The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
He plays for my club Uni and has certainly done some hard yards in grade footy before playing for the Force. He's a tough hombre too, which I like. Not the tallest, but solidly built and good in contact.
The Wallabies Thread
- Thread starter KOB1987
- Start date
He plays for my club Uni and has certainly done some hard yards in grade footy before playing for the Force. He's a tough hombre too, which I like. Not the tallest, but solidly built and good in contact.
RoffsChoice
Jim Lenehan (48)
Should definitely be Timani at 8, he's the future there. At 6, I agree that it's time to look beyond Fardy; RHP is the goods, and Hardwick is looking great too. Really, the core of our World Cup squad should be clear by the end of September.
I'm not so sure about this.
He was in great form last year and deserved his selection for the Wallabies. He then did pretty well at test level.
He's a good ball runner and crunching defender with a good workrate but is weak in the lineout and isn't great at the back of the scrum.
His ball handling has improved but he's a long way from being an outstanding ball player.
I don't think he's good enough as the long term number 8 to select him over Higginbotham this season based on age (if you decided Higgers had better form) and could end up being surpassed by others in future years.
I certainly don't think he has shown the sort of talent that would make you think he is destined to be one of the premier number 8s in World Rugby.
RoffsChoice
Jim Lenehan (48)
Timani's 2015 and 2016 performances are enough for me to believe that he's class. Hell, had less than 200 minutes this season (mostly through suspension) but he's been class when he's been out there too.
Forcefield
Ken Catchpole (46)
No was in the Southern States shadow squad. Beaten to the SS team by fellow backrowers Kane Koteka and RHP. Koteka was overlooked for the U20s by Rowan Perry. Ironically, Hardwick has probably come the farthest from then.
Goes to show a rugby career does not end with the U20s and highlights the importance of the NRC- Hardwick wouldn't be where he is without it.
Thanks for the info.
It's good from two perspectives. Firstly that some of the players that supposedly come from nowhere after being ignored for years like Hardwick actually were identified earlier and were just slightly lower on the pecking order and secondly that those players who persist, particularly now that we have the NRC still have a pathway to a professional career in Australia.
There's a similar narrative with Will Miller but he was also there or there abouts at those younger ages, played Aussie 7s and just missed out on the Under 20 side.
If only we had more professional opportunities for our players.
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The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
That's an excellent point BH. The grade system and then the NRC provides an opportunity for these guys to get an opportunity to show their stuff. Dickie and as you say Will Miller are excellent examples of this.
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
I can't imagine that Timani wouldn't be named in the full squad.
And once the squad is named, I think combinations, recent Wallaby form and building for the both the Championship and Japan 2019 will play a bigger part than Super Rugby form.
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And once the squad is named, I think combinations, recent Wallaby form and building for the both the Championship and Japan 2019 will play a bigger part than Super Rugby form.
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I agree completely. I just don't think he's so good that you'd be thinking he gets selected at 8 regardless because he's better than any option we're likely to have for years to come.
I definitely think we need one of Higginbotham or Fardy in the backrow to give us an effective lineout.
Twoilms
Trevor Allan (34)
McMahon will make the bench at most, he's only just back from injury and it's questionable as to whether the Wallabies backrow can field both Hooper and McMahon effectively. And Hooper will start every match.
Hooper, Higginbotham and Timani could be a decent combination, although it doesn't offer a lot of graft over the ball.
Hooper, Higginbotham and Timani could be a decent combination, although it doesn't offer a lot of graft over the ball.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
McMahon, Higgers and Timani with Hoops as backup looks good to me
Twoilms
Trevor Allan (34)
Why would Cheika start McMahon over Hooper?
upthereds#!
Peter Johnson (47)
Mcmahon has always offered better form off the bench. As a starter, being a smaller lighter ball runner is less effective whilst all the opposition are still fresh and ready to go. Gotta have big bodies like Timani in there going toe to toe, then you bring on Mcmahon to go absolutely batshit in the last 20-30 and do serious damage
Twoilms
Trevor Allan (34)
He's the Australian Ardie Savea (bit of a downgrade). Ardie won't start for the AB's for the same reason.
SamoanNo8
Jimmy Flynn (14)
I think if Beale is unavailable for the June tests we should be looking to K Hunt to fill the #12 role. Could work really well considering his physicality in both attack in defence as well as his ability to be a playmaker. Coupled with the fact that Kerevi will most likely be at #13 - those 2 complement each other really nicely as a result of their time at the Reds. Then keep Folau at #15 and throw the 2 speedsters on the wing (Speight and Naivalu). Yes, Hunt isn't very familiar with the #12 role, but he would slot in nicely. His form is just too good to ignore at the minute in all honesty.
