Springbokke vs Wallabies @ Osfontein 30/9/2017

[Braveheart81]

I am starting to wonder just what Rory Arnold has done to be dropped. Two tests ago most posters agreed that Coleman and Arnold looked to be the real deal in the second row. Now his omission is pretty much passed over with little or no comment. Just how long Rob Simmons can continue to come into our national team on the basis of a perceived strength in calling lineouts amazes me. If there isn't another potential lineout caller among the harder working, more impactful locks to take over if and when Coleman is benched, then that is a failure of the coaching staff.

He didn't have a good game against South Africa and then Rob Simmons had a strong game against Argentina.

Arnold will be back. This is only the second test he hasn't been picked for.

 

[wamberal]

It would be a great thing if there was genuine competition for every position in the team.

 

[Derpus]

Yeah

There were some things I like to see, his acceleration into the tackle was quite good and effective. Hanigan while busy and willing, he is quite one paced in attack

I still think most Aus forwards need a lot of time on technique and attitude on attack, a good old fashion NRL front rower (a Glenn Lazarus, Mark Carroll, Nathan Hindmarsh type) needs to come in to teach them how to get over the advantage line

Yeah, Timani in particular. Most irritating player to watch. Giant rippling ball of muscle who couldn't push past a 9.

 

[Warpath]

It would be a great thing if there was genuine competition for every position in the team.

notice that the only position where there is actual competition is wing?, a majority o f the players have their places "sealed" like 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15. the players in those positions right now will play there for a long time especially 7, 10 and 15.

 

[Derpus]

notice that the only position where there is actual competition is wing?, a majority o f the players have their places "sealed" like 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15. the players in those positions right now will play there for a long time especially 7, 10 and 15.

Uh, wrong? AAA and Kepu are competing, TPN has only JUST been established as first choice, and Uelese is bursting at the seems to displace him.

There are plenty of people vying for lock. TK and Kerevi competing for 13. 12 and 15 are only locked in because those are the two positions we have world class talent.

The only area where we are lacking is the back row, and boy have we talked about that a bit already.

 

[wamberal]

There are only a handful of players who are absolutely locked into the starting XV.



Folau, Hooper, Foley, Genia, Coleman. Sio and Kepu at the moment.

 

[Warpath]

Uh, wrong? AAA and Kepu are competing, TPN has only JUST been established as first choice, and Uelese is bursting at the seems to displace him.

There are plenty of people vying for lock. TK and Kerevi competing for 13. 12 and 15 are only locked in because those are the two positions we have world class talent.

The only area where we are lacking is the back row, and boy have we talked about that a bit already.

2 players competing for 1 spot is not competing, Moore is retiring so Uelese is backup to TPN, not competing for jersey 2, same for Kepu and AAA, same for 13. Guys, to compete means that a minimum of 4 players are vying for ONE SPOT. wing is the only position where there is atleast 5 players vying for 1 spot, i.e Hodge, Marika, Henry, DHP, Rona, Izaia, Sefa are teh ones vying for 2 spots, thats 7 players for 2 spots, 5 for now due to the injury to DHP and sefa but come the 2019RWC, it will get higher, its the only position with actual competition, everything else is sealed with the incumbents there. pretty sure there was a battle for 12 once but since Beale came back, that battle has ended, now everyone like meakes, hodge and Kerevi are somewhat competing for a place on the bench or backup

 

[Derpus]

^^^^^
You just made up a definition of 'compete' to suit yourself. Two people can compete for something.

 

[Braveheart81]

What country genuinely has 4 players competing for one spot? The All Blacks might have a fourth choice option that is still an excellent test player but they are never really close to the first and second choice option.

 

[Braveheart81]

What country genuinely has 4 players competing for one spot? The All Blacks might have a fourth choice option that is still an excellent test player but they are never really close to the first and second choice option.

 

[Warpath]

NZ has actually competition for spots, for wings its so good that they dumped 3 players that could walk into the Australian side in James Lowe, Seta Tamanivalu and Vince Aso, they also have competition for every other spot, 10 was the worst, it forced their incumbent 10 to go to france cause he knew he will no longer start , Bueaden Barret owns that jersey now and he lends it to Sopoaga from time to time and their upcoming 10, Richie Mounga'a is not bad either. who do we have competing for 10 in australia? no one, that jersey belongs to foley and no one else and if he gets injured, well australia is effed. Chieka should really start playing Beale at 10 again internationally, it best to have a backup 10 as a utility, Beauden started as one too..and if Beale gets game time at 10, he will play better there when moved to 10, no other 10 in australia shows potential....remember when we were all hung over Quade ..lol

 

[Braveheart81]

NZ has actually competition for spots, for wings its so good that they dumped 3 players that could walk into the Australian side in James Lowe, Seta Tamanivalu and Vince Aso, they also have competition for every other spot, 10 was the worst, it forced their incumbent 10 to go to france cause he knew he will no longer start , Bueaden Barret owns that jersey now and he lends it to Sopoaga from time to time and their upcoming 10, Richie Mounga'a is not bad either. who do we have competing for 10 in australia? no one, that jersey belongs to foley and no one else and if he gets injured, well australia is effed. Chieka should really start playing Beale at 10 again internationally, it best to have a backup 10 as a utility, Beauden started as one too..and if Beale gets game time at 10, he will play better there when moved to 10, no other 10 in australia shows potential..remember when we were all hung over Quade ..lol

As I said, they have excellent depth and plenty of those players would walk into other sides.

Good players missing out on the test side doesn't make it genuine competition for those spots though. James Lowe or Vince Aso haven't been close to that test side even though they are good enough.

They have had competition for wing spots between NMS, Savea, Naholo, Dagg, Ioane, Smith.

Certainly there is less competition for spots in the Wallabies but in a lot of positions we do have genuine competition for spots. The spots with the least competition have some of our best performers and that is why there isn't a lot of competition for the spot.

The position where the Wallabies clearly lack depth the most is at 10. Hopefully that changes over the next couple of years with the resurgence of Quade Cooper and the emergence of another option.

 

[KOB1987]

Tui may be discarded for Chieka's lovechild in the matchday 23

The SANZAAR site has it that Speight has dropped out with a 6:2 split. However that COULD just be that they listed the first 8 as there was only that many spots.

 

[KOB1987]

Springboks (15-1): Andries Coetzee; Dillyn Leyds, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan; Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje; Uzair Cassiem, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw; Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth (c); Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira

Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Rudy Paige, Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende

 

[Slim 293]

I'm not particularly fond of the constant lock rotations......... particularly Arnold being dumped again.

 

[Derpus]

I'm not particularly fond of the constant lock rotations... particularly Arnold being dumped again.

Has Arnold even had any really good games this year? Don't think he's at the same undroppable level Coleman is.
I kinda feel like Cheika has missed a trick not starting the best possible lineout and kicking for touch a bunch. The Saffa's lineout last week was just about the worst it's ever been. Combine that with altitude and it would have been an easy weakness to target.

 

[Braveheart81]

I expect Arnold will come back in soon.

Simmons did really well against the Pumas so I'm not surprised to see him retained. It's also good to see Rodda get a start.

This is only the second test Arnold hasn't been picked for.

 

[Slim 293]

Has Arnold even had any really good games this year?

Oh yes........ best game by an Aussie lock this year in Bled II.

 

[Ruggo]

Dempsey doesn't balance that back row. A big combative unit needs to be there for it to work. Tui would have been the option I would have gone for.

 

[Brumby Runner]

He didn't have a good game against South Africa and then Rob Simmons had a strong game against Argentina.

Arnold will be back. This is only the second test he hasn't been picked for.

Why would anybody drop a player for one less effective game after a string of games where all and sundry were applauding the fact that at last the Wallabies had a world class second row pairing? And Rob Simmons has never had a strong game - it just isn't in his nature. He might have an effective game using the particular skills he has, but he is not and never has been a strong player in contact. His lineout calling skills are overstated as is his ability to win opposition ball in the lineout and then his effectiveness otherwise is negated by his inability to win the collision whether with the ball or in defense. I am so over Cheika and his mind-boggling selections that it's no longer funny. He has reduced the representation of the most successful Super Rugby franchise in the Wallabies now to two with one other and a possible on the bench. He is showing all the signs of not wanting to be successful with the Wallabies. Most here will look at this and say that I'm just talking through my Brumbies' hat, but it is deeper than that. There is every sign now that bias is coming into Wallaby selections, and I am not happy with that. Bernie Larkham's silence on selections is disappointing though understandable if he wants the top job post RWC.