The Wallabies Thread

[Zero_Cool]

Stop trollin' bro

You really think Pocock isn't a better leader and isn't a better player than Hooper (obviously going off previous form)?

Regarding the leadership just watch the Jaguars game to see some excellent displays of his captaincy... ignoring and walking away form the referee, 'not hearing them', I mean the Waratahs discipline last year shows you exactly the type of captaincy he brings.
Also I forget -- it was Hooper who was named 15 player of the RWC wasn't it?

 

[Scrubber2050]

Truth hurts hey ?????

 

[Braveheart81]

You really think Pocock isn't a better leader and isn't a better player than Hooper (obviously going off previous form)?

Regarding the leadership just watch the Jaguars game to see some excellent displays of his captaincy. ignoring and walking away form the referee, 'not hearing them', I mean the Waratahs discipline last year shows you exactly the type of captaincy he brings.
Also I forget -- it was Hooper who was named 15 player of the RWC wasn't it?

Pocock has done bugger all captaincy. There's not much to suggest he's a better captain. He's certainly less experienced in the role.

Dan Carter was player of the 2015 RWC.

Pocock was selected as the best number 8 in the team of the tournament.

 

[Derpus]

Pocock has done bugger all captaincy. There's not much to suggest he's a better captain. He's certainly less experienced in the role.

Dan Carter was player of the 2015 RWC.

Pocock was selected as the best number 8 in the team of the tournament.

Actually kind of amusing if you think about it.

 

[Braveheart81]

Actually kind of amusing if you think about it.

You look at this performances during 2015 and it's hard to argue against it.

He was good at the back of the scrum, crashed the ball up in the midfield off lineouts etc. Got metres in tight and still was the best backrower over the ball in world rugby.

The Wallabies certainly hadn't had any number 8 performances close to that good for years.

Until McMahon (also not a true number 8) produced some last year we hadn't had any since.

 

[Getwithme]

I say a backrow of Pocock, Pocock and Pocock would be handy

 

[Zero_Cool]

Pocock has done bugger all captaincy. There's not much to suggest he's a better captain. He's certainly less experienced in the role.

Dan Carter was player of the 2015 RWC.

Pocock was selected as the best number 8 in the team of the tournament.

Yeah, you are right. I don't know what I was thinking. But my point that Hooper wasn't in that team still stands.

Regarding his 'captaincy' yes, Pocock hasn't been capitan too often, but that wasn't really my statement. I was saying Po is a much better leader, leaders aren't always captains, see Genia with the Rebels.
And I think it's becoming more and more obvious that Hooper isn't a very good capitan. I've spoken to former Wallabies Captains (some even from NSW) who are often discussed at Hooper's childlike behaviour.

 

[Derpus]

A first fifteen of Pocock, with some Pocock off the bench for impact.

 

[Zero_Cool]

A first fifteen of Pocock, with some Pocock off the bench for impact.

Maybe one young George Smith you know for variety...

 

[fatprop]

And Pocock has been working on his linking and running skills in Japan

He knows that the times of the out and out fetcher are disappearing

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the way modern rugby is played with players operating in pods and generally patrolling a section of the field in attack has blurred the skillsets required for each position. The only time the particular core skillsets matter for each position is at set piece.

Most teams are going to run with their backrowers interspersed across the field patrolling a zone in attack. It will be their role to secure attacking breakdowns in their area. In defence the players who are best at pilfering will have a crack more than those that don't but pretty much every player will be expected to have a crack if a player is isolated and the opportunity presents itself.

Players need to do their core duties well and the team as a whole needs to be able to operate effectively at set piece but the best forwards in world rugby are the best because of what they do around the park.

I think either Dempsey or Timu could fill out a backrow with Pocock and Hooper and it be quite successful but assuming all the candidates arrive at June in good health and form it's hard to see any of them providing a compelling reason why a combination not involving both Hooper and Pocock would be better than one that does.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Yeah, you are right. I don't know what I was thinking. But my point that Hooper wasn't in that team still stands.

Regarding his 'captaincy' yes, Pocock hasn't been capitan too often, but that wasn't really my statement. I was saying Po is a much better leader, leaders aren't always captains, see Genia with the Rebels.
And I think it's becoming more and more obvious that Hooper isn't a very good capitan. I've spoken to former Wallabies Captains (some even from NSW) who are often discussed at Hooper's childlike behaviour.

Over the years I've been critical of Hooper's play at 7, not so much the bloke.

Have always said he has an unbelievable "motor", probably the best ever in rugby all over the world.

I was a bit critical when he was made Captain (as he has done some stupid on field decisions).

Having said that I don't believe there is a better bloke running around to be captain (and he stays on the field generally for 80).. I think it is fair to say he will continue to grow as a Captain.

 

[TOCC]

I disagree. Primarily the thing we need most with Pocock and Hooper as the other backrows is a lineout technician. That is definitely a strength for Hanigan.

Aside from that he has excellent workrate.

The thing that has to improve immensely from his 2017 test form is his accuracy at the breakdown. He missed too many cleanouts last year primarily because he was too close to the tackled player to be able to make an effective hit.

Lineout is one factor, but with POOPER they also need someone who can run the call tight and get across the advantage line, as well as hitting the rucks and mauls and disrupting the opposition ball.

Hanigan doesn’t fit that bill.. POOPER plus Hanigan is a mobile back row, but it’s certainly not a physically imposing backrow.

 

[Braveheart81]

Lineout is one factor, but with POOPER they also need someone who can run the call tight and get across the advantage line, as well as hitting the rucks and mauls and disrupting the opposition ball.

Hanigan doesn’t fit that bill.. POOPER plus Hanigan is a mobile back row, but it’s certainly not a physically imposing backrow.

I think lineout is the biggest shortfall though. Hanigan is stronger there but if Timu or Dempsey can provide a good enough third lineout option then they certainly provide a better ball running option.

Hopefully Dempsey returns on schedule and can play well. I've certainly been impressed with Timu this season.

I think Hanigan has improved a fair bit from last year though and will be in the picture again.

The improvement in our likely locks gives us more choice in the backrow in my opinion. Lots of strong ball carriers there now.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Over the years I've been critical of Hooper's play at 7, not so much the bloke.

Have always said he has an unbelievable "motor", probably the best ever in rugby all over the world.

I was a bit critical when he was made Captain (as he has done some stupid on field decisions).

Having said that I don't believe there is a better bloke running around to be captain (and he stays on the field generally for 80).. I think it is fair to say he will continue to grow as a Captain.

Oh, I'm not questioning his commitment to the team and his will and drive to do well. He puts that Waratahs team on his back and drags them kicking and screaming at times. What I have a problem with (so far as his captaincy goes) is that he just isn't executing right. If nothing else when a referee is trying to talk to you and you deliberately turn your back and walk away (when you hear them call you over) is poor form. I get that he's upset and to be fair his team is letting him down but it's happened in Wallabies games too and it's really not how you'd want an Aussie Capitan to act.

 

[Zero_Cool]

I think lineout is the biggest shortfall though. Hanigan is stronger there but if Timu or Dempsey can provide a good enough third lineout option then they certainly provide a better ball running option.

Hopefully Dempsey returns on schedule and can play well. I've certainly been impressed with Timu this season.

I think Hanigan has improved a fair bit from last year though and will be in the picture again.

The improvement in our likely locks gives us more choice in the backrow in my opinion. Lots of strong ball carriers there now.

This is why I think Tui is a crazy (maybe crazy like a fox) idea, that might just be crazy enough to work. Perhaps sadly we'll not get to see Tui playing any 6 as the Reds have a host of back row players half of whom should make the Wallabies Squad. But he could be the Miley Cyrus solution (the best of both worlds).

 

[Derpus]

This is why I think Tui is a crazy (maybe crazy like a fox) idea, that might just be crazy enough to work. Perhaps sadly we'll not get to see Tui playing any 6 as the Reds have a host of back row players half of whom should make the Wallabies Squad. But he could be the Miley Cyrus solution (the best of both worlds).

This is a Rugby Union forum sir, i'll have none of that.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Having said that I don't believe there is a better bloke running around to be captain (and he stays on the field generally for 80).. I think it is fair to say he will continue to grow as a Captain.

Has been known to have had a few 10 minute breaks in his games.

 

[TOCC]

I think lineout is the biggest shortfall though. Hanigan is stronger there but if Timu or Dempsey can provide a good enough third lineout option then they certainly provide a better ball running option.

Hopefully Dempsey returns on schedule and can play well. I've certainly been impressed with Timu this season.

I think Hanigan has improved a fair bit from last year though and will be in the picture again.

The improvement in our likely locks gives us more choice in the backrow in my opinion. Lots of strong ball carriers there now.

I agree, that’s why I don’t like the POOPER concept..

 

[Wilson]

I have a feeling we'll probably end up seeing 3 different back rows in the three games against Ireland, with chieka doing a bit of experimenting.

If Timu's current form continues he needs to be capped sooner rather than later to be a world cup option. As good as Naiserani has been he's going to have a really tight timeframe to be world cup ready and Timu is our only other option in that traditional 8 role.

Also think pocock will start at least one game from the bench while cheika decides how or if pooper fits in with the new ruck rules. It'll take alot for hooper to lose his starting jersey, even for a game, but if he does the captain options are probably Coleman and Genia, definitely not pocock.