Wallabies Tri Nations
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Peter Sullivan (51)
That one is going into my archives to retrieve, dust off, and serve to you on a platter next year boyo!
Oh I can see it now...
"Oh, how wrong we were to doubt your Almighty Ability of Rugby Foresight!!"
"Have mercy, oh Enlightened One!"
Nah in all seriousness, Reds and Waratahs fans alike should be pumped for next year. If the promotion is done right, Reds vs Tahs games should be the most passionately supported and played in years.
D
daz
Guest
Attention Van Humphries. Copyright infringement in NSW, sir.
TheRiddler
Dave Cowper (27)
Ah, the youth of today. So profane. Such an eloquent way with words.
Scotty
David Codey (61)
Ash,
On a few of your other responses:
Gits - he got 3 games and he did precisely what he has been doing all year for the Brumbies and last year for the Wallabies. Nothing.
Bigger backline - when I say bigger I also mean 'tougher'. There is no doubt that Fa'ainga is tougher than JOC (James O'Connor) or Beale if not bigger. Surely you agree that it isn't a good policy to have Gits, Beale and JOC (James O'Connor) all running around in the same team that also includes a contact scared Cooper inside them? Deans has said that tests are about toughness. His selections don't back this up.
The fact is that not all of Deans' selections were based on form. He picked teams that he hoped would step up in the June internationals, and he has now had to pick back up players for those that weren't in form in the first place and didn't step up in June (Giteau, Chisholm, Barnes and I'd include JOC (James O'Connor) and Brown in this as guys that weren't in form in their last internationals). He has dropped one of the form S14 players in Mitchell due to a few poor games, but yet refuses to drop others that have been just as poor or poorer. We are now going to get into the situation of possibly having to blood players against the top two teams in the world. It would not be an ideal situation for Fa'ainga, Higginbotham, Simmons or even Hynes (as a fullback).
And what would I have done differently?
Given some of these guys a run against Fiji, and off the bench vs England.
On a few of your other responses:
Gits - he got 3 games and he did precisely what he has been doing all year for the Brumbies and last year for the Wallabies. Nothing.
Bigger backline - when I say bigger I also mean 'tougher'. There is no doubt that Fa'ainga is tougher than JOC (James O'Connor) or Beale if not bigger. Surely you agree that it isn't a good policy to have Gits, Beale and JOC (James O'Connor) all running around in the same team that also includes a contact scared Cooper inside them? Deans has said that tests are about toughness. His selections don't back this up.
The fact is that not all of Deans' selections were based on form. He picked teams that he hoped would step up in the June internationals, and he has now had to pick back up players for those that weren't in form in the first place and didn't step up in June (Giteau, Chisholm, Barnes and I'd include JOC (James O'Connor) and Brown in this as guys that weren't in form in their last internationals). He has dropped one of the form S14 players in Mitchell due to a few poor games, but yet refuses to drop others that have been just as poor or poorer. We are now going to get into the situation of possibly having to blood players against the top two teams in the world. It would not be an ideal situation for Fa'ainga, Higginbotham, Simmons or even Hynes (as a fullback).
And what would I have done differently?
Given some of these guys a run against Fiji, and off the bench vs England.
#1 Tah
Chilla Wilson (44)
Youre right- that was horribly QLDish of me. I do apologise.
Next year (and every year after that) THE TAHS WILL SMASH THE REDS!
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
No 1 Tah - this is a bit 'namby pamby', isn't it?
C
chief
Guest
This thread is not about who is going to win the S14, it's about who is suited to the Wallabies winning the 3 nations. Surely we can take that to our respective threads and debate it there. I like many others struggle to see how the "TAHS WILL SMASH THE REDS" has any to all relevance with the Wallabies 2010 Tri-Nations.
Further speculation has been coming through that Matt Giteau will be dropped and they will revert to the successful Reds inside combination. I like many can understand, because as many of us have noticed, I don't think Matt Giteau's style of play represents the Rugby that the Wallabies should try and be playing particularly with Quade Cooper at Flyhalf. I think the Wallabies using direct running will suit us far better than relying on Matt Giteau to exploit the gaps which I may point out he has failed to exploit of the late.
Robbie Deans and his selectors have surely been sat down and told by numerous people that the Rugby they are playing will not work for the Wallabies. Sadly Robbie Deans has his own agenda when it comes to these things, and he picks with his gut. At the Crusaders he didn't need to pick with his gut, because they were all such fantastic players, who one week they may not have performed but the next they would prove Deans wrong. Deans has had numerous players in the Wallabies who are so cold and fail to impress on these occasions. Deans hasn't had to do that since he was Assistant Coach of the All Blacks.
I don't quite think Higginbotham is up to Test Rugby yet, I think its a terrible shame he missed out on the Baba's games because that would have certainly had me assured. I think I would rather McCalman in the team over Higginbotham. But I think maybe bench time is a viable option for him. As for forwards Slipper's rise to the occasion has impressed me, but it's too much of a jump to be rushed in on centre stage against the All Blacks and Springboks incredibly huge Front Row. We'll see what they can provide though. Give me Baxter any day over him. I'm particularly excited to see Rob Simmons there, Adam Byrnes has impressed me, glad he headed to the Rebels will provide an opportunity to impress next year hopefully McQueen will get his head space right and not yet passion get in the way with too many penalties. Sharpe has had some top form this year, and am very much excited to have his experience in a very youthful team. The lock stocks still worry me very much. Dean Mumm gives away penalties far too often, and they are a fair cop as well he can only learn from Sharpe's experience.
Further speculation has been coming through that Matt Giteau will be dropped and they will revert to the successful Reds inside combination. I like many can understand, because as many of us have noticed, I don't think Matt Giteau's style of play represents the Rugby that the Wallabies should try and be playing particularly with Quade Cooper at Flyhalf. I think the Wallabies using direct running will suit us far better than relying on Matt Giteau to exploit the gaps which I may point out he has failed to exploit of the late.
Robbie Deans and his selectors have surely been sat down and told by numerous people that the Rugby they are playing will not work for the Wallabies. Sadly Robbie Deans has his own agenda when it comes to these things, and he picks with his gut. At the Crusaders he didn't need to pick with his gut, because they were all such fantastic players, who one week they may not have performed but the next they would prove Deans wrong. Deans has had numerous players in the Wallabies who are so cold and fail to impress on these occasions. Deans hasn't had to do that since he was Assistant Coach of the All Blacks.
I don't quite think Higginbotham is up to Test Rugby yet, I think its a terrible shame he missed out on the Baba's games because that would have certainly had me assured. I think I would rather McCalman in the team over Higginbotham. But I think maybe bench time is a viable option for him. As for forwards Slipper's rise to the occasion has impressed me, but it's too much of a jump to be rushed in on centre stage against the All Blacks and Springboks incredibly huge Front Row. We'll see what they can provide though. Give me Baxter any day over him. I'm particularly excited to see Rob Simmons there, Adam Byrnes has impressed me, glad he headed to the Rebels will provide an opportunity to impress next year hopefully McQueen will get his head space right and not yet passion get in the way with too many penalties. Sharpe has had some top form this year, and am very much excited to have his experience in a very youthful team. The lock stocks still worry me very much. Dean Mumm gives away penalties far too often, and they are a fair cop as well he can only learn from Sharpe's experience.
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
Sorry, partly my fault, just a small digression though for a 'local passion' break.
D
daz
Guest
Fair enough chief. Actually, I've got a sneaking suspicion that Higgers will take a big leap forward with some test exposure. All the evidence says he is not ready, but somehow I think the smash and bash is right up his alley, and don't we desperately need that! I mentioned elsewhere that I only hope he can control his aggression to where it is need. And as another positive, the bloke can run.
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
+1. And I'll tell you what: his likely reward-to-risk ratio is and will be a lot better than that applying to Brown and Mumm, for example. Those are two lucky lads to be staying alive in the Wallabies, their performances and 'I want my Wallaby jersey and boy am I going to show it' factors have been - polite version - somewhat uninspiring, to say the very least.
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