Wallabies 2012 Championship Squad

[Braveheart81]

It depends a lot on the injury though.

Everyone is talking about Mitchell taking a while to get back to peak fitness. Whilst he has been out for a long time, James O'Connor has also played very little rugby in about 3-4 months. Not an insignificant amount of time.

I think it depends on the length of the injury and the quality of the players we have in their place. At this stage you'd hurry Horwill back in to replace Timani, but I don't think you'd hurry JOC (James O'Connor) back in to replace AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) who has been performing consistently well at test level for a long time.

 

[It is what it is]

I also think at test level you need your bench to be able to play 80 if needed. I don't see the point of having a 40min player anywhere in the 22.

Here's a classic example to challenge your theory.
What if Owen Finegan was available to bring off the bench in the 2003 RWC Final with say 20mins to go?
He was not an 80 min player by then, but boy he would've given us some much needed go forward and starch against a tiring English pack.
He would have been the ultimate impact player in that match, particularly with his combination with Gregan.
Coaches didn't properly utilise their bench at that time, and forwards (particularly props) were left on the field exhausted.

 

[Scoey]

Here's a classic example to challenge your theory.
What if Owen Finegan was available to bring off the bench in the 2003 RWC Final with say 20mins to go?
He was not an 80 min player by then, but boy he would've given us some much needed go forward and starch against a tiring English pack.

Absolutely! You are dead right but if he's only a 40min player then he's a potential liability for the first 40 mins. In provincial and lower level games you can get away with it but i think at test level if you have a 40min player on the bench and you have to bring him on inside 10 or 20 mins you run a big risk of being found out. That's why I think I don't see the point.
If you make it to the latter part of the game without needing your bench, fantastic! But if you don't you're in trouble.

 

[nathan]

Second training squad announced.

http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1516/ArticleID/7266/Default.aspx

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The training squad breaks again on Friday, with the 30-man Qantas Wallabies squad for the Rugby Championship to be named on Tuesday August 6. That group assembles in Sydney the morning it is named.​

​

The Qantas Wallabies training squad for this week’s second camp in Sydney ahead of the inaugural Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship is: ​

Kurtley Beale (Melbourne Rebels)​

Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)​

Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)​

Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)​

Cooper Vuna (Melbourne Rebels)​

Nick Cummins (Western Force)​

Dominic Shipperley (Queensland Reds)​

Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)​

Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)​

Ben Tapuai (Queensland Reds)​

Pat McCabe (Brumbies)​

Mike Harris (Queensland Reds)​

Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)​

Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)​

Will Genia (Queensland Reds)​

Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels)​

Nic White (Brumbies)​

Radike Samo (Queensland Reds)​

Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)​

Jake Schatz (Queensland Reds)​

David Pocock (Western Force)​

Michael Hooper (Brumbies)​

Liam Gill (Queensland Reds)​

Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)​

Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs)​

Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)​

Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)​

Cadeyrn Neville (Melbourne Rebels)​

Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs)​

James Slipper (Queensland Reds)​

Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)​

Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)​

Ben Alexander (Brumbies)​

James Hanson (Queensland Reds)​

Stephen Moore (Brumbies)​

Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)​

​

The players involved in the first training camp who will not participate in the upcoming session are the Melbourne Rebels centre Mitch Inman, NSW Waratahs winger Lachie Turner, Waratahs utility back Bernard Foley, Brumbies loose forward Ben Mowen, Rebels lock Hugh Pyle and NSW Waratahs prop Paddy Ryan.​

​

* The players who were not considered because of injury are: ​

Salesi Ma’afu (Western Force)​

Dan Palmer (Brumbies)​

Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)​

James Horwill (Queensland Reds)​

Ben McCalman (Western Force)​

Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)​

Paddy Ryan (NSW Waratahs)​

Christian Leali’ifano (Brumbies)​

James O’Connor (Melbourne Rebels)​

Joe Tomane (Brumbies).​

Given the lack of back rower depth, it's sad to see 3 opensides over retaining Mowen. Cut to 30 will mean that Hanson, Phipps, Timani, Harris, Vuna and Gill will more than likely miss out. O'Connor to take Shipperley or Cummins' place when he's back and fit.

 

[Slim 293]

I have no beef with the 3 opensides.......

But Schatz and Samo over Mowen?

Hmmmmm.......

 

[Schadenfreude]

I'm so glad Beale is at the rebels - now we don't need to take Phipps as a "token".

 

[Sully]

Second training squad announced.

http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1516/ArticleID/7266/Default.aspx

​

Given the lack of back rower depth, it's sad to see 3 opensides over retaining Mowen. Cut to 30 will mean that Hanson, Phipps, Timani, Harris, Vuna and Gill will more than likely miss out. O'Connor to take Shipperley or Cummins' place when he's back and fit.

Do you think Hanson will drop out? Without Fainga'a he is the third hooker in the squad. Also Gill was being talked up as a test squad member up here earlier in the week. Could just be Courier Mail Qld bias but you never know.

 

[tigerland12]

Stop dropping Hugh Pyle for fucksake, he's better then Timani and Douglas.

And Samo.....still....over MOWEN? Fucking hell

 

[TOCC]

i personally dont see Mowen as a test level number 8.....

 

[Ignoto]

i personally dont see Mowen as a test level number 8...

I don't see Samo as a Super 15 starting 8 let alone a International 8.

 

[TOCC]

Based on his form and fitness this year, i don't see Samo as a test level number 8 either.

Lets look at your alternate options then.
Wycliff Palu is the only 'international level' number 8 in Australia... Ben McCalman has filled that role reasonably well in the past, but he is obviously injured. Scott Higginbotham did well in this role at Super Rugby level, but as we are all aware that doesn't translate to test for...

So we are left with players like Higgers, Mowen and Dennis.... None of which i want to see as the starting number 8 against the all blacks or springboks.

 

[Sully]

i personally dont see Mowen as a test level number 8...

I'm with you there.

 

[Sully]

I don't see Samo as a Super 15 starting 8 let alone a International 8.

He may be past it but it was less than a year ago that he was. Maybe Deans simple wants to see if he still has it. He made the second week so either he hasn't made his mind up or Samo is looking good.

 

[Viking]

With Palu, McCalman injured, and Mowen dropped, I would have thought the next in line would be Fotu. He looks like some-one who could make an impact at international level, yes its a bit early but given the current injury status of our number 8's then why not? Samo is not up to it and Fotu is fit!

The only backrow I can see working now is Dennis 6, Higgers 8.

 

[TOCC]

Samo was injured in pre-season and thus fell behind on the fitness front, there was an article the other day indicating that he has regained his fitness, maybe Deans and his crew have been tracking his fitness and are happy where he is at..

He had a pretty effective cameo in the reds game against the sharks..

Maybe Fotu should have been considered though..

 

[Richo]

"Cameo" being the crucial word.

 

[Schadenfreude]

If he's only going to play 20 minutes, Samo does look like an impact player. I'm no expert at scrums, but he looks impressive from my seats.

 

[Jiggles]

Shame not to see Holmes there. Not sure what he has to do to get a call up.

 

[barbarian]

Play in a dominant scrum?

 

[barbarian]

Having a moderator show a complete lack of rugby nous is some what disturbing.

Jiggles please play the ball not the man.

Holmes is a solid player, but is behind Robinson, Alexander and Cowan at loosehead IMO.

If he played in a side with a dominant scrum then I would change my opinion. As it was the Reds were the third or fourth best scrum in the Aussie conference.
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