Wallabies 2020

[Rebels3]

In my eyes there are only 3 guys that should be in contention for the lock spots. That’s Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Philip, the rest are a combination of honest pros, experienced players with underwhelming form and young guys that will become good players but aren’t anything more than Super Rugby standard at this stage in their careers.

 

[fatprop]

So, does that mean McKellar is more suited than Laurie?

I think it means McKellar might be prepared to take the role under the terms provided, the interviews where Laurie talks about Wob roles he appears to want it on his terms, and those terms may not suit Rennie & Johnson

 

[Up the Guts]

Few guys in the backs I thought put up their hand on the weekend:

• Kellaway for the 14 jersey, brilliant finish for his first try and great identification of support play to create the Rebels' second try. Australian rugby often struggles to finish breakouts (evidenced by the Reds on Friday night) and he seems to be pretty good at finding the line or putting someone else away;
• Stewart at 12, there are a number of options for the 12 jersey here but Stewart is quietly plying his trade very nicely. His passing game is very crisp and his tactical kicking is probably the best of all the 12s. Good in contact in both attack and defence as well;
• DHP I thought made up for his dip in performance against the Hurricanes, some of his kicks for space were very good and something the Wallabies should use more of. Although, Banks did well against the Sunwolves and there is still no clear candidate;
• Paisami looked very good again till his injury. IMO, he's the clear understudy to TK, if he regains his form when he returns from injury; and
• Lolesio ran the Brumbies very proficiently albeit against weak opposition. Harrison was also one of the only bright spots against the Tahs. One of these two should definitely get game time against Fiji and, all going well, off the bench against some more fancied opposition. MT did enough to be the lead candidate to start at 10.

 

[dru]

^^^@UTG

I am starting to get to a point where I agree with you on Stewart. In the 12 Jersey he is starting to look like a combination of To'omua and Hunt. I no longer think he would look out of place in Green and Gold. He is on an up trend, it will need to continue, but who knows. Good luck to the bloke, he looked like “doing a Hodge” and making a good bench, but I think he is past that now looking really solid as a 12; able to back 10 and 15.

 

[Viking]

Meakes looked pretty good on the weekend too though, so that might hurt Stewarts chances.

I still think Simone and JOC (James O'Connor)/To'omua are going to be favoured.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Not saying this is what will happen but I would be fairly excited by the following forward pack:



1. Slipper 2. FF (Folau Fainga'a) 3. AAA

4. Rodda 5. Phillip

6. Valetini 7. Hooper 8. Naisarani



16. Sio 17. Mafi 18. Tupou 19. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) 20. Wilson 21. Samu



6-2 split is a bit of a risk but i can't otherwise figure out what back-rower to leave out.

It would be Wilson or Samu but not both - and Samu deserves to be the player this year vs Wilson - Wilson will get a squad place, maybe game against lesser nations per see.

 

[dru]

Meakes looked pretty good on the weekend too though, so that might hurt Stewarts chances.

I still think Simone and JOC (James O'Connor)/To'omua are going to be favoured.

I also like Meakes. (And JOC (James O'Connor) And To'omua) Not just on one weekend. Stewart will have to perform solidly and continuously.

And I think he will.

And I think he should go close.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I think it means McKellar might be prepared to take the role under the terms provided, the interviews where Laurie talks about Wob roles he appears to want it on his terms, and those terms may not suit Rennie & Johnson

Or it simply means they think he is the maul architect and want that particular part transferred to the Wallabies. Most articles suggests they are looking at two forwards coaches.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I also like Meakes. (And JOC (James O'Connor) And To'omua) Not just on one weekend. Stewart will have to perform solidly and continuously.

And I think he will.

And I think he should go close.

For what it’s worth I think Stewart looks pretty bloody handy at 12 for the Wallabies. The detail in his game is terrific including securing rucks, transferring the ball from carriers under pressure, ability to stand at first receiver, defence, kicking game etc.

 

[Up the Guts]

Meakes looked pretty good on the weekend too though, so that might hurt Stewarts chances.

I still think Simone and JOC (James O'Connor)/To'omua are going to be favoured.

Yep, I also thought Meakes was pretty good. With Meakes you get strength in contact and a good offloading game. I don't think you lose much in those facets with Stewart but what you gain with him is a better distribution game and a strong tactical kicking game.

I'm not by any means calling Stewart to be the starting Wallaby 12 at this stage as there is a lot of strong competition but I think he would do a job if called upon. Certainly, it seems now at 6, 8, and 12 we have a certain level of depth where there are guys who are going to miss out we would have taken in a heartbeat a couple of years ago.

 

[Derpus]

Whoever gets selected at 12, I'd like it to be someone who has been playing there all season rather than To'omua or JOC (James O'Connor).

^^^
Agree UTG but we seem to have swapped it with a relative dearth of second rowers and hookers.

 

[Viking]

Whoever gets selected at 12, I'd like it to be someone who has been playing there all season rather than To'omua or JOC (James O'Connor).

^^^
Agree UTG but we seem to have swapped it with a relative dearth of second rowers and hookers.

I'd prefer some-one who has played there all season too. I don't think JOC (James O'Connor) actually has a lot of experience playing at 12. To'omua does though, and would be the better option there.

 

[JB Claims]

This would be my first squad if i was Rennie

Scott Sio 28
Angus Bell 19
James Slipper 30
Folau Fainga'a 24
Jordan Uelese 22
Lachlan Lonergan 20
Michael Ala'alatoa 25
Taniela Tupou 23
Harry Johnson-Holmes 23
Matt Philip 26
Izack Rodda 23
Harrison Hockings 21
Angus Blyth 22
Lukhan Salakai-Loto 23
Rob Valetini 21
Michael Hooper 28
Pete Samu 28
Harry Wilson 22
Nic White 29
Tate McDermott 21
Ryan Lonergan 21
Matt To'omua 30
Will Harrison 20
James O'Connor 29
Irae Simone 24
Noah Lolesio 20
Bill Meakes 29
Tevita Kuridrani 28
Marika Koroibete 27
Jack Maddocks 23
Andrew Kellaway 24
Tom Banks 25
Jock Campbell 23

Injured: BPA, Jordan Petaia

Apprentice Players: Nick Frost, Fraser McReight, Mark Nawaqanitawase

Kick up the Arse: Isi Naisarani, Reece Hodge, Jack Dempsey, Jake Gordon

Thanks but Goodbye: Kurtley Beale, DHP, Rob Simmons

Relax the Giteau Rule and get them back players: Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold.

Most of this squad would make the next world cup and probably only Slipper, Hooper/Samu (McReight/Wright), White, To'omua JOC (James O'Connor), Meakes (Stewart), TK (Petaia), and Koroibete that wont/might not make it/need phasing out over the 4 years.

 

[upthereds#!]

This would be my first squad if i was Rennie

Scott Sio 28
Angus Bell 19
James Slipper 30
Folau Fainga'a 24
Jordan Uelese 22
Lachlan Lonergan 20
Michael Ala'alatoa 25
Taniela Tupou 23
Harry Johnson-Holmes 23
Matt Philip 26
Izack Rodda 23
Harrison Hockings 21
Angus Blyth 22
Lukhan Salakai-Loto 23
Rob Valetini 21
Michael Hooper 28
Pete Samu 28
Harry Wilson 22
Nic White 29
Tate McDermott 21
Ryan Lonergan 21
Matt To'omua 30
Will Harrison 20
James O'Connor 29
Irae Simone 24
Noah Lolesio 20
Bill Meakes 29
Tevita Kuridrani 28
Marika Koroibete 27
Jack Maddocks 23
Andrew Kellaway 24
Tom Banks 25
Jock Campbell 23

Injured: BPA, Jordan Petaia

Apprentice Players: Nick Frost, Fraser McReight, Mark Nawaqanitawase

Kick up the Arse: Isi Naisarani, Reece Hodge, Jack Dempsey, Jake Gordon

Thanks but Goodbye: Kurtley Beale, DHP, Rob Simmons

Relax the Giteau Rule and get them back players: Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold.

Most of this squad would make the next world cup and probably only Slipper, Hooper/Samu (McReight/Wright), White, To'omua JOC (James O'Connor), Meakes (Stewart), TK (Petaia), and Koroibete that wont/might not make it/need phasing out over the 4 years.

I stopped reading at Lachlan Lonergan over form players like Mafi & Rangi.

 

[Rebels3]

I stopped reading at Lachlan Lonergan over form players like Mafi & Rangi.

Also a kick up the arse to Naisarani????? Again I’ll say to people, what game are they watching on the weekend? He’s been great this year. DHP has been in great form as well and Hodge has played 3 matches - two of which he didn’t make it to half time due to concussion and injury. Jake Gordon hasn’t been that bad and I’d argue Dempsey is in the same boat.

Lonergan over Mafi is just strange.

 

[Joe Blow]

Hopefully “hasn’t been that bad” is no longer a viable selection criteria for making the test squad.
Naisarani has been in stellar form and backrow spots will be hotly contested. I can’t see how Dempsey will be considered on current form with the options now available.
Test rugby is a different beast and a big step up from Super Rugby. Some are unable to take that step up and I think we have seen that in some instances over the past two seasons, particularly in the forwards.
Rennie has said he will pick on form but he will also be looking for certain physical attributes in several positions.

 

[JB Claims]

If we are even conaidering Rangi we are doing it all wrong. Hes 31 puts him at 35 at next world cup. Given FF (Folau Fainga'a) is a starter and a 70 minute player we just dont need AR; i love the way he plays and his story though. LL wont be getting any minutes but we need to have him round the squad. He was THE best hooker at u20 world cup and if you look at how some of the other guys are tracking, Will Capon starting to have an impact at Bristol, Rayne Barka contributing well for Pau. LL is a better player than those guys in a position where we need to develop some stocks. Does Mafis throwing stand up at test level?

Naisarani had a great game vs at home vs the second worst team in the comp. But hes been quiet for a while now. Has to be behind Wilson and Samu

 

[Froggy]

I don't see how people keep selecting Jordan Uelese. I agree he looked good in a couple of starts three years ago, but how many games of first class rugby has he played over the last two years? Surely he must get back on the paddock and string a few good games together before we consider him a potential Wallaby again.
I also disagree re Naisarani, I think he's been bloody good, and at number 8 will be one of the first players selected.

 

[barbarian]

I genuinely think Isi Naisirani will win the John Eales Medal this year. He's outstanding.

And JB Claims, the really unlucky player in your squad is Allan AAA. Getting left out is one thing, but having his ineligible brother picked ahead of him would really be a kick in the guts!

 

[Ignoto]

Relax the Giteau Rule and get them back players: Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold.

I'm all for relaxing the ruling, but not for a bloke like Adam Coleman. His body has not demonstrated the ability to hold up over consecutive weeks worth of rugby. Hell, last year alone he played 10 Super Rugby games and 7 Wallabies games (only starting 3 of them).

I'd be more than happy for a Rodda, Arnold, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Phillips/Simmons set of locks. Even listing those blokes names, I don't think Coleman has played better than any of them for more than 1 match in the last 2 years.