He'll need to work pretty hard with the pumice stone to polish him! I'd have thought Dempsey brought as much mongrel, with some more finesse. Any which way, I remain a bit nonplussed.Swinton makes sense, he has that cliche mongrel about him that isn’t coachable. The negatives to him like discipline and other parts of his game can be coached. Can’t really be a shock that Rennie wants to get his hands on an abrasive ‘enforcer’ blindside.
Ive never even seen him play.
I think it's a distinct possibility, I actually had the thought long before I read FP's post. Doesn't necessarily have to be the Tahs, but that has been mooted in the past. It's one way to justify selecting him.
They're 8s, he plays 6. Not sure why he's there, however, but he isn't really competing with them.
wot? wasn't saying that. Was just saying ive never seen the guy.Well, that seals it D. Rennie is an idiot. Maybe you just watch one team?
Pfft Beauden Barrett couldn't tackle a one-legged child.I think Dave Rennie is bringing a bit of New Zealand selection philosophy to Australia.
In New Zealand they regard the work you do off the ball, without the ball in hand and measuring up in defence as carrying more weight than what you do with ball. Both have good highlights with ball in hand but their work off the ball is average.
In Australia we get mesmerised by the ball in hand razzle dazzle and forget and forgive deficiencies in other area.
Go look at all these highlight tapes young players or the agents put up on the internet. You would be lucky to see them execute a single tackle in their highlights tape.
Kurtley Beales schoolboy highlights reel certainly doesn’t have one and Quade Coopers probably doesn’t have one either. If work done without ball in hand had been given more gravitas back in their day, they would have been even better players.
Didn’t Dempsey play 6 in that 2017 win? Certainly played a lot of 6 at the Tahs.They're 8s, he plays 6. Not sure why he's there, however, but he isn't really competing with them.
I get that, but has been more at 8 recently.Didn’t Dempsey play 6 in that 2017 win? Certainly played a lot of 6 at the Tahs.
Petaia is a big boy. I would have thought bigger than TK. Certainly looked like it when he trampled over him a couple of times last time they played - and that’s not meant to be as disrespectful as it no doubt sounds, but Petaia will get us over the gain line.With TK out we are missing the option of a big bopper in the centres - I feel Kerevi needs to be in the mix as option for power centre.
Pity not 3 players allowed - as definitely need a lock - Arnold or Rodda, a hooker possibly if injuries play out, and a big bopper centre now TK not in the mix
Yep but we've picked a number of guys to potentially fill a couple of different positions (Pete Samu stands out in the back row), seems strange that the logic here is that Dempsey was only considered at 8.I get that, but has been more at 8 recently.
What bullshit. An international level flyhalf needs to master his defence and tackling technique.Pfft Beauden Barrett couldn't tackle a one-legged child.
10 is the one spot on the field where your defensive ability is just about irrelevant.
I doubt that Kerevi will be brought back. He only departed for japan on thursday last week, is he really going to head back to japan to lock down for 2 weeks and then return back to Aus?
I think they'll bring back a lock or two
The unions are bullying the French clubs? Let me go find my tiny violin.Interesting:
@stephenjones9
The French clubs are challenging World Rugby’s regulation 9. The great surprise is that no-one challenged it years ago. It’s now being used by Unions as a bullying measure.
Pfft Beauden Barrett couldn't tackle a one-legged child.
10 is the one spot on the field where your defensive ability is just about irrelevant.