I’d suggest a real takeaway from that is that the further Australian rugby got away from the inception of professionalism and the golden area of Eales/Horan/Herbert/Kefu/Tune/Gregan/Larkham/Burke etc etc (add your own favourites) the more the success rate dropped off.
I’m reminded of the cricket saying ‘show me a successful cricket captain and I’ll show you a guy who has two great strike bowlers’.Some have suggested the real secret to McQueen’s success was to have two of our all time greats in the same team. And then a smattering of legends. Of course Dwyer had the same.
Skelton has never remotely lived up to his reputation in a Rugby Championship (or basically any game against a quality SH team).I wouldn't pick Arnold but I would try and pick Skelton at every opportunity.
He's a genuinely world class player and one of the few we have who has the potential to move the needle at test level. The more time he had as a Wallaby the more we saw the potential he brings. I definitely want to continue that in whichever series it makes sense from an availability perspective.
I feel dirty saying this, but I almost wanted Portugal to winI honestly saw this and it took a while to remember who the second win was last year…
Portugal… but i enjoyed watching them play.
I'm a big fan of Flook, but I'm not sure I could justify picking him twiceA crack at a 33-man squad of Australian based players, excluding any confirmed to leave Aus Rugby at end of 2024
Bell, Slipper, Tupou, Ala'ala'toa, Schoupp
Porecki, Faessler, L.Lonergan
Frost, Rodda, Canham, Swain
McReight, Valetini, Leota, Wilson, T.Hooper, Gleeson, Gamble
McDermott, Fines, R.Lonergan
Gordon, Lolesio
Paisami, Foketi, Petaia, Flook
Kellaway, Vunivalu, Jorgensen, Flook, T.Wright
Good pick up. Edited for you!I'm a big fan of Flook, but I'm not sure I could justify picking him twice
A crack at a 33-man squad of Australian based players, excluding any confirmed to leave Aus Rugby at end of 2024
Bell, Slipper, Tupou, Ala'ala'toa, Schoupp
Porecki, Faessler, L.Lonergan
Frost, Rodda, Canham, Swain
McReight, Valetini, Leota, Wilson, T.Hooper, Gleeson, Gamble
McDermott, Fines, R.Lonergan
Gordon, Lolesio
Paisami, Foketi, Petaia, Flook
Kellaway, Vunivalu, Jorgensen, Pietsch, T.Wright
EEEEEEK. Whoops. Edited again!Hey Eddie, still not a fan of Ikitau?
Have a shower!I feel dirty saying this, but I almost wanted Portugal to win
With not a game of the new season played? Pointless.A crack at a 33-man squad of Australian based players, excluding any confirmed to leave Aus Rugby at end of 2024
Bell, Slipper, Tupou, Ala'ala'toa, Schoupp
Porecki, Faessler, L.Lonergan
Frost, Rodda, Canham, Swain
McReight, Valetini, Leota, Wilson, T.Hooper, Gleeson, Gamble
McDermott, Fines, R.Lonergan
Gordon, Lolesio
Paisami, Foketi, Petaia, Ikitau
Kellaway, Vunivalu, Jorgensen, Flook, T.Wright
It's an internet forum, 98% of what we do is pointless.With not a game of the new season played? Pointless.
Good effort RY, but like others have commented I think it's premature to put Rodda in there as he's had almost no game time for a couple of years and his form before injury was patchy to say the least. I think LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) or Neville will be there before Rodda at this stage.A crack at a 33-man squad of Australian based players, excluding any confirmed to leave Aus Rugby at end of 2024
Bell, Slipper, Tupou, Ala'ala'toa, Schoupp
Porecki, Faessler, L.Lonergan
Frost, Rodda, Canham, Swain
McReight, Valetini, Leota, Wilson, T.Hooper, Gleeson, Gamble
McDermott, Fines, R.Lonergan
Gordon, Lolesio
Paisami, Foketi, Petaia, Ikitau
Kellaway, Vunivalu, Jorgensen, Flook, T.Wright
But that was only when Quade was running the cutter, his Wallabies won 65% of their tests when Quade started at 10, add in a telepathic synergy with Australia's best scrumhalf since Gregan in Will Genia & that once in a generation combination should've achieved a lot more under Robbie's tutelage - most notably a 2013 Lions Series win.So the context here is that he managed to maintain a higher level of success over a longer period?
It was a ‘toxic environment’ though remember!But that was only when Quade was running the cutter, his Wallabies won 65% of their tests when Quade started at 10, add in a telepathic synergy with Australia's best scrumhalf since Gregan in Will Genia & that once in a generation combination should've achieved a lot more under Robbie's tutelage - most notably a 2013 Lions Series win.
Ha ha… would it be more like 100%! One thing about the internet. It creates so many options to waste time!It's an internet forum, 98% of what we do is pointless.