Wallabies 2020

[Braveheart81]

Personally I hope he kicks on. He’s copped an awful lot of stick for a bloke whose biggest sin, as far as I can see, was to be rated by the coach.

He also suffers due to the way fans compress history. Some people will never get over the opportunities he received, predominantly in 2017 and question how that happens when we've got all these other backrow options (which we clearly now do). They conveniently ignore the fact that almost all those options weren't available when Hanigan was getting selected consistently and that in 2018 he only started getting a look in after injuries and in 2019 he didn't get selected at all.

 

[Rob42]

Well said. And is a genuinely friendly, popular bloke

Absolutely. I was at a school rugby awards dinner a couple of months ago, where he was interviewed, and he silenced the room with a very thoughtful, passionate discussion about how he cherishes the opportunity to play for his home town, and the joy it brings in tough times.

 

[Adam84]

He also suffers due to the way fans compress history. Some people will never get over the opportunities he received, predominantly in 2017 and question how that happens when we've got all these other backrow options (which we clearly now do). They conveniently ignore the fact that almost all those options weren't available when Hanigan was getting selected consistently and that in 2018 he only started getting a look in after injuries and in 2019 he didn't get selected at all.

.
I wouldn’t say there weren’t any alternatives in 2017, Scott Fardy was still around playing quality rugby and I think that was the source of frustration for many.

 

[Braveheart81]

.
I wouldn’t say there weren’t any alternatives in 2017, Scott Fardy was still around playing quality rugby and I think that was the source of frustration for many.

Of course and we would have absolutely benefited through that period if Fardy was selected in 2017.

People still like to forget that Fardy had a really down test year in 2016 (this is mostly in relation to Dean Mumm getting selected more often that year) and that he had already announced he was heading overseas before we played any tests in 2017.

Certainly you could argue that RA and Cheika should not have allowed Fardy to leave at the end of the Super Rugby season and instead selected him right through 2017 whilst still under contract. You could also question whether that would be a good move looking towards the future given you're in a rebuilding phase heading towards the next RWC.

Once Fardy gets released to take up his Leinster contract at the end of Super Rugby, the option to select him disappears. It was really on the June tests where he was properly available (but we opted not to pick him).

 

[Adam84]

Sure it’s debatable, I’m just pointing out there were viable alternatives and reasons why people first questioned Hannigans selection, not because they disliked him rather because they preferred the alternative. You spoke of fans compressing history, let’s not ignore a significant the source of much frustration when unraveling the blindside flanker selection conundrum during that period, that was Cheika overlooking Fardy.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Of course and we would have absolutely benefited through that period if Fardy was selected in 2017.

People still like to forget that Fardy had a really down test year in 2016 (this is mostly in relation to Dean Mumm getting selected more often that year) and that he had already announced he was heading overseas before we played any tests in 2017.

Certainly you could argue that RA and Cheika should not have allowed Fardy to leave at the end of the Super Rugby season and instead selected him right through 2017 whilst still under contract. You could also question whether that would be a good move looking towards the future given you're in a rebuilding phase heading towards the next RWC.

Once Fardy gets released to take up his Leinster contract at the end of Super Rugby, the option to select him disappears. It was really on the June tests where he was properly available (but we opted not to pick him).

100% agree. At the time I was happy to see Hanigan and Timani get a run to see if they were going to make that step up. I think Higgers finally got a look back in then too. Fardy was 32-33 the likely hood of him making the 2019 RWC tournament was low.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Of course and we would have absolutely benefited through that period if Fardy was selected in 2017.

People still like to forget that Fardy had a really down test year in 2016 (this is mostly in relation to Dean Mumm getting selected more often that year) and that he had already announced he was heading overseas before we played any tests in 2017.

Certainly you could argue that RA and Cheika should not have allowed Fardy to leave at the end of the Super Rugby season and instead selected him right through 2017 whilst still under contract. You could also question whether that would be a good move looking towards the future given you're in a rebuilding phase heading towards the next RWC.

Once Fardy gets released to take up his Leinster contract at the end of Super Rugby, the option to select him disappears. It was really on the June tests where he was properly available (but we opted not to pick him).

I always picked him BH. Or are you at last confessing that you are indeed Michael Cheika?

 

[Adam84]

Interesting interview with Scott Johnson in the Australian about the future crop of players and where he sees it.. won’t post all, but some of the key points about positions:

“We’ve got Isaac Lucas and Will Harrison (from the Under-20s), we’ve got Carter Gordon and Pasitoa (from the Under-18s) coming through.”

“If you look at the front row, all the (current) boys are going to come through, (save for Sekope Kepu). Plus we’ve got Angus Bell and Zane Nonggorr from the Under-18s.

“The locks will be the usual suspects. Harry Hockings will come into that, Angus Blyth will come into that. Lukhan Salakai-Loto is another one. He’s about to re-sign (with Reds and Australia).

“Backrow. We’ve got a whole lot of time for the Under-20s backrow, but there are a number of boys in the Under-19s who have talent as well

“Once again, Nic White comes through at halfback. Tate McDermott (of the Reds) is a talented lad, We’ve got him, we’ve got Joe Powell. And, like I said, we’ve got a group of 10s who are talented but we just have to get them through

“Jordan Petaia, Reece Hodge, Marika Koroibete, they’ll all be in their prime. I thought in the first 25 minutes of that (England-Australia) game Petaia was the best player on the field. I thought this kid hadn’t done anything wrong

James O’Connor, he’s been exemplary on and off the field. Maybe the fate of Queensland hinges on him a bit, where he plays, how he plays. I can see him going a long way. I can see him going to the next World Cup“

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...y/news-story/b3edf563222b9b3c902867f70effd502

 

[RugbyReg]

the call out of Zane Nonggorr was the surprise one for me.

 

[Adam84]

He also mentions new Brumbies signing, Billy Pollard as another good new talent..

And about getting someone like Ella/Giteau In to work with the new 5/8a coming through

 

[wamberal]

the call out of Zane Nonggorr was the surprise one for me.

Scott Johnson was a fly half himself, (or five-eighth as we used to call it) which hopefully gives him some insight.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

SJ is right about the talent coming through. It's as good as I can remember for nearly a generation. Let's just not waste them with poor selection and coaching.

 

[RugbyReg]

Scott Johnson was a fly half himself, (or five-eighth as we used to call it) which hopefully gives him some insight.

Zane is a prop...

 

[Brumbieman]

Well, if tonight didn't solve the whole 'looking pretty vs actually winning' debate on how we play, nothing will.

 

[Adam84]

Who said the way South Africa won wasn’t pretty?
Physicality, power, speed and agility... they’ve got a mix of everything in that south African team

 

[Sully]

If Australia could play like that I'd be as happy as fuck. I thought it was a very entertaining match.

 

[Derpus]

I'm actually feeling pretty optimistic about the Wallabies for the first time in a while.

I'm sure it'll all be shat on as soon as a ball in kicked next test season but oh well.

I think France and Australia both have the potential to be real contenders next world cup

 

[Brumby Runner]

What is the test schedule for next year? I think we might be playing two tests in July against the Irish, and then there's be a couple more I expect.

TRC will either be similar to always or be expanded to include Fiji and Japan. Is that likely for 2020?

If our next two tests are against an Irish side that might conceivably be declining after the RWC, then I'm quite hopeful we could see a relatively successful test year ahead of us, given new coaches, new plans and hopefully better prepared players. The No 10 spot will be crucial and I hope one (or more) of our up and comers makes a significant mark in the Super season. Rory Arnold will also be missed in the second row, but otherwise the potential team does look to be more than promising.

 

[Derpus]

What is the test schedule for next year? I think we might be playing two tests in July against the Irish, and then there's be a couple more I expect.

TRC will either be similar to always or be expanded to include Fiji and Japan. Is that likely for 2020?

If our next two tests are against an Irish side that might conceivably be declining after the RWC, then I'm quite hopeful we could see a relatively successful test year ahead of us, given new coaches, new plans and hopefully better prepared players. The No 10 spot will be crucial and I hope one (or more) of our up and comers makes a significant mark in the Super season. Rory Arnold will also be missed in the second row, but otherwise the potential team does look to be more than promising.

Seems unlikely for next year but god that would be good.

 

[Derpus]

What is the test schedule for next year? I think we might be playing two tests in July against the Irish, and then there's be a couple more I expect.

TRC will either be similar to always or be expanded to include Fiji and Japan. Is that likely for 2020?

If our next two tests are against an Irish side that might conceivably be declining after the RWC, then I'm quite hopeful we could see a relatively successful test year ahead of us, given new coaches, new plans and hopefully better prepared players. The No 10 spot will be crucial and I hope one (or more) of our up and comers makes a significant mark in the Super season. Rory Arnold will also be missed in the second row, but otherwise the potential team does look to be more than promising.

Missed but we actually have some real talent waiting to replace him in second row.