The Wallabies Thread

[TOCC]

I'd like to know what the actual game plan is before picking a team.. Honestly I can't work out what the Wallabies were trying to achieve tonight

 

[The torpedo]

I'd like to know what the actual game plan is before picking a team.. Honestly I can't work out what the Wallabies were trying to achieve tonight

Probably this:
"As long as you all have fun and put effort in, that's all I want out of you guys!" - Michael Cheika, probably.
Somehow they couldn't even do that

 

[saulityvi]

There is absolutely nothing more to lose. Maybe throw in some newbies to the deep end and see how they go? Timani should be worth a shot, but do you play him at 6 where he limits the lineout? Or chug him at eight?
Hodge and Kerevi basically need to be in the 23 next week as there arent enough backs left standing. Hodge has played soup 10-15 so might be worth a shot to throw him in the starting team midfield, seems anyway like a guy who rises to the occasion, partner him and Kerevi in the midfield for all I care.

Either Hooper or Pocock also needs to be dropped, they are small and we cant afford to carry two hobbits in the back row, I suggest stick with Pocock who had the most tackles and 7 turnovers according to the vodacom app.

Very disappointing all together. The rebuilding needs to start today, drop the Euros, they are the past and start blooding the youngsters, maybe they can beat the all blacks some day. Maybe keep Genia as he still has years in the tank.

 

[TOCC]

I want to see 4 lineout options in the pack, and I want at least 2 backs who can kick.. Then the Wallabies can play a slightly more traditional style game of playing for territory and applying pressure at the set piece..

Can Hodge kick? If he can, sub him in as 12
How is Quades kicking game at the moment? I would prefer him to play the NRC and get game time but if he is kicking well then he is the starting 5/8.

Is DHP a better kicker then Folau? If so, move Folau to 13 and push DHP to 15. Let's get some players with speed on the wing who can actually chase kicks and apply pressure.

 

[wamberal]

Hodge is a good place kicker, presumably he can kick out of hand as well.

 

[TOCC]

No wholesale changes, Australia doesn't have the dept to afford such moves anyways... But wholesale change of the game plan is needed

1 Sio
2 Moore
3 Kepu
4 Coleman
5 Douglas
6 Fardy
7 Pocock
8 McCalman
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Rona
12 Hodge
13 Folau
14 Koribete
15 DHP

 

[Strewthcobber]

Is it really fair to play QC (Quade Cooper) at Eden Park with basically no preparation?

 

[zer0]

Is it really fair to play QC (Quade Cooper) at Eden Park with basically no preparation?

Next test is in Wellington. Eden Park is Bledisloe III.

 

[barbarian]

I was going to write a blog post on this, but can't summon the energy.

You know the bloke we need? Tom Carter. Not just because we have no 12s left, but because what this team desperately needs is some fucking ticker. Someone to chase kicks like a rabid dog, tackle all fucking day and just do the hard yards.

So that's my answer - TC for the Wallabies. Make him captain as well while you're at it.
.

 

[Brumby Runner]

No wholesale changes, Australia doesn't have the dept to afford such moves anyways. But wholesale change of the game plan is needed

1 Sio
2 Moore
3 Kepu
4 Coleman
5 Douglas
6 Fardy
7 Pocock
8 McCalman
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Rona
12 Hodge
13 Folau
14 Koribete
15 DHP

I like Coleman and Douglas together at lock, and Fardy should never have been dropped to the bench. But if we want a change to the game plan to introduce more aggression, then I'm sorry to have to say that Ben McCalman must also go. He made more metres going backwards again last night than he made going forwards. A typical game.

Who is Rona? And what has Koribete done to warrant Wallaby selection? Wing is really another problem area atm. Thought Phipps went ok on the wing last night. And surely Kerevi must come into the centres. I think 12, but would not be too fazed by Hodge at 12 and Kerevi at 13.

 

[wamberal]

Get some sleep, Barbarian, you will feel better tomorrow.

 

[liquor box]

I was going to write a blog post on this, but can't summon the energy.

1. You know the bloke we need? Tom Carter. Not just because we have no 12s left, but because what this team desperately needs is some fucking ticker. Someone to chase kicks like a rabid dog, tackle all fucking day and just do the hard yards.

So that's my answer - TC for the Wallabies. Make him captain as well while you're at it.
.

Gill will be back someday to be the saviour

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

11 Rona
14 Koribete

Both your wingers will be otherwise engaged next weekend (unless Rona gets suspended for touching the ref Thursday night )

 

[The torpedo]

No wholesale changes, Australia doesn't have the dept to afford such moves anyways. But wholesale change of the game plan is needed

1 Sio
2 Moore
3 Kepu
4 Coleman
5 Douglas
6 Fardy
7 Pocock
8 McCalman
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Rona
12 Hodge
13 Folau
14 Koribete
15 DHP

Bring Kerevi in to OC, move Folau to the wing and bring Schmoo onto the other wing. Bring back crossfield kicks to Izzy. Also drop Moore and start Polota-Nau. Pocock as captain. To'omua/Giteau on the bench if fit. Also start Slipper over Sio for more experience and leadership.

Overall team for next week should look something like this:

1. Slipper
2. Polota-Nau
3. Kepu
4. Douglas
5. Coleman
6. Fardy (lineout caller)
7. Pocock
8. McCalman
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Mitchell
12. Hodge
13. Kerevi
14. Folau
15. DHP
16. Moore
17. Sio
18. Robertson
19. Mumm
20. McMahon/Timani
21. Frisby
22. ?
23. Morahan

 

[Good Footy 5]

With the need to drop either Pocock or Hooper (both class player) to the bench due to height issues, I believe that Pocock would be the better option to drop simply because he wont be with us next year, on top of that you always know that hooper will give 100% and his discipline has improved majorly. Also we have to remember that due to players leaving Australia and ageing, it is most likely that next year either Hodge or Kervevi will be starting next year, might as well give them experience now? In that 12 spot i'm also exited to see Cam Clarke next year if he decides to play there. Apart from that our fords were outpaced by the All Black backs and our backs had no plan and were always under pressure. (Also who else thinks Fardy would make a better 2 row)

1. Slipper
2. Polota-Nau
3. Ala'alatoa
4. Douglas
5. Arnold (we need height)
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. McCalman
9. Genia
10. Foley (unfair to play Quade straight away in NZ plus i'm not sure if he's up to standard)
11. DHP
12. Hodge
13. Kerevi
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

 

[upthereds#!]

I think we need to drop the assistant coaches.

Larkham has what..3 years experience total as a coach? Yes he's a great of the game...a great player, but not even close to proving as a coach. Nothing at the Brumbies tells me he has added value to their raft of (already) wallabies in their backs, so not sure how he somehow earnt an automatic selection as wallabies backs coach and now the 'annoited successor'.

Ledesma was brought over to give some scrum advice...and now he is the forwards coach? What raft of experience and success as a forwards coach did he achieve that earnt him a spot as a Wallaby coach? The lineout and forward patterns in defence and attacking involvement are average, as is breakdown accuracy when trying to shift bodes.

Nathan, cheikas mate who is a good bloke...wow. Also cheap as per his actions v england. not professional in the slightest. Former skills coach now defence, both of which we struggle with and now over shadowed by Byrnes.

Cheika is clearrrrrrly a 'culture coach'. Not a strategy guru, a student of the game or a skill technician. He works to the 'heart and soul. Which is great! BUT that means on your staff you need tried and proven experts who are strategy gurus, students of the game and skill technicians.

 

[Aussie D]

Height? Coleman is 205cm, Arnold is 208cm. Not a great deal of difference. We need a pack of rabid mongrels who won't take a backward step. I am sick of Wallaby packs being bent over and given the proverbial rodgering by the ABs. Watching the game last night one of the differences I noticed was the reaction when penalties / FK were awarded. The ABs were ready to roll immediately, no matter who had the ball. the wallabies just held the ball and looked around for the designated kicker / playmaker without reacting to the situation. At one stage we were awarded a penalty and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) did a handstand. Where is our urgency?

 

[The torpedo]

Height? Coleman is 205cm, Arnold is 208cm. Not a great deal of difference. We need a pack of rabid mongrels who won't take a backward step. I am sick of Wallaby packs being bent over and given the proverbial rodgering by the ABs. Watching the game last night one of the differences I noticed was the reaction when penalties / FK were awarded. The ABs were ready to roll immediately, no matter who had the ball. the wallabies just held the ball and looked around for the designated kicker / playmaker without reacting to the situation. At one stage we were awarded a penalty and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) did a handstand. Where is our urgency?

Maybe AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was happy that something went out way

As for everything else, the ENTIRE team needs to adopt a 'never back down' mentality. You don't become the best team in the world by being nice, you become the best by being ruthless. Look at Formula 1 - Senna and Schumacher would both ruthless and that is one of the key reasons why both are considered some of the greatest F1 drivers ever (see the 1990 Japanese GP & the 1997 European GP if you want to know what i'm talking about). The ABs are willing to do whatever it takes to win and be ruthless - we need to do the same.

 

[barbarian]

As for everything else, the ENTIRE team needs to adopt a 'never back down' mentality. You don't become the best team in the world by being nice, you become the best by being ruthless.

Well we tried that against England, and it failed. We got so focussed on being tough and 'ruthless' we forgot to actually play rugby. Our captain was shoulder charging blokes after the whistle, we were niggling them at every phase, and we lost.

It's not our game. Our game is fast, skilful and committed. We were zero of these three things last night.
.

 

[The torpedo]

Well we tried that against England, and it failed. We got so focussed on being tough and 'ruthless' we forgot to actually play rugby. Our captain was shoulder charging blokes after the whistle, we were niggling them at every phase, and we lost.

It's not our game. Our game is fast, skilful and committed. We were zero of these three things last night.
.

This is true - the key is to be BALANCED. Don't niggle them at every phase, but if they start to do illegal stuff at the breakdown, have Hooper/Fardy/Douglas come in and smash them out of the way so that the scrum half can get the ball