Wales vs Australia, 5 November 2016, (1:30am 6 November AEDT) @ Millenium Stadium

[Viking]

Well we are all going to find out if Timani is a decent line-out jumper now. This will be interesting.

Disappointed to see Foley start again but that's marginal. Overall i think the majority of the team will remain for the rest of the season with minimal changes.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Unsure of how wise it is to start again with two reknowned non-jumpers. Guess we'll soon see.

Glad to see Latu on the bench. He offers a lot more than Hanson imo.

@Seb, I will be sorely disappointed if this is the team we'll see for the rest of the season. Genia is back next week, and on the widely held beliefs of most of us posters, he should be partnered with Quade at 10. So, if there's justice to be had, Genia/Quade (who were our outstanding combination in tests this year) at 9/10 for Scotland, France and Ireland.

 

[PeterK]

Wales should be underestimated at peril. That is a very handy backline, better than the RWC lineup. And in case anyone has forgotten, Wales looked better against the ABs in at least one test this year than have the Wallabies. They moved the ball wide and really showed quite a bit in attack.

This has all the hallmarks of a very evenly fought battle. If it comes down to the quality of backline play, then I am more than a little afraid they might have the wood on the Wallabies.

their front row is better than the RWC as well but locks and back row is weaker.

 

[PeterK]

I thought Cheika would go Pooper and Timani with the weakened Wales lineout.

Also predictable that TK would be chosen at 13.

I am really disappointed that Speight is selected again, he has never had a good test. He is not that quick either.

DHP will struggle to contain North.

On the plus side is Latu over Hansen and Slipper over Robertson.

So when Genia is back will QC (Quade Cooper) get to start and Foley benched?

 

[Scoey]

not a bad start

Not a bad start but it's more about proportions. Long levers count for more than overall height. That and speed off the ground.

 

[tragic]

Well that's dissapointing
Now I know how Bill Murray felt.
Pooper = fail
Lineout = fail
DHP on wing = fail
10/12/13 = Attacking fail
Not sure how we're going to score tries with that lineup
And there's no way foleys going to out-kick halfpenny.
Maybe we're just going to keep 70% of possession and bore them into submission.

 

[PeterK]

Wales better backline overall both in attack and defence.
Wales better kicking game and goalkicking.
Both teams playing 2 opensiders.
Wallabies stronger in the backrow.
About equal in the lineouts and scrums.
Wallabies forward ball carrying better. Wallabies forward defence better.
Wallabies bench is better.

 

[Joe Blow]

Game will really open up in the second half when Cooper and Naivalu enter the cauldron. Cheika putting faith in both Hodge and Speight after some basic errors last time out.
That is his way of bringing the best out of players.
Hard to complain about Pocock being included in your starting side.

 

[RedCard]

Didn't realise you Ozzies were so down on Pooper! Though it had been working well on past seasons.

Wales lineout is stronger with Charteris in there. Tipuric is also an option at the back. Could be a risk for Oz but in all fairness, Wales have never been known as a masterful lineout team as it is often our downfall. Liam Williams is a loss for Wales as he is a very agressive attacker with ball in hand. Oz bench quite a bit stronger.

Still think Wales will take time to get going and Oz ben to far gone by the time the rustiness fall away. Always slow starters for every international window. If they are able to put their game together quicker though then it could be another close one.

 

[Hawko]

For anyone interested the refs for all the wallaby games are available.

Wales - Joubert
Scotland - Lacey (irish ref)
France - Jackson
Ireland - Garces (terrible french ref)
England - Peyper

The good news no Nigel Owens who really does not give the wallabies the rub of the green, it seems a subconscious dislike

He was probably the best ref at RWC2015, certainly in the top three. Maybe you are thinking of Poite.

 

[Dalai Ninja]

WALLABIES STARTING TEAM

Good team. Prediction of the Pooper's end are premature.

 

[Dalai Ninja]

Didn't realise you Ozzies were so down on Pooper! Though it had been working well on past seasons.

Wales lineout is stronger with Charteris in there. Tipuric is also an option at the back. Could be a risk for Oz but in all fairness, Wales have never been known as a masterful lineout team as it is often our downfall. Liam Williams is a loss for Wales as he is a very agressive attacker with ball in hand. Oz bench quite a bit stronger.

Still think Wales will take time to get going and Oz ben to far gone by the time the rustiness fall away. Always slow starters for every international window. If they are able to put their game together quicker though then it could be another close one.

Pooper is good. There's always been a strong groundswell of opinion that Hooper should be dropped, despite being our best player. It's tribal, like remote tribesmen worshiping grass airplanes, or belting cane toads with nine irons.

 

[Purce]

Latu selected because Hanson broke his jaw in 3 places at training yesterday. Shame for him as has been doing his time waiting for a shot. Doubt Latu will get much, if any, game time.

 

[Dalai Ninja]

Latu selected because Hanson broke his jaw in 3 places at training yesterday. Shame for him as has been doing his time waiting for a shot. Doubt Latu will get much, if any, game time.

Nah, Latu's a classic impact player. He'll be used the same as Nau: 10-15m of high intensity.

 

[fatprop]

Nah, Latu's a classic impact player. He'll be used the same as Nau: 10-15m of high intensity.

I just hope there aren't too many lineouts in his time

 

[TOCC]

With only 2 genuine lineout jumpers in the starting team, I just hope there aren't too many line outs the whole game...

 

[KOB1987]

It's a bit of a gamble for the lineout but that's it really, Pocock > Fardy pretty much everywhere else ATM. There's adequate contingency planning for the lineout with both Fardy and Simmons on the bench and Wales also have a weakened lineout and are playing dual opensides. Hansen must have let Gatland know what our team was.

 

[amirite]

It is my long held opinion that less jumpers only means worse quality ball, rather than no ball at all. This isn't perfect, but we can deal with it.

Reasoning:
- Short line outs. This may clog the midfield and ruin 1st phase opportunities, but we'll get the ball.
- Front of the line out ball. With misdirection you should be able to win this most of the time - professional teams even often leave this WIDE open. Why? Because it's shit ball and the 5-10m you lose is often the difference between getting the ball wide or getting clogged up at 12.

Plus, I presume they've been building towards this over the last couple of the weeks and giving Lopeti heaps of PSS work around line outs.

 

[Alex Sharpe]

I thought Cheika would go Pooper and Timani with the weakened Wales lineout.

Also predictable that TK would be chosen at 13.

I am really disappointed that Speight is selected again, he has never had a good test. He is not that quick either.

DHP will struggle to contain North.

On the plus side is Latu over Hansen and Slipper over Robertson.

So when Genia is back will QC (Quade Cooper) get to start and Foley benched?

Thats a pretty rubbish assessment of Henry Speight. He probably hasn't really broken through on the test arena but is lightning quick with plenty of potential. I dont see any better wingers waiting to take his spot.

 

[tragic]

Game will really open up in the second half when Cooper and Naivalu enter the cauldron. Cheika putting faith in both Hodge and Speight after some basic errors last time out.
That is his way of bringing the best out of players.
Hard to complain about Pocock being included in your starting side.

If Cheikas true to form, barring injury or unless foley has an absolute shocker,
Cooper will get the last 5-10'mins.