Wallabies 2023

[Slim 293]

I read somewhere that Laurie had said he wanted to go back to the Brumbies.

He was always going back to the Brumbies, but he was disappointed to be let go...

Disappointed to not be continuing the journey with the @wallabies thru to the World Cup. Will play my part by ensuring all
@BrumbiesRugby players are in a program that maximises their progress & development to be the best they can be. Enjoyed the brief opportunity.

https://twitter.com/LordLaurie58?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

 

[qwerty51]

Are we sure Laurie was pushed out?

Hard to know for certain but his tweet would indicate he wanted to continue.

 

[cyclopath]

Fisher had been approached a few times before and was never particularly interested (from what I heard from a good source). I was actually surprised when he did join the Wallabies coaching staff. No slight on his ability, but it did seem he was somewhat reluctant for a long while.

 

[Lightblue]

As much as a lot of people all s**t on Wright, he's not terrible - just needs to work out the stuff ups

People who bagged Wright have no idea.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

People who bagged Wright have no idea.

I think most people that have bagged Wright (myself included) also bring up the brilliance he can produce. He just need the benefit to out weigh the cost, which I think it does in the current Wallabies.

If you picked a Wallabies team for this Saturday he's the Fullback.

 

[Tomthumb]

And this was always the risk in dumping Rennie prior to the RWC...

Are these assistants on long term contracts, or is Eddie going to be able to make improvements when there's more coaches on the market next year?

What's the risk?

Rennie and his team were hardly setting the world alight. Forwards seemed to take a step back when McKellar came aboard

 

[fatprop]

Fisher had been approached a few times before and was never particularly interested (from what I heard from a good source). I was actually surprised when he did join the Wallabies coaching staff. No slight on his ability, but it did seem he was somewhat reluctant for a long while.

He has always appeared reluctant to commit the time away from home required, which is understandable

 

[Tah Man]

He has always appeared reluctant to commit the time away from home required, which is understandable

He'd struggle in France, no Resches for a minimum of 6 weeks!

 

[fatprop]

Nah, you're right... everyone except for Laurie left (McKellar having since revealed he would've taken the Leicester gig regardless).

I know that Eddie wanted a defence coach with a league background, but I wonder if he should've retained Laurie short term to look after the forwards?

Hodgson, Wisemantle & Hatley have all worked in international coaching roles with Jones before

I can understand why they have chosen units with some history with him

 

[KevinO]

Just played catch up on this thread:

I actually think it's a good thing that the Wallabies coaching line up is all fresh faces, means there is no previous loyalties coming into a RWC year. I don't think Eddie Jones will be giving you caps based on your reputation and is going to make every player earn there spot.

The guy lives for the RWC and causing upsets, he would have been planning England's run for the last 2 years, his lucky enough the Wallabies are on the same side of the draw so will be re arranging his plans in gold. I don't think the Wallabies are good enough to beat anyone in the top 4 in a final at the moment, but I don't put making the final out of reach either.

Regards Wallabies kickers, in France I'd be looking at O'Gara being added to the team as a kicking consultant. Mo'unga was a horrible kicker and has come out and said O'Gara sorted that out. To the extent he felt embarrassed at some of the basic drills he was made to practice.

Locks and back row, you will need 3 jumpers in the starting line up. Get that sorted and work out the rest of the balance after, trying to work out a back row without that is pointless. It's also why I think Wilkin needs to be considered more seriously, his a better line out option then most, I think Valetini is your ball running back rower and you make sure the front row is guys who get the team on the front foot. Wallabies fans have been so worried about big ball runners that they forget that does not matter if the team can get the ball out quick and onto the next phase, what the Brumbies pack can do well.

 

[Braveheart81]

What's the risk?

Rennie and his team were hardly setting the world alight. Forwards seemed to take a step back when McKellar came aboard

The risk is you spend an extra year's salary on the Wallabies coach (because you're still paying Rennie) and don't actually improve things.

The secondary risk is you end up with substandard assistant coaches because you need new ones now and most of them are unlikely to upheave their lives for a deal lasting less than a year.

 

[Dctarget]

Locks and back row, you will need 3 jumpers in the starting line up. Get that sorted and work out the rest of the balance after, trying to work out a back row without that is pointless. It's also why I think Wilkin needs to be considered more seriously, his a better line out option then most, I think Valetini is your ball running back rower and you make sure the front row is guys who get the team on the front foot. Wallabies fans have been so worried about big ball runners that they forget that does not matter if the team can get the ball out quick and onto the next phase, what the Brumbies pack can do well.

Good post Kev. On this paragraph in particular I agree with you about ball runners. As you know the Irish don't have a pack of absolute behemoths but they're quick, recycle the ball fast and run great support.

I like Wilkin a lot, on form I'd have him ahead of Hooper and if Hooper can't reach his previous levels then Eddie has to be able to pull the trigger. Even preferring Wilkin, I'm not sure he's international standard. Guess it's more a commentary on our current crop of 7s. I have faith that McReight can kick on to greater things but he's not there yet.

 

[Wilson]

Good post Kev. On this paragraph in particular I agree with you about ball runners. As you know the Irish don't have a pack of absolute behemoths but they're quick, recycle the ball fast and run great support.

I like Wilkin a lot, on form I'd have him ahead of Hooper and if Hooper can't reach his previous levels then Eddie has to be able to pull the trigger. Even preferring Wilkin, I'm not sure he's international standard. Guess it's more a commentary on our current crop of 7s. I have faith that McReight can kick on to greater things but he's not there yet.

I think there's a bit of a side contest going between Wright and Wilkin at the moment where both are jumping 7s with a good bit of flexibility across the back row and as such can give Eddie a lot of flexibility there. I think only one can make it and I'm not sure either will in the end but with the injuries and slow starts from a lot of the other backrowers they're in the box seat right now.

 

[RugbyReg]

Ok, I've done a special Openside Flanker stats review:

OSF at least three games

Top Defender
- based purely on tackle success

1. Brad Wilkin 50 tackles @ 94.34%
2. Ollie Callan 56 @ 93.33%
3. Fraser McReight 54 @ 85.71%
4. Rory Scott 41 @ 80.39%
5. Michael Hooper 43 @ 75.44%

Work Rate leaders
- Least number of minutes per involvement – an involvement being a tackle, a carry or a turnover)

1. Ollie Callan – 3.10
2. Brad Wilkin – 3.47
3. Fraser McReight – 3.60
4. Rory Scott – 3.96
5. Michael Hooper – 4.64

Biggest Attacking influence
- most clean breaks, defenders beaten, offloads and try assists with a multiplier of their metres/carry figure

1. Michael Hooper – 29.74
2. Rory Scott – 26.00
3. Fraser McReight – 21.70
4. Ollie Callan – 21.27
5. Brad Wilkin – 10.71

Disrupter
- least number of minutes per disruptive influence, being a turnover, a defender beater, a clean break, an offload, or a lineout steal

1. Ollie Callan – 17.12
2. Fraser McReight - 21.33
3. Rory Scott – 26.00
4. Michael Hooper – 26.67
5. Brad Wilkin – 36.71

Defensive Kings.
- Basically the number of minutes per tackles plus dominant tackles plus the number of turnovers won all multiplied by the tackle success rate

1. Ollie Callan – 4.87
2. Brad Wilkin – 5.14
3. Fraser McReight – 5.83
4. Rory Scott – 5.84
5. Michael Hooper – 9.03

The Uh Oh
- least number of minutes per stuff up – stuff up being missed tackle, turn over conceded, penalty given away with a 2 x multiplier for yellow cards and 5 for reds

1. Ollie Callan – 15.32
2. Rory Scott – 18.36
3. Michael Hooper – 18.83
4. Fraser McReight – 22.86
5. Brad Wilkin – 23.36

 

[LeCheese]

Something to consider for 'The Uh Oh' stat Reg, or another stat entirely, would be factoring in number of involvements. Have understandably noticed a trend of guys who are heavily involved also featuring heavily in Uh Ohs

 

[Dctarget]

Good on Callan, need to watch him closer. Seems he's willing to push it more as seen by him fucking up the most but also disrupting the most.

Good to see Hooper still leading the charge on attack, though missing every 4th tackle...

 

[qwerty51]

I think you should include Reimer and potentially Gleeson/Samu/Gamble even though they're not playing there as they're potential Test #7 options.

 

[D-Box]

Good on Callan, need to watch him closer. Seems he's willing to push it more as seen by him fucking up the most but also disrupting the most.

Good to see Hooper still leading the charge on attack, though missing every 4th tackle...

The red that was subsequently overturned won't be helping that stat

 

[Rebel man]

Totally uninspiring appointments. Hatley was the scrum coach for England 2019, where they got absolutely destroyed in the RWC final? And then coached Bath to awful seasons?

The other guy knows nothing about rugby. And we have Brett Hodgson, another league defensive coach.

We need to bring people in from the outside. Why does someone in a high performance role have to be a rugby person?

 

[KevinO]

Will be interesting to see the difference in Wilkin stats this weekend with Hardwick missing. Think that he will step up being a menace.