Wallabies v All Blacks, Game I

[Grandmaster Flash]

Four days out from the biggest game of the year so far and there is not nearly enough chat about it.

Wallabies are named later today, with Palu set to start at 8. Word on the street is that Brown will pack down at 6, with Mumm moving to the bench. Any thoughts on the rest of the bench makeup? Will Robbie risk Cooper in the 22? Pocock or Waugh? Or Both?



Edit:

Wallabies named:

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
14. Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs)
13. Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies, captain)
12. Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds)
11. Drew Mitchell (Western Force)
10. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu
(NSW Waratahs)
7. George Smith (Brumbies)
6. Richard Brown (Western Force)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
3. Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)

Run on reserves:
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs)
20. David Pocock (Western Force)
21. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
22. James O'Connor (Western Force)

 

[fatprop]

Nau
Alexander
Mumm
Pocock
Genia
Cross
O'Conner


Would be my guess

 

[Scotty]

yeah, I think the bench is pretty clear cut if Brown and Palu are starting.

 

[Rugby Rat]

Wallabies by 10.

 

[Scotty]

The interesting thing will be how we stack up at scrum and ruck time, and what type of game we will play. I assume we will be relatively conservative for the most part, and just hope that Barnes and Gits have their kicking boots on.

 

[RugbyReg]

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/wallabies-named-for-bledisloetri-nations-match-1/

lots of open sides!!!

 

[Harfish]

I'm actually surprised that Deans didn't play Pocock at 6 and go with the dual opensider option. Considering the All Blacks are likely to go with McCaw, So'oialo and Kaino in the loose forwards, I would have thought trying to out pace them was a good tactic.

 

[Burkey_The_Dog]

Wow, back row a go-go.

 

[Blue]

If the Wallabies can't win in Auckland this weekend, they never will.

It's going to be tough as all hell. Too many people writing off the All Blacks.

Tight game, Wallabies by 3 I reckon. This game could set them up for winning the whole thing as away victories will be like hen's teeth this year.

 

[Rugby Rat]

If the Wallabies can't win in Auckland this weekend, they never will.

It's going to be tough as all hell. Too many people writing off the All Blacks.

Tight game, Wallabies by 3 I reckon. This game could set them up for winning the whole thing as away victories will be like hen's teeth this year.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that. This is only Dean's second year and the second year of a major re build.
I am sure Robbie will have a close eye on Gitts and Mort's form. They should however lift again.

In saying that, I am quietly confident of a great showing.

 

[PaarlBok]

Well I'll put my money on the All Blacks to smash that midfield and in the forwards like they usually do in NZ. All Blacks by 15.

 

[PaarlBok]

Maybe wrong tho, Sharpe may help the backline defending like he usually do. :yay

 

[Scotty]

Why all of a sudden a 5-2 bench split? Seems ridiculous - what does having both Waugh and Pocock on the bench offer us? What happens if we have two injuries in the backs - Smith, Pocock or Burgess might end up playing in the centres!

 

[Jatz]

Good squad, great starting XV and very versatile solid bench. Very confident. Won't be able to watch the bloody game as will be in the air on the way to Paris but it will be the first thing I look up when on the ground.

I think we can do it by 7+

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

ABs named, Donald starting.

1. Tony Woodcock
2. Andrew Hore
3. Neemia Tialata
4. Brad Thorn
5. Isaac Ross
6. Jerome Kaino
7. Richie McCaw - captain
8. Rodney So’oialo
9. Jimmy Cowan
10. Stephen Donald
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu
12. Ma’a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith
14. Cory Jane
15. Mils Muliaina

Reserves:
16. Keven Mealamu
17. Owen Franks
18. Jason Eaton
19. Kieran Read
20. Piri Weepu
21. Luke McAlister
22. Josevata Rokocoko

Seems like they want to play their own game, Waugh and Pocock are really gonna have to tear shit up.

 

[Newb]

interesting AB's side. i would say henry picked whatever he wanted and didn't try to counter deans. maybe short-sighted of him?

i like a lot of the match ups. tialata is a fat :fluffybunny fat cat to work him over

woodcock/hore and baxter/moore will be a tight contest in my eyes. hore is coming back and can be rusty with lineouts at times. i think mealamu might be playing better at the moment.

thorn/ross/eaton not up to snuff with sharpe/horwill/mumm. edge to our locks.

it will be interesting to see how effective mccaw and rodders come back and how long they play. i can't believe latimer isn't in the squad. we have 4 openside types. they have 1. and 4 6/8 types?? why? we should pilfer their lunch money along with the ball all night.

good battle to come in the backs. nonu/smith combo always seems to work better than nonu/anyone else. keeps his brain farts to a minimum. donald duck still crap in my mind and maybe not full fitness. wouldn't be too surprised to see luke replace him fairly early.

cowan/weepu can either be great or crap also. maybe get the bogan in cowan stirred up a little :thumb

sivi and mils still scare me any time they're on the pitch so have to keep an eye on the both of them. no aimless kicking to them in space.

i don't know what the weather is going to be like, but it seems like they picked a side to go wide with the ball and crash through with the loosies. if it's at all greasy, i think we have a good edge with the pilfering and winning penalties like we did against the french. gits is the better goal kicker.

if the wobs can keep them contained and make the most of the chances while ticking over the scoreboard..... looks pretty good to me

 

[Scotty]

I still don't see the value in having both Waugh and Pocock on the bench. A risk that leaves us susceptible in other areas, but doesn't really offer much on the plus side.

I would think if Palu runs out of puff then we will have Brown move to 8 and Pocock at 6, because Mumm needs to back up the starting locks. That would constitute one of the worlds smallest backrows, and will put a lot of pressure on the likes of Horwill, Sharpe and Moore to provide the meter gains.

 

[formeropenside]

You mean WHEN Palu runs out of puff.

Thats part of the reason we can't afford to have Sharpe or Horwill get injured.

Arguably, you could pick a bench without Waugh or Pocock, with Brown being the 7 cover (but you would miss the fresh legs late in the game in a fetcher: on the other hand the AB's are not apparently worried about that).

With Elsom and MMM out injured, I can't understand why Mowen or Higginbotham are not in the squad as genuine 6 cover. Even Chapman could do the job.

Its a gamble to run a pack and bench like that, and if it does not come off in the first half (say) I dont see we have the cattle to change tactics and get physical. Maybe bring TPN into the backrow somewhere, but that's desperation, not a tactic.

 

[cyclopath]

Well I'll put my money on the All Blacks to smash that midfield and in the forwards like they usually do in NZ. All Blacks by 15.

Yeah, 'cos Giteau, Barnes and Mortlock usually can't tackle all that much. : :

 

[Rugby Rat]

The answer is simple. Waugh is there to provide some experience on the bench.

Hopefully we will be in front and he could come on to close out the game. That's where his experience will come in very handy.