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

[Jimmy_Crouch]

LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) gonna have to watch his body height with ball in hand. The Welsh have in the past (including at the 2015 RWC) adopted the tactic of holding up the ball runner to start a maul and create a turnover. He's a ripe target.

Rory is worse.

 

[Slim 293]

Rory is worse.

He's not worse, it's just that his "low" body height appears high to us mortal dwarves.........

 

[John S]

I think it's evens at the moment. While we've got the wood on the Boyos, our form has been patchy at best, but then again we've been known to step up for the big games (second Bledisloe not withstanding).

So, to get off my fence, Wallabies by not much.

 

[BDA]

I'm not overly confident. I think if we turn up and play well for 80 minutes we'll win. The problem is that we have so rarely turned up and played well over the last few years. It's constant rocks and diamonds...even from first half to second half.

Wales on the other hand are consistent. You know they'll turn up and make minimal mistakes. Who fuckin knows what we'll do.

 

[Tomikin]

I'm not overly confident. I think if we turn up and play well for 80 minutes we'll win. The problem is that we have so rarely turned up and played well over the last few years. It's constant rocks and diamonds.even from first half to second half.

Wales on the other hand are consistent. You know they'll turn up and make minimal mistakes. Who fuckin knows what we'll do.

Narr fuck Wales, there's a good reason we beaten them 12 out of 13 times.. Cos we play better rugby

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Any chance of Fainga'a coming in or has he suddenly completely dropped out of favour? I was thinking Cheika might have been planning a bit of rotation through the pool games and him and Thor will come in for this.

I also think Petaia was a wasted selection ahead of say Banks. The hope must be to play him against both Georgia and Uruguay, he completely carves up and then has to be picked for finals.

 

[dru]

I'm not overly confident. I think if we turn up and play well for 80 minutes we'll win. The problem is that we have so rarely turned up and played well over the last few years. It's constant rocks and diamonds.even from first half to second half.

Wales on the other hand are consistent. You know they'll turn up and make minimal mistakes. Who fuckin knows what we'll do.

That’s right. Still a Welsh strategy of “well be OK if the Aussies don’t turn up” surely doesn’t work for the fans.

 

[KOB1987]

The Hodge decision sucks. But at least it will provide some good entertainment on here tomorrow when AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) gets picked on the bench.

 

[tragic]

Worried about the Welsh targeting KB (Kurtley Beale) under the high ball. With Hodge out would be tempted to put AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or DHP at FB and move KB (Kurtley Beale) to the wing. Shame Petaia isn’t fit yet.

 

[Derpus]

The Hodge decision sucks. But at least it will provide some good entertainment on here tomorrow when AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) gets picked on the bench.

I don't really see an alternative unless you bring in TK?

I wouldn't hate that. No plz AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

To think we could have an actual winger like Pulu or Naivalu.

 

[tragic]

I don't really see an alternative unless you bring in TK?

I wouldn't hate that. No plz AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

To think we could have an actual winger like Pulu or Naivalu.

Another winger would be handy but we were short sighted enough not to bring one.
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and DHP are both safer under the high ball than KB (Kurtley Beale). I always thought AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was a better FB than winger.

 

[KOB1987]

I don't really see an alternative unless you bring in TK?

I wouldn't hate that. No plz AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

To think we could have an actual winger like Pulu or Naivalu.

Yeah I was being facetious, there will still be some good entertainment from it though do not fear. This is precisely why he is there, he was the journeyman selection to cover multiple positions in situations like this where a player is out of contention but can’t be replaced in the squad, and he can slot in with the least disruption. I doubt he will be in the starting side though.

 

[Braveheart81]

I imagine DHP will slot straight onto Hodge's wing and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will wear the 23 jersey.

 

[Ignoto]

Another winger would be handy but we were short sighted enough not to bring one.
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and DHP are both safer under the high ball than KB (Kurtley Beale). I always thought AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was a better FB than winger.

My thoughts exactly. With Petatia being half cooked before the first kick, the second the Fijian match was over, we should have had Banks on the plane with Jordan going the other way. The 3 day no training timer would have meant Banks could have been training with the team when Hodges ban came out.

 

[Silverado]

Another winger would be handy but we were short sighted enough not to bring one.
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and DHP are both safer under the high ball than KB (Kurtley Beale). I always thought AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was a better FB than winger.

We did take a winger but he's injured. I question picking Petaia in a limited squad if he's not fit. He's a good player with lots of potential but there are other wingers at home that we can't use now
Edit. Ignito got in first and made more sense

 

[KOB1987]

My thoughts exactly. With Petatia being half cooked before the first kick, the second the Fijian match was over, we should have had Banks on the plane with Jordan going the other way. The 3 day no training timer would have meant Banks could have been training with the team when Hodges ban came out.

They are obviously confident Petaia will be fit for the last two pool games otherwise he would have been bushed already. Even if he was fit I don't think they would debut him in this high stakes match, so AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was going to get the gig anyway. If Petaia isn't going to be fit for next week I'm pretty sure they'll commence the necessary steps to have him replaced in the squad as soon as they know that.

 

[tragic]

I imagine DHP will slot straight onto Hodge's wing and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will wear the 23 jersey.

I’m sure you’re right.
But I’d still swap DHP and KB (Kurtley Beale). DHP has been shown up in his defensive positioning on the wing. And the Welsh kickers will have a field day with KB (Kurtley Beale) at the back

 

[KOB1987]

I’m sure you’re right.
But I’d still swap DHP and KB (Kurtley Beale). DHP has been shown up in his defensive positioning on the wing. And the Welsh kickers will have a field day with KB (Kurtley Beale) at the back

Even if they don't change the numbers on their backs you'd think this will be part of the tactics. Many were calling to switch Hodge and DHP for this game for precisely this reason.

 

[fatprop]

The obvious step is DHP to start, the Hodge hate is interesting - I thought he did a lot of good things

It will be interesting to see who slips onto the bench and if they choose to pick another pig

 

[Tex]

I reckon Wales are going to run it from everywhere tbh.