So where to from here?

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Noriega wasn't a bad Aussie prop though...

he's also argentine
I will admit. he definitely improved the scrum from previous years.

even bring sommerville or du randt or someone of their ilk for a camp. someone to provide a different voice and view point, which i think the wallabies need.

 

[The Chainsaw]

The players need to hear the truth. I am of the same vintage as them and I struggle with:
1. The Aucklandisation of Australian Rugby - we are not bros, competitions for hairstyles and what was SBW handshake about?
2. These guys say it as it is and from experience in our good days. I still remember the hatred that Kearns and cannon had when they played the All Blacks.
3. Is it old-fashioned to say that it pisses me off to see players hugging and smiling after losing yesterday. Does it really matter if you are joking 2 minutes after you lost.
4. Kafer has a reasonable Rugby head, but sometimes the blokes who talk a lot talk a lot of shit.

 

[No4918]

I think we need to either convert Cooper into a player who can defend at 10 or get rid of him. He isn't adding nearly enough to be curtailing the game of Kurtley Beale who is without doubt one of the best players we have.

For some reason hiding Cooper in defence hasn't worked anywhere near as well as the Reds managed. Could be that it isnt as easy as a straight swap with the FB and puts 3 players out of position. I don't see a future in it at test level. Puts more pressure on QC (Quade Cooper) than there needs to be also. We want him to control attack and counterattack. That is a lot of pressure to put on a player, especially with Beale and OConnor back there.

 

[Richo]

RR and others are bang on.

Why are we so obsessed with World Cup 2015? There are four EOYTs (including this truncated one), four Four Nations, four Bledisloe, found in-bound June tour series, four Mandela Plates... not to mention the first Lions tour in a decade. We have a team with a range of clear problems that need to be addressed, but we also have a solid foundation to build on.

Fuck, start worrying about the next World Cup some time in 2014.

 

[Mica]

Must admit, not convinced either of them have the size for it. Seems that these days you need a line breaking no.8 near to the 120kg mark. Still, not easy to find one of those. At least, not one who is also relatively mobile, good hands and jump in the line out. If it was, we would already have one.

Not sure about that - Look at Kieren Read at the moment. He's only 105kg but his technique is very good.
Also Jerry Collins was "only" 107kg
Toby Faletau has been great as a ball running 8 at this years RWC and is 108kg
Harinordoquy is 105kg I could go on (but won't)

As far as I am concerned good technique is more important than pure bulk.
Naturally if we can get a 120kg wrecking ball with a massive motor great hands/balance and the demeanor of a junk yard dog I'd be happy

 

[The Chainsaw]

Will reserve judgement on QC (Quade Cooper). There is no doubt that he was sensitive to his bros booing him. As a Kiwi, he should be used to the small-mindedness of most of their supporters. Quade Cooper does not want to tackle - his teammates know that, as well. He should be defending at the 10 channell and have to face up to his responsibilities as a Rugby player. Put yourself in his teammate's shoes that a player who is getting paid much more thatn you won't (not can't) tackle so you are put in that position to do his work. Bugger off! If he does not tackle, there are other good 10's around, in my opinion.
QC (Quade Cooper) is everything that you hate about the Y-generation.

 

[Loki74]

Not sure about that - Look at Kieren Read at the moment. He's only 105kg but his technique is very good.
Also Jerry Collins was "only" 107kg
Toby Faletau has been great as a ball running 8 at this years RWC and is 108kg
Harinordoquy is 105kg I could go on (but won't)

As far as I am concerned good technique is more important than pure bulk.
Naturally if we can get a 120kg wrecking ball with a massive motor great hands/balance and the demeanor of a junk yard dog I'd be happy

Ok - you are all right. You don't have to be that big. Would be great to have another Willie O at the back though. And the point I am really making is we need someone that can make an impact, and neither Brown nor McCalman seem to be able to do that. Big smashing tackle or carry the ball over the advantage line.

 

[Running Rugby]

1. We need to start using our win-loss ratio as a measurement of success not potential. I do not think I could stand another 4 years of losing to New Zealand every game or having losses to Scotland, Ireland and Samoa.
2. The skills required to play international rugby need to be coached and practiced at Super 15 level. We need to take a national approach to skill building and have our Super teams build players for internationals.
3. Use our older players as mentors for young international players- how many times has Bernie, Noddy or Mark Ella talked to Quade about managing a game from fly-half. How many times has Eales talked to Horwill about captaincy or running a line-out.
4. Keep Quade, Genia, JOC (James O'Connor) and Pocock in the national spotlight for the right reasons for as long as we can. We need kids to want to be Wallabies and rightly or wrongly these guys are kids favourites.
5. One for all Wallaby supporters- Keep positive and keep supporting the Wallabies, while we are all disappointed right now their still our favourite team.

 

[Jnor]

Doesn't sound like you've reserved judgement to me...

And fuck me am I sick of reading about 'Gen Y' and how it's the end of the world as we know it. What a crock of shit. Every generation is the fucking same, the one preceding it doesn't like them cos they're getting old and have real responsibilities. [/rant]

 

[The Chainsaw]

Identify 20 players from 18-25. Assess them bio-mechanically and place them in:
1. Buenos Aires
2. England Div 2
3. France Scrum academy in Tolouse.

After years of coaching in the UK, they get us Aussies over to coach attack and they take care of themselves with set piece coaching. Scrum coaches are a dime a dozen in the UK and France. I would suggest getting one as a coordinator and let the boys come back when they have caulifloured ears. I spent a lot of cold Saturdays watching in the wet, win and snow where games consisted of 50+ scrums.
You will not learn here. There will be the occasional Google coaches who think that they know.
But. look, we need a forward coach. JW is out of his depth and should have served an apprenticeship. If Deans has plenty of padding in his back, he could employ Foley - I wouldn't pick the white-anter.
Keeps coming back to Dreamteam: Deans, McKenzie and.....

 

[Mica]

And the point I am really making is we need someone that can make an impact, and neither Brown nor McCalman seem to be able to do that.

Yep I agree Loki - impact is what is important.
Whether it is weight, mongrel or technique that gives you the impact doesn't really matter in the end.

 

[Swarley]

Light,
Palu will be out. Even if his hamstring is 90% I'd rather leave him home for a series of meaningless tests than have him out for another 6 months after that.
McCabe looks like he needs a break. Two shoulder injuries in less than a month, he'll probably be needing some serious rehab.
I rate Saffy as well, but a) he's a blindside and b) I don't think he's ready- just yet anyway.
Higginbotham has a low workrate and we need forwards who actually get in and make the hard yards. McCalman offers more than Higgers in that aspect.

 

[The Chainsaw]

Dry your eyes, mate. Maybe if you read more and listen in your English classes, you could convey your message in a more acceptable manner

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Light,
I rate Saffy as well, but a) he's a blindside and b) I don't think he's ready- just yet anyway.
QUOTE]

I was nominating him for a blindside backup/replacement for elsom
agreed. needs time though. I would like to see a few new names go on the wallabies spring tour and I'd like to see him among them.

 

[RedsHappy]

RR and others are bang on.

Why are we so obsessed with World Cup 2015? There are four EOYTs (including this truncated one), four Four Nations, four Bledisloe, found in-bound June tour series, four Mandela Plates... not to mention the first Lions tour in a decade. We have a team with a range of clear problems that need to be addressed, but we also have a solid foundation to build on.

Fuck, start worrying about the next World Cup some time in 2014.

Or, maybe even wiser, early 2015 when an improving Tests w-l % was demonstrated in each of the preceding 3 years.

And to this very point, but another way round: who would have thought after the Wallabies trashed France and they played so poorly in November 2010, that they'd be in the RWC 2011 Final?

 

[The Chainsaw]

Good points. Higgas needs a coach who will switch him on every game. In saying that, be honest what does Elsom offer. He is like the Roadrunner when he runs, he drops off tackles because he has a lack of leg speed in contact and he plays for himself. Higgas could be the most destructive forward in our game, but he needs flaws taken out of his game (playing too wide and his friendship group). saffy should have been the second 7 on tour.

 

[Slim 293]

Dry your eyes, mate. Maybe if you read more and listen in your English classes, you could convey your message in a more acceptable manner

The fuck?

 

[Jnor]

I think it was in reference to this, Slim. Don't worry I've gone outside and given myself a swift uppercut...

Doesn't sound like you've reserved judgement to me...

And fuck me am I sick of reading about 'Gen Y' and how it's the end of the world as we know it. What a crock of shit. Every generation is the fucking same, the one preceding it doesn't like them cos they're getting old and have real responsibilities. [/rant]

 

[Swarley]

I was nominating him for a blindside backup/replacement for elsom
agreed. needs time though. I would like to see a few new names go on the wallabies spring tour and I'd like to see him among them.

I like Saffy. He's a good tackler and he's pretty gutsy, but I don't think he's as good as Gill or Robinson. I'd be looking to take a few untried players who could come right in 2013. Dan Palmer, Ben Tapuai, Liam Gill, Ben Lucas especially. Take the Morahan approach- don't play them in a do-or-die Bledisloe only to crush his confidence when we lose, play them in matches against club sides and expose them to the camp/ethos of the playing group.

We need a backup halfback to Genia. Burgess is out and Phipps doesn't do it for me. I'd like to see how Nic White goes for the Brumbies next year. Otherwise Lucas is probably the next best option (which says a lot about our depth- Lucas isn't a patch on Genia).

 

[pete88]

I actually agreed with your initial rant, Jnor. Old farts going on and generalising about "kids these days" - it's literally a cliche and people do it unironically. Bit pathetic, to be honest.

I think Quade should never have been "booked in" as our "best" number 10. Assumptions were made that he would be our best player in the 10 jersey for over a year, which doesn't help anyone, least of all him. I still don't know why a guy who was the best Super Rugby player for Australia in the first month or so of the comp - at 10 - has never gotten game time there. Especially with Barnes injured and Giteau out of form/favour. Why have we never seen James O'Connor play in the inside backs? He's an excellent winger but it's pretty much the one spot he never played for the Force.