Wallabies 22 - Week 1 Super Rugby

[Gnostic]

An interesting exercise to pick a Wallabies 22 from the best performed each week. Players can only be picked in the position they actually play in.

1. Kepu (Tahs)
2. Moore (Brumbies)
3. Palmer (Brumbies)
4. Sharpe (Force)
5. Douglas (Tahs)
6. Dennis (Tahs) - This was perhaps the toughest spot with Hodgeson a very close second.
7. Waugh (Tahs)
8. Mowen (Tahs)
9. Burgess (Tahs)
10. Barnes (Tahs)
12. Coleman (Brumbies)
13. Horne (Tahs)
11. Mitchell (Tahs)
14. Ioane (Reds)
15. Beale (Tahs)

16. TPN (Tahs)
17. Baxter (Tahs)
18. Simmons (Reds)
19. Brown (Force)
20. Sheehan (Force) - I expect cries of outrage from Reds and Genia fans but he was outplayed behind a beaten pack.
21. JOC (James O'Connor) (Force) - could we all have been wrong and JOC (James O'Connor) is actually a 10? Outplayed Cooper and Giteau IMO.
22. Shepheard (Force) - another close one with Mcabe.

No real surprise that there are so few Reds players, they didn't do themselves any favours with a very error ridden and lack luster performance. Likewise the Brumbies.

 

[Thomas]

This weeks was always going to be biased towards the Tahs as they had the easiest game. No really argument to that team (Maybe Higginbotham over Dennis though).

 

[Richard D. James]

Six is certainly tough, but I would say Hodgson over Dennis and Higgers.

 

[Groucho]

I think JOC (James O'Connor)'s performance at 10 bodes well for his prospects at 12. He is a very 12-ish, elusive kind of 10.

 

[Set piece magic]

Hodgson played brilliantly but then lost the game for force with yellow card. Doesn't cut it

 

[dobduff11]

Just a couple of changes Gnostic, thought JOC (James O'Connor) was better than barnes on average and Hodgo had a great game,

6. Hodgson (Force)

10. JOC (James O'Connor) (Force)

 

[gone]

Kepu was average. Your randwick bias showing through there. Little impact with ball in hand and the scrum got much better when he went off. Robinson or Henderson better IMO.

 

[disco]

James Horwill would be my pick @ Blindside this week. He was in everything try saving tackle, hard yards, stealing balls out of rolling mauls he would be the only reds player worth a mention this week.

 

[disco]

I also would have taken Henderson over Kepu & Ioane is lucky to be there.

 

[Lee Grant]

No really argument to that team (Maybe Higginbotham over Dennis though).

Where is that "Surely you jest" icon when you need it?

 

[Lee Grant]

I think JOC (James O'Connor)'s performance at 10 bodes well for his prospects at 12. He is a very 12-ish, elusive kind of 10.

He is an elusive kind of anything. He is hard to contain and bring to the ground playing in any position.

 

[Groucho]

He is an elusive kind of anything. He is hard to contain and bring to the ground playing in any position.

He also has a good short passing game. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would prosper outside him.

 

[Gagger]

Regardless of the Forces's prospects, I reckon this Super season will be good for JOC (James O'Connor)'s development. Would seem to be captain of the backs

 

[rugbysmartarse]

He also has a good short passing game. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would prosper outside him.

I thought JOC (James O'Connor)'s passing showed why he is not suited to an inside back position. on a few occasions he failed to get/keep the backline moving with poor passes. EG pass that went behind Inman late in the game within their 22 which made him turn and catch, instead of shuffle the ball along to open men outside. (I think Horan picked this one in commentary)

 

[WB3]

I thought JOC (James O'Connor)'s passing showed why he is not suited to an inside back position. on a few occasions he failed to get/keep the backline moving with poor passes. EG pass that went behind Inman late in the game within their 22 which made him turn and catch, instead of shuffle the ball along to open men outside. (I think Horan picked this one in commentary)

That was as much a result of lack of depth as anything, IIRC. Quade had some similar mishaps too. It is early in the season so I'll forgive basic rustiness like that. He has shown at other times to be a very capable ball-handler

 

[TOCC]

JOC (James O'Connor) was one of the better backs on the weekend, but he wasnt the best 5/8 on the weekend, Barnes was better, JOC (James O'Connor) deserves to be in the backline somewhere though.

 

[Ruggo]

Kepu at LHP, surely not. The other LHP that played well that is not mentioned above is Greg Holmes. Alexander was also better than Kepu.

 

[Scotty]

Bugger that. Just put the Tahs starting XV in there, with maybe a few other teams player on the bench. The Tahs deserve it.

 

[fatprop]

Slipper for Palmer

 

[topo]

I agree with thatguy, I thought Kepu struggled at scrum time. Having watched him in the latter half of the Shute Shield and in the Nowra trial against Fairbrother, I thought his scrummaging had really improved, but Sommerville really gave it to him until he went to the blood bin. Kepu was penalised a lot for collapsing in the first 20 mins. Things got better for him when Lawrie Weeks came on (which also surprised me a bit as I am an unabashed Lawrie fan). On the other side I thought Baxter had Henderson's measure and then clearly dominated Sommerville when he moved across to the LH side. Sommerville is clearly happier at THP, which isn't good for Weeks. Fatcat looked fantastic when he came on, but the match was pretty much won and the scrum contest was nothing like the first half.
From what I saw on the weekend, I would have Holmes at LHP and Baxter at THP with Slipper on the bench.