Wallabies 2024

[rugbyAU]

3 Tahs is fair but they are the wrong ones (+ Bell & Porecki),

do you think Lonergan should be in the team

 

[Yoda]

do you think Lonergan should be in the team

I don’t. The other 3 are better. He will get there though in the future I suspect.

 

[Derpus]

Lonergan is 26 now. He seems a prime candidate for an overseas contract.

 

[KOB1987]

do you think Lonergan should be in the team

Jake is one of the correct picks. I wouldn’t have Pietsch there, and 50/50 on Gleeson.

 

[rugbyAU]

Jake is one of the correct picks. I wouldn’t have Pietsch there, and 50/50 on Gleeson.

Yeah not sure why Gleesons there we already have three number 8’s but Doran said it was because of Leota’s injury

 

[KOB1987]

Yeah not sure why Gleesons there we already have three number 8’s but Doran said it was because of Leota’s injury

The inference there is that one of them is considered a 6. I’d say that is Valetini, so Cale, Wilson and Gleeson are the 8s. My inference only.

 

[Raytah]

Some interesting squad calls, but no absolute shockers. Overriding sense of excitment to just watch the lads rip in. The 23 for for Test 1 should be:

1. Slipper / Hodgeman
2. Faessler / Pollard
3. Ala'alatoa / Tupou
4. Frost
5. Salakaia-Loto / Hooper
6. Wright
7. McReight
8. Valetini / Wilson
9. White / McDermott
10. Lolesio / Donaldson
11. Flook
12. Paisami
13. Ikitau
14. Kellaway
15. Wright

 

[Wilson]

The Welsh camp does not look like a particularly happy one in the lead up to their tour here:

Wales hooker Sam Parry leaves squad with immediate effect

Mail Sport can reveal Sam Parry departed Wales' Vale of Glamorgan training base ahead of Saturday's game with South Africa at Twickenham and the three-match trip to Australia.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Confucius Say]

Some interesting squad calls, but no absolute shockers. Overriding sense of excitment to just watch the lads rip in. The 23 for for Test 1 should be:

1. Slipper / Hodgeman
2. Faessler / Pollard
3. Ala'alatoa / Tupou
4. Frost
5. Salakaia-Loto / Hooper
6. Wright
7. McReight
8. Valetini / Wilson
9. White / McDermott
10. Lolesio / Donaldson
11. Flook
12. Paisami
13. Ikitau
14. Kellaway
15. Wright

Who’s your 23rd?

 

[Confucius Say]

Whilst I think Flook is a better rugby player, Dylan Pietsch would add more on the wing than Flook. He’s a 13 and Ikitau should have pressure on him for that spot.

We really need to find two world class players at 9 and 10.

 

[wamberal99]

Surely we remember the hype from the lead up to the RWC. Wallabies were going to win all tests in 23 leading into France and then take Bill in a smash and grab. And we all fell for at least part of the drivel, some fell for the lot. How did we finish? Wins against Georgia and Portugal and kicked out of France earlier than expected.

The team to play in the RC will be strengthened by including some overseas players, Skelton, Koroibete, BPA, and hopefully by some returning injured players, Bell especially. If the basis for a competitive team can be put together now, then there is hope for further success later in the year.

I am confident that Schmidt is a far better coach than Eddie Eyebrows, a far better man manager, and an infinitely better human being. He has a better support team and also a track record of success, I don't think he would have taken the job on if he thought he would fail at the first hurdle.

I hope

 

[Lindommer]

Perese was the starter inside centre in a Waratahs side who won the wooden spoon.

Perese missed a few games due to injury and was on the bench for the last coupla matches. Starter inside outside centre? Only sometimes.

Fixed

 

[rugbyAU]

The Welsh camp does not look like a particularly happy one in the lead up to their tour here:

Wales hooker Sam Parry leaves squad with immediate effect

Mail Sport can reveal Sam Parry departed Wales' Vale of Glamorgan training base ahead of Saturday's game with South Africa at Twickenham and the three-match trip to Australia.

www.dailymail.co.uk

And a few injured players ahead of SA - 34 man squad named after that game for Aus

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Scott Sio starting for Barbarians against Fiji. Not sure if telecast anywhere but would be interested to see how it goes and a possible inclusion for TRC later on.
After all he is still 3 years younger than slipper

 

[Marce]

Perese missed a few games due to injury and was on the bench for the last coupla matches. Starter inside outside centre? Only sometimes.

Fixed

I did the math game by game

Perese played 8 games as starter this season and in 4 he was on the bench

Round 1 Outside centre
Round 3 Outside centre
Round 4 Outside centre
Round 5 Outside centre
Round 6 Outside centre
Round 8 Outside centre
Round 11 Outside centre
Round 14 Right wing

On the bench:

Round 7
Round 10
Round 13
Round 15

 

[Brumby Runner]

With a game plan we will beat Wales. Georgia too, I would suggest comfortably. We didn’t have a game plan last time we played Wales! Why are you so pessimistic? Schmidt is a back coach and Cron a reputable forward coach. So far, miles ahead of EJ (Eddie Jones) (Eddie Jones) and his band of NRL coaches with no real idea of rugby. I’m very confident with this coaching team and our new faces in the Wallabies. Go boys!

Right now we are quite weak in the front row, and as with most UK and European teams, I expect that Wales will be strong in that area. If we lose the forwards battle then the backs will have a hard time scoring the necessaries to win a game. We will not be helped there with some less than test ready players in the outside backs and Bernard Foley Mk II (Noah) in 10.

On top of that, two weeks is hardly time to bed in a new game plan, no matter how good it is. I can easily see us losing the first test, but hopefully will see signs of development and improvement in the following tests.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Not enough Brumbies, 3 Tahs and Kurtley.

On the old hobby horse again KOB. For your edification, there are 10 Brumbies in the squad and I expect all 10 will be in the 23 for the first test.

My expected team for June 6 is:

Slipper, Faessler, AAA, Frost, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Valetini, McReight, Cale, White, Lolesio, Kellaway, Paisami, Ikitau, Daugunu, Wright.

Bench : Pollard, Hodgeman, Tupou, Smith, Hooper, McDermott, Donaldson, Flook

Interesting, not a single Tah and that's too many, but would you believe 23 Wallabies.

 

[TSR]

Right now we are quite weak in the front row, and as with most UK and European teams, I expect that Wales will be strong in that area. If we lose the forwards battle then the backs will have a hard time scoring the necessaries to win a game. We will not be helped there with some less than test ready players in the outside backs and Bernard Foley Mk II (Noah) in 10.

On top of that, two weeks is hardly time to bed in a new game plan, no matter how good it is. I can easily see us losing the first test, but hopefully will see signs of development and improvement in the following tests.

I’ve been critical of Foley a few times but at his best he was a decent international player. Realistically not everyone is going to be World XV level.

Lolesio doesn’t have the same level of experience but he isn’t a greenhorn either. He is also a more consistent goal kicker and has a longer kick in general play - which was probably Foley’s most significant shortcoming.

 

[KOB1987]

I thought it would be an interesting exercise to 'select' a team based on number of caps. Probably not by coincidence, there are 2 neat XVs and an 8 man bench. A 'probable' 23 and a development XV if you like.
Before someone has a meltdown about 'player x should be there ahead of player y', first tie break was number of caps (which is how Beale ends up at fullback), and second tie break is recency, which is how Gleeson ends up on the bench over Wright.
I DON"T EXPECT THIS TO BE THE EXACT TEAM, IT WAS JUST AN EXERCISE! That said, it will be pretty close. Realistically we won't have all of those 3 up the back, but put Daugunu on the wing and drop Beale back to the bench it's very much possibly the starting point 23 that Schmidt is going to work from.
Potentially up to 714 caps in the match day 23.
Contrary to BR's post above, the props on both sides of the scrum are amongst our most experienced position, hooker is our least experienced position, but I wouldn't call Faessler or Pollard 'weak'.

Most Capped

1 J Slipper 135
2 M Faessler 5
3 A Ala'alatoa 66
4 N Frost 15
5 L Salakai-Loto 30
6 R Valetini 39
7 F McReight 17
8 H Wilson 12
9 N White 66
10 N Lolesio 20
11 T Wright 23
12 H Paisami 24
13 L Ikitau 29
14 A Kellaway 26
15 K Beale 95

Bench

16 B Pollard 1
17 A Hodgman 4
18 T Tupou 51
19 T Hooper 8
20 L Gleeson 5
21 T McDermott 29
22 B Donaldson 7
23 F Daugunu 7

Least Capped

1 I Kailea 0
2 J Nasser 0
3 Z Nonggorr 4
4 A Blyth 0
5 R Smith 0
6 J Williams 0
7 L Wright 5
8 C Cale 0
9 J Gordon 20
10 T Lynagh 0
11 D Lancaster 0
12 D Feliuai 0
13 H Stewart 0
14 D Pietsch 0
15 J Flook 0

 

[Brumby Runner]

Scott Sio starting for Barbarians against Fiji. Not sure if telecast anywhere but would be interested to see how it goes and a possible inclusion for TRC later on.
After all he is still 3 years younger than slipper

May have already been answered, but game is on STAN.