If you think Duncan has played poorly.you are blind and/or from NSW. I've been saying since the start of the year that he should be the back up 10 and Jake Mac should be sent back to club with another 12 on the bench (?Taefu)
Gnostic
A lot of what you say is true and great in a perfect world.
You say you don't give a jack about win/loss ratios etc and it's all about the system.
The only way of judging whether a system is good or bad, successful or otherwise is the win/loss ratio
If it ain't broke don't fix it, if it is then change.
On Stiles or any other coach their job is just about always dependant on the win/loss ratio.
That id just reality in an imperfect world. If that is the case all Australian ccoaches excluding maybe Larkham should be flicked. I don't subscribe to that theory for newish coaches.
Obviously Stiles is gone right?
We have got this job correct once in about 17 years.
but secretly you *do* wish you were from Queensland, right? ;PPfft. I'm from NSW.........
Gnostic
A lot of what you say is true and great in a perfect world.
You say you don't give a jack about win/loss ratios etc and it's all about the system.
The only way of judging whether a system is good or bad, successful or otherwise is the win/loss ratio
If it ain't broke don't fix it, if it is then change.
On Stiles or any other coach their job is just about always dependant on the win/loss ratio.
That id just reality in an imperfect world. If that is the case all Australian ccoaches excluding maybe Larkham should be flicked. I don't subscribe to that theory for newish coaches.
Very off topic but does anyone think that with the culling of a franchise ( ) it may actually help the wallabies on a short term basis? We hopefully get our best players playing together and creating more established combinations, hopefully winning a lot more games and helping develop a stronger culture? I can't help but think of the much needed depth it will bring to some of the squads right now.
Does anyone know when SANZAAR discuss the next deal? Would it be possible to bring a side back in, let's say 5 years time? Here's hoping
If you agree with Ben Darwin's analysis regime it may well assist the Wallabies if key partnerships are replicated at Super Level and Wallabies level.
However the best Australian 9-10 combination was NFJ and Lynagh and their only combo was at the Wallabies level and IMO Lynagh played worse with Slattery at 9.
But that 1991 RWC team had these combinations:
NSW Front row (Daly, Kearns, McKenzie)
QLD Locks (Eales, Mcall)
NSW flankers (Poido and Willie O, with Gavin injured pre-tournament)
QLD Centres (Horan and Little)
NSW back three (Roebuck, Campo, Ego).
Lynagh and Farr-Jones had played about 7 years together at that time.
99 similar (3 teams now).
Harry and Blades at prop
Wilson, Kefu and Cockbain
Gregan Larkham
Horan Herbert
It also needs to be considered that with far fewer provincial teams (just 2 in 1991 and 3 in 1999), the odds of the best combinations playing together was far higher.
You'd be hard pressed coming up with any combination of players from a single team now that are the best option.
That said, there's not a whole lot of people you'd actually want to pick for the Wallabies on form currently.
Speak for yourself BH. The Brumbies' forward pack, the Tahs halves and the Force backline (all with a tweak or two only) would provide a pretty good side with established combinations all over the park.