Wallabies Squad - the Link Era

[Scotty]

Shatz? Seriously? Decent Super player. Test player not.

Simpson (sic) ahead of Pyle is a bit funny and a pure coaches' favourite.

Alexander ahead of Fatcat. Excuse me while I get myself a lobotomy.

Didn't Deans also pick Simmons ahead of Pyle?

Agree on Schatz though. He is no where near test level.

 

[Scotty]

Ah, so we aren't allowed to debate selections until we've seen his first game. OK, fair enough.

But I suggest we wait until we've seen his first series as coach before we debate anything.

Actually, let's give him a year. After all it will take time for the players to adapt to his style.

No, scrap that, I think we should wait until after the 2015 RWC. That is what we are aiming at, after all.

Then, and ONLY then, we can discuss and debate his selection decisions.
.

Ha!

I seem to recall someone with a very similar name to you trying to somewhat quell the debate on Deans Lions squad selections.

The irony.

 

[Scotty]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Slipper start at 1 with Sio coming on as the impact player. Slipper is an effective tight runner, great defender and has a big work rate. If we are going to play up tempo we need the likes of him.

Perhaps the best front row balance is Slipper with Kepu and Sio with Alexander.

 

[Athilnaur]

Wouldn't be much of a rugby forum without selection debate

But there is surprisingly little change. Even McCalman, who certainly raised plenty of eyebrows in the Deans era, is in. Douglas too. The surprises aren't really, Sio for example has been a standout prop in recent months, and much of the change is injury based. Similarly To'omua and Foley were standouts. In fact Foley is a major standout, having been pivotal for the Tahs in their attacking game, something we are told is the mandate of Link.

As a Rebels man and a big believer in dynamic rugby I'm disappointed Pyle isn't there ahead of Simmons as I believe Pyle is the future and our present locking standard is low. Good locks are such a pivotal part of the great teams in my view.

I have long seen Simmons as a penalty magnet who does little, but he has played better this year and he offers some continuity to Link with set piece. Again, a player selected under Deans.

Fatcat has been sidelined is the only controversy really, and you have to allow that Link of all people is the right guy to make that call.

So if the team hasn't really surprised us, presumably the gameplan will? I'm not so sure.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Must admit that Link has baffled me with the front row. I was fully expecting 2 LHPs being Robbo and Sio, and 2 THPs being Slipper and one of Alexander or Kepu. To go with one LH makes for a real mystery. Who is the back up LH? Either Slipper or Alexander can play there but haven't at either S15 or test level for some time. For better or worse, Benny A is the incumbent TH and other than the 3rd test against the Lions has been playing adequately to strongly there is recent times - better than most posters give him credit.

I wouldn't be surprised at all now to see the Brumbies' front row start for the Wallabies. They were the strongest front three in the Aust conference and probably got the better of most of the NZ and SA scrums during the S15. That would probably leave Slipper as back up to Scott Sio, but that was not where Link played him for the Reds. So, why the apparent change of heart by Link? Is it simply that he wants props who are more mobile in the open now that the scrum laws have changed? The chosen four are quite likely the most mobile of the props under consideration.

 

[It is what it is]

Must admit that Link has baffled me with the front row. I was fully expecting 2 LHPs being Robbo and Sio, and 2 THPs being Slipper and one of Alexander or Kepu. To go with one LH makes for a real mystery. Who is the back up LH? Either Slipper or Alexander can play there but haven't at either S15 or test level for some time. For better or worse, Benny A is the incumbent TH and other than the 3rd test against the Lions has been playing adequately to strongly there is recent times - better than most posters give him credit.

I wouldn't be surprised at all now to see the Brumbies' front row start for the Wallabies. They were the strongest front three in the Aust conference and probably got the better of most of the NZ and SA scrums during the S15. That would probably leave Slipper as back up to Scott Sio, but that was not where Link played him for the Reds. So, why the apparent change of heart by Link? Is it simply that he wants props who are more mobile in the open now that the scrum laws have changed? The chosen four are quite likely the most mobile of the props under consideration.

Slipper is really a LHP. He played THP for QLD because they had nobody else.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Slipper is really a LHP. He played THP for QLD because they had nobody else.

Could say the same about Benny A at the Brumbies. Only played TH due Palmer's injuries. But both have only played TH at test level for over a year now iirc. Still leaves me guessing who will be the back up LH in this first test.

 

[No4918]

I think the starting front row will be Sio/Moore/Kepu. Will be surprised to see Kepu get more than 50 minutes and McKenzie may even bring him off after 30 or so in the first half after sending out the strongest scrummaging 3 to start.

The way coaches use the front row may really change as they get used to the idea of having a full one on the bench.

 

[TOCC]

Simmons has actually played quite well all year in Super Rugby, even when he subbed in during the Lions test he performed better then Douglas who was pretty hit/miss.

In saying that I really want to see Pyle given more of a chance, does he call the line-outs for the Rebels? That's the big thing which Simmons has in his favour especially considering he plays with Horwill, Simmons is quite good at running the lineout, it's probably his best feature and the thing pushing his selection. His general play is below the other candidates.


As for Shatz, yeah he doesn't look up to test standard, especially following his last performance against the Crusaders where he was quite poor and comprehensively outplayed.

 

[cyclopath]

Not sure why everyone is that surprised about Sio, I know when I picked him earlier in the thread I got a few who thought I was crazy, but I really think Sio has got the potential to be a real good prop. Mind you I like Robinson also, just maybe Link feels it will be a little easier to break a new boy into new scrum engagements.

Not so much surprise that Sio is there - he has been the form Aus LHP of late - but certainly a bit surprising that Robinson is not the other, given that he has not played poorly of late.
It seems "utility" props are on McKenzie's radar, which seems to go against the grain of what many pundits think will be seen with the new rules and 23 man squads.
Time will tell, of course, and I expect pretty vigorous debate if the Wallabies get pantsed in the scrum next week. We should be very competitive with Sio / Moore / Kepu starting, for example. I'm a bit less confident if Moore and Sio went off early.

 

[Slim 293]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Slipper start at 1 with Sio coming on as the impact player. Slipper is an effective tight runner, great defender and has a big work rate. If we are going to play up tempo we need the likes of him.

Perhaps the best front row balance is Slipper with Kepu and Sio with Alexander.

I would be surprised to see Slipper at LH considering Link never played him there, and he was far from impressive playing there against the Lions........

And now with Robinson cut from the squad Sio is head and shoulders above anyone else on that side of the scrum...........

 

[Hardtackle]

I'm not too surprised about Fatcat's omission. He has played ok this year but I can't remember him absolutely mullering any opposing tighthead. His work in the loose is exaggerated, imho.

Surely after copping a pasting in the scrums on an all too regularly basis, the WB's need a beast who can bend, break and smash tight heads?

Sio could well solve the missing beast issue. He must have caused some serious headaches for the tightheads during scrummaging this week or Link wouldn't have dropped an experienced and adequate option in Fatcat.

 

[Richo]

I totally agree that we needed a change in the scrum. I'm just astounded that Ben Alexander wasn't the casualty. His last performance in gold was an absolute atrocity.

 

[Hardtackle]

I agree that Alexander copped a few pastings against the Lions. He also got more than a few shit calls against him too. He stayed straight against the Chiefs in the final I thought. Could well be that there isn't a replacement that can do better. Surely they would have tried every possible combo during camp and come up with a plan?

 

[Scotty]

Could say the same about Benny A at the Brumbies. Only played TH due Palmer's injuries. But both have only played TH at test level for over a year now iirc. Still leaves me guessing who will be the back up LH in this first test.

Wasn't Slipper the LHP backup during the Lions?

 

[Train Without a Station]

I totally agree that we needed a change in the scrum. I'm just astounded that Ben Alexander wasn't the casualty. His last performance in gold was an absolute atrocity.

Ben Alexander is fortunate for the lack of THP options in Australia I think.

 

[Slim 293]

He's also scrummaged strongly since that series.........

 

[Richo]

And I'm sure after he's poor at test level yet again, he'll again be fine at Super level.

 

[Slim 293]

And I'm sure after he's poor at test level yet again, he'll again be fine at Super level.

That seems to apply to most of our props.........

So you can only choose the best of what's available.........

 

[Dumbledore]

Simmons has actually played quite well all year in Super Rugby, even when he subbed in during the Lions test he performed better then Douglas who was pretty hit/miss.

In saying that I really want to see Pyle given more of a chance, does he call the line-outs for the Rebels? That's the big thing which Simmons has in his favour especially considering he plays with Horwill, Simmons is quite good at running the lineout, it's probably his best feature and the thing pushing his selection. His general play is below the other candidates.


As for Shatz, yeah he doesn't look up to test standard, especially following his last performance against the Crusaders where he was quite poor and comprehensively outplayed.

Yes. And going by the stats ran it just as effectively as Simmons does. Simmons must have something going for him that isn't immediately obvious from the sidelines, really can't understand his continued selection at all.

Schatz is just... well. I'd hoped we were over the era of workmanline 8s who offer no impact at all. We might as well just pick Dick Brown all over again.