RWC 2019 1/4 Final England vs Australia

[Braveheart81]

Who is reffing this game?

Hasn't been announced yet. Most likely tomorrow I would say.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Please don't be a Frenchman. Please don't be a Frenchman. Please don't be a Frenchman.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

Please don't be a Frenchman. Please don't be a Frenchman. Please don't be a Frenchman.

It's gonna be a Frenchman.

 

[Up the Guts]

Who else is there? French people + Nigel + O'Keefe are the only refs I can think of us having.

 

[cyclopath]

Who else is there? French people + Nigel + O'Keefe are the only refs I can think of us having.

Ummmm. I see the Poite / Skeen combo on our horizon.
I see one of these for Cheika.

 

[Up the Guts]

^^^
Should put that on Skeen.

 

[Joe Blow]

I agree with Seb V, which is why in my side above I selected Kerevi and TK in the centres and Koro and Petaia on the wings. That's a backline built around attack, and if our forwards can give us enough good ball, I think it could cause thePoms some headaches.

Built around attack but the only way they see the ball outside Kerevi is if he is stuck in a ruck. If that happens and TK gets his hands on it Koro and Petaia have Buckley’s chance of seeing it.

JOC (James O'Connor) stays at 13. He’s the link dude who can feed the wingers.

 

[emuarse]

I reckon there are only a couple of selection issues this week:

I expect White and Leali'ifano will start in the halves, Beale will remain at fullback if he overcomes his concussion and DHP will start on the wing spot ahead of Petaia and Hodge.

Tupou will probably get the nod over Kepu at 18 after a good performance off the bench against Georgia.

The backrow is still a little uncertain and your guess is as good as mine.

1. Sio
2. Latu
3. Ala'alatoa
4. Rodda
5. Arnold
6. Dempsey
7. Hooper (c)
8. Naisarani
9. White
10. Leali'ifano
11. Koroibete
12. Kerevi
13. JOC (James O'Connor)
14. DHP
15. Beale

16. Uelese 17. Slipper 18. Tupou 19. Coleman 20. Pocock 21. Genia 22. To'omua 23. Petaia

There are so many potential selection options in the backrow:

6. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) 7. Hooper 8. Naisarani
6. Demspey 7. Hooper 8. Pocock
6. Pocock 7. Hooper 8 Dempsey
6. Pocock 7. Hooper 8. Naisarani

Dempsey has definitely improved his chances in the last couple of weeks and Naisarani has worsened his. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) probably also did his chances some damage with his yellow card against Uruguay.

I think Naisarani is a world cup too early and does not have the maturity yet.
I'd have Dempsey as the No 8 with Pocock & Hooper, or Pocock as 8 with Dempsey as 6, take your pick.

 

[emuarse]

Please don't be a Frenchman. Please don't be a Frenchman. Please don't be a Frenchman.

I thought they were only using Frenchmen for this RWC.

 

[fatprop]

A cynical coach would consider ensuring anyone whose head gets touched to stay down and roll around dazed.

That appears to be the triggering criteria for Skeen et al to look back at what cause the issue

 

[Viking]

I think Naisarani is a world cup too early and does not have the maturity yet.
I'd have Dempsey as the No 8 with Pocock & Hooper, or Pocock as 8 with Dempsey as 6, take your pick.

That's a tough call. I think Naisa still makes more run metres then Dempsey, despite Dempsey's footwork. And Dempsey is making more errors. I feel he's a good 3-4 games off having some good form. Based on the international season I still feel Naisa has played better.

 

[Slim 293]

I think Naisarani is a world cup too early and does not have the maturity yet.
I'd have Dempsey as the No 8 with Pocock & Hooper, or Pocock as 8 with Dempsey as 6, take your pick.

That only gives us two proper lineout jumpers.........

We need Naisarani or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) in there.

 

[chasmac]

6. Dempsey
7. Hooper
8. Naisarani
9. White
10. CLL
11. Koro
12. Kerevi with instructions to pass / offload
13. JOC (James O'Connor)
14. Peitau with instructions to support Kerevi all day.
15. DHP

Gameplan - Give it to Folau ( just kidding !! )

i) Field position via white / CLL / DHP with good chase from wingers. Need to eliminate their 3 point threat plus bring our lineout into play.
ii) Win the gainline via Kerevi, Koro and Forwards.
iii) Ball security; Commit an extra player to the ruck.
iv) Defence will ultimately win it. They can strike from set piece, through the middle, out wide and off the boot.
v ) No yellows

 

[Tex]

We've really got to improve our timing and accuracy at the ruck. Too often we've been fractionally late or blown over the top of an uncontested ruck, allowing someone to swoop in a pilfer. Again, I watch the Japanese play and dream what our backline could do with that speed and delivery of ruck ball.

 

[chasmac]

We've really got to improve our timing and accuracy at the ruck. Too often we've been fractionally late or blown over the top of an uncontested ruck, allowing someone to swoop in a pilfer. Again, I watch the Japanese play and dream what our backline could do with that speed and delivery of ruck ball.

This could be addressed by putting an extra player into the ruck. Wales disrupted us through breakdown pressure (and side entry).

 

[PhilClinton]

6. Dempsey
7. Hooper
8. Naisarani
9. White
10. CLL
11. Koro
12. Kerevi with instructions to pass / offload
13. JOC (James O'Connor)
14. Peitau with instructions to support Kerevi all day.
15. DHP

Gameplan - Give it to Folau ( just kidding !! )

i) Field position via white / CLL / DHP with good chase from wingers. Need to eliminate their 3 point threat plus bring our lineout into play.
ii) Win the gainline via Kerevi, Koro and Forwards.
iii) Ball security; Commit an extra player to the ruck.
iv) Defence will ultimately win it. They can strike from set piece, through the middle, out wide and off the boot.
v ) No yellows

I've seen a few people post similar remarks re Kerevi but I can't see him changing his instinctive playing style in the space of a week. He's had so much success with it at Soup level and still makes ground running it hard and straight at international level.

Over the space of a season I could see him become a better passer but to ask him to change that tactic now is asking too much. For that reason I would have -


10. CLL
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani

And Kerevi coming on to finish.

 

[Joe Blow]

Kerevi will play. CLL just needs to cut him out at times bringing JOC (James O'Connor) and DHP into the game, and of course we need to get the pill to the wings. Kerevi has been well contained so far. He might be due a blinder?

 

[wamberal]

If Kerevi and the whole team are not due a blinder it will be the last game for quite a few of them, in national colours. That should be pretty good motivation, I would have thought.

 

[Derpus]

A cynical coach would consider ensuring anyone whose head gets touched to stay down and roll around dazed.

That appears to be the triggering criteria for Skeen et al to look back at what cause the issue

Soccer syndrome. To be fair, most people claim that soccer is better off with the theatrics and not the legbreakers that used to plague that sport. Probably the case for Rugby.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Interesting to see how far (?) we have come in four years
For the game against England

2015
Sio Moore Kepu
Douglas Simmons
Fardy Hooper Pocock

Genia Foley
Horne Giteau Kurindrani AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Izzy

2019 Probables
Sio Latu AAA
Rodda Arnold
Pocock Hooper Naisarani

White CLL
Koroibete Kerevi JOC (James O'Connor) Petaia
DHP

2015 reserves
TPN Slipper Holmes Skelton Mumm Phipps To'omua Beale

2019 probable reserves
Uelese Slipper TT Coleman LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) Genia To'omua Beale