The Wallabies Thread

[Brumby Runner]

Does anybody know why Naisarani won't be eligible until 2019 when all the talk over the past twelve months or so was that he would be available at the end of 2018, presumably for the EOYT if not the RC.

 

[Derpus]

Does anybody know why Naisarani won't be eligible until 2019 when all the talk over the past twelve months or so was that he would be available at the end of 2018, presumably for the EOYT if not the RC.

Something to do with going back to Fiji or some such.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Does anybody know why Naisarani won't be eligible until 2019 when all the talk over the past twelve months or so was that he would be available at the end of 2018, presumably for the EOYT if not the RC.

He left Australia when his visa ran out in 2015 and had to reset the three year clock in March, 2016.

Eligible in March, 2019

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[Brumby Runner]

He left Australia when his visa ran out in 2015 and had to reset the three year clock in March, 2016.

Eligible in March, 2019

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Thx. Another Henry Speight style of delay. Unfortunate, and in my eyes not really in the spirit of the qualifying period criteria.

 

[James Pettifer]

It's starting to look like the last couple years we've been inflating the kiwi rankings by playing them so often.
Appears that regular England, Ireland would've given them more trouble.

England have only beaten NZ once since 2004 (15 games) and Ireland have only ever beaten NZ once (13 games since 2004). Australia have won 7, drawn 2 out of 42 games.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Thx. Another Henry Speight style of delay. Unfortunate, and in my eyes not really in the spirit of the qualifying period criteria.

I don't know, not being legally able to live in a country for which you are claiming residency seems a bit of a hurdle for me.

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[upthereds#!]

Would love to see Higs get another crack with a backrow better balanced to his skills. Making him the enforcer with hanigan at 6 was neverrrrr going to be effective. Great mobile try scoring option off the bench. However I think it'll be more likely we carry 5 backrowers and an extra lock like Tui to cover the backrow of Hanigan, Dempsey, Timani, Poey & Hoops - biding time until Naisarani is eligible, Mccalman sorts outs his injury, or Valetini gets a call up (after injury) as a development player.

Guys like Timu, Holloway, Korzcyk, Mccaffrey & Cottrell are all solid, but I would still put Higs above all of them.

 

[upthereds#!]

Can anyone please post the article from dailytelegraph/couriermail about overseas wallabies being eligible and japanese season suspended in 2019 etc?

 

[Derpus]

Would love to see Higs get another crack with a backrow better balanced to his skills. Making him the enforcer with hanigan at 6 was neverrrrr going to be effective. Great mobile try scoring option off the bench. However I think it'll be more likely we carry 5 backrowers and an extra lock like Tui to cover the backrow of Hanigan, Dempsey, Timani, Poey & Hoops - biding time until Naisarani is eligible, Mccalman sorts outs his injury, or Valetini gets a call up (after injury) as a development player.

Guys like Timu, Holloway, Korzcyk, Mccaffrey & Cottrell are all solid, but I would still put Higs above all of them.

Does McCalman have a contract somewhere? i suspect his race might be run.

 

[RugbyReg]

There’s no way in the world you can justify Higgers even being talked about as a wallaby contender at the moment.

 

[wamberal]

What do you all think about a probable Wobbs front row? Especially at hooker?

 

[Braveheart81]

What do you all think about a probable Wobbs front row? Especially at hooker?

In terms of hooker:

TPN is certainly the likely starter but you would question whether Cheika will want to use him during the June series.

Uelese would have to be favourite to continue with a spot in the 23 and then it is wide open between Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Damien Fitzpatrick, Anaru Rangi and then Tolu Latu and Folau Fainga'a assuming they return to the matchday 23s soon.

I can't see Alex Mafi, Hugh Roach, Josh Mann-Rea or Robbie Abel figuring in selections.

If TPN doesn't play there is a Wallaby jersey that is absolutely wide open.

Prop:

I think the top 5 props will be Sio, Slipper, Kepu, Ala'alatoa and Tupou.

 

[Derpus]

I think the top 5 props will be Sio, Slipper, Kepu, Ala'alatoa and Tupou.

I think there is a very good chance Slipper will not be fit enough.

 

[upthereds#!]

There’s no way in the world you can justify Higgers even being talked about as a wallaby contender at the moment.

I love the way higs plays and I think he's better then those players I listed - but do I think he will ever be even called up to a squad? No. Big no.

 

[upthereds#!]

I think there is a very good chance Slipper will not be fit enough.

I'd take an unfit Slipper over a fit Robertson anyday.

 

[wamberal]

As long as any "unfitness" is not affecting his scrummaging, I agree.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

You would think that by June Slipper would be pretty match-fit.

He seems to have a bit of a dodgy back though, so there's that.

 

[upthereds#!]

fitness doesn't seem to help robertson! Sorry i just reallllllly do not rate him.

 

[Braveheart81]

Robertson has certainly had a shocking start to the season.

I expect there will be better options this season for the Wallabies.

It will be interesting to see how much better the Tahs scrum is once Kepu is playing THP, Simmons returns and potentially Latu is also in the side.

Kepu got dished up a bunch at Super Rugby level last year because the Tahs scrum was poor but was comfortably our best scrummaging THP at test level (even though Ala'alatoa looked stronger during Super Rugby as part of a strong Brumbies scrum).

 

[upthereds#!]

I think Robertson added 0 value to the wallabies last season. Can't hit hard, can't run hard, can't dominate any collision and can't dominate International tightheads. Sooner we identify another up and coming loosehead to develop under Sio and Slipper the better.