Wallabies 2023

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Gordon will do what he does and have a rip snorter of a Super Rugby season with the tahs and his poor performances at the back end of last year (he wasnt the only one) will be forgotten.

 

[griffins]

No one that tackles as badly as Nic White can be considered world class IMO

Is White considered a poor tackler? His work in cover is generally superb, I can think of numerous try saving plays for Brums and Wallabies across the past few seasons? Always puts his body on the line when he gets caught in the front line too.

 

[stillmissit]

White is a gun, world class. Tate is on the rise. I suggest we play both with White starting mostly and organise someone other than Gordon to be the backup.
White is a very good footballer

Happy with White starting and Tate finishing. Squadron leader followed by a top gun.

 

[Members Section]

No one that tackles as badly as Nic White can be considered world class IMO

Jake Gordan is far worse

 

[Derpus]

Jake Gordan is far worse

No he isn't. Gordon's cover tackle and general support play is one of his better attributes.

 

[TSR]

This is the area where I see the real difference with White in comparison to the others. He controls the tempo of a game much better. Rennie if you look at how he historically liked his teams (Chiefs, Glasgow etc..) to play was about attacking, heads up Rugby. White defintely leans a little more into the northern approach with his box kicking which may have aligned with Rennie's comments about kicking too much (though, I always felt those comments were more about our backs ping ponging the ball back). What Jones will want for this team remains to be seen.

I'll reiterate what I already said, I don't think our 9 situation is a bad problem to have. I hope they all continue to improve.


I don't think you need a psychology degree to know that healthy competition for spots can only be a good thing.

Molnan - I agree Rennie wasn’t talking just about White and definitely included reference to the ping pong battles, but I still felt his comments extended across our general kicking and handing the ball back, which White was guilty of.

I guess I find it odd that everyone points to McDermott’s omission as clear evidence there are flaws in his game (fair) but don’t appear to attach the same when White keeps getting rotated out as well. Ikitau & Koriobete aren’t getting rotated out when they are available. Describing White as a gun is just hyperbole. He continues to be inconsistent.

Interestingly I thought White’s decision making was a big issue at test level. I thought he was very clear and precise for the Brumbies, but not so for the Wallabies. I also wonder to what degree his play is hampering someone like Lolesio and even O’Connor. Rennie kept talking about Lolesio needing to find his voice and O’Connor not controlling the game - are the struggling to get White to play to the Wallabies structure? Pure speculation on my part and - if that was an issue than you’d have to say O’Connor should have had enough experience to deal with it.

Not trying to completely rubbish the guy (even if it sound like it). I think White is a good player and think he deserves some success when he was probably treated a bit roughly at the start of his test career.

Agree they are all good options - but they all have work ons too.

 

[Dctarget]

Good time to mention that Eddie mentioned yesterday that he's been chatting to Genia. Confirmed, Will & Quade back to lead us to glory at RWC23.

 

[Members Section]

No he isn't. Gordon's cover tackle and general support play is one of his better attributes.

yeah he sure did prove that v Italy last year. He's a mess defensively& constantly makes mistakes under pressure

 

[Dctarget]

I was also shitposting a bit earlier about Emmanuel Meafou being selected for the Wallabies because he's not in France's 6N squad. The guy is clearly aiming for France, he's gotten his French citizenship, he speaks french now and I'm not even certain he's in our top 4 locks. He's an unpolished Skelton.

BUT it's just been announced that he still won't be available for France for RWC23... lol... Surely that makes him a little more attractive now. His first RWC for Les Bleus would be when he's 29 in Aus at RWC27. Come on home to Melbourne Manny. Have a tilt. Link up with Monty Ioane. Would be delightful.

EDIT: also saw that he's available for NZ and Samoa. NZ isn't really an option, Samoa could genuinely be an option. Play for them and still earn the big Toulouse money.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Good time to mention that Eddie mentioned yesterday that he's been chatting to Genia. Confirmed, Will & Quade back to lead us to glory at RWC23.

Genia has captained Kintetsu to a couple a great games recently 74-7 loss last weekend and 77-12 one the week before. Just turned 35. Dont think so.

But would he be good to come in and work with the halfbacks as a spot coach/advisor sure.

 

[stillmissit]

I don't think we are short of good locks, a centre would be handy and a good hooker. A full-back is a must and we may need a 10 to take over if Quade goes down/doesn't make it, assuming Lolesio will not be Eddie's focus.
He talked about Will Genia still playing good football. We could be in for an old boys' reunion at this year's WC.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Genia has captained Kintetsu to a couple a great games recently 74-7 loss last weekend and 77-12 one the week before. Just turned 35. Dont think so.

But would he be good to come in and work with the halfbacks as a spot coach/advisor sure.

I'd love to see him coach/advise with the U20s. The buzz those guys would get from a still able to play Genia mentor them would be immense.

 

[Highlander35]

I was also shitposting a bit earlier about Emmanuel Meafou being selected for the Wallabies because he's not in France's 6N squad. The guy is clearly aiming for France, he's gotten his French citizenship, he speaks french now and I'm not even certain he's in our top 4 locks. He's an unpolished Skelton.

BUT it's just been announced that he still won't be available for France for RWC23... lol... Surely that makes him a little more attractive now. His first RWC for Les Bleus would be when he's 29 in Aus at RWC27. Come on home to Melbourne Manny. Have a tilt. Link up with Monty Ioane. Would be delightful.

EDIT: also saw that he's available for NZ and Samoa. NZ isn't really an option, Samoa could genuinely be an option. Play for them and still earn the big Toulouse money.

A non-story had become a story because the French had their heads up their derrieres and thought citizenship overrode other eligibility rules like it was the olympics or something. He misses the home WC, but he's got 2 more chances at that.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I don't think we are short of good locks, a centre would be handy and a good hooker. A full-back is a must and we may need a 10 to take over if Quade goes down/doesn't make it, assuming Lolesio will not be Eddie's focus.
He talked about Will Genia still playing good football. We could be in for an old boys' reunion at this year's WC.

I feel we will end up with Foley at 10 as a distributor/organizer with Kerevi/Ikitau/Koroibete being our focus

 

[Marce]

The rugby landscape in the USA is quite unique. Who knows, maybe they realised bringing in such a strong figure like Jones who didn’t have any connection to them was the wrong move. After all, Rugby Australia seem to be pushing Jones was the right man for our job because he ‘knows the Australian way’.

That's impossible. Not even Pelé, the most iconic footballer in history with the most popular sport in the world (football soccer) could changed the US sport market. Nowadays, football soccer is a female sport there but as male sport is far far away from the big 4: American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey. You want you change that with a less famous sportman like Eddie with a less popular sport like rugby?

 

[Derpus]

yeah he sure did prove that v Italy last year. He's a mess defensively& constantly makes mistakes under pressure

Ah yes that one game where every other Australian covered themselves in glory.

Gordon has failed to step up to test rugby and was very poor last year. No point making objectively wrong statements about the strengths and weaknesses of his game, though.

 

[stillmissit]

I feel we will end up with Foley at 10 as a distributor/organizer with Kerevi/Ikitau/Koroibete being our focus

Don't like it with Foley but you could well be right...

 

[Marce]

I present back to you 11 years of 1st grade rugby in the UK, SA, NZ and Here

Interesting. What position did u play?

 

[Members Section]

Ah yes that one game where every other Australian covered themselves in glory.

Gordon has failed to step up to test rugby and was very poor last year. No point making objectively wrong statements about the strengths and weaknesses of his game, though.

then stop making them

 

[Derpus]