Scotland v Australia, Murrayfield, 5am 24 Nov 2013

[emuarse]

You didn't play 15 Tests in a year. Not even close. Try again.

Very well a long and demanding S15 series

 

[cyclopath]

I'm not sure about Kuridrani.
Bad tackle, no doubt, and the sanction was correct (despite many other tackles getting yellow cards).
But, O'Mahony actually landed on his shoulder / arm (luckily, not by any design) and I wouldn't be surprised if the judicial process gave him nothing. I suspect mitigating factors will be flying all over the place - e.g To'omua's contribution!
Then again, if they give him 6 weeks it would not be a shock!

 

[Braveheart81]

I'm not sure about Kuridrani.
Bad tackle, no doubt, and the sanction was correct (despite many other tackles getting yellow cards).
But, O'Mahony actually landed on his shoulder / arm (luckily, not by any design) and I wouldn't be surprised if the judicial process gave him nothing. I suspect mitigating factors will be flying all over the place - e.g To'omua's contribution!
Then again, if they give him 6 weeks it would not be a shock!

It probably works in Kuridrani's favour that he was given a red card rather than a yellow. Even though the effect at the time was the same (being in the final 10 minutes), the red card is a harsher punishment and perhaps they will view the incident as having been dealt with appropriately at the time.

That said, I expect he'll get two weeks with a guilty plea and remorse.

 

[Richo]

One thing I'd like to see less of is kicking the ball straight back from our 40m to half way. We are just gifting them the ball back from alright field position. Some of our kicks were pretty aimless from there, too. Our players need to work harder to get behind the ball to either give some options, or help retain the ball.

Agreed. To'omua hoisted a few on the weekend. The basic idea has some merit, but I think those kicks need to go a bit deeper and more of them should be targeting Folau running at pace. I don't think there's anyone in rugby who takes the ball so well in the air while moving forward. We should try to capitalise on that more, and it doesn't need to be with super deep kicks. But it can't be into a crowded midfield where it's an absolutely lottery either.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Then again, if they give him 6 weeks it would not be a shock!

We all know what the judicial process is

 

[BDA]

I hope the Wallabies aren't reading the papers atm. A lot of praise from the UK press. Despite the typical calls from the UK press that we are "on another level" in terms of our skills and attacking nous, the truth is nowhere near that positive. We are still rebuilding and not yet a serious WC threat. I'm sure link will remind the players of that fact.

 

[Tip]

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Horwill
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Gill
8. Mowen
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Cummins
12. To'omua
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) / CFS (if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't fit)*
14. Tomane
15. Folau

16. TPN 17. Alexander 18. Robinson 19. Timani 20. Hooper 21. White 22. Lili 23. Foley
If Alexander needed to be "rested" last week, I'd hate to see the # of minutes Hooper has played this season.

Australia should win this rain, hail or shine. If it's hailing, our game plan is simple... QC (Quade Cooper) / MT bomb --> Folau chase. Rinse, repeat ad nauseum.

 

[ChargerWA]

Actually, CFS is a 13, not a wing, and has indeed played at 13 for the Reds. CFS played most of his junior career as a 13. He's just being groomed on the wing before what should be a switch to 13.

Exactly, being groomed on the wing for a shift to 13 at Super level. Lets not throw him in at 13 for a test until we are comfortable he can play the role at provincial level.

 

[tranquility]

I'm pretty convinced of his play in the 13 channel at provincial level.

Once again though, few would know more about him than Link - so whichever way he goes I feel will be the correct decision.

 

[Quick Hands]

You didn't play 15 Tests in a year. Not even close. Try again.

True those guys played less test rugby, but the players today are far better prepared physically as they are all full-time professionals. Our players also play significantly less top level rugby than their peers in Britain, France and Ireland. As many posters have said, we are at the beginning of putting a team and combinations together and it's simply not the time to tinker with the team or combinations.

 

[Quick Hands]

Saraby, none of those vintage Wallabies played anywhere near the amount of top level footy that these guys are asked to slog through year in and year out. The rest wouldn't be for posterity, it would be so we don't run the risk of losing any more players to knee and shoulder recons before the aforementioned RWC.

Players can receive those knee and shoulder injuries from the first game of the season onwards (Pocock, TPN, Higgers et al), players get injured all the time. It's unfortunate, but its part of the game. I don't agree with resting players in case they might get injured, particularly where the Wallabies are now - emerging from the dysfunctinional Deans era and just showing some sort of cohesion. We've gone through a lot of pain to get to where we are now, I wouldn't risk that progress by resting guys with 2 games to go in the season.

 

[Hammeroid]

After watching the Scotland vs Springbok game, Scotland have no attack what's so ever. Wallabies should cut them in half.

No need to rest any players, They are in Europe, Living in expensive Hotels, Training and playing an 80 Min rugby game ( Some only playing 60). None of them even look fatigued. In two weeks they get a 2 month break anyway.

 

[Hawko]

Players can receive those knee and shoulder injuries from the first game of the season onwards (Pocock, TPN, Higgers et al), players get injured all the time. It's unfortunate, but its part of the game. I don't agree with resting players in case they might get injured, particularly where the Wallabies are now - emerging from the dysfunctinional Deans era and just showing some sort of cohesion. We've gone through a lot of pain to get to where we are now, I wouldn't risk that progress by resting guys with 2 games to go in the season.

And next year if Hooper and Pocock are injured you'll be wailing at the fact that Gill has had little time on the field at test level and is being thrown in cold. Do you really think there is such a gulf in class between players in and outside the 23 that we just have to hope our two best players in each position are not simultaneously injured?

I would bet that both Lilo and Foley (especially Foley who is a similar player to Cooper as he is playing now) could step into 10 almost seamlessly. But right now our deputy 10 is playing at 12 and killing it there. Heaven help us if both get injured this week. We are not preparing for the future, just hoping everything will be OK.

If Carter is injured, as is happening more frequently now, the NZ team has no less than five other players with test experience before they have to call in the Duck. One of the NZ coaching teams' major goals is to have at least three tested players for each position. Right now their biggest worry is who will be no. 3 behind Smith C and Smith B. They don't have this fixation about cohesion - that's what they have training for. Right now Ardie Savea is in the squad but not playing, so that he will be prepared for the time when he will be needed. And at 7 they have already got McCaw, Cane, Todd and Braid in front of him. They did not get to be number 1 by "developing combinations" or "cheapening the jersey" or some other excuse and thereby not having experienced players ready to step up when required.

This week it is very likely that Kuridrani will be suspended and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) injured. Our fully untested options are (in no special order of merit):

1. Folau. Never played there even at Super level.
2. Cummins. Played there at Super level a couple of years ago. No test experience.
3. CFS. Uncapped (I think, might have had one game off the bench at wing). Don't think he has had a full Super game at 13 though I think he has been used there off the bench.
4. Hooper?

The game against Italy should have had one of those three trialled there for just this sort of eventuality. But we convinced ourselves we had to put the best 15 on the park and keep them there to make up for the England failure. Very short-sighted thinking!

 

[No4918]

Exactly, being groomed on the wing for a shift to 13 at Super level. Lets not throw him in at 13 for a test until we are comfortable he can play the role at provincial level.

He has a lot more experience at 13 than Folau and Tomane who are two other options, prob equal with Cummins. The first two are the two players in the squad most prone to defensive blunders already, even if Folau was better verse Ireland.

 

[Sully]

Shouldn't we have heard something about Kuridrani by now? Is there going to be a hearing?

 

[Slim 293]

Do you really think there is such a gulf in class between players in and outside the 23 that we just have to hope our two best players in each position are not simultaneously injured?

At the moment, for the most part...........

Yes.

 

[Quick Hands]

1. And next year if Hooper and Pocock are injured you'll be wailing at the fact that Gill has had little time on the field at test level and is being thrown in cold.

2. Do you really think there is such a gulf in class between players in and outside the 23 that we just have to hope our two best players in each position are not simultaneously injured?

3. If Carter is injured, as is happening more frequently now, the NZ team has no less than five other players with test experience before they have to call in the Duck. One of the NZ coaching teams' major goals is to have at least three tested players for each position.

4. They did not get to be number 1 by "developing combinations" or

5. "cheapening the jersey" or some other excuse and thereby not having experienced players ready to step up when required.

1. No I won't
2.Yes I do
3. The fact that NZ have so many replacements or similar class available is down to many factors. It's their number one sport by far and so most males with athletic ability play rugby, their coaching and development system has been refined over the decades to almost perfection and cannot be compared to Australia where we are the 4th most popular winter sport with a narrow player base and a dysfunctional pathway from juniors to elite level.
4. They certainly do develop combinations and have built success on this, but they have more players to seamlessly slot into positions so they can afford to blood players in games deemed "less important" (see point 3). Having 3 players who can slot into the test side in each position is an admirable goal, but takes a little longer than a 5 week tour to put into place.
5. You've never hear me use the term "cheapening the jersey" as I believe that if a player is selected for Australia they deserve it and will play to the best ability for their country.

 

[Cardiffblue]

One day Scotland will have to do more than just tackle

 

[TOCC]

The players seem more concerned about just securing the win rather then experimenting with positions.....

"You still have to win, you underestimate sometimes how much just a win means," To'omua said.

"In 2011 with the Brumbies [after finishing 13th with just three wins], then in 2012 we went in at the start of the year and guys were saying 'You can't just buy wins'.



"Even when you win tight and you're not playing well, that creates a culture of finding a way to win.

"Personally I'm starting to read when Quade likes to go to the line and when he likes to deliver," To'omua said.

"That will help me, that will help Tevita [Kuridrani], it will help Izzy [Israel Folau], and you're seeing guys like Izzy more often than not break tackles, that's always helping guys around him when they're looking for offloads and stuff like that.
"It will come. We're definitely not there yet but it's exciting that we can put some points on now. We're definitely still growing."

Read more:http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rugby/wallabies/matt-To'omua-says-hes-starting-to-settle-into-backline-partnership-with-quade-cooper/story-e6frf55l-1226762703151#ixzz2kzGwBa2o

 

[Hawko]

1. No I won't
2.Yes I do
3. The fact that NZ have so many replacements or similar class available is down to many factors. It's their number one sport by far and so most males with athletic ability play rugby, their coaching and development system has been refined over the decades to almost perfection and cannot be compared to Australia where we are the 4th most popular winter sport with a narrow player base and a dysfunctional pathway from juniors to elite level.
4. They certainly do develop combinations and have built success on this, but they have more players to seamlessly slot into positions so they can afford to blood players in games deemed "less important" (see point 3). Having 3 players who can slot into the test side in each position is an admirable goal, but takes a little longer than a 5 week tour to put into place.
5. You've never hear me use the term "cheapening the jersey" as I believe that if a player is selected for Australia they deserve it and will play to the best ability for their country.

So, if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Kuridrani are both out for the next two weeks who would you select at 13?