Wallabies Squad - the Link Era

[RoffsChoice]

No Horne is crazy, he's been just as good as Lilo at 12, just in different ways.

 

[cyclopath]

I am amazed that Harris is ahead of Horne or Tapuai, even accepting Tapuai's mediocre form of late.

 

[barbarian]

Mike Harris over Horne is just fucking mystifying. It is a straight out shit selection. Harris has had a mediocre year at best, while Horne has been consistent in all facets this season and deserves a spot.

But I don't want to become one of those guys who squeals like a stuck pig over one selection in a 40 man squad. The rest look pretty good, no-one is particularly unlucky to miss out (other than Rob).
.

 

[Brumby Runner]

When you drop 10 names from the squad you'd figure:

Betham, Fardy or Pyle, Harris, Ryan or Sio, Schatz, Dennis or McCalman, F-Sautia, Foley plus a couple more or alternatively both players listed in a couple of my either/or options.

I see that TPN is not fit to tour Argentina. On that basis, he could very well drop out of the initial squad, but he will return once fit and injury free.

 

[Braveheart81]

I see that TPN is not fit to tour Argentina. On that basis, he could very well drop out of the initial squad, but he will return once fit and injury free.

I doubt it. Why name him at all now if he's not fit and you're going to drop him from the squad before the first test?

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Kurindrani, Lilo, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Fainga'a, Feaui-Sautia, Mike Harris.

I wouldn't say thin exactly. 4 test capped options and 2 quality younger players.

Harris and Fainga'a are third string options at best only who got their caps in a time of injury crisis, Fainga'a has been injured or average most the year and Harris rarely cracks the 23 for the reds these days. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as we know and I'm happy with Kuridrani and CFS in the squad though, both solid players with big futures ahead of them so it's good they are getting some exposure now.

Horne has every right to feel hard done by, he has far more experience at wallaby level than Harris or Fainga'a and has shown better form than both of them this year. That said, it's the only flat out wrong selection in the squad, the rest is very solid.

A few years ago I would have been amazed that I was typing out passioned post about Rob Horne, but here I am, he's come good I reckon.

 

[Sully]

While I'm amazed at Harris' inclusion I'm not a fan of Rob Horne and don't think he has done enough to get included.

 

[Slim 293]

Harris, Fainga'a and CFS over Horne?

Hmmmmmmm.........

I'll reserve judgement until we see the makeup of the first test team........

 

[fatprop]

the F-Sautia & Betham selections highlight the drop in depth we have in wingers at the moment, neither are near test standard at the moment by miles

Harris? meh

 

[Braveheart81]

While I'm amazed at Harris' inclusion I'm not a fan of Rob Horne and don't think he has done enough to get included.

How do you do enough to get included then?

I would say Leali'ifano, Horne and Godwin were far and away the stand out 12s this year in Australian Super Rugby.

With Godwin injured, surely that would mean Horne did do enough.

A big part of the Reds problem scoring tries this season was surely the injuries and lack of form of Harris, Fainga'a and Tapuai.

 

[Braveheart81]

the F-Sautia & Betham selections highlight the drop in depth we have in wingers at the moment, neither are near test standard at the moment by miles

Harris? meh

I imagine they'll both be cut when the squad reduces to 30.

If they were any chance to play, you'd figure someone like Drew Mitchell would have been included instead.

I'd see those two as development selections.

Harris is just meh.

 

[Sully]

How do you do enough to get included then?

I would say Leali'ifano, Horne and Godwin were far and away the stand out 12s this year in Australian Super Rugby.

With Godwin injured, surely that would mean Horne did do enough.

A big part of the Reds problem scoring tries this season was surely the injuries and lack of form of Harris, Fainga'a and Tapuai.

I'm glad you decided to ignore the first part of my post and concentrate on the second.

 

[EatSleepDrinkRuck]

Australia's new coach Ewen McKenzie announced the following training squad for the Rugby Championship on Friday:
Backs: Peter Betham, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Bernard Foley, Mike Harris, Tevita Kuridrani, Jesse Mogg, Quade Cooper, Nick Cummins, Israel Folau, Joe Tomane, Nick Cummins, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt To'omua, Christian Leali'ifano, Anthony Fainga'a, James O'Connor, Will Genia, Nick Phipps, Nic White.
Forwards: Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Saia Fainga'a, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, Liam Gill, Peter Kimlin, Ben McCalman, Hugh McMeniman, Ben Mowen, Rob Simmons, James Horwill, James Slipper, Ben Alexander, Benn Robinson, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore, Hugh Pyle, Paddy Ryan, Jake Schatz, Scott Sio.
Yup Paddy is in.

Honey Badger so good he named twice. Honey Badger don't give a shit.

 

[something]

Apart from the harris over horne im pretty stoked with that squad. Realistically neither of them would make the 23 so its not that big of a deal.

 

[something]

The ones im really happy with are Foley, Fardy, Kurindrani and to a lesser extent F'Sautia.

I think the case with CFS is that he is a beast in training and he just hasnt had that translate on the pitch yet. Could be more of a learning experience than anything else

 

[Brumby Runner]

Apart from the harris over horne im pretty stoked with that squad. Realistically neither of them would make the 23 so its not that big of a deal.

If he was in the squad, I think Horne was a real chance of getting a bench spot to cover 12/13. In his absence, Ant is looking good for the bench.

 

[barbarian]

While I'm amazed at Harris' inclusion I'm not a fan of Rob Horne and don't think he has done enough to get included.

He was a vital cog in a backline that made more linebreaks and ran more metres than any other side in the comp.

This was his best and most consistent year IMO. I'll echo BH's question- what more could he have done?
.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

This was his best and most consistent year IMO. I'll echo BH's question- what more could he have done?
.

Play for the reds?

/Troll

 

[Braveheart81]

Picking a 40 man squad before you have to drop it down to a reasonable size for the tests is a good piece of PR.

Maybe Deans should have done this more often.

A lot fewer people get upset when you name half the eligible players.

 

[terry j]

what are the 'rules' governing eligibility'? I know (for example) to play for aust you need to play In aus, but what about oconnor who (at least yet) is not confirmed will be playing in aus next year, if you follow what I mean.