Tri Nations - AUS v SAF 23rd July 2011.

[barbarian]

The team I would play:

1. Alexander
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Horwill
5. Sharpe
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. McCabe
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Turner (JOC (James O'Connor) if fit)
15. Beale

 

[H...]

Since Giteau apparantly hasa mortgage on a starting 15 spot, no matter innefective he is, I'd put him at 13 where the constantly-trying-to-run-around-everyone may be slightly beneficial.

At the very least he should see less ball there.

 

[Joe Blow]

I would like to see this team for the weekend but know there will probably not be a 5:2 split, Rocky and McCalman will start and Baxter has no chance of being selected. Deans is not one to change tack in mid stream but his selections last week were baffling. I would also say that Hodgson will most likely be on the bench in place of Beau.

1. Kepu
2. Moore
3. Baxter
4. Horwill
5. Sharpe
6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Digby
12. JOC (James O'Connor)
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (last chance)
14. Davies
15. Beale

16. Alexander
17. S. Fainga'a
18. Simmons
19. Robinson
20. Elsom
21. Giteau
22. McCabe

 

[barbarian]

I would like to see this team for the weekend but know there will probably not be a 5:2 split, Rocky and McCalman will start and Baxter has no chance of being selected. Deans is not one to change tack in mid stream but his selections last week were baffling. I would also say that Hodgson will most likely be on the bench in place of Beau.

Heard a solid rumour that this is not the case and the Fuse may get a run this weekend.

 

[Dumbledore]

We gon' get raped.

 

[pete88]

1. Kepu
2. Moore
3. Baxter
4. Horwill
5. Sharpe
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Digby
12. JOC (James O'Connor)
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Davies (tempted to bench him, let him run at tired Boks and get some confidence)
15. Beale

16. Alexander
17. S. Fainga'a
18. Simmons/Vickerman
19. Higgenbotham
20. Robinson
21. Giteau
22. Turner/Morahan (is in the squad, is he fit?)

Why the fuck isn't Tapuai in the 40? Possible MOM in the S15 final, and about the only fit specialist 12 whose been playing there. I'd be picking him right now.

 

[Blue]

How anyone in their right mind would select Alexander before Baxter is way out of my brain space. And especially after this season which was the best I have ever seen Al Baxter play. Wake up Robbie. Swallow your pride and pick to bloke. No time to fuck around.

 

[Blue]

Likely Springbok holding team.

1. Greyling (best loosehead in SA this year for my money better scrummager than Oosthuizen)
2. Smit
3. Kruger
4. Flip vd Merwe - tough, no nonsense, great at the collision
5. Hargreaves - very good lineout player, good with ball in hand but a bit of a wimp in contact
6. Stegmann
7. Ashely Johnson
8. Danie Rossouw (could easily start at 7 or 5 as well)
9. Pienaar
10 Steyn
11. Basson
12. Olivier
13. de Jongh
14. Aplon
15. Lambie (would prefer him in 12, Aplon at 15 and Mvovo at 14)

16. Chilliboy
17. Oosthuizen
18. Muller
19. Kankowski
20. Brussow (not to be rushed - won't start)
21. McCleod
22. Jantjes

 

[Ruggo]

1/ Kepu
2/ Moore
3/ Baxter
4/ Sharpe
5/ Horwill
6/ Higgers
7/ Pocock
8/ Samo
9/ Genia
10/ Cooper
11/ Digby
12/ McCabe
13/ Fainga'a (up to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to earn this back and up to Fainga'a to hold it)
14/ JOC (James O'Connor)
15/ Beale

16/ Fainga'a
17/ Daley
18/ Simmons
19/ McCalman
20/ AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
21/ Davies
22/ Phipps

Genia as the new captain and Pocock as his deputy.

 

[sanchez]

agreed regarding baxter. Robbie needs to suck it up and select the guy and hopefully referees have come to their senses and are not biased.

I want a prop that has scored 1 try out of 100+ games cause he's to busy smashing into rucks, not one who's the highest try scorer for their provincial side because he's in denial that he's a prop.

 

[darkhorse]

I think McCalman was shown up against the Samoans.

I think he is a good player and deserves to be in the team, but on a horses for courses basis. Against England, South Africa, Argentina and the Islander nations, which all thrive on big forwards, we should start with Samo. Against New Zealand, Wales, Ireland, etc, where work rate and ruck superiority is more important, give McCalman a run.

I'm not sure why Robinson has been getting ragged on. He wasn't amazing or even good when he came on, but he barely had time to make an impact. Hodgson was on from the beginning and looked well past it for the whole game. Would you really feel comfortable with Hodgson starting against the Boks, Poms or Kiwis if Pockock was injured?

I thought McCabe did well at 12. He would of looked a lot better if he was running outside of Cooper. I'm in favour of a straight running 12, to help Cooper. Atm A.Finger would have to be in front due to his excellent combination with Quade. However McCabe seems to have more potential than Finger, he has got more speed, power, etc and 'almost' as good on defence. IMO he could serve the same role as Finger, but their probably isn't time for the combination to develop so Finger would be the safer option.

I feel sorry for Gits in all this. I really feel he has gone backwards since going to the brumbies. He still has the talent, not as much as before, but it seems as though all his bad habits have been excentuated since at the ponies. Nothing against the brumbies, but he was playing like a world class 10 at the force. At times on Sunday, you could see him take the ball to the line (albeit rarely) and the backs looked on song for those phases. It didn't help with Phipps having a shocker.

 

[Slim 293]

1/ Kepu
2/ Moore
3/ Baxter
4/ Sharpe
5/ Horwill
6/ Higgers
7/ Pocock
8/ Samo
9/ Genia
10/ Cooper
11/ Digby
12/ McCabe
13/ Fainga'a (up to AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to earn this back and up to Fainga'a to hold it)
14/ JOC (James O'Connor)
15/ Beale

16/ Fainga'a
17/ Daley
18/ Simmons
19/ McCalman
20/ AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
21/ Davies
22/ Phipps

Genia as the new captain and Pocock as his deputy.

I would actually love to see this team but with Rocky at 6, and Giteau either on the bench or at 12 with McCabe on the bench...

Davies to drop out...

 

[Lance Free]

The Wallaby team announcement has been moved forward to tomorrow morning (11.30am) from Thursday, for some reason.

 

[Richo]

The Wallaby team announcement has been moved forward to tomorrow morning (11.30am) from Thursday, for some reason.

To stem the tide of stories about the weekend? Probably a smart PR move, actually.

 

[Scotty]

Elsom is obviously going to be picked, and likely to play 80 minutes again to regain his fitness (something I think he should be doing in training not on the field). So we will need to pick two high work rate loosies to make up for his lack of application at the ruck. I'd love to have Samo, but that isn't going to help the balance if Elsom isn't willing to put in at the ruck. We may have to go with Hodgson/McCalman with Pocock. And hope the Hodgson and McCalman play a hell of a lot better than on sunday.

 

[Scotty]

For the sake of combinations I would be tempted:

1 Kepu
2 Moore
3 Baxter
4 Horwill
5 Sharpe
6 McCalman
7 Pocock
8 Samo

9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Ioane
12 Fa'ainga
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 JOC (James O'Connor)
15 Beale

16 Fa'ainga?
17 Alexander
18 Simmons
19 Elsom
20 Burgess (available?)
21 Giteau
22 McCabe

 

[Nusadan]

To stem the tide of stories about the weekend? Probably a smart PR move, actually.

No brainer to pick the team after last weekend's performance, some guys just 'unpicked' themselves...Deans doesn't need five days to make up his mind then!

 

[Lee Enfield]

In hindsight, I will change the way I look at how the team is picked, and remove the red glasses, and wear a red monocle. The best australian scrum was the Waratahs. The best backline the Reds. So for me, The Wallaby team should look like:

1. Kepu
2. TPN (Moore if TPN not fit)
3. Baxter (Slipper when fit)
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Tapuai
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (last chance to prove himself outside a real 9,10,12 combination)
14. JOC (James O'Connor) (Would love to see him at 12, but Deans will not pick him there in the near future)
15. Beale

16. Holmes (Baxter when Slipper fit)
17. Moore (Hanson if TPN not available)
18. Simmons
19. Higginbotham
20. Robinson
21. Giteau (Burgess if fit, reluctanlty)
22. A. Fainga'a

 

[chief]

My team
1. Alexander
2. Fainga'a (Moore needs to be punished)
3. Kepu
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill
6. Elsom
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Fainga'a
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. JOC (James O'Connor)
15. Beale

It's a tinge of Red. Moore will be back in two weeks time for the All Blacks game better than ever knowing that his position in the 22 is guaranteed, with TPN and Fainga'a in contention as well. A bit of healthy competition never hurts, by dropping Moore this will ensure he is back to his best.

 

[Richo]

How is it that you want to punish Moore, but are fine with leaving Alexander starting? Moore didn't do himself any favours, but he wasn't even close to being the worst forward.