RWC Wallabies v USA - 23 September

[Hawko]

I would play it differently, I would go with this lot and stack the bench, and only use the bench if it is going to shit. Put these guys under some pressure and see if they perform.

We really shouldn't have a lot of trouble with the USA, if we do we should just go home

1. James Slipper 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 3. Salesi Ma'afu
4. Nathan Sharpe 5. Rob Simmons
6. Scott Higginbotham 7. Ben McCalman 8. Wycliff Palu
9. Luke Burgess 10. Berrick Barnes
11. Drew Mitchell 12. Anthony Fainga'a 13. Rob Horne 14. Pat McCabe
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper

16. Sekope Kepu 17. Stephen Moore 18. Dan Vickerman 19. Rocky Elsom
20. Will Genia 21. Quade Cooper 22. Kurtley Beale


Game plan?

Play rugby in their half, play field position and require backs working hard to chase and put on pressure.
Get back to decent line speed and attack the breakdown

The challenge is with Pocock we won't be able to play with a lot of width, so I stuck Fainga'a in midfield for his work attacking the ball

There's a lot I like about this team for the USA game. You'd be a better selector than the current mob, but that's not saying much. I like it because:

1. Slipper trials at LHP. TPN gets more match condition under his belt.
2. Sharpe goes head-to-head with Simmons.
3. Palu and Higgers get serious game time.
4. Burgess gets serious time at 9, Genia needs a rest.
5. We have a good look at Barnes controlling a game in NZ conditions (hopefully wet so we can see if he's better than Cooper in the wet).
6. We get a good comparison between McCabe and Fainga'a at 12.
7. We get to see a 13 who can defend, attack and pass to set up supports (such a revoltionary concept).
8. Reserves are our insurance against disaster.

Only thing I would do different is give Saia a run at 7 instead of McCalman. He gets time on the field, his ruck and field work is good, he's basically a 7 playing 2 who can't scrummage.

 

[Hawko]

im with you on mccabe holding his spot.
but the sydney bledisloe in 2008 with gits at 5/8 and barnes at inside centre hit nonu low the second he toughed the ball all game> they shut him down better than any game ive ever seen
think we won 34-19 or omething
i might have the games mixed up> but barnes has defos shut down nonu in tests >>>super rugby its been a bit one sided thou

Super rugby has been Carter vs Nonu and Carter has kept Nonu very quiet for a couple of years. But then Carter doesn't have McCabes flair and passing game.

 

[barbarian]

Team announced:

15-Kurtley Beale, 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13-Anthony Fainga'a, 12-Robert Horne, 11-Drew Mitchell, 10-Quade Cooper 9-Will Genia (captain), 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-Ben McCalman 6-Scott Higginbotham, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Rob Simmons, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-James Slipper. Replacements: 16-Stephen Moore, 17-Sekope Kepu, 18-Dan Vickerman, 19-Radike Samo, 20-Luke Burgess, 21-Berrick Barnes, 22-Pat McCabe



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/r...ested-again-20110921-1kka0.html#ixzz1YXpqBGVO

 

[The_Riddler]

Why Barnes isnt starting at 12 and Horne at 13 baffles me. Fainga'a didnt deserve to retain his spot. I expect if they are up at half-time they will bring on Barnes at 10 and McCabe at 13.

 

[Braveheart81]

I can't believe we're playing Horne out of position at 12 and Barnes isn't getting a run in the starting team at 12 or 10.

I'm also surprised that Burgess isn't starting as he needs game time.

 

[fatprop]

Horne at 12?, interesting

With Ben McCalman & Scott Higginbotham I would be playing left/right flankers

edit

the side has Faainga & Higginbotham as TBC .................

 

[Hawko]

Team announced:

15-Kurtley Beale, 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13-Anthony Fainga'a, 12-Robert Horne, 11-Drew Mitchell, 10-Quade Cooper 9-Will Genia (captain), 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-Ben McCalman 6-Scott Higginbotham, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Rob Simmons, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-James Slipper. Replacements: 16-Stephen Moore, 17-Sekope Kepu, 18-Dan Vickerman, 19-Radike Samo, 20-Luke Burgess, 21-Berrick Barnes, 22-Pat McCabe

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/r...ested-again-20110921-1kka0.html#ixzz1YXpqBGVO

Well FP, we got some of what we asked for.

Horne at 12 might be a master-stroke given Horne's skillset, but its a huge gamble as he hasn't had time at 12 since juniors. Tough ask on Horne, who is just trying to get his test career established. I guess Deans figures that if it works he'll be a genius and if it doesn't then he can justify putting McCabe back. Burgess and Barnes will get minimal time again FFS!!!

 

[fatprop]

Without a decent fetcher we won't be going too wide, Horne runs good lines and our 13 gets no ball at the moment.

 

[Richo]

Another day in the Magical Mystery Tour of Mad Robbie.

 

[Slim 293]

Aye,you taught the boy to tackle,I'll give you that and you cannot fault his ticker.Just a shame he runs like an ostrich,can't pass,kick,sidestep,swerve,set up a supporting player,take the pressure of his fly half.Etc.You know,the stuff you would like an inside centre to do.

Nonu does all those things?

 

[RedsHappy]

Well FP, we got some of what we asked for.

Horne at 12 might be a master-stroke given Horne's skillset, but its a huge gamble as he hasn't had time at 12 since juniors. Tough ask on Horne, who is just trying to get his test career established. I guess Deans figures that if it works he'll be a genius and if it doesn't then he can justify putting McCabe back. Burgess and Barnes will get minimal time again FFS!!!

With a likely QF vs an improving SA looming and with a game v Russia telling us little, madness IMO not to run Barnes at 12, Horne 13, S Fainga'a at 7 (great idea from Hawko, far better bet than McCalman). That scrum of ex-injured and little-played looks quite high-risk to me v USA. Also, whole scenario shows the oddity of bringing a complete rookie 3rd scrum half making up one of 30. Oh well, it's always full of surprises with our Robbie.

 

[Slim 293]

I've been saying for a while now that if Barnes had been fit he wasn't necessarily an automatic starter over McCabe as Deans was possibly looking for a different style 12...

And I think the selection of Horne justifies that...

Barnes is flyhalf cover...

Would love to see Horne and McCabe on the field at the same time in the match...

 

[blondie]

I can't believe we're playing Horne out of position at 12 and Barnes isn't getting a run in the starting team at 12 or 10.

I'm also surprised that Burgess isn't starting as he needs game time.

I think Robbie has pencilled in two dads for the 13 come the QF and he wants to take a look at his options for 12. Barnes might get a run on vs Russia but given his lack of game time, coming off the bench is the safest option first up.

 

[waratahjesus]

Wow..................

 

[RedsHappy]

I think Robbie has pencilled in two dads for the 13 come the QF and he wants to take a look at his options for 12. Barnes might get a run on vs Russia but given his lack of game time, coming off the bench is the safest option first up.

A lot of this team's 'strategy' makes little sense to me then. We can take lots of on-paper risks with starting multiple forwards that are either ex-injured or have started little (see list), yet we keep A Fainga'a in who's sadly been playing poorly and looks more and more risky for a QF v SA, and yet leave BB on the bench, the very back that could make a critical difference to QC (Quade Cooper)'s balance and the solid attacking capability of the line. And then say maybe 'let's see how BB really goes versus a genuine minnow in Russia where we know that game will likely be like shooting fish in a barrel and no real way to learn of key Wallaby players' standings in an NZ context. I guess I'll figure it out in time.

 

[Richo]

I've been saying for a while now that if Barnes had been fit he wasn't necessarily an automatic starter over McCabe as Deans was possibly looking for a different style 12...

And I think the selection of Horne justifies that...

Barnes is flyhalf cover...

Would love to see Horne and McCabe on the field at the same time in the match...

Even if Barnes is flyhalf cover, which you may be right about, why isn't he starting this match?

Incidentally, what would you think about 12. Barnes and 13. McCabe?

 

[antipodean]

Team announced:

15-Kurtley Beale, 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13-Anthony Fainga'a, 12-Robert Horne, 11-Drew Mitchell, 10-Quade Cooper 9-Will Genia (captain), 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-Ben McCalman 6-Scott Higginbotham, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Rob Simmons, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-James Slipper. Replacements: 16-Stephen Moore, 17-Sekope Kepu, 18-Dan Vickerman, 19-Radike Samo, 20-Luke Burgess, 21-Berrick Barnes, 22-Pat McCabe
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What on earth are the selectors thinking?

When has Horne ever shown a capability to play second five-eighth? Is Elsom injured? Who in their right mind thinks Slipper is a better prop than Kepu? A. Fingers gets another go after his efforts against Ireland, so you'd think they're offering players a redemption effort against what would, at best, be a middling Super Rugby level opposition.

So if it's not a redemption exercise, they must be resting people due to injury or player load; because you wouldn't seriously compare the relative merits of players against such widely disparate opposition. Come quarter final time I'll wet myself laughing if Slipper is a starting prop, Horne is 2nd 5/8 and Simmons isn't in a suit watching the game from the grandstand.

 

[waratahjesus]

What on earth are the selectors thinking?

When has Horne ever shown a capability to play second five-eighth? Is Elsom injured? Who in their right mind thinks Slipper is a better prop than Kepu? A. Fingers gets another go after his efforts against Ireland, so you'd think they're offering players a redemption effort against what would, at best, be a middling Super Rugby level opposition.

So if it's not a redemption exercise, they must be resting people due to injury or player load; because you wouldn't seriously compare the relative merits of players against such widely disparate opposition. Come quarter final time I'll wet myself laughing if Slipper is a starting prop, Horne is 2nd 5/8 and Simmons isn't in a suit watching the game from the grandstand.

Horne is a 13 agreed, but i think the wallaby centre combo doesnt actually feature the mystical 2nd 5/8th but rather the inside outside centre of defence that gets cut out by quades long passing game.

 

[Swat]

i'm expecting some of the old switcheroo from Ant and Horne tho, could make it tricky for defences

 

[blondie]

I should have been clearer when saying "coming off the bench is the safest option first up", looking at other 3nations non starters Robbie has taken the safe option by starting them first on the bench. If Fainga'a is in the 22 come QF time I'll eat my hat.

Point being, I think the question mark is mainly over who will play 12 for the knock out stages, personally I'd like to see a match fit BB as he offers so much more than a one dimensional hitman in McCabe and he has experience and poise over Horne. It would also remove the current predictability of our offence with a crash ball 12 as Cooper's distribution is so predictable when the opposition know either it's going straight to McCabe/Fainga'a with no distrubtion skills or a decoy is run by 12 to give it to the blind side winger coming off their wing or beale where they just slide towards the touch line. Having someone who can hit a hole, use their hands to put someone else (Ashley Cooper) through a hole, kick or just take the line on and recycle wouldmake us far better IMO.