The Wallabies Thread

[Joe Blow]

Fardy not available

 

[Leo86]

I wouldn't pencil any win in at the current time. The only game that I would have any confidence at all is the Japan test, Argentina in Perth looks the next best chance, but I wouldn't even back the Wallabies with your money let alone mine.

Aus V Springboks in Perth 2017

 

[upthereds#!]

Agree Ruggo, Mafi, has been the best forward in Australian Rugby this year and Leitch pretty handy as well, if Japan can build around them again like they did at the RWC against SA the Wallabies are ripe for the taking.

For those forwards to get going (a Tui, Mafi, Leitch Backrow with a unit like Llaua or 7s star Tokunaga on the bench) Japan will need to address their 2nd row and prop issues. As the Rebels have shown, Mafi is a champion, but you need a champion team to get the wins. Their first choice front row needs to be good to go (Inagaki, Horie Hatakeyama- who is in europe) and same with their locks. If you can't get really big then you need as big as you can with extra mobility, like a team of good no.6's. Helu (193cm/115kg) Moli (194cm/110kg), Usami (197cm/111kg) and Wykes (197/109kg) fit that bill.

Without their best tight 5 getting in valuable time against quality opposition, come the WC they will struggle in the set piece. This year the Sunwolves had a huge rotation of players in conjunction with the Brave Blossums, I'd suggest next season they will tighten that up as they move towards figuring out who is International standard, who will be and who won't be.

If they can get that happening, then weapons like Lafaele, Sau, Tupou & Moeakiola (Japanese Lomu) can really get front foot ball with 7s speedsters like Sasakura and Fukuoka just loving life on the edges. Then of course the team is supported by either hot stepping super freaks in Matsuhima and 7s playmaker Lemeki, or the Ninja himself Goromaru.

Japan has a really strong 33man squad spread around the world who could do damage as a team, but the sunwolves themselves had a squad of over 50 and used most of them, and a most of these guys got their first caps in 2016 and 2017 for Japan. Great for depth building but it will be putting that best of the best together as much as possible getting over the next 2 years, getting runs on the board, rather then giving every player in Japan a go that will see them scare the Wobblies.

 

[upthereds#!]

Right. Here's a team I think would be best placed to win 6 or 7 tests this year.

15. Beale
14. Folau
13. Kerevi
12. Khunt
11. DHP
10. Foley
9. Genia

8. Timani
7. Hooper
6. Fardy
5. Coleman
4. Arnold
3. Ala'alatoa
2. Moore (c)
1. Sio

16. TPN
17. Cowan
18. Kepu
19. Carter
20. Hardwick
21. Powell
22. Hodge (Would like to see Lealifaano potentially come in here later on)
23. TK

Best thing I like about this....Cowan over Robertson.

 

[Scrubber2050]

I think Cheika is a good coach, and he has an engaging personality which clicks with the players, media and fans.

But, i believe he also needs to adapt his game plan, in the post RWC era, Wallabies have won only 44% of their test matches. He has also hired a defensive coach from the team with Australias worst defensive record, and an attacking coach from the team with Australias worst attacking record. Losing at home to Scotland team lacking their B&I Lions players was close to embarrassing and additionally letting the Italians come close to beating the Wallabies at Suncorp would have been a disaster.

I dont like all of his selections, and some decisions like taking Koroibete on the Spring Tour last year before playing a game of Super Rugby sent the wrong message to players and fans alike, playing players out of positions and more recently, the lack of a backup specialist 5/8 is concerning.

But, i don't think he should be replaced just yet, he strikes me as the person who can adapt, i still think he is the right coach for Australia for the rest of 2017, there are 10 test matches to go this year and a match against the Barbarians, i hope to see some improvement.

Realistically i don't see Australia beating the kiwis at all in 2017, nor do i think they will win away in South Africa or England. I do expect them to win against South Africa(home), Argentina(Home and Away), Japan(Away), Barbarians(home) and Scotland(Away). Win those and he will be nudging back over 50% win ratio.

Got a good chuckle when reading your first paragraph.

IF he was that good he would have evolved his coaching techniques

 

[Brumby Runner]

Fardy not wanted

FIFY.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Anyone know when the selected Brumbies' players will be named? The remainder of the squad was named the Sunday morning after the last round iirc, but it's now pushing 40 hours after the QF and not yet a murmur.

 

[Merrow]

Anyone know when the selected Brumbies' players will be named? The remainder of the squad was named the Sunday morning after the last round iirc, but it's now pushing 40 hours after the QF and not yet a murmur.

Today sometime apparently. Have heard whispers that the number of players chose will be the 2nd lowest of all franchises (Rebels will have the lowest). If that's the case, mind blown.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Today sometime apparently. Have heard whispers that the number of players chose will be the 2nd lowest of all franchises (Rebels will have the lowest). If that's the case, mind blown.

Won't be surprised at all if that happens M. Starting to think there might be some disagreements between Cheika and Larkham holding up the naming of the final squad.

 

[KOB1987]

Hunt is out for 2 months, ankle injury.

Quade hasn't been called up as yet but he is in Bali.

 

[Braveheart81]

Also, on the question of fitness - the Brumbies showed for most of the game that a fast, hard hitting defense can upset the more favoured (and more talented?) kiwis and they were in the game until too many replacements disrupted the energy and flow of their defensive efforts. Don't think fitness was necessarily a big problem there.

I think this is the point though. The Brumbies are comfortably the fittest Australian side and a big reason why Cheika wanted to share the GPS data amongst the franchises was to show the rest of them how much more fitness work the Brumbies were doing.

Today sometime apparently. Have heard whispers that the number of players chose will be the 2nd lowest of all franchises (Rebels will have the lowest). If that's the case, mind blown.

Firstly, I would have kept Fardy and selected him so I thinkt he number of Brumbies selected will be one less than it should be, but there's certainly an element that the Brumbies are pretty consistent across the park but don't have that much starpower.

Godwin would be in the squad but he is injured.

Hawera and Cubelli aren't eligible.

Both starting props and locks will be picked. In the backrow, Alcock has been good but would anyone really take him above Hooper, Hardwick and McMahon?

Smiler has been decent but is going overseas. He's also old.

Powell, Kuridrani and Speight will be selected. Banks wouldn't be bad as a bolter for the squad.

I don't think anyone would pick Mann-Rea, Andrew Smith or James Dargaville in the Wallabies squad.

So I guess the question from the Brumbies is outside of Fardy, who exactly should be in the squad that won't be?

 

[Merrow]

I'd put Dargaville as a bolter. Certainly shows more promise than Nabuli.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The bolter could be Blake Enever, but I doubt it will happen. I am also beginning to think that Carter, Powell, Kuridrani and Speight might be in trouble if the rumour reported by Merrow has any legs.

 

[Highlander35]

2nd least players. Rebels have 6, Force have 9. So 7 or 8 players.

Sio
Alaalatola
Arnold
Carter
Kuridrani
Speight
Powell
Lilo?

Obviously it's a training squad only, so you probably could have added in a couple of players with International potential like Dargaville and Banks, but those 8 and Fardy are the only players "regularly" in the Brumbies line-up who I consider potential current or future Wallabies.

I don't know though. Everybody get mad as you like.

 

[Merrow]

Tim Gavel reported it this morning on ABC. He's usually fairly spot on. Nothing would surprise me.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'd put Dargaville as a bolter. Certainly shows more promise than Nabuli.

Does he? Nabuli has done lots of silly things this year and has had discipline issues but one thing he does well is score tries.

8 tries in the season is second most by an Aussie player this year and I'd say a big reason why Nabuli is in the squad.

 

[Slim 293]

I don't think anyone would pick Mann-Rea, Andrew Smith or James Dargaville in the Wallabies squad.

What if meant not having Moore?

 

[Braveheart81]

What if meant not having Moore?

No matter how poor Moore's form is, no one in their right mind would drop him from the squad to select a player that is even older than he is.

This argument about the number of Brumbies players picked seems to boil down to them being the best Australian team so they should have the highest representation but then doesn't actually delve into specifics.

Outside of Fardy I think it's pretty hard to suggest any Brumbies that really should be in the squad that won't be.

 

[Merrow]

Does he? Nabuli has done lots of silly things this year and has had discipline issues but one thing he does well is score tries.

8 tries in the season is second most by an Aussie player this year and I'd say a big reason why Nabuli is in the squad.

3 yellow cards - I'd rather not take that chance.

 

[Braveheart81]

3 yellow cards - I'd rather not take that chance.

I don't think Nabuli is likely to remain in the squad when it is whittled down but I still think he is ahead of Dargaville.

Dargaville managed one yellow card from 10 games (vs 15 for Nabuli), had a lower tackle success % and substantially inferior attacking stats.