The Wallabies Thread

[fatprop]

Ok so if no Mccalman, Timani and Naisarani is way further off Your 6 backrower would be? Hooper, Pocock, Hanigan, Dempsey and ? and ?

If Dempsey is fit, he deserves first shot. I expect Hooper & Pocock to start, there skills compliment eachother so the third backrower needs to be a lineout option as well. The smokey could be Valetini

 

[upthereds#!]

If Dempsey is fit, he deserves first shot. I expect Hooper & Pocock to start, there skills compliment eachother so the third backrower needs to be a lineout option as well. The smokey could be Valetini

I named Dempsey. A squad usually has 6 backrowers. So you're thinking Poey, Hooper, Hanigan, Dempsey, Valetini and ? Or leave it open and have a 2nd row like Tui cover it also. I'd imagine someone like Dempsey would be real quick off the ground as a front jumper which is what made Higs so good at it, huge speed and power in the jump. A giant target/disrupter in arnold at the middle. I spose a dempsey, Poey, Hoops backrow could work as long as you have a couple hard as nails 2nd rows for the in close stuff- Coleman and Arnold or Tui (simmons wouldn't cut it with a backrow that light, recent matches would support that)

 

[fatprop]

I wouldn't actually place Hanigan in a 2018 squad on 2017 form either, he was a place holder at best in 2017 and needs to do better. Only Hooper and Dempsey (and McMahon) showed enough in 2017

 

[farva]

Id have liked to have seen RHP get some game time to see how he went at the next level.
Valetini could be good but we need to see how he adapts to super rugby before getting too excited.
Although Dempsey seems to be in pole position to get the 6 gig.

 

[TSR]

Caleb Timu was player of the NRC, wasn’t he?

 

[Scrubber2050]

This thread is now dead until the super rugby season starts and players' form is assessed.

I just hope Cheika picks his team based on form, particularly positional form and not for his usual reasons (which often are all over the place).

 

[TSR]

Nothing wrong with throwing a few names up.

I actually quite enjoy the off season optimism. However misplaced it may end up.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Id love to see the RA/ARU/Wallabies do the following to their calendar

1. 1st test of the year to be against Fiji, Tonga or Samoa. A rotation of the three teams and home and away. For example 2018 Wallabies v Fiji @ Suva, 2019 Wallabies v Tonga @ Melbourne, 2020 Wallabies v Samoa @ Apia, 2021 Wallabies @ Fiji in Brisbane, 2022 Wallabies v Tonga @ Nukualofa etc.

2. 1st test of the northern tour to be against Japan, USA and Canada (rotation with those teams all playing at home)

3. Grand slam opportunity every four years

4. In the other 2 seasons (not the grand slam or RWC year) play one game against any of the following Barbarians, Italy Georgia or Romania.

5. 3 tests series against one of the six nations teams (baring Italy)

6. Play TRC still

That works out to be 13-14 tests but a huge increase in the number of tests against tier 2 nations. This will help with development of those teams and also allow us to play warm up games and rest some of our more crucial players.

 

[TOCC]

Id love to see the RA/ARU/Wallabies do the following to their calendar

1. 1st test of the year to be against Fiji, Tonga or Samoa. A rotation of the three teams and home and away. For example 2018 Wallabies v Fiji @ Suva, 2019 Wallabies v Tonga @ Melbourne, 2020 Wallabies v Samoa @ Apia, 2021 Wallabies @ Fiji in Brisbane, 2022 Wallabies v Tonga @ Nukualofa etc.
.

Sounds like something I suggested in another thread.... but I’d push for it to be in non-RWC years... which works well with the 4 year cycle anyway, just play Tonga, Samoa and Fiji in the non RWC years.


At the very least there is now a window in Jul 2020 with the new global calendar, Northern Hemisphere teams will only play 2 matches instead of 3 in the July window in the year following the RWC. That leaves a week opportunity for the likes of Fiji, Tonga etc

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Sounds like something I suggested in another thread.. but I’d push for it to be in non-RWC years. which works well with the 4 year cycle anyway, just play Tonga, Samoa and Fiji in the non RWC years.


At the very least there is now a window in Jul 2020 with the new global calendar, Northern Hemisphere teams will only play 2 matches instead of 3 in the July window in the year following the RWC. That leaves a week opportunity for the likes of Fiji, Tonga etc

Sorry TOCC I made some changes. RWC years things would need to change but it is just an idea,

 

[Scrubber2050]

Id love to see the RA/ARU/Wallabies do the following to their calendar

1. 1st test of the year to be against Fiji, Tonga or Samoa. A rotation of the three teams and home and away. For example 2018 Wallabies v Fiji @ Suva, 2019 Wallabies v Tonga @ Melbourne, 2020 Wallabies v Samoa @ Apia, 2021 Wallabies @ Fiji in Brisbane, 2022 Wallabies v Tonga @ Nukualofa etc.

2. 1st test of the northern tour to be against Japan, USA and Canada (rotation with those teams all playing at home)

3. Grand slam opportunity every four years

4. In the other 2 seasons (not the grand slam or RWC year) play one game against any of the following Barbarians, Italy Georgia or Romania.

5. 3 tests series against one of the six nations teams (baring Italy)

6. Play TRC still

That works out to be 13-14 tests but a huge increase in the number of tests against tier 2 nations. This will help with development of those teams and also allow us to play warm up games and rest some of our more crucial players.

Jimmy Are you Cheika's mate. That sort of "competitive" tests should dramatically increase his win/loss ratio. What an unexciting thought

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Jimmy Are you Cheika's mate. That sort of "competitive" tests should dramatically increase his win/loss ratio. What an unexciting thought

Nice positive chat mate keep it up.

The suggestion is more of a development tool (playing and finance) for the tier two nations than anything however both teams need to gain from the experience and it gives TRC teams an opportunity for a warm up before the more difficult tests.

 

[dru]

I like the concept of the Wallabies playing someone else before the full monty with the ABs. Don't know how you would arrange it with the schedule though.

 

[TOCC]

Nice positive chat mate keep it up.

The suggestion is more of a development tool (playing and finance) for the tier two nations than anything however both teams need to gain from the experience and it gives TRC teams an opportunity for a warm up before the more difficult tests.

ignore scrubber, I like the idea of playing more tests against teams like Fiji and Samoa... also teams like Canada and USA could serve as good development tests for some of guys in tour who get little time..

But the same old question will be asked, how much rugby is too much rugby

 

[Scrubber2050]

^^^^^^
Haha

Tocc you are giving in so easily. as is my adversarial colleagues Slim and Cyclo. One would expect that sort of reaction.

I want Australia to be playing real rugby test teams and competing against the best.

Playing against these teams we are guaranteed a win. How boring is that ? We should include Mexico and Paraguay as well. That would be riveting rugby. You probably find it exciting winning by 60, I find it laughable (unless against the AB's, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and France)

Absolute joke !!!!

 

[Silverado]

^^^^^^
Haha

Tocc you are giving in so easily. as is my adversarial colleagues Slim and Cyclo. One would expect that sort of reaction.

I want Australia to be playing real rugby test teams and competing against the best.

Playing against these teams we are guaranteed a win. How boring is that ? We should include Mexico and Paraguay as well. That would be riveting rugby. You probably find it exciting winning by 60, I find it laughable (unless against the AB's, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and France)

Absolute joke !!!!

How about expanding the game?


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[Scrubber2050]

How about expanding the game?


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That's all well and good. But I want Australian rugby games being competitive with the top nations , not the bottom nations. Otherwise, what's the point.

 

[Silverado]

That's all well and good. But I want Australian rugby games being competitive with the top nations , not the bottom nations. Otherwise, what's the point.

Fair call, but I just worry that test rugby will disappear up its own arse. It used to
Pride itself on being a global game. Now not so much


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[TOCC]

^^^^^^
Haha

Tocc you are giving in so easily. as is my adversarial colleagues Slim and Cyclo. One would expect that sort of reaction.

I want Australia to be playing real rugby test teams and competing against the best.

Playing against these teams we are guaranteed a win. How boring is that ? We should include Mexico and Paraguay as well. That would be riveting rugby. You probably find it exciting winning by 60, I find it laughable (unless against the AB's, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and France)

Absolute joke !!!!

Ahh this makes sense of your comment in the other thread now.

I certainly don’t find playing test matches against Fiji, Samoa and Tonga boring, that’s a fairly disappointing attitude IMO.

The lack of rugby for the pacific nations is reflected in why the Australia Pasifika population engaged so rapidly with their teams during the RLWC, because they’ve been starved of the opportunity to watch their own rugby teams to play in competitive rugby.

Pacific Nations are such a critical part of international rugby, and I certainly don’t think it’s a “absolute joke” that they be offered more playing opportunities against Australia.

 

[Joe Blow]

I like the concept of the Wallabies playing someone else before the full monty with the ABs. Don't know how you would arrange it with the schedule though.

WTF do we have to play the ABs first two games every year in TRC? Surely a couple of runs against the Argies and a hit out against the Boks would be better to get all of our ducks in a row before facing the AIGs? We are on a hiding to nothing while the Boks are afforded the luxury of a good hit out against acceptable opposition that they are expected to win pretty comfortably and take the points.