines where they can use their foot speed and acceleration to go through a gap if they can make a half break.

Another bloke who never seems to play well against the ABs and Boks is Rocky.