Should we rest players for the Eyetie Test?

[Burke's Boot]

Heres the program:

2010 SPRING TOUR DATES

TEST – 30 October v ALL BLACKS (Hong Kong)
TEST – 6 November v WALES (Cardiff)
TEST – 13 November v ENGLAND (England)
TOUR GAME – 16 November v MUNSTER (Limerick)
TEST – 20 November v ITALY (TBC – we have a tip it’ll be Florence)
TEST – 27 November v FRANCE (Paris)

Would be difficult on the players to play that many Tests in as many weeks to then beat the Frogs at home. I would at least give a few forwards a break like Pocock, the Rock and Sharpe (especially)

 

[Slim 293]

There definitely should be players rested, but I think we should retain the same frontrow of Robinson/Moore/Alexander for every test...

Alexander has barely played at TH all year and who knows how much time he'll get there with the Brumbies next year, and Robinson is way out of form...

They need as much playing time against the top scrums...

But it should be a good opportunity to give players like Hodgson, Anthony Fainga'a, McCabe, Davies and Simmons a start...

 

[Moses]

Maybe bench a few of the front running forwards, but keep them in the squad... Italy were a Quade cameo from rolling us last November...

If the eye-tie game were tomorrow then something like

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Alexander
4. Mumm
5. Simmons
6. Elsom
7. Hodgson
8. Brown (can't believe I just said that)

16. Saia
17. Slipper
18. Pocock
19. Sharpe

 

[Richo]

Not to mention that Italy has a great front row and we'll need our best front three playing well to hold serve against them.

Be a great opportunity to rest Pocock, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Sharpe, and Genia.

 

[disco]

Definitely rest Pocock, Genia & Elsom all the others should be good to go with Slipper starting for Robinson.

 

[RugbyReg]

yeah I'd rest Fat Cat too:

1 Alexander
2 Moore (to come off early in 2nd half it the match is right)
3 Slipper
4 Simmons
5 Mumm
6 Elsom
7 Hodgo
8 McCalman
9 Burgo
10 Cooper
11 Turner
12 Fainga'a
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Davies
15 Beale

However the implications are on the team that plays Munster 4 days before and likewise the team that plays England three days before that.

 

[qwerty51]

Elsom needs a rest. Assume he does and Sharpe/Giteau are off.

Who is the captain? Mumm?

 

[Groucho]

I think we have to be very careful. Five internationals in five weeks is too much, and presents a real injury risk.

Of course we should rest players. I think most of the first team should get that week off to rest for France.

Italy may present a danger, but the French will roll us if we try to play them fifth in a row.

 

[RugbyFuture]

don't rest the forwards, bring in some of the young guns in the backs.

how come we dont play ireland or scotland?

 

[Blue]

yeah I'd rest Fat Cat too:

1 Alexander
2 Moore (to come off early in 2nd half it the match is right)
3 Slipper
4 Simmons
5 Mumm

Problem is that Italians will eat that T5 like a Melanzane Parmiggiana.

They have a very, very solid pack with Castro and a couple of expat Boere.

 

[Blue]

Problem is that Italians will eat that T5 like a Melanzane Parmiggiana.

They have a very, very solid pack with Castro and a couple of expat Boere.

Having said that they absolutely sucked at the breakdown against the Boks and couldn't keep up with the pace of the game.

Oh look I quoted myself. Call me Michael Clark.

 

[Groucho]

Problem is that Italians will eat that T5 like a Melanzane Parmiggiana.

They have a very, very solid pack with Castro and a couple of expat Boere.

The French are a greater risk than the Italians.

 

[Reddy!]

I would be trying to rest some of the big name experienced players who do it every week consistently. Sharpe, Pocock, Genia, Robinson. Elsom should definitely start because he is the captain and needs to be seen captaining his side, and for his own experience too. But on the whole I would try and keep 70% of our best 15 starting and make the fresh changes from the bench once we have hopefully established dominance on the match.

 

[qwerty51]

Elsom need a rest, he's played every minute of every match so far hasn't he?

 

[rustycruiser]

Heres the program:

2010 SPRING TOUR DATES

TEST – 30 October v ALL BLACKS (Hong Kong)
TEST – 6 November v WALES (Cardiff)
TEST – 13 November v ENGLAND (England)
TOUR GAME – 16 November v MUNSTER (Limerick)
TEST – 20 November v ITALY (TBC – we have a tip it’ll be Florence)
TEST – 27 November v FRANCE (Paris)

Would be difficult on the players to play that many Tests in as many weeks to then beat the Frogs at home. I would at least give a few forwards a break like Pocock, the Rock and Sharpe (especially)

I thought you also had a midweek match versus the Leicester Tigers on November 9th?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

We need to be very, very careful about how to approach this.

Rest a couple of key guys like Rocky, Sharpe and Pocock for sure, but the Italians are no mugs and I'd be keeping some of the front line players at least on the bench should they be needed.

 

[Blue]

The French are a greater risk than the Italians.

Uh, yes? What's your point???

 

[JJJ]

I seem to recall someone involved in Rocky's coaching in the past (Someone at Leinster? Link?) saying that Rocky has an "idiosyncratic" form of preparation, and that the best thing for him is to just keep playing week in and week out. I wasn't quite sure what that meant -- is he a lazy trainer?

I reckon the front-row should play every single match barring niggles. Those are some fantastic front-rows (even the welsh one is great), and Alexander especially needs the experience. Robinson just needs more time to get his form back. Well...hopefully that's all he needs. Maybe he was warned before the last match about the hand on the deck?

 

[Ruggo]

Well it doesn't make for good forum chat but lets wait and see what the player situation at that point of the tour and who has shown form form in the mid week games, earning the right to selection.

 

[Richo]

I seem to recall someone involved in Rocky's coaching in the past (Someone at Leinster? Link?) saying that Rocky has an "idiosyncratic" form of preparation, and that the best thing for him is to just keep playing week in and week out. I wasn't quite sure what that meant -- is he a lazy trainer?

I've heard Rocky likes to follow his own strength and conditioning program in his own time rather than with the team. But don't know how much truth there is to that.