RWC Pool D - Wallabies vs Wales - Sunday 29 September 2019 @ 5.45pm

[Viking]

I have no issue with your interpretation of the logic, Barbs. But if I was selecting the side, I wouldn't have had AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) there, nor would I have replaced White for this game.

The talk here is that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a strong defender and will put in a good defensive shift on the wing. I reckon I've seen AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) miss more tackles in his past two games than he has missed in any one year in his career. It is widely conceded that he has lost a fair bit of pace with age, and I think that is also affecting his positioning and ability to make tackles. On the other hand, in Kuridrani, we have a recognised class defender, especially at 13, and he has experience at playing wing. He was initially recruited to Canberra as a winger and converted to 13 after coming here. A better solution to replace Hodge imo would have been to play TK on the wing but have him defend at 13.

Nic White has excelled all year in NH rugby, the type of game that is played by Wales. I would have persisted with him for this game with Willy G on in the last 30 minutes. That would have offered another option for taking penalty kicks as well. The kickers in the squad, apart from Foley, are White (on the bench), Lealiifano (apparently injured), To'omua (on the bench) and Hodge (suspended). We will be going something like 60 minutes against Wales with no alternative to Foley who is just as likely to leave his kicking boots behind.

Gee I don't know about Kuridrani on the wing, he's played maybe 2 games there in the last 5 years. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is much more experienced on the wing.

Interesting point about White. Would have loved to see him there to help exit our 22 as well, given he has a big boot and Foley is terrible at it.

 

[Tomikin]

Does mean if Foley is having a shocking first 30mins he'll get pulled for To'omua?

Yeah why not, I will tweet Cheika I'm sure he is looking for my advice lol

 

[Up the Guts]

To be given that title, he’ll have to learn to pass the ball at times when it’s needed...

Very good point

 

[cyclopath]

Gee I don't know about Kuridrani on the wing, he's played maybe 2 games there in the last 5 years. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is much more experienced on the wing.

Interesting point about White. Would have loved to see him there to help exit our 22 as well, given he has a big boot and Foley is terrible at it.

Genia will probably kick box kick exits, as White does. He's usually not too bad at it, but probably averages less distance than White.

 

[KOB1987]

The kickers in the squad, apart from Foley, are O'Connor, White (on the bench), Beale (on the bench), Lealiifano (apparently injured), To'omua (on the bench) and Hodge (suspended).

Fixed that for you. If goal kicking is the issue it won't be due to lack of options.

 

[Viking]

Fixed that for you. If goal kicking is the issue it won't be due to lack of options.

There's no evidence that JOC (James O'Connor) has been goal-kicking the last 4 years, so it's very likely he isn't an option. All other options are on the bench. So we are putting all our eggs in one out-of-form basket in Foley.

 

[Derpus]

I have no issue with your interpretation of the logic, Barbs. But if I was selecting the side, I wouldn't have had AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) there, nor would I have replaced White for this game.

The talk here is that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a strong defender and will put in a good defensive shift on the wing. I reckon I've seen AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) miss more tackles in his past two games than he has missed in any one year in his career. It is widely conceded that he has lost a fair bit of pace with age, and I think that is also affecting his positioning and ability to make tackles. On the other hand, in Kuridrani, we have a recognised class defender, especially at 13, and he has experience at playing wing. He was initially recruited to Canberra as a winger and converted to 13 after coming here. A better solution to replace Hodge imo would have been to play TK on the wing but have him defend at 13.

Nic White has excelled all year in NH rugby, the type of game that is played by Wales. I would have persisted with him for this game with Willy G on in the last 30 minutes. That would have offered another option for taking penalty kicks as well. The kickers in the squad, apart from Foley, are White (on the bench), Lealiifano (apparently injured), To'omua (on the bench) and Hodge (suspended). We will be going something like 60 minutes against Wales with no alternative to Foley who is just as likely to leave his kicking boots behind.

Stop saying things I agree with it's disconcerting

 

[cyclopath]

There's no evidence that JOC (James O'Connor) has been goal-kicking the last 4 years, so it's very likely he isn't an option. All other options are on the bench. So we are putting all our eggs in one out-of-form basket in Foley.

True. But all our kickers look pretty ropey currently. It's not a great bag of options. We'll see.

 

[LearningCurve]

Maybe Tk at 13 and JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing would have been better. I know that JOC (James O'Connor) probably doesn't have the speed that he used to but neither does AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and O'Connor offers all the defensive capabilities needed. I think for all Nic White's experience with NH rugby we have to accept that he was pretty ordinary against Fiji. I supported him starting there but some of his key attributes, like the long kick didn't seem to work.

Maybe this lineup (excepting Hodge) was always Cheika's Tier 1 pick and the White/CLL combo was for Fiji where they expected to win easily. He has always been a fan of Foley and clearly doesn't see To'omua as a starting 10. I read in the Australian this morning Cheika commenting on AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) where a French journo had said that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was a flop playing in France and Cheik commented that while that might have been the case back in Oz he 'had flourished'. I think there might be a few of us who would not quite use that description but he is certainly experienced and once Cheik enticed him to come back to Oz I think he always had him locked in for the WC.

 

[KOB1987]

There's no evidence that JOC (James O'Connor) has been goal-kicking the last 4 years, so it's very likely he isn't an option. All other options are on the bench. So we are putting all our eggs in one out-of-form basket in Foley.

Its a professional international rugby side, I'm sure they've thought ahead enough to work out what to do if they need another option. I'd say O'Connor would have been practising as the back up long range kicker at the very least. Besides, Foley kicked 3 from 3 in Joburg, he was off target v Samoa, but 3 of those were from the sideline of which 2 missed by inches. He was on par during the Super Rugby season. I'm not sure if all of that renders him 'out of form'.

 

[KOB1987]

Stop saying things I agree with it's disconcerting

I listened to the RR podcast this morning, Turinui and Cockbain were certainly more upbeat about AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s selection than you two.

 

[Adam84]

Except that he’s been used regular by the Wallabies, and most teams he’s played with throughout his professional career...

Yeah mate you said the same thing before the Fiji game. And like I said then, he hasn’t been used at all during 2019 and he presented a liability which was exposed during the game.

 

[Slim 293]

Yeah mate you said the same thing before the Fiji game. And like I said then, hasn’t been used at all during 2019 and he presented a liability. What happened 2 years ago, has little bearing on test rugby in the RWC.

He was used as a jumper by the Rebels, albeit not that often........ and he's been regularly jumping for the Wallabies.

And he jumped regularly for the Brumbies last year, and for the Force and Spirit before that.

 

[Adam84]

He was used as a jumper by the Rebels, albeit not that often.... and he's been regularly jumping for the Wallabies.

And he jumped regularly for the Brumbies last year, and for the Force and Spirit before that.

You can repeat that all you like, evidence from last week is it means little.

Hasn’t been used at all during 2019, first time is during a RWC match and as expected he struggled, fumbled balls and mistimed jumps.Poor planning

 

[Penguin]

Whoever finishes top will have a better draw. Still much on the line.

And Georgia deserve a bit more respect.

 

[Slim 293]

You can repeat that all you like, evidence from last week is it means little.

Evidence from last week was that Latu messed up a few calls and/or the communication between caller and thrower was not great for the first half.........

Hasn’t been used at all during 2019

Well, that's not true..........

He's been jumping in every game for the Wobs, and also was used a handful of time for the Rebels........ in 2019.

 

[emuarse]

There's a few reasons I'd put my money on the Wallabies as opposed to the Dragons, aside from the bookied odds:
1) the game is in a neutral country, with the locals probably more likely to support the Wallabies as they would idintify with some of them from the Super games.
2)There will be in all likelyhood a high humidity, which the welsh will find more uncomfortable.
3) Wales last played on Monday, and have had two days less time to recover

Wallabies by 12

 

[fatprop]

Evidence from last week was that Latu messed up a few calls and/or the communication between caller and thrower was not great for the first half...
.

the lifters weren't great either

 

[Viking]

Its a professional international rugby side, I'm sure they've thought ahead enough to work out what to do if they need another option. I'd say O'Connor would have been practising as the back up long range kicker at the very least. Besides, Foley kicked 3 from 3 in Joburg, he was off target v Samoa, but 3 of those were from the sideline of which 2 missed by inches. He was on par during the Super Rugby season. I'm not sure if all of that renders him 'out of form'.

His kicking % this year rates in out-of-form. Or maybe it rates him just a poor goal-kicker - whatever you prefer.

Not sure how you could possibly try and argue he is in-form, or imply he's a good kicker. Maybe he's the best option we have but he ain't a great goal-kicker.

Yeah of coarse professional rugby teams have a contingency plan, but it's just that, a back-up. I'm sure Genia would start kicking too if they had too but it's not ideal. I hope JOC (James O'Connor) has been practising, but if that is the case it's surprising To'omua, Hodge, have been used as secondary kickers and not him.

 

[KOB1987]

His kicking % this year rates in out-of-form. Or maybe it rates him just a poor goal-kicker - whatever you prefer.

Not sure how you could possibly try and argue he is in-form, or imply he's a good kicker. Maybe he's the best option we have but he ain't a great goal-kicker.

Yeah of coarse professional rugby teams have a contingency plan, but it's just that, a back-up. I'm sure Genia would start kicking too if they had too but it's not ideal. I hope JOC (James O'Connor) has been practising, but if that is the case it's surprising To'omua, Hodge, have been used as secondary kickers and not him.

He was at 79% this supe season, which is a few points higher than his overall average. For the record that’s the same as Dan Carter’s career average and Lilo kicked at 75% this season. But whatever floats your boat.