Wallabies team for next week?

[Ruggo]

O'Connor would of been a good chance at wrong footing a full flight Fourie with an inside step. Rocky only had to go in about 3 feet to open O'Connor on the outside. This stuff is truely the difference between us and the All Blacks.

 

[I like to watch]

Yeah, that and the fact that their front row is better, their locks are light years ahead of ours. Their forwards work better as a pack and are relentless on the ball ALL day.
Their kicking game is better.
Shall I go on?
Plus they have Kaplan playing for them this week.
I am really looking forward to this game........not
Yep I have given up on the 3N & Bled cup.
The only upside I can see is the AB's are always a grade above all other national teams a year ahead of the World cup. 5 more years?

 

[Brumbies Guy]

when is this weeks team announced?

 

[fatprop]

Elsom didn't even look like he wanted to pass that ball. If he had gone a little inside, he had two options - 1. pop pass to JOC (James O'Connor) on his outside. or 2. longer inside pass to (is it Pocock). Either option would have meant 3 wallabies vs 1 south african and a likely try (obviously we should also count Habana being quick enough to catch someone though.

If he is going to play wider (which I think he should on occasion) he is going to have to work on this passing and setting up skills so that we can finish off opportunities.

That highlights a lot of the issues IMHO, too many of our players play too selfishly. Just think of the same scenario with Read or McCaw with the ball. The play would have been far more unselfish.

 

[DPK]

Horne has not proven himself as a top class 13 just yet. He certainly shouldn't be mentioned next to the likes of Mortlock or Herbert.

He wasn't comparing them at all, really.

 

[RugbyReg]

when is this weeks team announced?

Thu 5: Training, 11am-1pm @ Christ’s College. The first stage of training only will be open for filming. Team Announcement, 2.30pm, Gallery on 5, The Crowne Plaza Hotel.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Turner at 13 and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 15. Now I have officially heard everything.

Some of you guys have become as obsessed as Deans with playing everyone in the backline out of position.

Was it last year v the Boks when Deans played AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 12 and Diggers at 13 and they leaked a couple of tries? As per Scarfy, please Robbie don't play the centre pairing out of position again.

 

[MrMouse]

Absolutely true, but in the case of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), he's a centre who has been played at fullback and it's really only because Shep has spent so long out of the top flight. He has the potential to be *very* good in that position and in a way, I hope that Horne stays injured long enough for us to get a decent look at AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in that position. I know that doesn't sound nice and it isn't meant in that way, but I've had a long held belief that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is the best OC we have in this country (if we assume that Morts is done) and I look forward to seeing him have a decent crack at it.

Wait...so you hope that a potentially great centre stays hurt so that a different potentially great centre can play, because you tipped it? I think the state our game's in, death-riding any player, from David Pocock down to struggling first graders is a bad idea. No matter how honourable the motive.

 

[MrMouse]

The problem with the blown try against SA was more Rocky than O'Connor. In the image below #1 is a prop but he was running at the same speed as Elsom so if O'Connor had gone inside there's a good chance he'd be in position to tackle him as he received the ball. #3 is Habana so going inside would have given him a better chance of getting to O'Connor. #4 is Fourie coming in cover and again going inside makes it easier for him to get to O'Connor. The space that existed was straight down the touch line. Rocky needed to angle in about 2 metres to take Kirschner at #2 inside and then feed O'Connor running straight down the line. Even if that had happened would O'Connor have had the pace to get to the corner before Fourie arrived? Wouldn't it have been nice to find out!

I preface what I say with "I'm a prop, but..." I'm not sure I agree. I think Elsom expected JOC (James O'Connor) to go inside, and given that the whole way along there JOC (James O'Connor) was running on/outside the sideline (your still backs me up) he certainly wasn't in a viable position. Wrapping inside would he had the gas against the prop, and Elsom had Kirschner drawn. Alternatively, if he remembered how to pass, he could have gone further inboard to Pocock as Scotty suggested. Just my 2c.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Wait...so you hope that a potentially great centre stays hurt so that a different potentially great centre can play, because you tipped it? I think the state our game's in, death-riding any player, from David Pocock down to struggling first graders is a bad idea. No matter how honourable the motive.

That's not what I meant and I think you probably know that. I'm actually a fan of Horne and wanted him to grab the jersey with both hands to settle the issue of 13 once and for all, because it is probably the most vexing selection issue we have in our backline. The fact is that he hasn't, unfortunately, meaning that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will get a run at what I think is his best position. You could perhaps call it a silver lining of Rob's injury situation, not death riding.

 

[Slim 293]

Was it last year v the Boks when Deans played AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 12 and Diggers at 13 and they leaked a couple of tries? As per Scarfy, please Robbie don't play the centre pairing out of position again.

No, that was when Cross played at 13...

And when Cooper and Ioane were paired in the centres...

 

[Richo]

I don't think pulling players in from outside the squad (other than to replace injury) is the answer at this point. Our talent base is too thin for injuries and we're suffering with key players out. People are talking about maybe losing by 50+ in Christchurch. Well, that was a real possibility with 14 men on the paddock on Saturday and it didn't happen. I think our boys will be stronger for that experience and I reckon they might just show up ready to play this weekend. Players who aren't performing should be dropped (that means you, Dick) and injuries obviously require replacement but let's not think there is a magical shuffle to the team that will suddenly make everything perfect.

Drop Brown, move Rock to 8 and player Higgers at 6. Play Giteau at his best position - 12. Play Barnes at his best position - 10. Play AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at his best position - 13.

Otherwise, leave it be.

Of course, it looks like Deans will go with...

10. Giteau
12. A. Finger
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

Let's be clear: that's not terrible, but it's more than really needs to change.

Btw, if Genia is fit he's playing. There is no way in hell Burgess gets the start over him. He was nowhere near the worst Wallaby on Saturday and did nothing to deserve benching.

 

[fatprop]

Fatboy Growden reckons the side will be

Likely team: Kurtley Beale; James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Anthony Fainga'a, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Richard Brown, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (c), Nathan Sharpe, Rob Simmons, Salesi Ma'afu, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.

 

[Richo]

Growden's been wrong before...

...but I'm guessing not this time.

 

[CanadianRugby]

I actually like the team Growden thinks might be playing this weekend. There aren't a lot of choices anyway, with all the injuries. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) had to go to 13 and Beale might actually be pretty useful back there against the ABs. It will be interesting to see Fainga'a playing because I think a hard running 12 makes Gits a much much better 10. Disappointed Brown is still in there, don't think he's been good in either 3N games so far, but I'm satisfied with the rest. Yes, the Wallabies got murdered on the weekend, but there is easily fixable stuff in their game. Do I think they will win? No. Will they do much better? Yes.

 

[Scotty]

He wasn't comparing them at all, really.

True, but to suggest that Horne could reach the heights of those (I think at least that was implied) is at this stage, fanciful. I see more potential in Chambers at the moment, considering he has only played a handful of top grade games, his improvement has been remarkable.

 

[Scotty]

I am a bit worried about Beale at the back. He has been pretty poor under the high ball, even worse than JOC (James O'Connor). I'd probably rather Beale on the wing and JOC (James O'Connor) at fullback. I'm also not sure that I'd through Fainga'a into such a pressure situation for his first start. Scary stuff.

 

[Richo]

Horne might just be one of those guys whose body can't keep him on the paddock for long enough. He's clearly not running as fast as he once was. And, for whatever reason, he just doesn't see the ball with any of the 10/12 combos we've played this season. I like him a lot in S14 but I'm not sure he's good enough to make an impact at the top level.

 

[Richo]

Scotty, I agree re A. Finger. It's not good coaching to give him 3 mins in Melbourne and then start the guy in Christchurch. Urgh.

Do you think we might see the same starting 12 as last week and a lot more A. Finger in the second half?

 

[Langthorne]

So much focus on the backs as usual.

The forwards are the issue I'm afraid. The problem is that the depth and experience isn't there, so making changes isn't all that easy. Maybe an option would be to go for the same starting lineup, except have Hodgson in for Brown, and have a 5/2 split on the bench. Then aim to flood the breakdown and generally play at a very high intensity...and use the bench early and aggressively bringing on Slipper, Fainga'a, Simmons, McCalman/Brown at or just after half time, with Higginbotham in reserve. Tell Hodgson, Maafu, Moore and Sharpe/Mumm they have got 50 mins max to play.

In the backs I would go for the best defenders and safest hands available. A Fainga'a should get a chance to play some minutes (more than 3) and show how well his s14 form will transfer to tests.

Get up in the ABs faces and give them no free hits. They are very strong, most importantly in the forwards, but they can be rattled if we can keep the pressure on them and we use up our reserves to run their first choice players ragged.