Tri Nations - AUS v SAF 23rd July 2011.

[jay-c]

no im trying to blame giteau for years of bad performances
havnt you noticed how there always seems to be an excuse for giteau?
i have never suggested cooper would have saved that game
im saying the wallabies backline is shit when giteau is in charge, the brumbies backline was shit when he was in charge
im not doubting his effort> im doubting his effectiveness

 

[biggsy]

no im trying to blame giteau for years of bad performances
havnt you noticed how there always seems to be an excuse for giteau?
i have never suggested cooper would have saved that game
im saying the wallabies backline is shit when giteau is in charge, the brumbies backline was shit when he was in charge
im not doubting his effort> im doubting his effectiveness

(off topic) but on that point....I did notice that when Genia came on he was doing more talking than anyone on the Paddock, taking charge of the backs and also taking the big knocks. He to my mind is a great future leader.

 

[Slim 293]

I don't think there's ever been an excuses for Giteau?

I think you're making ones up...

 

[biggsy]

I wouldn't say Davies played fine...

He did a lot of sideways running and was completely dominated by his opposite number...

yeah, because of the crap and slow ball he was getting... Phipps and Gits bombed a try when Davies was sitting unmarked on the wing early in the first half. To busy going forward and getting smashed instead of spreading it wide and quickly.

 

[Slim 293]

yeah, because of the crap and slow ball he was getting... Phipps and Gits bombed a try when Davies was sitting unmarked on the wing early in the first half. To busy going forward and getting smashed instead of spreading it wide and quickly.

They were too busy going forward?

What?

I don't think it can be classed as slow ball when you get the ball at the back in space... and then run towards the touchline... which he did a few times...

 

[biggsy]

this forum is cracker....

 

[Tangawizi]

I would like to see a backline of:

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. O'Connor
13. Fainga'a
14. Ashley-Cooper
15. Beale

5:2 split on the bench with Gits at 21 as back up from 9 thru 12 & McCabe in 22. Genia is an 80 minute player so no need for a specialist back up 9.

I'd also like to see Samo start at 8 to smack a few blokes around for 50 minutes or so.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Fire up fullas....

I think the loose forward/lock combinations will be very interesting for this one. IMO the starting locks pick themselves (Horwill and Sharpe are your best). Captain Rocky also picks himself and seriously needs the gametime. Pocock is the first choice openside.

I think Deans will pick either Hodgson or McCalman for the bench loosie possession. I just can't see him going with the two out and out opensides without 6/8 cover. A possibility (on paper at least) is to have Horwill cover 6 and Rocky cover 8, to allow a lock (Simmons) and Beau on the bench. That's probably not ideal. Or could Samo cover lock, like the old days?

There are plenty of options there, but the combination and balance of the players is what is important.

 

[ACT Crusader]

I think Giteau will start at 12. Finger on the bench covering 12/13.

9. Genia
10. Quade
11. Diggers
12. Giteau
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Rabbit
15. Beale

With that starting lineup you could easily go a 5/2 split with a specialist halfback.

Genia goes down in the first minute, you need someone at 9 that has trained there IMO.

If a winger or Beale go down, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to FB or wing and Finger on to 13. If there is a further injury in the backs then Higginbottom covers that.

 

[Lee Enfield]

This is who I would go with;

1. Kepu
2. Moore
3. Holmes (Slipper when fit)
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill
6. Elsom
7. Pocock (Robinson if Pocock not fit)
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. O'Connor
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (Deserves a chance not having to play outside of Giteau, Valentine, McCabe and Phibbs, and when he has played outside a good 9,10,12, been great)
14. Davies (Deserves a chance with Wallabies not having to play outside of Giteau, McCabe and Phibbs, was great for the Reds)
15. Beale

16. Daley (Holmes when Slipper fit)
17. TPN (Hanson if TPN not fit)
18. Simmons
19. Higginbotham
20. Robinson (Liam Gill if pocock not fit)
21. Giteau
22. A. Fainga'a

 

[Ash]

Anyone else think that Vickers should be putting in full 80 minute efforts for Syd Uni?

Two reasons:
1) How is he ever supposed to get match fit by 20 min cameos? If Vickerman is on the bench, and Sharpe or Horwill go down in the first 10 or 20 (and both can be rather injury prone), I don't think that Vickerman could come close to lasting 60 or 70 minutes in a test game.

2) It's bloody unfair on Simmons, who had a cracker of a Super season, was easily the 3rd best lock in Aus and deserves a place in the 22, or at least a chance at a test or two.

 

[Richo]

If Deans doesn't have a specialist halfback back-up and Genia gets injured early, people will be calling for his head. Phipps isn't ideal (yet) but will have learned a lot from Sunday and hopefully be better for it.

 

[Richo]

Anyone else think that Vickers should be putting in full 80 minute efforts for Syd Uni?

Two reasons:
1) How is he ever supposed to get match fit by 20 min cameos? If Vickerman is on the bench, and Sharpe or Horwill go down in the first 10 or 20 (and both can be rather injury prone), I don't think that Vickerman could come close to lasting 60 or 70 minutes in a test game.

2) It's bloody unfair on Simmons, who had a cracker of a Super season, was easily the 3rd best lock in Aus and deserves a place in the 22, or at least a chance at a test or two.

Even though I put Vickerman in my side, I actually agree with this... Would probably change the back-up lock in a do-over. My only hesitation is that Vickerman provides some real hard-man attitude that has been missing from the Wallabies.

 

[H...]

it seems to me that the supporters of giteau have a new excuse for him every time he has failed the last few years
"he was behind a beaten pack"
"he had vanentine inside him"
"he had phipps inside him"
"he had burgess inside him"
"the whole brumbies team was poor"
"it was his first time playing with x player"
"he might have missed that one but hes kicked at 79% during s15"
a player with 90 caps should have had the nous to better control that game> why did he not call gerrard in to boot it 50 meters downfield?
one thing i noticed about cooper this year is if he didnt have front foot ball he pointed back to the forwards and told them to keep trucking it up till they were moving forward> git is a cancer on the backline @ 10 and with barnes fit he wouldnt even make my 30 for the wc.
experience experience experience is all i hear about giteau but where was this when we needed it>
git showed yesterday that he cant handle it, hes been showing it for 2 years but because of previous deeds this is being ignored.
we have waited years for him to play himself into form and its not happening.
the best thing in his arsenal was his ability to beat someone on the outside, hes now lost his acceleration as he gets older and as many have suggested he is limited to crabbing, early pass or kick. he is nothing but a name these days and its hurting the team by having him in there
makes me sad to say, but ive seen very little to suggest he shouldnt go the way of mortlock and waugh

Problem is, he isn't any good at 12, either. Running across the paddock is as damaging from 12 as it is at 10.

In 2008 he was apparantly a world class 10, and out of position at 12. Now he isn't a 10's backside, but much better at 12. Whatever.

The sad truth in my mind is that he's never really been either - he's a utility back that they built up as the next Larkham despite not having half Larkham's skills.

They're right when they say he has experience - has experience playing for a whole bunch of Wallaby sides that haven't won dick.

 

[fatprop]

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

16. Faainga
17. Daley
18. Simmons
19. Samo
20. Phipps
21. A. Fainga'a
22. Turner

 

[Epi]

(off topic) but on that point....I did notice that when Genia came on he was doing more talking than anyone on the Paddock, taking charge of the backs and also taking the big knocks. He to my mind is a great future leader.

Future leader? I'd have him a skipper now...

 

[Jets]

My 22 that I know will never be selected

1. Alexander
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Sharpe
5. Horwill
6. Rocky
7. Pocock
8. Samo
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Diggers
12. Gits
13. McCabe
14. JOC (James O'Connor)
15. Beale
16. Fainga'a
17. Ma'afu or Daley or anyone (We need James Slipper ASAP)
18. Simmons
19. Higgers
20. Phipps
21. Fainga'a
22. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

 

[ACT Crusader]

Anyone else think that Vickers should be putting in full 80 minute efforts for Syd Uni?

Two reasons:
1) How is he ever supposed to get match fit by 20 min cameos? If Vickerman is on the bench, and Sharpe or Horwill go down in the first 10 or 20 (and both can be rather injury prone), I don't think that Vickerman could come close to lasting 60 or 70 minutes in a test game.

2) It's bloody unfair on Simmons, who had a cracker of a Super season, was easily the 3rd best lock in Aus and deserves a place in the 22, or at least a chance at a test or two.

Yep. Looked sluggish to me, although his mouth was on fire and back to top form

The ABs had Slade and Sivivatu play in the ITM cup over the weekend just to get some run in the legs.

 

[barbarian]

I would be surprised if JOC (James O'Connor) plays this weekend. On twitter he seemed confident but in the presser after the game Robbie sounded less so. I think they may give him another week to get it right.

 

[disco]

I think Giteau is a fantastic bench option he's doesn't fit well next to Cooper who is best when hitting hard straight running players like McCabe, Fainga'a, Ioane & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

JOC (James O'Connor) & Beale are probably the two most elusive runners in the game so they need to make 2/3rd's of the back 3.

That loss against Samoa is a blessing for the Wallabies & it could not have come at a better time. That was exactly what our forward pack needed before a Tri-nations & World cup.

I'm very confident & excited about the Boks game this week I'm backing the Aussies to win by 14.