Wallabies 2019 Thread

[Braveheart81]

James O'Connor is joining the squad in South Africa purely for training purposes (he can't be named in the squad because he hasn't signed a contract yet). This is because Marika Koroibete hasn't toured due to the upcoming birth of his child.

Pocock is also flying over to work with the squad on his rehab.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

^ wow the coffers @ ARU HQ can't be too bare if we can shell out $$$ for first class O/S training. SMH.

 

[Up the Guts]

^ wow the coffers @ ARU HQ can't be too bare if we can shell out $$$ for first class O/S training. SMH.

Marginal cost is next to nothing, I assume a Qantas sponsorship helps pay for flights and Pocock will be rooming with someone so there’s no additional cost.

Now, if they were flying in Taniela then you might have a point, he’d certainly do some damage to the food bill.

 

[wamberal]

We have the worst kickers in World Rugby. Prove that I am wrong, as Bob Ellis used to say. Or write.

 

[LearningCurve]

James O'Connor is joining the squad in South Africa purely for training purposes (he can't be named in the squad because he hasn't signed a contract yet). This is because Marika Koroibete hasn't toured due to the upcoming birth of his child.

Pocock is also flying over to work with the squad on his rehab.

If JOC (James O'Connor) still hasn't signed a contract then this whole story about his changed attitude and desire to play for Australia again is starting to look shaky. If the rumours are true, the QRU are wanting special behaviour clauses in his contract - shouldn't be an issue if he is reformed now. If he hasn't signed the contract then he should not be training with the Wallabies, and also how is Pocock's rehab going to improve by sitting on a plane to and from South Africa? Surely his rehab that has been going on for so long could be monitored better here?

 

[Tomikin]

If JOC (James O'Connor) still hasn't signed a contract then this whole story about his changed attitude and desire to play for Australia again is starting to look shaky. If the rumours are true, the QRU are wanting special behaviour clauses in his contract - shouldn't be an issue if he is reformed now. If he hasn't signed the contract then he should not be training with the Wallabies, and also how is Pocock's rehab going to improve by sitting on a plane to and from South Africa? Surely his rehab that has been going on for so long could be monitored better here?

Its like they are saying so they can keep an eye on his progress, I mean seriously, they have no experts here, not even the world class calf doctor who was looking after him return to play... The only reason I see for him to be on the plane is that his ready to play and they are going to pick him..

 

[Strewthcobber]

If he can't get fit (and maybe this is a clue that they don't think he will be) I reckon Poey will go to the world cup as part of the coaching team, and probably the on-field runner.

They want him in the setup

 

[Strewthcobber]

If JOC (James O'Connor) still hasn't signed a contract then this whole story about his changed attitude and desire to play for Australia again is starting to look shaky. If the rumours are true, the QRU are wanting special behaviour clauses in his contract - shouldn't be an issue if he is reformed now. If he hasn't signed the contract then he should not be training with the Wallabies, and also how is Pocock's rehab going to improve by sitting on a plane to and from South Africa? Surely his rehab that has been going on for so long could be monitored better here?

have heard he has verbally agreed, just wating for the lawyers on both sides, and the Players Association to agree on changes to the standard player contract

 

[Derpus]

If he can't get fit (and maybe this is a clue that they don't think he will be) I reckon Poey will go to the world cup as part of the coaching team, and probably the on-field runner.

They want him in the setup

Id take him.

 

[fatprop]

Does anyone actually believe this Aus side will win a RWC match through a superior kicking game?

So why are we spending so much time worrying about what we don't have instead of working to our strengths and developing plans to try to hide our weaknesses

 

[wamberal]

Does anyone actually believe this Aus side will win a RWC match through a superior kicking game?

So why are we spending so much time worrying about what we don't have instead of working to our strengths and developing plans to try to hide our weaknesses

Because the total absence of any kicking skills is just so glaringly obvious. Every side in world rugby knows how to beat us, just use a kicking game judiciously. Strengths do not need correction, do they? Weaknesses not only do need correction, they can be corrected. How is it that every other strong nation has good kickers, and we don't?

Is it something in the water?

 

[RugbyReg]

Does anyone actually believe this Aus side will win a RWC match through a superior kicking game?

So why are we spending so much time worrying about what we don't have instead of working to our strengths and developing plans to try to hide our weaknesses

because what the general punter worries about, thinks, wants etc has no effect on what is happening over in Camp Wallaby. We can worry all we want and it won't impact what they are doing. No harm, no foul.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Because the total absence of any kicking skills is just so glaringly obvious. Every side in world rugby knows how to beat us, just use a kicking game judiciously. Strengths do not need correction, do they? Weaknesses not only do need correction, they can be corrected. How is it that every other strong nation has good kickers, and we don't?

Is it something in the water?

I think it has to do with attitude across the Aus teams.

Since the change to the way the contest for the high ball is being officiated, YC if not competing as high in the air as the receiver, there is a reluctance on the part of the Aussie chasers to actually compete, favouring instead to try to stop the receiver after giving them free access to the kick. I think this has probably led to many of the kicks actually being too long to be challenged in any case.

The other area where we are consistently worse than most opposition teams is kicking from the 22m area. It seems on most occasions that our teams are content to make only marginal territory gain so long as the kick lands in the grandstand. Most of the superior opposition teams make a lot more territory gain than we do or are just as likely to refrain from finding touch at all but look to have an efficient chase on a longer kick to keep the receiving team (usually us) deep in their own territory.

I think it has to do with outdated attitude by coaches then being incorporated into game plans. Just my opinion of course, but seems to fit the evidence of consistently poor kicking by our teams.

 

[fatprop]

Because the total absence of any kicking skills is just so glaringly obvious. Every side in world rugby knows how to beat us, just use a kicking game judiciously. Strengths do not need correction, do they? Weaknesses not only do need correction, they can be corrected. How is it that every other strong nation has good kickers, and we don't?

Is it something in the water?

But we can't pull someone out of our arse a few weeks before a RWC who can kick.

 

[Derpus]

As with most things, there are probably a variety of factors that contribute to our short-comings.

I tend to think in the more technical elements of play, like kicking, we are lacking because we have no one who knows how to teach others how to kick. If our coaches suck, and they do, then our players are hardly going to be adequately equipped.

It is also probably cultural. I can't see many scrum halves developing a well rounded box kicking game at junior level in Aus.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I tend to think in the more technical elements of play, like kicking, we are lacking because we have no one who knows how to teach others how to kick.

This is an area in which I feel we are really terrible at making use of the Australian market. If only there was a sport in Australia which required high-quality kicking on a regular basis where we might find some kind of kicking coaches? It feels like we only started hiring League tackle coaches earlier this decade, and, even then, we underutilise that part of the market.

 

[Derpus]

Money is probably an issue, but i agree.

Izzy was the best player in the world in the air after just one season in AFL (though i'm sure he was already pretty good before that).

 

[RugbyReg]

Money is probably an issue, but i agree.

Izzy was the best player in the world in the air after just one season in AFL (though i'm sure he was already pretty good before that).

he was famous for it in league as a teenager. I suspect that's why the AFL were interested in him.

 

[fatprop]

This is an area in which I feel we are really terrible at making use of the Australian market. If only there was a sport in Australia which required high-quality kicking on a regular basis where we might find some kind of kicking coaches? It feels like we only started hiring League tackle coaches earlier this decade, and, even then, we underutilise that part of the market.

If only supporters didn't boo kicking and reporters complain when sides kick too much - culturally we want running rugby

 

[Derpus]

If only supporters didn't boo kicking and reporters complain when sides kick too much - culturally we want running rugby

I think most people in the game would be wise to ignore this nonsense.

Pretty sure fans would rather win, than spend 80 minutes watching our boys get tackled behind the gain-line by a rush defense in our own 22.