Wallabies 2021

[Derpus]

Paisami isnt even a hard name

 

[dru]

Thats very sweet and all but we know that Hooper will start at 7 and most likely be captain. Then I would say that McReight and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) might be on the bench to cover 5/6/7. Depending on the opposition. Samu is also a good bench option.
What about a bloke like Anstee? fast, big and can probably play all 3 positions.
I see McReight challenging for a starting position but its very hard to go past Michael Hooper.

Anstee shows promise. Like the thinking.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Anstee shows promise. Like the thinking.

Yeh like to see more as his 7s background and speed, attacking prowess and use of space could redefine 6 play whilst he also of course from a bench option also covers lock. Really interested to watch him develop as definitely due to injury not seen as much so far but seen enough to call out him as bolter for wallabies squad.

 

[TSR]

I know you repeat claims about Valetini's laziness, but I just don't see it. Otoh he certainly has improved his fitness and workrate this year, probably in response to Rennie's demands. Right now he is the type of player required to pit against the top packs in world rugby. His lineout work has also improved this year and he seems to be the target for three or four throws each game.

I reckon Valetini is the ideal starting No 6 with McReight and Wilson, with Samu on at 8 and Wilson to 6 after 60 minutes. FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) is also well and truly in the mix if injuries occur or form drops off.

I agree with you he has improved his work rate. But there are still some times where he seems to be just standing there next to the breakdown and I think WTF is he waiting for?

But then Fisher & McKellar, who get paid for this shit and don’t exactly tolerate slackers, pick him every week - so their obviously happy with his output. On that evidence alone my concerns are probably misplaced.

 

[TSR]

I think the real reluctance from a lot of posters to fully endorse Valetini is that, despite being a pretty impressive physical specimen, he rarely obviously bends the line as a ball carrier.

Brumbies fans will argue that he dominates contact in attack/ defence in the tight channels (which he may to an extent), he's not the bulldozer that people expect and want him to be. If you're not getting that ball-running threat from your no. 8, which realistically you are not getting from Wilson on the international stage, you'd like it somewhere else in the backrow.

Well - last year I did think the terms ‘Valetini’ & ‘rag-dolled’ did appear together way more than what was justified. But from my point of view that isn’t my concern at all this year. I think he has definitely been very physically noticeable in both attack & defence. I think his break down accuracy has improved too.

 

[barbarian]

I reckon Paisami is developing very well at 12 but unfortunately Jordy does not look to be doing the same at 13.
Did you see the fend and then pass from Vunivalu on the weekend in the midfield? Could be a smoky at 13?

Putting a fresh convert in at 13 for the Wallabies is a little too ambitious for my liking. Let him get his feet on the wing for at least a season.

That said I really like what I'm seeing from Vunivalu. He already has a few dimensions to his game, he's a lot more than just a speedy battering ram. The vision for that cut-out pass was more than we ever saw from a number of pretty good converts, so let's hope he keeps getting better.

His high ball abilities are the most worrying facet at the moment, but you'd hope that can be learned.

 

[barbarian]

He probably should chase. It's just almost certainly in vain though. I reckon the bit where you could potentially question his workrate and potential laziness is a few seconds earlier. After Daugunu gets tackled, Valetini needed to push out past Petaia to add another defender on the short side.

I don't need him to be flat stick, but he's just trudging. It wasn't a certain try by any means, and while he couldn't make a covering tackle he could at least be there for a breakdown if one develops.

I'm picking him in the Wallabies, but it's plays like that that tempers my excitement and makes me skeptical when people declare he's a walk up start.

And then he drops the kick-off in the 78th, which was a really crucial error considering the Reds scrum dominance.

Little things, sure. Nit picking? Maybe. I like the guy, and once he eliminates these little hiccups then he could be really good.
.

 

[Tomikin]

I don't need him to be flat stick, but he's just trudging. It wasn't a certain try by any means, and while he couldn't make a covering tackle he could at least be there for a breakdown if one develops.

I'm picking him in the Wallabies, but it's plays like that that tempers my excitement and makes me skeptical when people declare he's a walk up start.

And then he drops the kick-off in the 78th, which was a really crucial error considering the Reds scrum dominance.

Little things, sure. Nit picking? Maybe. I like the guy, and once he eliminates these little hiccups then he could be really good.
.

His still really young, so I think we are starting to see him fixing some of the issue he had and has got better. hopefully another full season of Super and he be a beast.

 

[Braveheart81]

His still really young, so I think we are starting to see him fixing some of the issue he had and has got better. hopefully another full season of Super and he be a beast.

A lot of the potential backrowers are 21 to 24 though so Valetini is right in the middle of that.

He clearly is still young but I don't think it's really going to benefit him at the selection table. If he's doing something worse than someone he's competing with it's not going to be excused because he's young because he's not likely to be any younger than the other guy.

 

[swingpass]

His still really young, so I think we are starting to see him fixing some of the issue he had and has got better. hopefully another full season of Super and he be a beast.

just in time to come home to Melbourne

 

[Braveheart81]

Samu is going to be an interesting case again this season.

Is Rennie likely to pick him for the first test of the season if he looks like he's been one of the best backrowers this season or does the fact he's done that before then not performed at test level mean he'll be overlooked?

It feels to me like he's got to do even more than he did last year to make the 23 in that first test.

 

[Derpus]

I thought he actually went okay in Wellington and I thought dropping him entirely was very harsh. He's a lineout option and can in theory cover all of 6-8 so should at the very least be a frontrunner for a bench spot.

I thought some of the other backrow options showed even less than Samu (Wright, for example). With no Hanigan available I think he's a very good chance of making the 23.

 

[Braveheart81]

Rennie picked Wright 3 times last year and only picked Samu once. Wright obviously hasn't played this year but will be back for the tests.

Hanigan only signed a one year contract in Japan so he very well could come into consideration for the tests again. Rennie clearly rates him higher than most punters.

Between Valetini, Wright, Swinton, McReight and Hanigan it might not make Samu such a frontrunner.

I agree it was probably harsh that Samu got dropped and didn't get selected again last year but likewise, it also gives a pretty strong signal that it wasn't what Rennie was looking for.

 

[dru]

I agree it was probably harsh that Samu got dropped and didn't get selected again last year but likewise, it also gives a pretty strong signal that it wasn't what Rennie was looking for.

Can only agree with this. It is perplexing.

 

[Braveheart81]

The one test Samu did play last year, he missed a couple of cleanouts that resulted in penalties against us. This was a game where the biggest criticism of the Wallabies was our own ball retention at the breakdown.

These are things that get missed when watching live and are only picked up on review.

It also needs to be considered that Samu is very popular among the punters so the same quality of game by him tends to get viewed a lot more favorably than a similar game by someone like Hanigan.

Based on selections last year Rennie was clearly happier with what Hanigan bought to the team than Samu. Part of that might be how that fitted with what the other players were doing but that is likely going to remain the case. Samu isn't going to be the first backrower picked and then the rest of the backrow picked to suit what he does.

 

[MarkJ]

I seem to recall that in that test Samu was playing mostly in the middle and Wilson was out wider, I’d have thought reversing the roles may have worked better

 

[Braveheart81]

I seem to recall that in that test Samu was playing mostly in the middle and Wilson was out wider, I’d have thought reversing the roles may have worked better

I would too and certainly think Samu is more suited to 6 than 8 at test level. Wilson has proven to have that flexibility that he can do either well though.

Samu could be a bit like Scott Higginbotham in that he's not going to be selected in an ideal situation for himself and then have the plan and selections structured around that. It's either get selected to do a specific role or if that doesn't suit, you don't get selected.

 

[Derpus]

You can kind of see the frustration from fans if you are correct BH. Hanigan made a career of missing rucks, and although he improved a lot last year and was, in my view, selected on merit, it seems crazy to discard Samu after just one game where he missed a few.

Not a pretty juxtaposition.

 

[fatprop]

Samu, to me, is a bench option at best at test level and only then as a unit who can cover solidly the whole backrow instead of someone picked to add punch

I don't get excited about a 6/8 scoring tries on the edges (it is like picking props because they run lots of yards or backs for their poaching) , I want to see a minimum of 2 (3 would be nice, 4 is world class) ........


I want to see the beating of defenders in heavy contact and providing quick, clean ball;
I want to see dominant tackles that set the attacker under pressure;
I want to see a lot of effective cleanouts in attack and defence;
I want to see quality competing at lineout, in the air and/or on the ground

 

[Pfitzy]

What about a bloke like Anstee? fast, big and can probably play all 3 positions.

Ah now THERE is the option. Pace, good feet, spatial awareness from years of 7s, and great hands.

I think the problem there though Pfitzy, if I understand your post correctly, is who does start. If it’s not Swinton, ASY (Angus Scott-Young) or Valetini who is it. The type of player FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) is, be actually could be a good option.

I like Fergus. Angry as fuck, and likes to hit blokes. Got genuine power as well, with a bit more bulk that Anstee.

Putting a fresh convert in at 13 for the Wallabies is a little too ambitious for my liking. Let him get his feet on the wing for at least a season.

That said I really like what I'm seeing from Vunivalu.

He's also still getting used to defensive positioning - a couple of times he was a bit short like Folau was in his first few games - the instinct from league to come in off your wing just needs a bit of time to let go.

Nothing wrong with his hands, feet, or fend.