Scotland v Australia, Murrayfield, 5am 24 Nov 2013

[Slim 293]

I think Beale would have been Deans' first choice 10 if things hadn't fallen apart for him prior to that tour.

I'm not so sure........

Deans played JOC (James O'Connor) at flyhalf on the 2011 EOYT, and there were strong whispers that Deans wanted to continue with him there but JOC (James O'Connor) was out injured for all of the 2012 test season.........

Anyways, thankfully they're both gone now...........

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Fair to say that I totally didn't see that backline selection coming. I've not seen the Scots play for about a year now, so I don't have any idea whether playing Harris and Lilo in the centres is a worry or not. It's some different shit, I've give Link that. The back three I'm OK with. CFS and Tomane will be fine and Izzy is Izzy. My biggest concern is on defence, because playing a bloke at 13 who's never played there before (and in a test match) is a big ask. It's defensively the toughest job in the backs, so fingers crossed.

But really, this week is all about the pack and the halves taking ownership and getting us on the front foot. We don't want to get into an arm wrestle with the Scots, because it will revive memories of those darks days in the recent past when they've gotten over the top of us. The plan this week should be to keep things nice and simple:

1, Secure set piece ball
2, Get the pill out of our half
3, Chase hard and tackle like mad men
4, Create huge pressure at the breakdown
5, Convert any opportunity into points when we're in the Scottish half. If that means slotting a couple of droppies, so be it.

There'll be no time for fancy stuff unless we're well ahead in the second half. This needs to be a smash and grab raid and get the chocolates kind of game. There's been too much disruption to the team in the last week to do otherwise IMHO.

 

[Richo]

The centre combo is a bit strange but you cant blame Link.

You can only blame Link, actually. He's the coach and selector. He could easily have played 12. Lilo 13. CFS.

Looking from the outside, I reckon the Harris choice is fucking weird. He's the definition of a utility journeyman. But Link has coached both him and CFS, so I'm assuming he's got a firm basis for the decision. If it's a disaster, though, the fault will reside entirely with Link. He had other choices. Let's just hope it works out!

 

[Braveheart81]

If Deans was still the coach he'd have been blamed for picking players for the tour who were prone to injury, prone to tip tackles and liked going out drinking until the early hours of the morning.

I find it really strange that people can't call a spade a spade and say that the selections are a little strange (and this isn't the first test where that has been the case).

I don't actually think it's anything too crazy or upsetting but is certainly worthy of some discussion.

It seems that so many people want to stifle the conversation on the basis that he had no other options (even though clearly there are) or that he's new in the job.

The Ireland test was easily the best test under McKenzie and probably the best test that Wallabies have played since 2011. Hopefully we can continue that by finishing the tour with two wins. We're going to need a massive effort from the forwards this week because our backline doesn't look like it will tear a side to shreds. If the weather is bad then our forwards have to step up even more.

 

[Ignoto]

You can only blame Link, actually. He's the coach and selector. He could easily have played 12. Lilo 13. CFS.

Who plays wing then? You'd have to shift Izzy from 15 to 11 then move Foley into 15. So, that's another player being shuffled around, especially one who doesn't have a whole lot of experience in any other position.

I can't blame Link for any of this (maybe other than not bringing another centre over ie Horne). The blame solely lays on the dickheads who let the team down by drinking too much and Kuridrani for doing a tip tackle.

 

[scaraby]

The IRB are still dicking around about his eligibility

Gee they're a quality operation aren't they...they'll probably suspend him for 8 weeks for showing intent to play agst a northern hemisphere team......

 

[KOB1987]

I think it's a useful experiment and the right game to try it. The only real query is how Lilo will defend at 13, he is a smart player and will know his responsibilities.

 

[Groucho]

I would've put CFS at 13 and CL at 12. But I'm not watching them train, are you? Do you know how Lilo or Harris have been responding to those positions and what the regulations are on players being fast tracked into the 23? I don't. Please enlighten us all if you have the answers to these questions.

If those rules applied to discussing selections, we'd never discuss selections, because none of us qualify. And yet we do discuss selections, because that's why we're here.

 

[Bairdy]

Link's talkin' straight this week: in this article, he says if you're an incumbent Wallaby and you decide to chase the money in Europe, you're dead to me. Dead. However, if you weren't an incumbent and leave for overseas, you'll still have a place in my heart.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby-...bies-thin-stocks/story-fndptke0-1226765394975

Nice to read/hear from the horse's mouth that guys like Palmer and Kimlin are in Link's calculations, rather than just forgotten

 

[scaraby]

Not really at the start of the week To'omua was at 12 and lilo at 13 then To'omua pulls his hammy and instead more shuffeling he made a straight swap for harris

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finally the truth....

 

[scaraby]

Remember the "Bibs" vs the jumpers boys. You generally train a shadow team vs the game team and if Lilo has been training at 13 all week and being one of Quaide's key targets then you would be reluctant to change the whole structure ....I wonder sometimes whether GC is in fact an insider or just peeping over the fence..........

 

[Richo]

Who plays wing then? You'd have to shift Izzy from 15 to 11 then move Foley into 15. So, that's another player being shuffled around, especially one who doesn't have a whole lot of experience in any other position.

I can't blame Link for any of this (maybe other than not bringing another centre over ie Horne). The blame solely lays on the dickheads who let the team down by drinking too much and Kuridrani for doing a tip tackle.

Yes, I'd put Foley at 15 and Folau to the wing. Or start Betham and keep Folau at 15.

As for the blame -- yes, circumstances have forced Link's hand, but he still has and had options. For instance, he could have deferred Cummins suspension until the Wales game. Not optimal, obviously, but to say that he's got no responsibility in this just isn't accurate, IMO.

 

[KOB1987]

Remember the "Bibs" vs the jumpers boys. You generally train a shadow team vs the game team and if Lilo has been training at 13 all week and being one of Quaide's key targets then you would be reluctant to change the whole structure ..I wonder sometimes whether GC is in fact an insider or just peeping over the fence....

yes but he wasn't there all week...from memory it was Tuesday UK time that To'omua got sent home, so assuming a rest day Sunday they probably only trained with To'omua at 12 and Lilo at 13 once, on Monday..if at all, To'omua probably failed a fitness test on Monday.

Which, now that I think about it, kinda clouds GC's story..

 

[GaffaCHinO]

yes but he wasn't there all week.from memory it was Tuesday UK time that To'omua got sent home, so assuming a rest day Sunday they probably only trained with To'omua at 12 and Lilo at 13 once, on Monday..if at all, To'omua probably failed a fitness test on Monday.

Which, now that I think about it, kinda clouds GC's story..

He did his hammy during the tues session left for aus wedns

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[wamberal]

If those rules applied to discussing selections, we'd never discuss selections, because none of us qualify. And yet we do discuss selections, because that's why we're here.

From my viewpoint, it is interesting to discuss selections, but from the perspective of trying to understand the coach's thinking, rather than mindlessly criticising every little thing that we do not agree with.


Some of the comments on threads like this are just peurile.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I wounder how the Murrayfield surface will hold up. Generally one of the better ones in Europe but it was terrible in last weeks Bokke game. What are the set piece implications and who is the ref?

Quite nervous about this game. Given the recent history, the Scots will go into this game full of confidence and I would not be surprised if this is the one they lift for.

We are very disrupted which doesn't bode well for us and we will need to be on the top of our game.

Time for us to lift and get the job done. Go the Wallabies.

I think they will lift because of the implication that we could not punish our players against Ireland but we could pick almost anyone, anywhere and beat the Scots.
They will not take kindly to that interpretation, IMO.

 

[Mr Doug]

Please explain: Why are some of you still talking about Deans, JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale?
Move on you guys, as none of the aforementioned are involved in this match, either can it, or start a new thread titled "ancient history", or "my love for fallen stars"!

 

[Tomikin]

He doesn't really use the same footwork since the ankle injury.

I was about to say the same thing.. Lets hope off season clean up brings back the magic.. 2012 was amazing

 

[Tomikin]

I think that was more a case of Jake White trying to get leaders into the side. Tomane generally played better than Rathbone

Rattlebones a killer defender as well lost a bit of pace but was safe as houses out there, plus leadership and experience

 

[Pete King]

I think Beale would have been Deans' first choice 10 if things hadn't fallen apart for him prior to that tour.

Deans had backed Cooper previously and been let down for a number of reasons (some of which were probably his own doing). I can certainly understand him not going down that route again.

In hindsight he should have picked To'omua or Foley. They were the two form Aussie 10s at the time. Both untested at test level but he should have taken that punt.

At the end of the day, Deans backed one of the best players in his team throughout his tenure to play in a reasonably unfamiliar position during that tour. It was a bad choice but nonetheless, he was presented with several less than optimal choices.

Arguably, if Leali'ifano hadn't been knocked out in the first 30 seconds of the first test we'd have probably won that game and potentially won the whole series. Losing our gun goalkicker and replacing him with a kicker who hadn't been kicking well all season was a huge blow.

Anyway, that is all ancient history now.

Im convinced Braveheart is Robbie Deans and if your not let it go champ he is gone! (and shock horror we are starting to score some tries). thought we were discussing aus v scotland