The Wallabies Thread

[Braveheart81]

I did like that the ARU website had Sam Carter in their Super Rugby team of the week this week.

I reckon his penalties single handedly killed the Brumbies chances in the first half.

 

[RugbyReg]

Those consecutive seasons catching up. Never seen a player escape it yet.

Foley is doing ok

 

[hammertimethere]

It's clear that the Wallabies main concern is in the 2nd row and wing spots.

At lock Simmons is the incumbent and is doing ok, building into the season after some dodgy early form. He seems to go way better when he doesn't have too many roles to play and just plays to his strengths I.e run lineouts, scrum well, make plenty of tackles and hit rucks. Being a primary ball carrier in the back 5 isn't a role he plays well. To complement him I would be looking for a lineout proficient lock who enjoys the ball carry and big hitter role. The options for mine are
- Skelton, not enthused despite him showing some ability to jump this year and a good last game. Maybe, but not sold
- Coleman, I think he has the tools to become an excellent wallaby but it would be brave to pick him first up
- jones, doesn't bring enough to the physical exchanges
- Carter, as above but has shown previously that he can go ok. Needs a rocket up him
- Arnold, similar to Coleman
- Neville, played well early and is the best athlete of the lot. Unbelievable motor on him, with Cheika as a coach may grow into that enforcer role

On the wing I think it's clear that Horne's solidity and finishing is the only likely replacement for Tomane

My instinct would be to go with Coleman or Arnold.

 

[Groucho]

Foley is doing ok

He's in the incubation phase.

 

[Groucho]

Carter's main advantage is that he looks a bit like Lood de Jager. All he needs to do is get bigger, faster, meaner, smarter and suck his chin in a couple of inches, and he'll go fine.

 

[saulityvi]

Carter's main advantage is that he looks a bit like Lood de Jager. All he needs to do is get bigger, faster, meaner, smarter and suck his chin in a couple of inches, and he'll go fine.

No need to suck the chin up if he wants to duplicate Lood de Jager

 

[topgun]

Cheik has plenty of options
my favourites being:

11.Horne
12.Beale
13.Kurindrani
14.Folau
15.DHP

11. Horne
12. Beale
13. Folau
14.Nabuli
15.DHP

11.Horne
12.Beale
13.Kerevi
14.Folau
15.Hunt

and for the dreamer(and Madman):
11.Naiyarovoro
12.Kerevi
13.Kurindrani
14.Folau
15.DHP

 

[topgun]

Any of the locking options bar Simmons is a gamble. Horwill has 61 caps and should be eligible if Cheika wants but we're post world cup, It's probably time to start testing some new guys. I would prefer Arnold have a go, I have never been that impressed with Carter's game, he has the same handling issues that Timani and Skelton get slammed for while having half the impact. Would be very interesting to see Coleman with Cheika's coaching

 

[Intruder]

Chieka will pick this 23 vs England;

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Holmes
4. Simmons
5. Carter
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Pocock
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. Beale
13. Kuridrani
14. Nabuli/Speight
15. Folau

16. TPN
17. Sio
18. Faulkner
19. Skelton
20. McCalman
21. Frisby
22. To'omua
23. DHP

- Lineout won't be much of an issue with England as B. Vunipola doesn't jump. They play a lot of short man lineouts. Which is an advantage for Skelton to be an impact of the bench and playing the double flanker at 7 & 8. Jumping option at 8 on the bench is vital though and to me that goes to McCalman.

- That one wing position is a tough one because he must be an out and out winger with the Chieka set up in defence. Horne will defend at 12 pushing either KB (Kurtley Beale) or Foley to the blind wing. That open wing position IMO with go to either Speight or Nabuli leaving DHP to cover on the bench due to his versatility.

The rest seem to pick themselves really. Will be interesting to see how close this side will match up to Chiekas.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Chieka will pick this 23 vs England;

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Holmes
4. Simmons
5. Carter
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Pocock
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. Beale
13. Kuridrani
14. Nabuli/Speight
15. Folau

16. TPN
17. Sio
18. Faulkner
19. Skelton
20. McCalman
21. Frisby
22. To'omua
23. DHP

I have major concerns over Carter and Speight being anywhere near the starting 15. I also don't think Nabuli is a good option with Folau and Horne at the back - no one with the boot and no out and out speed (look to how NZ balances their back three).

Forget the three Amigos, Will Skelton is more unreliable (especially at international level) and not someone I'd have coming on to maintain our spine in the last 15 of a close one against England.

Faulkner?? Smith (out of position I know), or Alexander.

I hope Cheika isn't thinking that line up.

Unless he's thinking of bringing back some players, which IMO isn't good for the health of our team, we really have no option but to move on in some key positions with a few guys chucked in the deep end.

 

[cyclopath]

I was just rearranging someone else's.

My team would be:

15 Izzy
14 DHP
13 Kuridrani
12 Beale
11 Horne
10 Foley
9 Phipps

8 Pocock
7 Hooper
6 Fardy
5 Carter
4 Simmons
3 Holmes
2 Moore
1 Slipper

16 TPN
17 Sio
18 Smith
19 Skelton
20 Holloway
21 Frisby
22 To'omua
23 Kerevi

Locks are my biggest question mark.

Yeah, Carter not really making it his own at the moment.

 

[Micheal]

This is the team I'd like to see being tested if we were at full strength (and I'm not going to make any friends here for saying so):

1. Sio
2. Moore (c)
3. Kepu
4. Fardy
5. Douglas
6. McMahon
7. Hooper
8. Pocock (vc)
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Tomane
12. Beale
13. Kerevi
14. DHP
15. Folau

16. Slipper
17. Polota-Nau
18. Holmes
19. Simmons (or another lock cover)
20. Holloway (on for Hooper at 55min mark, Pocock to 7).
21. Phipps
22. To'omua
23. Horne

That would be an amazingly abrasive pack with 3.5 jumpers (with each member of the backrow counting as 0.5 each) with enough push in the pack (Fardy being only one kilogram lighter and two centimetres shorter than Simmons). Each player in the back five is what I believe to be a true competitor, and I think it would be the backbone of a pack that would be feared internationally.

But of course theres no way we will see that. Only a madman would fuck with combinations to the extent of playing the above, and I think that new players should only be introduced to the side with cameos of the bench, with only one or two players in the starting XV ever changing from game to game.

Aside from that, some of the above players are unavailable or injured. As such, I'd like to see the following against England:

1. Sio
2. Moore (c)
3. Holmes
4. Simmons
5. Fardy
6. McMahon
7. Hooper
8. Pocock
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. DHP
12. Beale
13. Kuridrani
14. Horne
15. Folau

16. Slipper
17. Polota-Nau
18. Smith (?) / Weeks (?)
19. Skelton (or another player - not sold on his form. Covering 2nd row).
20. Holloway (covering 2nd row / 6 / 8).
21. Stirzacker
22. To'omua
23. Kerevi

Skelton and Holloway to be unleashed at around the 55min mark at a 10min interval. Hooper and Sean to come off, Fardy to 6.

Of course, I'd still be happy with Fardy at 6 and Sean off the bench. But I think what we really need to ask is: are the Wallabies better with McMahon, Fardy, Pocock and Hooper on the field? Would our workrate, physicality and urgency be better with them on the field? Would our set piece be compromised to the extent of making such a combination unviable?

Or would we be better with one of our many mediocre 2nd row options being on the field, when Fardy can fill such a roll at a level with is more than mediocre?

When players demand to be selected, I think you have to find a way to fit them into the team.

Just some thoughts from an armchair selector.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Needs more opensides.

 

[Groucho]

I'm not sure why people are picking Genia over Phipps. Phipps is going fine, and does a job Cheika wants, at a price Cheika seems happy to pay. We're not going to beat anyone this year by slowing the game down at the base of the ruck.

 

[Sully]

Maybe because Cheika picked Genia over Phipps last year and Phipps was better then.

 

[Groucho]

Maybe because Cheika picked Genia over Phipps last year and Phipps was better then.

I think he tried Genia, then went back to Phipps. Genia just doesn't fit the Cheika gameplan. He might have at his best, but he seemed to have a short time at his best.

Even when he was at his best, when he had a bullet pass, he was a thinker at the base. Phipps may be a relative bonehead, but that means his three brain cells don't get in the way of his clearance, whereas Genia's ten brain cells do. If there was ever a rugby metric for flapping the arms, Will would have it sewn up.

When Will does finally pass, his passing is better. At least he can hit the side of a Quade Cooper from twenty meters.

If we could mate Genia and Phipps we'd have a halfback for the ages. Fast to the breakdown. Instantaneous bullet pass. Brutal defence. Sniping tries from inside our own half. And fabulous arm-flapping for when the ref is minded to give us a sympathy penalty late in the game.

 

[ChargerWA]

This is the team I'd like to see being tested if we were at full strength (and I'm not going to make any friends here for saying so):

1. Sio
2. Moore (c)
3. Kepu
4. Fardy
5. Douglas
6. McMahon
7. Hooper
8. Pocock (vc)
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Tomane
12. Beale
13. Kerevi
14. DHP
15. Folau

16. Slipper
17. Polota-Nau
18. Holmes
19. Simmons (or another lock cover)
20. Holloway (on for Hooper at 55min mark, Pocock to 7).
21. Phipps
22. To'omua
23. Horne

That would be an amazingly abrasive pack with 3.5 jumpers (with each member of the backrow counting as 0.5 each) with enough push in the pack (Fardy being only one kilogram lighter and two centimetres shorter than Simmons). Each player in the back five is what I believe to be a true competitor, and I think it would be the backbone of a pack that would be feared internationally.

But of course theres no way we will see that. Only a madman would fuck with combinations to the extent of playing the above, and I think that new players should only be introduced to the side with cameos of the bench, with only one or two players in the starting XV ever changing from game to game.

Aside from that, some of the above players are unavailable or injured. As such, I'd like to see the following against England:

1. Sio
2. Moore (c)
3. Holmes
4. Simmons
5. Fardy
6. McMahon
7. Hooper
8. Pocock
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. DHP
12. Beale
13. Kuridrani
14. Horne
15. Folau

16. Slipper
17. Polota-Nau
18. Smith (?) / Weeks (?)
19. Skelton (or another player - not sold on his form. Covering 2nd row).
20. Holloway (covering 2nd row / 6 / 8).
21. Stirzacker
22. To'omua
23. Kerevi

Skelton and Holloway to be unleashed at around the 55min mark at a 10min interval. Hooper and Sean to come off, Fardy to 6.

Of course, I'd still be happy with Fardy at 6 and Sean off the bench. But I think what we really need to ask is: are the Wallabies better with McMahon, Fardy, Pocock and Hooper on the field? Would our workrate, physicality and urgency be better with them on the field? Would our set piece be compromised to the extent of making such a combination unviable?

Or would we be better with one of our many mediocre 2nd row options being on the field, when Fardy can fill such a roll at a level with is more than mediocre?

When players demand to be selected, I think you have to find a way to fit them into the team.

Just some thoughts from an armchair selector.

Fardy can't play lock. Our scrum goes to absolute shit when he packs at lock. England aren't the team to be playing funny buggers with our scrum.

It's got to be Coleman. He's the futures.

 

[Marcelo]

Has Kerevi ever played on the wing?

Nonu and Tana Umaga started at the wing and then the ABs staff put them on the centre. Why couldn't Kerevi play at the wing? His defence issues would be less obvious. I know he needs to improve his kick skills and others things but with a fullback like DHP he could play at 14. The Wallabies need a dangerous winger like Savea who can finish any chance

Also, somebodies are picking him on the bench. So, he MUST to play at the wing to cover any injury

 

[Groucho]

Here's hoping for a quick Joe Tomane recovery. He's become the fast man with good hands we need. By far the most dangerous back in Oz this year, and up there with any.

 

[Intruder]

I have major concerns over Carter and Speight being anywhere near the starting 15. I also don't think Nabuli is a good option with Folau and Horne at the back - no one with the boot and no out and out speed (look to how NZ balances their back three).

Forget the three Amigos, Will Skelton is more unreliable (especially at international level) and not someone I'd have coming on to maintain our spine in the last 15 of a close one against England.

Faulkner?? Smith (out of position I know), or Alexander.

I hope Cheika isn't thinking that line up.

Unless he's thinking of bringing back some players, which IMO isn't good for the health of our team, we really have no option but to move on in some key positions with a few guys chucked in the deep end.

If Tomane was available he would be a shoe in to start that wing spot and that still doesn't solve your back three kicking issue. The defensive structure Chiek plays with 10/12 (Foley & KB (Kurtley Beale)) defending as a second FB solves that issue. So it doesn't matter really who plays that wing slot. He will be in the line.

Carte will no doubt get selected his the Brumbies go to man besides Fardy will definitely be in line to start with Skelton or Mumm to cover the bench.

Chieka is not an Alexander fan and will throw Faulkner before him. Hense Alexander not being at Wallaby camp from memory. Weeks won't have enough running I suspect due to his mid year injury.

One last note, Chiek won't be concerned about picking players out of form. He will pick those players who did a job for him previously.