Wallabies 2012 Championship Squad

[Sully]

Besides his laziness/fitness issues isn't anyone concerned that we are picking a second rower who doesn't jump much in lineouts and has trouble catching the ball?

 

[Richo]

While I think Timani has potential, if I was picking one Tahs lock it would be Douglas. Clearly superior and showed that on Saturday.

 

[tigerland12]

It may be Mowen then, its hard to argue against the fact his form at Super Rugby has earned him a spot though..

He hasn't been that great in the last rounds of the season in my opinion.

I look at Mowen and see a strong Super Rugby player in the same mould as Brown and McCalman (and we know the results of those selections), but who will never be able to make the step up to international level. Happy to be proven wrong but I just dont see him doing so.

 

[Country Kid]

I thought Deans was all for players playing club rugby - something I recall him preaching when he first arrived.
Has this changed?

Makes you wonder.

How good would it be for 3rd tier rugby if all those guys were back with their club teams this week?

 

[Slim 293]

What's puzzling about the selections is that the Tahs locks really haven't performed better this year as individuals or as a unit than the Reds, Brumbies, and possibly even the Rebels' locks (moreso on an individual basis in regards to Pyle/Neville).......

And aside from being outperformed by other teams, they've been directly outperformed by their opposite numbers in the Reds and Brumbies.......

So, why are they there?

And I don't buy the shifting bodies theory.......

 

[barbarian]

Hard to measure lock contributions, or which locks 'outperformed' others.

I would dispute the notion that the Tahs locks have been 'directly outperformed' by the Reds and Brumbies. That wasn't the case on Saturday, nor was it really the case the week before. The forward battles were pretty even, as was the lineout.

As I said earlier I think Fardy should be there, he is on about the same level as Simmons, Timani and Douglas. AWH is pretty close, Pyle is there too. Everyone is pretty similar, which is why I don't think you can say one lock is radically better than another.
.

 

[Bowside]

What's puzzling about the selections is that the Tahs locks really haven't performed better this year as individuals or as a unit than the Reds, Brumbies, and possibly even the Rebels' locks (moreso on an individual basis in regards to Pyle/Neville)...

And aside from being outperformed by other teams, they've been directly outperformed by their opposite numbers in the Reds and Brumbies...

So, why are they there?

And I don't buy the shifting bodies theory...

Deans likes picking pretenders.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Hard to measure lock contributions, or which locks 'outperformed' others.

I would dispute the notion that the Tahs locks have been 'directly outperformed' by the Reds and Brumbies. That wasn't the case on Saturday, nor was it really the case the week before. The forward battles were pretty even, as was the lineout.

As I said earlier I think Fardy should be there, he is on about the same level as Simmons, Timani and Douglas. AWH is pretty close, Pyle is there too. Everyone is pretty similar, which is why I don't think you can say one lock is radically better than another.
.

http://palladium-private.com/rehab?gclid=CM7rqqChnrECFUKDpAod02tIkQ

please find attached link to a rehab clinic to help you get off the crack. There is no way what your saying is logical.

following your logic then we could say that Matfield, Eales and Thorn where just run of the mill locks and could have had their position filled by the like of timani or douglas? Because all locks are the same

 

[waratahjesus]

http://palladium-private.com/rehab?gclid=CM7rqqChnrECFUKDpAod02tIkQ

please find attached link to a rehab clinic to help you get off the crack. There is no way what your saying is logical.

following your logic then we could say that Matfield, Eales and Thorn where just run of the mill locks and could have had their position filled by the like of timani or douglas? Because all locks are the same

He never said all locks were the same, he said a large group had similar ability and it's hard to say one is better than the other.

My own thoughts are their all mediocre and we need sharpe to stay fit.

 

[Jiggles]

II would dispute the notion that the Tahs locks have been 'directly outperformed' by the Reds and Brumbies. That wasn't the case on Saturday, nor was it really the case the week before. The forward battles were pretty even, as was the lineout

What bloody game were you watching last Saturday?

Half the reason why the Tahs have been so poor this year is because their pack is lazy, unfit and soft as shit around the park.

 

[Dave Beat]

Makes you wonder.

How good would it be for 3rd tier rugby if all those guys were back with their club teams this week?

Third Tier and also Australian Rugby, debt x bredth x width would grow as well as the crowds and interest.

 

[Scotty]

The reality is though that players like Cliffy Palu, Sekope Kepu and Tatafu Polota-Nau have played well for the Waratahs this season.

The Waratahs forward pack has been stronger than their opposition in almost every Super Rugby game yet the team keeps losing.

By the same logic you could say that Pocock and Cummins shouldn't be selected because the Force keep losing, their forwards get dominated and their backs don't score many tries.

So if the waratahs pack is superior, yet they still finished way down the bottom, can we assume it is an issue with their backs? Should we accept that they have had more backs selected than any other province?

(Although I expect all 7 reds starting backs plus tapuai to go close).

 

[Scotty]

Inman is very lucky to get picked IMO, it really shows the lack of depth we have in the centres. For a bloke his size, he goes missing way too often to be seriously considered as Test material.

Yeah, but the reds have 3 centre who would all likely get into the extended training squad if available.

 

[fatprop]

So if the waratahs pack is superior, yet they still finished way down the bottom, can we assume it is an issue with their backs? Should we accept that they have had more backs selected than any other province?

(Although I expect all 7 reds starting backs plus tapuai to go close).

absolutely, pick none of them, let them play club and begin pre season fitness for 2013.

 

[Scotty]

I'd still pick Barnes and Mitchell. Would struggle with the others though. Particularly Turner.

 

[fatprop]

I wouldn't pick Mitchell at the moment either, he hasn't come back in anything near peak form and particularly I would like to know how far away he is from top pace (and Turner actually).

But he hasn't been picked yet, he is just going to a training camp

 

[Braveheart81]

The reality of the selection discussions is that most of the discussions are centering around lock and outside centre. These two positions are clearly our weakest and there are no obvious choices for the positions.

The fact that there aren't any obvious choices for the positions essentially makes it a bit of a coin toss between several contenders. Whilst everyone has their own opinions, the reality is that it's not that easy to separate Simmons, Timani, Douglas and Pyle for the second lock position and there are a multitude of options at 13 including Horne, Fainga'a, Tapuai (who is only just coming back from injury) or moving the backline around and putting McCabe or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) there.

I don't think anyone is really too out of line with their preference including Robbie Deans and the Australian selectors. There just isn't an obvious right answer.

 

[Dave Beat]

The reality of the selection discussions is that most of the discussions are centering around lock and outside centre. These two positions are clearly our weakest and there are no obvious choices for the positions.

The fact that there aren't any obvious choices for the positions essentially makes it a bit of a coin toss between several contenders. Whilst everyone has their own opinions, the reality is that it's not that easy to separate Simmons, Timani, Douglas and Pyle for the second lock position and there are a multitude of options at 13 including Horne, Fainga'a, Tapuai (who is only just coming back from injury) or moving the backline around and putting McCabe or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) there.

I don't think anyone is really too out of line with their preference including Robbie Deans and the Australian selectors. There just isn't an obvious right answer.

spot on

 

[Scott Allen]

It would have been nice to have Sam Wykes from the Force in the mix for lock. I thought he came on nicely last year.

Hopefully he comes back well from his injury next year as we definitely need some depth.

 

[Joe Blow]

That's it. It is just a training squad and he needs enough bodies to have opposed training. Meanwhile the medical team has a chance to assess a couple of returning Wallabies and Deans gets a look at a few potential future Wallabies.
When the first "playing" squad is announced after the completion of the Super Rugby finals I am guessing it will look a lot different.
However, those who have missed out on this squad are definitely not on the radar at all for Deans and co at the moment.