Wallabies 2024

[KOB1987]

Two games, against the Cheetahs and Emerging Ireland… two more than zero.

It’s also possible that Schmidt has been following his career for longer, when he was playing in a premiership winning Leicester team.

I think it's probably this, and his experience playing in the UK generally, that has him running opposed sessions against our midfielders. I'll be surprised if he gets a cap, if he does good on him. Certainly isn't worth making a song and dance about though.

 

[Jets]

I'm not really surprised we've gone through a few captains this year as it's pretty much what Schmidt predicted from the outset as he's worked through settling on his squad.

But his first pick hasn't played since the first test of the year, and he's obviously been relying on who from his wider leadership group has been available to play.

Wilson didn't appear to be a part of the 23 until the Georgia test, and somewhat fell into the captaincy, but may or may not be a starter going forward after his form in the Bledisloe and depending on who else is available to start.

It is possible McReight may have taken on the captaincy if not for being injured leading into the RC, and does firm as a good choice going forward as a guaranteed starter... but, who knows?

Because he had a broken arm

 

[eastman]

He was never put on the unavailable list. Even Harry Johnson-Homes made that list

I hope he goes well, but I find it absurd that they refuse to give Toole even a chance after being our form winger in super rugby for the last 2 years

Are you being intentionally obtuse? Plenty of people have suggested that he’s been selected as outside back coverage and not as a pure wing. Toole is fighting against Pietsch.

 

[barbarian]

I get what you're saying, but the alternatives currently are a loose head prop not good enough to make the team, a tighthead prop not good enough to make the team, a number 8 that may not be good enough to start or the backup halfback

Oh yeah that's certainly true and McReight may well turn into the best long-term option. But some here seem to suggest it's a no-brainer, which on the evidence I've seen is a bit strange.

 

[Slim 293]

Because he had a broken arm

Nah, he was available for the Wales tests and was playing club rugby, when Schmidt opted for Wright and Cale, and Gleeson on the bench for the second with the former two both not playing again through injury...

 

[Tomthumb]

Dunno,but you definitely have negativity issues.

Sorry, I know there has been a lot to be positive about recently

 

[Tomthumb]

Are you being intentionally obtuse? Plenty of people have suggested that he’s been selected as outside back coverage and not as a pure wing. Toole is fighting against Pietsch.

The Force just played an entire super season and he never started a game at 13 so I'd ask why the hell he's now ahead of Josh Flook then

Toole isn't fighting against anyone because he's never been given a chance

 

[Braveheart81]

The Force just played an entire super season and he never started a game at 13 so I'd ask why the hell he's now ahead of Josh Flook then

Is he actually ahead of Flook if the intention is for Potter to be outside the matchday 23 for the Wallabies and for Flook to play two games at 13 for the Australian XV?

 

[Tomthumb]

Is he actually ahead of Flook if the intention is for Potter to be outside the matchday 23 for the Wallabies and for Flook to play two games at 13 for the Australian XV?

Fair enough, but you'd think if they were any chance for the Lions Schmidt would want as much time as possible with them. That was a big reason Suualli is with the Wallabies as Schmidt has said there wont really be any crossover

 

[eastman]

The Force just played an entire super season and he never started a game at 13 so I'd ask why the hell he's now ahead of Josh Flook then

Toole isn't fighting against anyone because he's never been given a chance

Because unlike Flook, he’s actually a threatening and capable wing/ fullback, as well as being a servicable centre.

So again he’s probably being considered a better 23 then Flook, as opposed to a better centre.

I think we’ve exhausted all your potential rebuttals- but keep going.

 

[Tazzmania]

The Force just played an entire super season and he never started a game at 13 so I'd ask why the hell he's now ahead of Josh Flook then

Toole isn't fighting against anyone because he's never been given a chance

Harry was injured early in the season after the Fiji game at the end of March and took no further part in the super season.

He worked hard to get back from injury in time for the Force spring tour and played two full matches against The Cheetahs and a decent Emerging Ireland side as well as coming off the bench against a WP development side in South Africa.

At 6 ft 1 in and 95 kg he is a decent sized back.

As already posted it is far better for Stewart and Flook to get proper game time for the "A" team, and he provides cover for a number of positions for the Wallabies, whereas Toole covers only wing where there are already a number of options ahead of him.

 

[TSR]

Name one successful team that didn't know who their captain was

I believe a really good captain can make a difference.

However - since you asked - from memory the Hockeyroos had a nominated captain but, from reading his book (which I read a long time ago admittedly) Ric Charlesworth was very big on leadership not sitting with a single person and he only named a specific captain because he had to.

 

[Tomthumb]

Toole covers only wing where there are already a number of options ahead of him.

I guess this is what i disagree with. IMO Toole is a match winner, and it feels like such a waste to not cap him for the Wallabies. I can see a future where he goes overseas and dominates and we miss out on his talents

 

[Yoda]

Correct. But also the mere fact that good NPC form has him with a shout of selection shows how utterly trash our 10s are.

So we are 10 in the world due to how “utterly trash” our 10’s are! What a ridiculous statement. Not that our squad as a whole aren’t at the level they need to be? All the 10’s fault. You’re next level.

 

[Braveheart81]

It's obviously hyperbole but it's clearly an issue that such a key position is also one of our weakest. We have several players of similar standard but no one that is close to being elite in the test arena.

 

[Yoda]

I guess this is what i disagree with. IMO Toole is a match winner, and it feels like such a waste to not cap him for the Wallabies. I can see a future where he goes overseas and dominates and we miss out on his talents

Joe has Toole in the squad and has obviously been observing him. He’s no slouch of a coach so it is pretty obvious he has work ons. Until Potter was injured against Fiji this year, I thought he was definitely in Wallabies calculations. Big, fast, good tackler … needs some fine tuning though. Joe obviously agrees.

 

[dru]

So we are 10 in the world due to how “utterly trash” our 10’s are! What a ridiculous statement. Not that our squad as a whole aren’t at the level they need to be? All the 10’s fault. You’re next level.

That statement is pure strawman.

 

[Yoda]

It's obviously hyperbole but it's clearly an issue that such a key position is also one of our weakest. We have several players of similar standard but no one that is close to being elite in the test arena.

Agreed, but you could say that about most of our squad. Is anyone ‘elite’? It’s always the young 10’s copping it. Don’t worry about that our forwards don’t have any real mongrel and don’t dominate opponents? I think I saw it once against the AB’s for one game when maybe QC (Quade Cooper) was 10, so a few years ago. Our forwards right from the get go were fantastic. Smashed them and Quade had all this great front foot ball. It was like… Fu.k… where has this been ? Next Test we were flogged! Our 10’s will look much better when the forwards literally go beserk every Test. Eddie did get that right. We are too soft. Having played behind great forwards and dud forwards as a 10, it is chalk and cheese. I often wonder whether some regular commenters on here have ever played the game.

 

[fatprop]

Joe has Toole in the squad and has obviously been observing him. He’s no slouch of a coach so it is pretty obvious he has work ons. Until Potter was injured against Fiji this year, I thought he was definitely in Wallabies calculations. Big, fast, good tackler … needs some fine tuning though. Joe obviously agrees.

There was some insights on where he needs to improve

Corey Toole signs new deal with ACT Brumbies

www.rugby.com.au

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt admitted last week a Test debut is a matter of when, not if, for the speedster, as he continues his development in the 15-a-side format.

“Corey’s opportunity will come. I had a great meeting with Corey yesterday talking through his game and he’s got a few priorities that he’s working on," Schmidt said before the second Bledisloe Test.

“…Corey hasn’t really had that much experience. He’s come from the Sevens program and had a season with the Brumbies so he’s still learning the 15s game even positionally.

‘I’ve got to keep working’: Toole opens up on potential Wallabies debut

Brumbies flyer Corey Toole understands the work he has to do if he wishes to pull on a gold jersey during the Spring Tour.

www.rugby.com.au

“It’s been a great experience within the Wallabies camp,” he said.

“I’ve just got to keep training hard over the next four weeks, keeping working on some little skill areas such as my high ball catching and contact areas.

“…I’ve just got to keep working on my skills and putting my best step forward each training and then maybe that opportunity will come back.”

 

[TSR]

I’d guess most, if not all, that are still on here have played the game.

Everything you say about the forwards can be true and our halves can still be letting us down. It’s still (IMO) a perfectly valid criticism. Whilst it might be true that forwards lay the platform you can have the best pack in the world and you’ll struggle without good halves.