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Wallabies 2023

Namerican

Bill Watson (15)
I was never a massive fan, but if they could pick up one lock from Europe for this tour it'd be Rob Simmons. He was always fit, can run a lineout, is currently in form and is a smart rugby player. He won't need much time to get up to speed.
 

upthereds#!

Peter Johnson (47)
WTF

Assume Swain in but I wouldn't rule out Carter, Douglas, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Simmons, Arnold (Richie) or Staniforth?

Swain still has 2 matches to go and Skelton unavailable for 2 as well.

Douglas probably most likely overseas.

Skelton not available due to first and last games falling outside test window, so same would apply for all the others.

I think it's really Simmons or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) if they do bring in someone (which is an easy thing because they only have 2 foreign spots taken)

Either way, 1st and last games youd be looking at ...Holloway and Neville starting with Frost or Hanigan on the bench I spose.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Skelton not available due to first and last games falling outside test window, so same would apply for all the others.

I think it's really Simmons or LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) if they do bring in someone (which is an easy thing because they only have 2 foreign spots taken)

Either way, 1st and last games youd be looking at ...Holloway and Neville starting with Frost or Hanigan on the bench I spose.
Most likely yeah, but the clubs still can release them, they just don't have to.

Anyway looks like Swain been called up.
 

PhilClinton

Mark Loane (55)
Interesting the different metrics and selection criteria coaches look at.

No hesitation bringing Swain back into the squad when I’m sure other coaches would be done with him this year for discipline reasons.

How does that work for suspension? When he wasn’t in the squad does that mean he would have ended up missing the first two games of Super Rugby? But now that he’s selected he will be able to serve that suspension during the first two games of the tour?
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Interesting the different metrics and selection criteria coaches look at.

No hesitation bringing Swain back into the squad when I’m sure other coaches would be done with him this year for discipline reasons.

How does that work for suspension? When he wasn’t in the squad does that mean he would have ended up missing the first two games of Super Rugby? But now that he’s selected he will be able to serve that suspension during the first two games of the tour?

Nah, Swain’s “6 week” suspension finishes on Nov 6 regardless…

That decision was taking into account all the matches available to him - Bledisloe, 3 x Aus A, and 2 x Wallabies matches.
 

stillmissit

Peter Johnson (47)
If Rennie has to make a choice between Simmons and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto). LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) is double the player Simmons is, was and ever will be..
 

Ignoto

Peter Sullivan (51)
Isn't LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) similar to Banks? LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) had a contract with Rugby Australia and the Reds this calendar year, so there's no reason why you couldn't bring both LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Simmons.
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
If Rennie has to make a choice between Simmons and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto). LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) is double the player Simmons is, was and ever will be..
This is a silly statement, really. While Simmons was never World lock of the year, he was a good lineout technician, and by all accounts from players in his teams, a pretty good scrummaging lock. And has played professionally for a long time. Players don't play a lot of Tests without talent, regardless of the expert armchair opinions. I do agree that Salakaia-Loto would be the better option right now, probably, with some more versatility in his game. We need to be looking forward.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Isn't LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) similar to Banks? LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) had a contract with Rugby Australia and the Reds this calendar year, so there's no reason why you couldn't bring both LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Simmons.
Yep. Banks wasn't listed as an overseas pick in the original squad announcement release.
 

upthereds#!

Peter Johnson (47)
Isn't LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) similar to Banks? LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) had a contract with Rugby Australia and the Reds this calendar year, so there's no reason why you couldn't bring both LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Simmons.
No - LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) was released from his contract, Banks is still under contract.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
It's two different things.

Whether or not Rugby Australia considers someone a local or overseas player is pretty arbitrary. Banks hasn't been released from his contract yet and is still considered a local player. We have no idea whether someone who did play in Australia this year but has already been released from their contract would be considered a local player or not because it hasn't been done so there is no info on it. Regardless, we have only picked two overseas players so far so still have one space available.

For any player that has already been released we need to get them released from their club under Reg 9 so generally that would mean they are only available for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th tests of the tour which are in the international window.
 

stillmissit

Peter Johnson (47)
This is a silly statement, really. While Simmons was never World lock of the year, he was a good lineout technician, and by all accounts from players in his teams, a pretty good scrummaging lock. And has played professionally for a long time. Players don't play a lot of Tests without talent, regardless of the expert armchair opinions. I do agree that Salakaia-Loto would be the better option right now, probably, with some more versatility in his game. We need to be looking forward.
bikepath, it's only silly if you never played in the row. If you did, at a reasonable level, you would recognise that for most of his career he avoided the tough stuff, attacking the breakdown, driving the maul and taking the ball up. He was a perennial pillar if not a post. I have no time for locks who do not do the hard work. I agree that his lineout ability was OK and given the ball was quick for a lock but it struck me that it was mostly his side going backwards at difficult scrum time.
I rate him about 10 levels below Dan Vickerman who is the best lock I have seen play for Australia, Eales was a freak in terms of skill set but against a tough forward pack give me Vickerman every time.
There again maybe you played lock at a higher level than me?
 

stillmissit

Peter Johnson (47)
It's two different things.

Whether or not Rugby Australia considers someone a local or overseas player is pretty arbitrary. Banks hasn't been released from his contract yet and is still considered a local player. We have no idea whether someone who did play in Australia this year but has already been released from their contract would be considered a local player or not because it hasn't been done so there is no info on it. Regardless, we have only picked two overseas players so far so still have one space available.

For any player that has already been released we need to get them released from their club under Reg 9 so generally that would mean they are only available for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th tests of the tour which are in the international window.
BH, Is there any list of who is available and when? Would be interesting but I don't expect there to be such information.
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
bikepath, it's only silly if you never played in the row. If you did, at a reasonable level, you would recognise that for most of his career he avoided the tough stuff, attacking the breakdown, driving the maul and taking the ball up. He was a perennial pillar if not a post. I have no time for locks who do not do the hard work. I agree that his lineout ability was OK and given the ball was quick for a lock but it struck me that it was mostly his side going backwards at difficult scrum time.
I rate him about 10 levels below Dan Vickerman who is the best lock I have seen play for Australia, Eales was a freak in terms of skill set but against a tough forward pack give me Vickerman every time.
There again maybe you played lock at a higher level than me?
The old "you can't comment unless you have reached a level as awesome as me, set by me" ruse.
I'm assuming you coached at a higher level than all those coaches who selected him, and kind of know rugby too?
Of course Eales and Vickerman were better - few would argue otherwise, but that's not the point, is it?
 
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