Wallabies 2023

[Confucius Say]

Plus he’s just signed a 3 year deal to semi retirement in France.

 

[rugbyAU]

Tupou on track for Wallabies return against Springboks

In a mighty boost to Australia's Rugby World Cup hopes, Taniela Tupou is on target for a return in the Wallabies' first Test of…

www.theroar.com.au

 

[Dctarget]

Tupou on track for Wallabies return against Springboks

In a mighty boost to Australia's Rugby World Cup hopes, Taniela Tupou is on target for a return in the Wallabies' first Test of…

www.theroar.com.au

A fit eager Tupou? That's what we wanna hear.

“People who have known him said this is the hardest he’s ever worked, so they couldn’t be more pleased with him at the moment,” Hatley said.

“Probably the most pleasing thing for me is he’s a bloke coming to grab us. His his weight’s dropped, he’s into the head of S and C (strength and conditioning). He’s into me every day saying ‘a little bit more, please’.


Advertisement
“His application, his attitude has been outstanding. Taniela needs to keep pushing to get to where we need him to get to, but he’s right on track.”

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

"his weights dropped"

This is almost the best thing about this. He's such a naturally strong human don't think he needs to be as heavy as he was IMO.

Are there any plans to see him get Club minutes in QPR? Even if it was 30 mins a couple of weeks in a row I think it would be good from a personal confidence point of view.

 

[fatprop]

Yes but he’s past it pace wise and Petaia and Wright have youth, pace and utility.

and both probably have more upside - but both can be roosters or feather dusters, Hodge is far less likely to make mistakes, more likely to play a role within a game plan and make solid defensive decisions

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Get the feeling he also fits that morale guy mould in a lot of ways. Always got a smile on his face, can imagine he's good trainer and has been pretty durable through his career.

 

[Slim 293]

Yes but he’s past it pace wise and Petaia and Wright have youth, pace and utility.

I would expect all three to be selected in the squad...

 

[eastman]

Hodge will continue to be an option because if your 22 jersey is a replacement 10 you need someone covering 12 on the bench. I don't think Petaia is really a 13 option at test level let alone an option at 12. Ikitau is pretty exclusively a 13.

You’ve said this before and I’m not sure it’s necessarily true. I don’t think there’s a huge difference between a centre combination of Hodge / Ikitau and Ikitau/ Petaia. Alternately Hodge on the wing is a genuine waste of a position.

 

[eastman]

Surely a guy who has started multiple tests at 13 for the Wallabies would be a viable bench option in the position (Petaia).

 

[Braveheart81]

You’ve said this before and I’m not sure it’s necessarily true. I don’t think there’s a huge difference between a centre combination of Hodge / Ikitau and Ikitau/ Petaia. Alternately Hodge on the wing is a genuine waste of a position.

I think it will come down to what is viewed as having the least downside risk. Petaia has started tests at 13 but he hasn't played there in quite some time.

I don't know how Eddie Jones will go but I think it is pretty likely that Hodge makes the RWC squad due to his versatility and is a reasonable chance to be in our best 23 because of that same versatility.

I don't think we really have players that will fill the 22 and 23 jersey that are really impact options to change our structure and provide a different attacking threat. I think it will be more about providing the best overall coverage for our starting backline.

 

[KevinO]

Surely a guy who has started multiple tests at 13 for the Wallabies would be a viable bench option in the position (Petaia).

Petaia durability would be a concern for me having him on the bench, if his not starting I wouldn't pick him in the 23. If someone were to go down early and Petaia comes on I wouldn't trust him to be able to last the rest of the match, and if it's a 6-2 split your really taking a big risk.

 

[eastman]

I think it will come down to what is viewed as having the least downside risk. Petaia has started tests at 13 but he hasn't played there in quite some time.

I don't know how Eddie Jones will go but I think it is pretty likely that Hodge makes the RWC squad due to his versatility and is a reasonable chance to be in our best 23 because of that same versatility.

I don't think we really have players that will fill the 22 and 23 jersey that are really impact options to change our structure and provide a different attacking threat. I think it will be more about providing the best overall coverage for our starting backline.

You don’t think Petaia is a potential point of difference in attack?

 

[LeCheese]

Petaia durability would be a concern for me having him on the bench, if his not starting I wouldn't pick him in the 23. If someone were to go down early and Petaia comes on I wouldn't trust him to be able to last the rest of the match, and if it's a 6-2 split your really taking a big risk.

This season his durability's been no worse than anyone else to be honest. Aside from his season-ending wrist ligament injury a few weeks in R11, the two other games he sat out were out of an abundance of caution (and a concussion?).

Of his 9 games this season, it was only his first two which were a <60min shift (59' and 54'). Three games he played the full 80', another 75', and two near-enough to 70'.

 

[Braveheart81]

You don’t think Petaia is a potential point of difference in attack?

I think Petaia is still a realistic shot at being in the starting back 3. I think we're going to end up with a pretty good back three regardless and I don't think anyone necessarily offers impact off the bench there over the starters (and they're not really positions where those players end up needing to be replaced because they're absolutely gassed.

I see 10 and 12 as the hardest starters to cover among other likely starters and also they're both players returning from long term injuries. I feel like the desire to cover those positions as well as possible while also not providing a glaring hole covering 11/14, 13 and 15 could be the primary goal of the bench options.

 

[TSR]

Yeah. Because of that nice calm decision making under pressure ….

I don’t disagree with your assessment of him as a player. I thought he was subpar last year and I don’t want him in the sqaud.

But he is a senior, experienced player.

 

[scrans21]

I see 10 and 12 as the hardest starters to cover among other likely starters and also they're both players returning from long term injuries. I feel like the desire to cover those positions as well as possible while also not providing a glaring hole covering 11/14, 13 and 15 could be the primary goal of the bench options.

I know he has detractors on here, but I see Foley as the man who will be wearing the 22 jersey. Obviously he covers 10 but he can play at 12 in a pinch (definitely not ideal). I just think with Cooper's injury history we will have to carry a 10 on the bench and with the current form and experience levels of our 10 options he seems like the best option. 23 is a straight shoot between Petaia and Wright for me with a starting back 3 of Koroibete at 11, Nawaqanitawse at 14 and Kellaway at 15.

 

[Highlander35]

I would be astonished if the 22 wasn't one of Foley, Lolesio, Hodge or O'Connor. Hodge and O'Connor are the absolute minimum you demand from a test match reserve 10.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don’t disagree with your assessment of him as a player. I thought he was subpar last year and I don’t want him in the sqaud.

I think our issue is that was there a 10 last year that wasn't subpar overall?

Aside from Cooper in 2021 we haven't had consistent good play from a 10 for a while.

Based on everything we've heard it would seem highly likely that Foley is in the 33 player squad for the Rugby Championship.

 

[TSR]

and both probably have more upside - but both can be roosters or feather dusters, Hodge is far less likely to make mistakes, more likely to play a role within a game plan and make solid defensive decisions

Up until last year I would have agreed with you and said Hodge often gets a bad wrap and is a dependable option.

I thought his error rate went up significantly last year.

Not sure how much that should be held against him now though. I missed a lot of the Rebels games so not sure on how he has been this year.

 

[TSR]

I think our issue is that was there a 10 last year that wasn't subpar overall?

Aside from Cooper in 2021 we haven't had consistent good play from a 10 for a while.

Based on everything we've heard it would seem highly likely that Foley is in the 33 player squad for the Rugby Championship.

I think Lolesio was better than him last year. Donaldson and Cooper didn’t play enough for a worthwhile comparison.

But yes - that’s fair comment but it is really part of a broader picture where we haven’t done well developing 10s for the last decade.

I don’t believe that is a sound argument for continuing to roll out Foley though. The only argument which has any merit, IMO, is that throwing Gordon in the deep end is a bad idea (and his lack of goal kicking doesn’t help his cause).

With Lolesio seemingly dropping out of contention and Donaldson struggling even I will concede it makes sense to have him around the squad. But i personally hope Cooper & Gordon get the nod.