Wallabies 2023

[wamberal]

I think we are going to be smoked in the next 4 Tests by the Saffas and ABs whoever we pick..

Gloom and doom, eh? If we get anything close to our best 23 onto the paddock we will do okay.

 

[Viking]

Foley would seem to be the only option not currently in the squad that is realistic in the short term.

I would rather Beale at 10. But can't see why you wouldn't pick Lolesio ahead of any of those.

 

[Silverado]

Yes, I'm fully Team Edmed after the Tahs season, and the Australia A games, and I'm not even Ben Batger. He's not flashy but seems to just keep stepping up when required. Given his age and inexperience, I thought he'd tail off after a few big Super Rugby games, but he just keeps delivering.

Donaldson's kicking out of hand sometimes seems to let him down a bit. But, keen to see what both (plus Harrison) can do with another 12 months, I hope neither are pushed into the Wallabies too soon.

Edmed got first crack at Australia B team and was frankly underwhelming at that level. Donaldson was given a go and started for the last 2 and I thought went well. It will be interesting who gets the nod at 10 for the Waratahs next season and a better indicator of who might progress

 

[Braveheart81]

I would rather Beale at 10. But can't see why you wouldn't pick Lolesio ahead of any of those.

I expect Beale will figure in the squad soon but surely more likely to feature at fullback or 23. He's definitely a smokey for the RWC squad in the final couple of positions. Beale hasn't played 10 for a long time.

Why would Foley not be a more likely option at 10. He's still playing 10 in Japan in a good team and it has been mentioned that Rennie is in contact.

With Cooper's injury it seems likely we'll add another 10 to the squad. I expect it will be Foley given his experience and the lack of time before the RWC. Maybe we add one of the young ones too but I don't see them as likely to slot into the test team.

Foley would come in on the same basis as Cooper. Let him train with the squad and see how he looks.

I agree that there is a strong chance that Lolesio gets picked above Foley.

 

[PhilClinton]

I am doubtful we have a team capable of challenging for RWC23. Other teams are simply peaking at the right time.

Our key positions aren't locked down and our world class players will be coming back from serious injury (Kerevi), taking time away from the game (Hooper) or are getting found out at international level (Tupou).

I think RA are aware of this, which is why we're in a bit of a holding pattern in terms of money being spent on things like league signings, bringing players back from overseas too early and a new competition to slot under Super Rugby.

What I expect is some bigger announcements at the back end of 2023, maybe post-RWC, regarding changes to our club competitions and a few big signings. Then the work really starts to have our team ready to win RWC2027.

I know people will say it's so far away etc etc but I think it's the realistic goal for this current group of players.

 

[Viking]

I expect Beale will figure in the squad soon but surely more likely to feature at fullback or 23. He's definitely a smokey for the RWC squad in the final couple of positions. Beale hasn't played 10 for a long time.

Why would Foley not be a more likely option at 10. He's still playing 10 in Japan in a good team and it has been mentioned that Rennie is in contact.

With Cooper's injury it seems likely we'll add another 10 to the squad. I expect it will be Foley given his experience and the lack of time before the RWC. Maybe we add one of the young ones too but I don't see them as likely to slot into the test team.

Foley would come in on the same basis as Cooper. Let him train with the squad and see how he looks.

I agree that there is a strong chance that Lolesio gets picked above Foley.

I can certainly see him come into the extended squad but I just don't see him in the same class as Cooper and would be unlikely to make the 23. Given his skillset, he offers nothing that Lolesio can't do. And his biggest strengths being his running game and support play I feel deteriorate with age moreso then say Coopers game-management, distribution, or kicking game (none of these a strength for Foley).

Also, given how much the contestable kicks and territory game feature in the game this year, kicking is so important, I feel this is a big weaknesses in Foley's game. As well as goal-kicking. Lolesio is much better in this department.

So I just don't see it happening. Glad to be proven wrong though.

 

[Rugby Head]

I agree that there is a strong chance that Lolesio gets picked above Foley.

You'd hope so. If Rennie opts to select Foley ahead of Noah, his confidence will be absolutely shot.

 

[Tomthumb]

Gloom and doom, eh? If we get anything close to our best 23 onto the paddock we will do okay.

Where does this confidence come from? Losing a test series to an English team coming off a poor 6 nations looking to sack their coach, and getting dominated in 3 out of 4 halves vs the Pumas. A winless spring tour last year. Instead of sticking to, developing and coached young players like Tate & Lolesio, Rennie has opted for injury prone guys in their mid 30's. So it's not really surprising when said injury prone players get injured. Not to mention the terrible gameplan in the 3rd test vs England which basically handed them the game, the return of Cheika Ball

And as long as Rennie insists on overtraining his players and doing heavy contact drill mid week before a test match, they will never have close to their best 23 available

 

[RugbyReg]

And as long as Rennie insists on overtraining his players and doing heavy contact drill mid week before a test match, they will never have close to their best 23 available

Is that what's happening?

 

[Lightblue]

Gloom and doom, eh? If we get anything close to our best 23 onto the paddock we will do okay.

I’d like to think so however can’t see it happening…

 

[Tomthumb]

Is that what's happening?

Yeah, it's been reported how much he's running them, they aren't fit enough apparently. One would think that time would probably be best spend catching high balls but Rennie seems to prefer running a cross fit class

And he might be the first International coach in history to manage to get his starting hooker concussed 2 weeks in a row

 

[RugbyReg]

Yeah, it's been reported how much he's running them, they aren't fit enough apparently. One would think that time would probably be best spend catching high balls but Rennie seems to prefer running a cross fit class

Cheika had the same issue around fitness, but I haven't seen anything reported that he is running them so hard in test week? Is that is what's happening?

And he might be the first International coach in history to manage to get his starting hooker concussed 2 weeks in a row

Well he's definitely the first Wallaby coach to be coaching at a time when it's finally being treated seriously, so that shouldn't really be a surpise.

 

[Rob42]

Yeah, it's been reported how much he's running them, they aren't fit enough apparently. One would think that time would probably be best spend catching high balls but Rennie seems to prefer running a cross fit class

And he might be the first International coach in history to manage to get his starting hooker concussed 2 weeks in a row

When Rennie was the coach of the Chiefs, they were the competition benchmark for hard work off the ball. I don't think the Wallabies have been in contention for that award any time in the last 15 years, so I'm happy for him to demand more hard work.

 

[Tomthumb]

Cheika had the same issue around fitness, but I haven't seen anything reported that he is running them so hard in test week? Is that is what's happening?


Well he's definitely the first Wallaby coach to be coaching at a time when it's finally being treated seriously, so that shouldn't really be a surpise.

All Blacks lost no one to mid week Concussions, nor did the Springboks, or Argentinians. No other team has

 

[Tomthumb]

When Rennie was the coach of the Chiefs, they were the competition benchmark for hard work off the ball. I don't think the Wallabies have been in contention for that award any time in the last 15 years, so I'm happy for him to demand more hard work.

His Chiefs also led the comp in injuries too

Point is, there is a middle ground, and 17 injuries in a couple of months is just crazy. Dude cant adapt.

 

[qwerty51]

All Blacks lost no one to mid week Concussions, nor did the Springboks, or Argentinians. No other team has

SA did lose someone to a training injury however.

The Springboks have been forced into a late front-row reshuffle ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park after starting hooker Bongi Mbonambi went down with a knee injury suffered at Tuesday training.

 

[Tomthumb]

SA did lose someone to a training injury however.

Yeah, but a knee injury can happen jogging on to the training pitch, apples & oranges

The fact the Rennie feels it's necessary to have his players smashing each other 2 days before a test match beggars belief. And the fact he didn't learn his lesson and did the exact same thing the following week makes me question his common sense

 

[Wilson]

Is that what's happening?

Not sure about over training, but there were some comments form McKellar during the England series that they had basically ignored the new World Rugby guidelines around the amount of full contact training per week:

In September, World Rugby outlined player health guidelines that included a full-contact training cap of 15 minutes per week, with no more than 40 minutes of controlled contract training and 30 minutes of set-piece work each week.

“Our immediate priority is to get teams to adopt the guidance, and the positive feedback we have received indicates that they will,” said World Rugby’s chief medical officer Dr Eanna Falvey said at the time.

The key word missing was “mandatory”.

I asked McKellar if the Wallabies had ever considered moving towards the target times as they prepare to meet the full force of England.

“To be honest, I saw that for about five minutes. It was a headline in an article and after that five minutes I’ve not thought about it again,” McKellar said.

“It’s never been discussed within our coaching group. It’s an interesting one, I’d like to see how they’d measure that 15 minutes from one week to the next.

“It’s certainly not at the forefront of my mind. I think the best way to avoid contact injuries is to train the technique required in a contact situation. Limiting it to 15 minutes is, I don’t see how that works at all.”

Of course that doesn't mean they're working them too much or too hard as a result, but it's not a great look now that there are questions being asked around training loads.

 

[swingpass]

it will be VERY interesting to read these comments 12 months from now, see who was Nostradamus.

 

[Joe Blow]

Edmed is probably the most robust of the young ones. He did not go so well for Aus A so maybe he is not effective when the game is played a little quicker. I reckon Foley is worth a look. He has all the skills but a bit of a popcorn boot. You would need Hodge or Kellaway taking the kicks for line, maybe even Ikitau. Beales boot is no better and he is not really a 10.