Wallabies 2020

[KOB1987]

A fella - @mitchevans94 - put this up on Twitter just to show where the holes were, and where the two overseas players will fit in. One is clearly a lock, the other could be either a loosie or a lock. He also put up a ‘best of the rest’ team and asked for comments where we were strong and where we were weak.

 

[upthereds#!]

If Rennie gets 'forced' to call up Latu because of Uelese injury, plus a lock from overseas, that still leaves an extra spot for someone locally to be promoted - perhaps Blyth or Naisarani.

 

[KOB1987]

Agree to disagree then. Personally, a bit of a head scratcher when he has chosen a guy in the squad with one bench appearance all year.

Yes, but it seems pretty clear that the top say 35 players are the actual Wallabies squad, and the rest are there for development. There are the same amount of Reds and Tahs players but the majority of the Reds players are part of the main squad, where a lot of the Tahs ones are part of the latter group. It’s a bit of a sign that the new generation of players are going to subject us to more moaning from Bobby in the future, unless they all see the light and move to the Reds of course.

 

[KOB1987]

How important is the money, though KOB? I reckon he'd get a substantially larger offer from the Force than from the Tahs.

Yeah I only used the Tahs as an example because we were talking about him being a NSWelshman, but he’s also been linked the Force and the Brumbies. You’d think a lock would be #1 on the Tahs shopping list though, and they’ve freed up a bit of cash now. Probably depends on where he wants to base himself though too.

 

[KOB1987]

It's all Queensland from Evan's Heads up....

Might want to check that with the Qld premier haha

 

[dru]

Might want to check that with the Qld premier haha

She asked for the control line to be moved south.

 

[Dctarget]

No-one in the world would pick Dempsey over Wilson in this squad.

Cheika would

 

[Up the Guts]

Yes, but it seems pretty clear that the top say 35 players are the actual Wallabies squad, and the rest are there for development. There are the same amount of Reds and Tahs players but the majority of the Reds players are part of the main squad, where a lot of the Tahs ones are part of the latter group. It’s a bit of a sign that the new generation of players are going to subject us to more moaning from Bobby in the future, unless they all see the light and move to the Reds of course.

Yep makes sense, the messaging has been off for me though, I’d prefer if he just said he’s looking for a particular style of player rather than talking about form. I’ll leave the Dempsey stuff alone, seems the 45-12 is still stinging too much to discuss it rationally.

 

[Rugby Head]

Correct me if I am wrong, but if Rodda was to sign a deal with the Tahs/ Aus rugby for next year, wouldn't that make him eligible for test selection this year? It would be the same situation as Nic White for the RWC last year.
Meaning that the Wallabies could get Rodda/ two more internationals (Skelton and Kerevi).
Thoughts?

 

[Tomikin]

This isn’t your best hot take. Dempsey was excellent in the Waratahs’ run home. More deserving than Swinton.

Ive read this morning alot of its work off the ball not on it, that got him and Isi not selected.. dont know how true that is

 

[Dctarget]

Correct me if I am wrong, but if Rodda was to sign a deal with the Tahs/ Aus rugby for next year, wouldn't that make him eligible for test selection this year? It would be the same situation as Nic White for the RWC last year.
Meaning that the Wallabies could get Rodda/ two more internationals (Skelton and Kerevi).
Thoughts?

Yeah if he signs, then we have 2 more OS players. But this is our own rule that's self-imposed. We can do what we want, so I don't expect us to have Rodda + two more.

Biggest obstacle IMO is how willing their clubs are. The two NZ Bledisloe matches are prior to the test window so clubs aren't obligated to release them. If we can't get them for NZ, is there a point for bringing them back at all? I think French club's douchery will encourage us to pick UK & Japan players.

 

[barbarian]

Naisirani being left out of the 40-odd man squad is hands down the most baffling selection decision from a Wallaby coach I've ever seen.

Am sure it's been discussed 10 pages ago, but I still can't get over it. There's been plenty of head-scratching selections over the last 20 years, but to leave our incumbent number 8 who had a strong 2019 out of the wider squad....... I just have no words.

Sure his form may not be where the selectors want it to be, but surely you back him to work through those issues in camp?

I have faith in the coaching team assembled, and will give them the benefit of the doubt. But this is such a strange call and I just can't get past it.
.

 

[Bobby Sands]

It's all Queensland from Evan's Heads up....

Rodda proved himself to being every bit a sulky NSWelshman, I hope he ends up at the Tahs.

They are a very fitting marriage.

Imagine if he was our captain instead of Wright (which was the undeniable assumption)? One of Thorn's actual masterstrokes.

 

[Braveheart81]

What moaning?

You regularly lose the plot at the slightest bit of criticism.

You have been banned from the forum previously because you are prone to going off the deep end.

 

[rugbyontherange]

Congratulations to all the players named in the squad. Looking forward to seeing the development of the “Rennie Version 1.0“ Wallabies.
As always, plenty of question marks over players who were named and lots of head scratching as to why some are in and some were left out.
Angus Bell who isn’t even a starter of the 4/5 placed side, over Harry Hoopert who has equal creds of Aus U20’s, NRC, been starting in Super Rugby since last year etc, and is the starting Prop for the side in the GF! Current form - Bell over Hoopert? Pftt
Oh thats right - Didn’t I read that Angus Bells father is doing some Coaching down in NSWRA - Ahh, looks like same old same old.
When you have that many players named from a team that came 4/5 and none from the team that came 5/5, well, thats a bloody case of head lice scratching right there.
When you have 11 from Tahs v 11 from Reds, well the head scratching has just blown out to a full on case of eczema.
Players picked on form Rennie says - I have one name for you - Jock Campbell. No I have 2 - Naisaraini!!
When I see names like Len Ikitau????????? & Ned Hanigan at 6 or Lock?? Seriously!!! Is anyone else smelling the stink.
Straight up there is a please explain of Bell over Hoopert and Hanigan over Neville or Blyth. That is 3 - all season starting players from Reds and Brumbies, who are in the GF, who have missed out to players in the poorly placed Waratahs. Yeah Hanigan is a flex player. You don’t need flex players in elite squads, you need players who specialise in their positions and Hanigan doesn’t stand up in this squad as a 6 or a Lock. I am seeing enough No 6’s there who stand on their own feet in that spot.
Players picked on form Rennie says. Yeah Nah! And no Naisaraini. Yeah Nah
The conversation about the 2 open spots to bring players in from O/S seems to largely around the Lock positions, I just don’t understand it.
Simmonds has the experience and leadership to manage the line out. Love him or hate him, he has found form through the back end of the season and, he is a long serving ambassador for Aus rugby that will step up and can manage the line out calls. So does Neville from Brumbies………and he is not even in the mix.
You have LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) who has been playing Lock for the Reds and with the many number 6’s in the Wallaby mix, he can stay at Lock, he has been outstanding and with 50 Super caps and equally fantastic previous Wallaby experience - why are we looking elsewhere. You have Matt Phillips from Reb’s, who has experience and is def in form and does a great job. Deserves to be there. Neville from Brumbies would be feeling ripped off not to be named. Is he going O/S and is not available?
So Rennie ony picks 3 Locks. Surely he would be looking at the development of other upcoming Locks in around those 3, as he is in other positions.
Surely you would add Blyth + Hosea. Based on “form”.
What is the go with Neville or Blyth not getting the nod if Rennie says he is picking on form. Neville - on the back of excellent for, experienced campaigner in the Aus team of the season (so far Up there with the tackles and carries stats. Blyth again, starting Lock alongside LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) in the GF team, been named in many “teams of the week” during the rounds”, was outstanding again in the SF again last weekend. Tackles, turnovers and metres from carries is up there. Brings some spice to the game with that smile of his that the fans love. (Players that engage the fans is defs what the sport needs) . I am thinking back to the wedgy and his reaction. It went viral, the fans love the sense of enjoyment he brings to the game. He has played last years super rugby and this years pre covid super rugby against the NZ, the Sth African and Agentina sides, he has the Aus U20’s and NRC experience behing him and again, has been starting since last year . And yet Trevor Hosea who has only just played a handful of “Aus” super rugby games, no international contests last year or this year, and for sure is doing well finding his super rugby feet, gets the nod but Blyth doesn’t?
Yeah Nah
Looking to bring Arnold? Skelton? Rodda back from France?
Havn’t they just started their comp over there? All those players are on big bucks to play for their French clubs, surely those clubs are not going to release them for the next 3 months to come and play in Aus/NZ. And then there is the availability of flights and 2 weeks in hotel quarantine to deal with. France is still getting 10 000 covid cases a day. You can’t tell me those guys can come straigh back to be in the rugby bubble without the 2 weeks hotel quarantine.
Arnold is a wonderful statesman for Aus rugby but when did he last have a game. Skelton hasnt played for Aus in 6 years, is his French club, his livelihood, going to let him go for 3 months? And…. i can’t think of any player that would be happy to strap on a boot or pull on a green and gold jersey to play alongside Izaak Rodda. Nor can I imagine any Aus rugby supporter that is happy for him to be given a free ticket back to play alongside the guys, who stood by Aus Rugby when it was down, when all he did was shite in his own dressing room and leave.
We are well placed for Lock’s both now and in the future. The now - Simmonds, Phillips, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Neville, Blyth, Hosea. Coming through, Frost, young Blyth and this years Gen of Aus U20’s that would have been but we didn’t get to see.
Second rowers - Scruuums and Lineouts.. everything else is a booooonus… These guys have that covered. What is the fuss about.

 

[TSR]

Yep makes sense, the messaging has been off for me though, I’d prefer if he just said he’s looking for a particular style of player rather than talking about form. I’ll leave the Dempsey stuff alone, seems the 45-12 is still stinging too much to discuss it rationally.

Haha - well, it does still sting, but from my point of view I misinterpreted your original post. But my response was a bit over the top, so I’ll cop that. I did go back to ‘soften’ my post a bit, but you’d already responded so I didn’t bother.

 

[wamberal]

Congratulations to all the players named in the squad. Looking forward to seeing the development of the “Rennie Version 1.0“ Wallabies.
As always, plenty of question marks over players who were named and lots of head scratching as to why some are in and some were left out.
What is the fuss about.

Couldn't agree more. We should leave it to the experts, IMHO. The Coach and the selectors see more, hear more, and know more about the playing contingent than any of us. We are entitled to our opinions. They and the players they select will be judged on their performance.

Naisarani's omission is the only surprise to me, and the reason for that has been explained pretty well.

 

[Dctarget]

I think a lot of people are confusing Rennie's messages with this squad.

This is a squad of 46 that rarely we'd ever get to assemble and train with, COVID has allowed Rennie to be much more experimental and forward looking than normal.

He's rewarded a lot of players on form then there's a whole swathe of players; Ikitau, Horton, Bell, Hosea, potentially even Hanigan who are project players. You can't deny any of those players have the potential to be incredible. Over the next two months they'll get to train with the best players and more importantly best coaches instead of duking it out in SS or QPR. Come squad culling we'll see a lot of project players drop off (dare I say lots of the 'Tahs).

I'm not fussed about any of it. Maybe if he names Ikitau or Horton on the bench in Auckland then I'll question some logic but this is just a bit of development.

I've even come to see the reasoning behind Naisarani. He's a good player, the incumbent, but the incumbents have got us to 7th in the world. It's time to shake it up, Isi does not have a passing game and as we've been lamenting for months on here his heads up play sucks. Rennie clearly has a vision and if your 8 doesn't know his lines or when to attack a ruck etc. then he's not selected.

We haven't seen the last of Isi, maybe Rennie thinks he's been coasting on his size for a while now to the detriment of his other skills. This'll be the kick he needs.

 

[Up the Guts]

Haha - well, it does still sting, but from my point of view I misinterpreted your original post. But my response was a bit over the top, so I’ll cop that. I did go back to ‘soften’ my post a bit, but you’d already responded so I didn’t bother.

The rationally bit wasn't directed so much at you, I understand where the ire in your initial post was coming from given your interpretation. SuperAU looks to have turned the heat up on the interstate rivalries, it might not be the best for civil discussions but at least we now have a comp people care about.

 

[Dctarget]

The rationally bit wasn't directed so much at you, I understand where the ire in your initial post was coming from given your interpretation. SuperAU looks to have turned the heat up on the interstate rivalries, it maybe not the best for civil discussions but at least we now have a comp people care about.

How bloody good is it. Imagine if Rodda goes to the 'Tahs, that'll be some genuine hatred in the game. If this was Super Rugby normal, right now we'd be watching the Crusaders cream the Blues or something, instead we get a game with actual narrative.

Imagine how bloody fired up Tevita will be now, most capped backline player in the competition and dropped for some no-name - the absolute disruspect. He gets to line up in the GF across from the bloke who's got his jersey.

Same goes for AAA against Tupou, Stewart against Simone etc etc.