RWC Squad

[GC]

Forwards:
Props: Slipper, Robinson, Alexander, Palmer
Hookers: TPN, Moore
Locks: Horwill, Simmons, Sharpe, Mumm
No. 8: Palu, McCalman
No. 6: Rocky, Higgers
No. 7: Pocock, Robinson

Backs:
No. 9: Genia, Burgess
No. 10: Cooper, JOC (James O'Connor)
Wings: Mitchell, Ioane, Turner, Davies
IC: Barnes, Fainga'a
OC: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Mortlock
FB: Beale, Gerard

A good combination of players for dry and wet weather. If the squad is expanded, Kepu, S Fainga'a, Mowen, Phipps + McCabe could come in.

 

[Gnostic]

At the moment my props would be - Robinson, Palmer, Slipper and Kepu... with Alexander 5th in line with the chance of taking over from Kepu if he regains his 2009 scrummaging form...

As much as I like Palmer and I am a firm believer in the horses for courses selection of the tight 5 (ala Reds V Stormers) I do not think Palmer will get selected. Regardless of how good his set piece is his work away from that just isn't as good as the alternatives. Slipper will be starting THP with either Kepu or Alexander on the bench and the other as back up. Daley and Fatcat will be LHPs with Kepu and Alexander as backups.

It is silly IMO to pick for the mobility that these selections will give when playing an RWC in NZ in conditions which are more than likely going to be very heavy. IMO such conditions are ideal for a Potplant to put down roots and hold a scrum stable and the big fatties struggle to hold their footing away from the set piece in any event, unlike what we saw from our scrum in similar conditions in the NH last year.

 

[James Buchanan]

The ARU didn't resign him to play for Uni, so if he's fit he'll be in the squad, regardless of merit.

Perhaps. There's a lot of ifs and maybes involved with that. We're better off taking someone who's up to speed than an erstwhile servant of the game.

I suspect the signing would have been more of a 'just in case' nature, as not so long ago we had a severe shortage of locks.

 

[gone]

Slipper will be starting THP with either Kepu or Alexander on the bench and the other as back up. Daley and Fatcat will be LHPs with Kepu and Alexander as backups.

I think the only 2 cast in stone at the moment are Robinson and Slipper. 2 more will probably be in the squad and to be prudent I would expect both of those to be able to play both sides, so I don't think they will take Daley. Alexander has the inside running and Kepu has had a couple of blinders in recent weeks against the Force and the Chiefs, however I do want to see him stand up against one of the better teams. Also I would add round 1 against the Rebels / Somerville to your list of when he has bettered at scrum time this year. Still I would have him there at the moment as no-one else sticking their hands up at this stage.

Palmer is too much of a liability around the field for my liking. I've been watching him closely in recent weeks and I think it's actually an issue of speed / agility as opposed to work rate. He always seems a step or 2 behind the rest of the defensive line.

It is silly IMO to pick for the mobility that these selections will give when playing an RWC in NZ in conditions which are more than likely going to be very heavy.

The conditions may be very different to what we have seen from trinations tests in NZ in recent years (particularly towards the end of the tournament) given it is taking place in Spring. The rainy season in NZ is June - August, in September it starts to warm up.

 

[Slim 293]

I would like to hope that Palmer can gain improvement in the Wallaby setup...

It'd be nice to have a prop that is dominant...

But yes, his workrate is certainly below par...

 

[Joe Mac]

This will almost certainly be the final squad...

Forwards:
Props: Slipper, Robinson, Alexander, Kepu
Hookers: TPN, Moore
Locks: Horwill, Simmons, Sharpe, Mumm
No. 8: Palu, McCalman
No. 6: Rocky, Higgers
No. 7: Pocock, Robinson

Backs:
No. 9: Genia, Burgess
No. 10: Cooper, Barnes
Wings: Mitchell, Ioane, Vuna, JOC (James O'Connor)
IC: Giteau, Fainga'a
OC: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Mortlock
FB: Beale, Gerard

 

[qwerty51]

Don't think Beau or Vuna will make the squad. Will go to Hodgson or Waugh imo.

Vickerman and Horne will definitely be in the squad.

 

[Gnostic]

As much as I think its is a total farce, I d think Vickerman will be in the squad, as will Elsom even if neither play a game in Oz this year.

 

[BDA]

Gnostic, you've obvious grown a fondness for Kepu, whereas I'm still not convinced. When he came on for Robinson for the the tahs against the saders in 2010, his poor scrummaging IMHO cost them the game (the fact that i had money on the tahs probably resulted in my view of Kepu being tainted). I thought he was poor against the saders this year too.

The few chances he did get for the wallabies in 2009 I wasn't overly impressed. You're measuring him against a guy who has held his own against the world's top test sides, outscrummaged most of them in 2009, and is more versatile IMO. I'd have to choose Alexander ahead of Kepu.

But physically Kepu has always had a lot of potential so perhaps he will surpass Alexander this year.

 

[qwerty51]

You just dismissed Kepu because of what the Crusaders did to him? Did you watch the Crusaders/Brumbies match?

 

[Moses]

You just dismissed Kepu because of what the Crusaders did to him? Did you watch the Crusaders/Brumbies match?

Or Crusaders v. Sharks? My word, what a pounding up front

 

[Bowside]

Wouldn't mind seeing palmer put through a kurtly beale style speed training regime. They just have to be carefully they don't take to much weight off him.

 

[Viking]

Alexander has loads of experience but has also had loads of penalties go against him at both Super and International level. He is far from a solid Prop, but our most experienced option (Baxter is not an option). He needs to work on a few things to tweak his game, like scrum technique, physicality, and he will be a great option. However given he's already had a few wallaby season's under his belt Id thought he would be there already and smashing it at Super 15 level. But he is not, in fact he's playing pretty average at super 15 level. For me, this is a pretty good indication he is not going to improve dramatically anytime soon. Whereas Kepu and Slipper have shown great improvement and potential. Shouldn't we reward players who are putting in the effort and constantly growing as players?

 

[Moses]

Wouldn't mind seeing palmer put through a kurtly beale style speed training regime. They just have to be carefully they don't take to much weight off him.

Kurtley was (I think) a GPS sprinting and hurdling champion, not sure if Palmer has that pedigree.

 

[barbarian]

You just dismissed Kepu because of what the Crusaders did to him? Did you watch the Crusaders/Brumbies match?

The scrums were actually quite even in the Crusaders vs Brumbies game. I can remember quite distinctly because I had Ben Alexander in my fantasy side and was shit scared of him getting reamed after the Saders demolished the Tahs. While the Brumbies never dominated the Crusaders scrum, they probably got parity. They certainly weren't shoved around like the Tahs were.

 

[en_force_er]

There is a strong lack of love for Matt Hodgson in this thread.

The man is not only our 2nd best 7 but probably our 3rd best 6 and a capable 8. He'd be about the handiest loose forward for a coach to have in his squad in a WC year.

 

[BDA]

I actually thought the Brumbies got the upper hand in the first half of that game. pretty even in the second. Although to be fair, the tahs were doing okay before TPN went off.

 

[Gnostic]

No but Alexander was penalised fairly heavily, given the scrum penalties in that game he got the most.

Blaming Kepu for the reaming the Tahs got from the Saders last year and this year is a bit harsh. This year much of the discussion here centred on Fitzpatrick after the Saders game. In any event the I will contend that Kepu didn't give away penalities in getting dusted but Alexander did in getting the illusion of parity against the same squad. I will not again list my reasoning why I would pick Kepu over Alexander, go back and look if you wish.

 

[qwerty51]

The only reason they got parity is because of Palmer.

 

[gone]

The only reason they got parity is because of Palmer.

The Crusaders resting Owen Franks also helped.