Wallabies Squad - the Link Era

[lewisr]

Not finding touch from a PK is almost inexcusable.

Mogg will benefit from being in Camp Wallaby, but he is probably not ready for a Match day position in the 23.

Dunno about inexcusable.... In that situation he shouldve just taken his time, so that was pretty average. but even the best of players miss touch and its part of the risk that comes with going long to try and gain territory. Ultimately the lineout is not a 100% win anyway so in Union I think its fair if the kicker takes a bit of a risk. Do we really want to become the NRL where they only kick 10m up the field?

Just saying, I think the player weighs up the risk in terms of time in the game and what the team needs to achieve and then decides whether they try for a long or short one. Hardly 'inexcusable' but thats just my view...

 

[cyclopath]

Dunno about inexcusable.. In that situation he shouldve just taken his time, so that was pretty average. but even the best of players miss touch and its part of the risk that comes with going long to try and gain territory. Ultimately the lineout is not a 100% win anyway so in Union I think its fair if the kicker takes a bit of a risk. Do we really want to become the NRL where they only kick 10m up the field?

Just saying, I think the player weighs up the risk in terms of time in the game and what the team needs to achieve and then decides whether they try for a long or short one. Hardly 'inexcusable' but thats just my view.

He missed a couple of touches he should have made, and put a couple out on the full that he shouldn't have. Fair to say his kicking game was below his par by a fair bit. Inexcusable to mess one up? No. But a bunch of them is not the strike rate required in Tests, for example. He can, and will, be better though.

 

[Scotty]

I am surprised that no-one else was concerned with Mowen's performance. There were several times that he was very slow to clear the ball at the back of the scrum, or cleared poorly. This was at the back of a good scrum - what is going to happen when the Wallaby scrum is under pressure?

I also felt he was out gunned in the physical stakes by the Chiefs backrow.

With our loose forward options, we are going to be heavily reliant on some of our tight forwards to make the hard yards.

 

[Pfitzy]

Scotty, if we got concerned every time a player had a poor game, there wouldn't be any Wallabies worth picking.

In any case, one thing I wanted to quash after watching the Brumbies the last few weeks: the selection of Kimlin as lock cover.

Last night the Brumbies were comprehensively butt-fucking the Chiefs scrum. Fattyfoona copped it first from Sio, then Afeaki got pushed onto his knees at one point (yet Joubert saw it as thru-90 which was bullshit).

But at the point where Carter went off, this stopped happening. Clear evidence that Kimlin is not as good a lock as he is a blindside. But otherwise he had a decent game.

 

[TOCC]

2010 Wallabies v Wales on Ch10 at the moment...

Looking at some of the selections from this match and it reminds me of a time when RD's selections actually made sense

7. Pocock
8. McCalman
9. Genia
10. QC (Quade Cooper)
11. JOC (James O'Connor)
12. Giteau
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Mitchell
15. KB (Kurtley Beale)

 

[RoffsChoice]

That's the same 7 - 15 from HK 2010, you can see why they kept selecting them!

 

[Scotty]

Scotty, if we got concerned every time a player had a poor game, there wouldn't be any Wallabies worth picking.

In any case, one thing I wanted to quash after watching the Brumbies the last few weeks: the selection of Kimlin as lock cover.

Last night the Brumbies were comprehensively butt-fucking the Chiefs scrum. Fattyfoona copped it first from Sio, then Afeaki got pushed onto his knees at one point (yet Joubert saw it as thru-90 which was bullshit).

But at the point where Carter went off, this stopped happening. Clear evidence that Kimlin is not as good a lock as he is a blindside. But otherwise he had a decent game.

Not just any old game though, was it?

 

[lewisr]

2010 Wallabies v Wales on Ch10 at the moment.

Looking at some of the selections from this match and it reminds me of a time when RD's selections actually made sense

7. Pocock
8. McCalman
9. Genia
10. QC (Quade Cooper)
11. JOC (James O'Connor)
12. Giteau
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Mitchell
15. KB (Kurtley Beale)

Apart from the whole Rocky Elsom is a captain saga.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

I watched the game today scrum was a shambles but i wantes to punch those 2 idiot commentator right in the face

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[Gnostic]

I thought the Brumbies had a good game right up to the 60 minute mark. Then quite quickly the whole game turned. The Brumbies just ran out of puff and couldn't get across to make the tackles they have for most of the season. The difference was stark enough for me to say to the missus at that point (before the Chiefs 2nd try) that the game was done and dusted, the markers of their fatigue were just there to see in key players and I have to wonder if there were the players on the bench to come on and make the difference, particularly in the front row. Alexander in great contrast to his Wallaby form has been very dominant usually for the Brumbies but when he leaves the field in the absence of Palmer (uninjured) the backup struggles. Likewise, have we seen Moore subbed when not injured this year?

As for Aelua he can and does make a massive impact when coming off the bench so long as he isn't trying to fill holes left by a tired backrow and second row that are dropping away and missing tackles (or not in position to make tackles). I wonder if Mowen should also have been subbed (or Fardy and Mowen to 2nd row) to bring on Fainga'a.

In any event I think the Brumbies played their game well up to that point and from there on fatigue started to effect the decision making and execution, such as the kicks for touch that went straight out which was uncharacteristic.

So where does all that leave the Brumbies players with regard to Wallabies selection. I don't think it means all that much really and form over the whole season is much more important. I also don't think that the White game plan will be the only option that Link will follow and he has a much wider skill set available in the Wallabies squad. Finally the weakness in the Brumbies players who will be starting or on the bench will be complimented and covered by others in the team. This is the key aspect of the 2013 TRC Wallabies that I am truly looking forward to, finally after what seems to me to be a long time a team selected not on fitting individuals into the 15 but a 15 selected to make a complete team.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Scotty, if we got concerned every time a player had a poor game, there wouldn't be any Wallabies worth picking.

My Crusaders supporting mate was lamenting similar errors from Carter, saying he doesn't stand up in the big games last week. I asked him if Carter doesn't, then who does? Let's extend the "Wallabies" comment to all test players I think.

 

[The Red Baron]

Not just any old game though, was it?

Really Scotty, I called someone else out in another thread about this sort of stuff. It was the Super Final, so what? How has Mowen's form been over the last couple of years? How did Mowen go in June against the Lions?

After travelling an ungodly distance in the space of a couple of weeks just to get to the final, I'm willing to go easy on him. In regard to his play at the back of the scrum, it was a definite tactic. Joubert told them to hurry it along, thinking it was a ruck.

 

[Brumby Jack]

McKenzie has brought in Jim McKay as attack coach.

Blades and Scrivener remain as set piece and defensive coach.

 

[Pfitzy]

Not just any old game though, was it?

No. Not many times you have to change a dozen time zones back and forth in the space of just over a week, having made history, and then take on a well rested team at their home ground who know how to win titles.

But then, we aren't taking about the Reds so I guess in your mind Mowen is of concern.

Let me put it this way: no Reds forwards in the Wallabies because of the comprehensive fisting they got at the hands of the Crusaders in a SUPER RUGBY SEMI FINAL.

No pleasing some people...

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I hate autocorrect ...

 

[Scrubber2050]

What a silly silly comment - maybe you should go to netball

 

[wamberal]

Link has really got some selection dilemmas. By the time the first Bledisloe rolls around, half the side won't have played any serious rugby for quite a few weeks.

Plus I am certain that he will be torn between building for the future, and picking the best available 23 right now, and forget about the spring tour and 2014.

 

[Pfitzy]

What a silly silly comment - maybe you should go to netball

I'll take Scotty with me then shall I?

 

[Scotty]

Really Scotty, I called someone else out in another thread about this sort of stuff. It was the Super Final, so what? How has Mowen's form been over the last couple of years? How did Mowen go in June against the Lions?

After travelling an ungodly distance in the space of a couple of weeks just to get to the final, I'm willing to go easy on him. In regard to his play at the back of the scrum, it was a definite tactic. Joubert told them to hurry it along, thinking it was a ruck.

I'm not referring to the tactic of keeping the ball in the scrum, more that he has a tendency of standing up then passing when he does have to clear it. Contrast this to a Palu or Samo who pass it as they are standing up.

Minor thing, but it will make all the difference when our scrum is under pressure.

At test level I think Mowen is more the high work rate type of middle sized loosie. To balance this out, Link will have to either:

a) select a bigger bopper for the 3rd loosie
b) rely on the tight forwards to make the hard yards
c) play a different, probably slightly wider game plan

I'm not saying that I wouldn't have Mowen in the test team at all, just that some aspects of his performance were concerning. No need for everyone to get so uptight about it.

 

[RoffsChoice]

By the time the first Bledisloe rolls around, half the side won't have played any serious rugby for quite a few weeks.

12 out of 15 having played two weeks earlier isn't too long

 

[It is what it is]

Link has really got some selection dilemmas. By the time the first Bledisloe rolls around, half the side won't have played any serious rugby for quite a few weeks.

Plus I am certain that he will be torn between building for the future, and picking the best available 23 right now, and forget about the spring tour and 2014.

Put yourself in his shoes, he's starting his international head coaching role with games against the AB's, SA and Argentina.
Don't you think he'll pick his best possible players for these games straight up?