Scotland v Australia 12Nov16 Saturday

[Viking]

No use having a half to move the ball quickly if 90% of the side is too knackered to be in position to accept the pass.

Thats a risk but subs should come on and provide some fresh options too.

Plus Genia's only real strength over Phipps is his running game, which would be better against a tiring defence.

Umm then theirs his passing game, decision making, low error rate (especially under pressure), kicking game, catching the high ball, far better discipline.

Practically better in every aspect of the game bar fitness and speed to the ruck. Defence about even.

So I'm not sure why you'd bench one of most consistent performers this season. Probably our best player this season with Hooper.

It will be as logical as benching Foley after his performance.

 

[Quick Hands]

Genia does have a better running game but he also has a better pass, has a better rugby game and doesn't give away stupid penalties.

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Genia has been one of the Wallabies best this year. A year ago I would have picked Phipps ahead of him, but Genia is now out of his form slump and playing well. Phipps not as good as 2015.

I'd much rather see Genia playing in Australia as I'm not in favour of us picking overseas based players unless it's an emergency. But, given the reality that Cheika has no such qualms, Genia is currently the best available player and should be picked to start on that basis.

 

[Froggy]

I think we all agree Cheika has three decisions to make this week.

Firstly, if Pocock is not cleared of concussion, the replacement 6, with the options being Mumm, Fardy & McMahon.
Mumm has been very good in the lineout, and better than many GAGR's rate him, but still not effective enough for me. Fardy also hasn't been as bad as (a different group) GAGR's suggest, but my problem is the penalties he gives away. Three of the tests we have lost this year we have scored more tries than the opposition, so penalties matter. McMahon may be small for a traditional 6, but his power in attack & defence, his Hooper-like engine and the fact that he is useful in the lineout means he's my pick. Having said that, I think Cheika will pick Mumm.

The second decision is 9, with Genia available. Phipps has been good the last two starts, but Genia was possibly our best player through the TRC, so he's my pick. I think that's the way Cheika will go too, as he's consistently favoured Genia over Phipps since the start of the WC.

The third decision is wing, between Speight and Naivalu, both true wingers, strong and fast. To me, Speight has been underwhelming in gold, and I would be giving Naivalu a crack. However, Cheika clearly sees more in Speight than Naivalu, so my bet is he sticks with the status quo.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Fardy has to play.

Just so he can have a beard off with Josh Strauss.

 

[Dalai Ninja]

Speight needs to increase his workload. DHP seemed to be everywhere on Saturday, and Speight invisible. That may have just been the run of the play but DHP's involvements were on both sides of the field and up the middle.

 

[The sage]

How about:

1. Slipper
2. Latu
3. Ala'alatoa
4. Simmons
5. Douglas
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Timani
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Speight
12. Hodge
13. Kuridrani
14. Naivalu
15. DHP

16. Hanson Moore
17. Robertson
18. Kepu
19. Mumm
20. McMahon
21. Phipps
22. Godwin
23. Folau

Two points here: we MUST build depth with every tour between now and RWC 2019, and some players (Sio, Moore, Hooper and Foley fer starters) shouldn't be driven into the ground. The best XV should be saved for Ireland and England; with all due respect to our sweatie cousins if our third XV can't beat them we should give the game away. My team has a generous sprinkling of players who either need a run or could otherwise be part of a first choice 23, and Timani and Hodge need game time in their new jumpers. At another time that XV could start for Australia.

Ledesma needs to work his magic with all of our front rows' scrummaging.

Nope too soft in the tight 5. Can't have mum n Simmons in the same team. Not enough experience in backs reserves. This is not a Sunday afternoon nrc game. This is Scotland in Scotland. Don't have to look too far back to see failure here; and after the wc u would be foolish not to take this game seriously.


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[Kev]

Speight needs to increase his workload. DHP seemed to be everywhere on Saturday, and Speight invisible. That may have just been the run of the play but DHP's involvements were on both sides of the field and up the middle.

Actually from memory Speight did a lot of work hitting rucks - either protecting our ball or trying to pilfer.

 

[Joe Blow]

Speight needs to increase his workload. DHP seemed to be everywhere on Saturday, and Speight invisible. That may have just been the run of the play but DHP's involvements were on both sides of the field and up the middle.

I thought that Speight did a lot of work off the ball in breakdowns and made some excellent tackles way behind the Welsh ad-line. He could easily have been on the end of that try instead of Hodge. He is finding his way back into form.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yes, Henry had 11 ruck involvements according to FF (Folau Fainga'a), the third highest for backs behind Hodge and Kuridrani. On top of that, he did make his tackles including one where he took George North into touch (1 missed I think which might have been the one when advantage to the Wallabies was being played so had no effect at all), hit the ball up in traffic on four or five occasions and was in support of three try scorers. Not much wrong with his game against Wales and looks to be on the improve with game time.

 

[Hawko]

I know he is not in the squad but does anyone else think that Morahan would be a much better fit on the wing for this backline?

If you assessed Morahan against Naiyaravoro based on the SA game then you would draft in Naiyaravoro every time and twice on Sundays. Think Savea on his best day.

 

[Dalai Ninja]

I thought that Speight did a lot of work off the ball in breakdowns and made some excellent tackles way behind the Welsh ad-line. He could easily have been on the end of that try instead of Hodge. He is finding his way back into form.

Fair enough. It does seem to be only his running that is missed.

 

[Scotty]

We pick our best side. End of.

I want us to give the Grand Slam a real shake and we won't do it by resting and rotation. Besides, we're just starting to see the fruits of a few of the newer players getting some extended game time. Let's have them continue to play together and provide that platform for bigger things on this tour and the future.

Is that the side that played vs Wales or a different one?

Two games ago Cooper was considered better than Foley but was dropped for no real reason (can't have been Foley's goal kicking!).

Mumm was the preferred 6. Timani wasn't in the side.

We can make 3-4 changes to the starting lineup with causing any issues.

 

[Dalai Ninja]

If you assessed Morahan against Naiyaravoro based on the SA game then you would draft in Naiyaravoro every time and twice on Sundays. Think Savea on his best day.

How would you rate him against Nadolo on his best day?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Is that the side that played vs Wales or a different one?

Two games ago Cooper was considered better than Foley but was dropped for no real reason (can't have been Foley's goal kicking!).

Mumm was the preferred 6. Timani wasn't in the side.

We can make 3-4 changes to the starting lineup with causing any issues.

I see your point, but when a team plays as well as we did against Wales, you'd be pretty tempted to pick the same line up again a week later.

 

[Kev]

To be fair I think Cooper would have done just as well against Wales. Wales made us look better than we are. Would have no issues with Cooper starting (if Genia starts).

 

[PeterK]

It is going to be wet.
Scotlands strength is lineout and kicking.

The game won't be as free flowing.
However to reward players for good win need balance number of changes

Need 4 lineout jumpers.
Fardy at 6.
Pocock is going to be ok, in the wet Pocock.
Against Scotland in the QF wallabies struggled without Pocock.
Latu is a better scrummager and Moore could do with a rest.

01 Sio
02 Latu
03 Kepu
04 Arnold
05 Coleman
06 Fardy
07 Pocock
08 Timani
09 Genia
10 Foley
11 Naivalu
12 Hodge
13 Kuridrani
14 Folau
15 DHP

16 Moore
17 Slipper
18 Ala'alatoa
19 Simmons
20 Hooper
21 Phipps
22 Cooper
23 Speight

IMO Cheika will make as few changes as possible and will ignore conditions and strength and tactics Scotland will use.

So the only changes to the starting team from Wales game would be Genia for Phipps, and perhaps Mumm for Fardy on the bench.

 

[Joe Blow]

If you assessed Morahan against Naiyaravoro based on the SA game then you would draft in Naiyaravoro every time and twice on Sundays. Think Savea on his best day.

I'm not sure that I agree with that. Naiyaravoro is an obvious talent with the ball in hand but even the Boks were able to exploit him by putting the ball behind him. He also has ball security issues with the way he carries and offloads "over the top".
Morohan looks in scintillating form as well and comes with a decent boot as well. Defensively he is stronger.
Both looked very good for the Baa Baas.

 

[dru]

01 Sio
02 Latu
03 Kepu
04 Arnold
05 Coleman
06 Fardy
07 Pocock
08 Timani
09 Genia
10 Foley
11 Naivalu
12 Hodge
13 Kuridrani
14 Folau
15 DHP

16 Moore
17 Slipper
18 Ala'alatoa
19 Simmons
20 Hooper
21 Phipps
22 Cooper
23 Speight

In that selection, who is captain and VC? I wonder if Cheika would revise to 6 Mumm captain?

 

[Twoilms]

Ive seen it mentioned that to have a balanced backrow you need Fardy and Pocock in the same team, but don't they play a very similar game?

We get an extra line out option but we lose hoopers 80 minute non-stop energy both in tight and in open play. Lose his ability to dart out of the defensive line and contract the offense, his kick chase amd carrying.

He may need a rest but i dont think he'll be dropped.

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[Rugbynutter39]

I thought that Speight did a lot of work off the ball in breakdowns and made some excellent tackles way behind the Welsh ad-line. He could easily have been on the end of that try instead of Hodge. He is finding his way back into form.

Whilst not a fan of speight and always happy to prove me wrong (as wallaby supporter wants someone representing the wallabies to fail) I agree he did enough last game to get another start and more so as naivalu with limited game time had off the bench has not pressed the case he deserves a start ahead of speight. It would be crazy to make any changes to backline except with Genia and comfort that Phipps can offer good 40 mins of the bench based on his last game.


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