Wallabies v All Blacks III in Brisvegas

[Rugby Rat]

The problem I have with Mortlock is that he is the captain.

He is a great player however, all we seem to do is throw it wide to him and expect him to break the line with 3 defenders there wating. It becomes very predictable. That's the captain thing....throw it to him and hope he does something special.

 

[Virgil]

Heres the Australian side.

There are five changes to the Wallabies starting XV which has been named today for Saturday night's Philips Tri Nations clash against the All Blacks in Brisbane.

Centre Ryan Cross, flanker George Smith, lock Nathan Sharpe, tighthead prop Al Baxter and hooker Stephen Moore all return to the run on combination for the year?s third Bledisloe Cup match, which will also decide the 2008 Philips Tri Nations.

Cross, Smith, Baxter and Moore came from the run on reserves bench during last month?s loss to South Africa at Johannesburg, while Sharpe was not a member of that match-day squad.

The players omitted from that defeat are inside centre Timana Tahu, flanker Phil Waugh, utility forward Hugh McMeniman, prop Matt Dunning and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Tahu and Polota-Nau have missed selection, while Waugh, McMeniman and Dunning have slotted into a run on reserves bench which features a five-two split.

The trio have been joined by New South Wales hooker Adam Freier and Western Force loose forward Richard Brown amongst the forward reserves, with halfback Brett Sheehan and wing-fullback Drew Mitchell covering the backline positions.

Freier returns to the match-day squad for the first time since Australia beat France 40-10 at Suncorp Stadium in early July. Brown will become the 828th player to be capped by Australia in Tests should he be required to take the field.

The injured trio of inside centre Berrick Barnes, halfback Luke Burgess and lock Dan Vickerman were not considered for selection.

As well as deciding this year?s Tri Nations series, Saturday night?s match is the third leg of the 2008 Bledisloe Cup series, with the scoreboard currently locked at one match apiece.

The fourth match will be played at the National Stadium in Hong Kong on Saturday November 1.

Australia must win the series outright to reclaim the Bledisloe Cup, which it has not held since a New Zealand side that had Robbie Deans as its assistant coach, prevailed two-nil in the 2003 series.

Thirteen of the players named in the starting line-up today started when Australia won the opening match of this year?s series, 34-19, at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on 26 July.

The Wallabies team:

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
13. Ryan Cross (Western Force)
12. Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies) captain
11. Lote Tuqiri (NSW Waratahs)
10. Matt Giteau (Western Force)
9. Sam Cordingley (Queensland Reds)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
7. George Smith (Brumbies)
6. Rocky Elsom (NSW Waratahs)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
3. Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Queensland Reds)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)

Reserves:

16. Adam Freier (NSW Waratahs)
17. Matt Dunning (NSW Waratahs)
18. Hugh McMeniman (Queensland Reds)
19. Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs)
20. Richard Brown (Western Force)
21. Brett Sheehan (NSW Waratahs)
22. Drew Mitchell (Western Force)

 

[formeropenside]

well done to Richard Brown, yet another Qld boy. 5-2 bench.

 

[Not Cougar Again]

I'm going to pull rank on you here Naza: the best Australian rugby player of the last 30 years is Mark Ella, by a long straw. Probably seen a few more blokes go around than you. One of the (few) benefits of age and wisdom.

You are kidding!.....Mark was ok but only played a handfull of tests and palyed mostly Club Rugby. I too am old enough and able to clearly remember the Ella era and it was short! Gregan whether people think he should have bowed out earlier or not is an absolute legend, and to play at the level for so long and to continue to lead his country is nothing short of remarkable in a age where performance is the name of the game.

 

[Red Bull]

I'm going to pull rank on you here Naza: the best Australian rugby player of the last 30 years is Mark Ella, by a long straw. Probably seen a few more blokes go around than you. One of the (few) benefits of age and wisdom.

You are kidding!.....Mark was ok but only played a handfull of tests and palyed mostly Club Rugby. I too am old enough and able to clearly remember the Ella era and it was short! Gregan whether people think he should have bowed out earlier or not is an absolute legend, and to play at the level for so long and to continue to lead his country is nothing short of remarkable in a age where performance is the name of the game.

I'm going to wade into this discussion and say I think there have been 3 better players for Aus in the last 30 years than Ella. Lynagh, Horan and Eales were all far longer serving and performed at consistently brilliant standards for the duration of their careers, at all levels.

Anyway, back to the Aus side, I also heard last night that Barnes was still in the reckoning, which now seems an incorrect report? Don't think the Mortlock-Cross combination is what we want in midfield, and to me it seems a bit harsh on Tahu to drop him like a gun when the forwards got completely bent over in the Boks game, and gave the backs very little go-forward pill. Hence, we didn't get to see what Tahu is capable of. Yes, I know his defense was at times ordinary, but he would have learned some valuable positional lessons from the 'Jo-bacle'. Surely he has earned the right to get another crack?

Very unhappy that Sharpe finds his way back into the side. I was hoping I would never see the Turd on legs in Wallaby jersey again, but alas, he's back to take his place in the backline. Fuck it.

 

[Lindommer]

The discussion re Australia's best rugby player of the last 30 years can wait for another day.

The Wallabies squad:
Is this the first time there's been a 5-2 bench?
Good to see Brown in the 22, he's got lots of potential and is as hard as nails. If he measures up he'll give Palu some competition for the 8 spot.
Giteau: what happens if he gets injured?

 

[Rugby Rat]

Sharpie back where he should be. I like it. Morts at 12. Cross at 13.

Gee whizzz I reckon we are in with a show. The AB's are a bit dodgey under pressure. We have speed out wide. Some big hard forwards.

Mmmmm... A lot more even than I was expecting.

 

[Virgil]

Sharpie back where he should be. I like it. Morts at 12. Cross at 13.

Gee whizzz I reckon we are in with a show. The AB's are a bit dodgey under pressure. We have speed out wide. Some big hard forwards.

Mmmmm... A lot more even than I was expecting.

And the Australian team isnt?
I think this years 3N has shown a very good start is vital. From memory i dont think any side has been behind and gone on to win ( i dont mean a side being behind 0-3). We came close in Sydney before finally collapsing in a heap.

 

[Rugby Rat]

34 - 19 ring any bells ? 30 -28 ? Don't get too ahead of yourself. The AB's do look dusty under pressure.

You are correct that if you get behind it makes it a huge ask at this level. The Wallabies in sydney did look like they had it in them. Before that for the last 4-5 years I would say the only team that could come from 14 or so points behind and win would be the All Blacks.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Giteau: what happens if he gets injured?

Robbie comes down from the coaches box and laces up the boots......

I think OZ fans should be pleased to see the Morty/Cross midfield in there. Both smart players that love to run straight. Cross is a deceptive player and he does have speed to get outside of most centres going, so I expect him to be used by Giteau with the cut out. Mortlock will be a very useful dummy runner.

Also think Brown is a good prospect. Wouldn't be surprised if we saw at the close of the game with 7-8mins to go that the Wallabies have Waugh/Smith/Brown/3M/Horwill closing the game. 5 fairly mobile and quick players if Deans decides to turn up the speed.

But if Gits goes down in the first 5 might I suggest OZ fans put the barbed wire around the TV because it could be a very long night. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Hynes might be able to play at 1st 5 at club level, but at Suncorp in front of a 60/40 crowd 8) I don't think so....

 

[Virgil]

34 - 19 ring any bells ? 30 -28 ? Don't get too ahead of yourself. The AB's do look dusty under pressure.

10-39, 8-53 ring any of your bells?
Think the blow outs just show when 1 team clicks and the opposition doesnt, the score can mount pretty quickly.

 

[Rugby Rat]

LOL..

Yep.. I knew the Wallabies also had a big defeat in them.

As for the other question. Surely it would be Morts to 10. Cross to 12, Lote to 13 and Mitchell to the wing or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to outside with Drew going to fullback.

 

[naza]

Think the blow outs just show when 1 team clicks and the opposition doesnt, the score can mount pretty quickly.

Another deathblow for the ELVs.

 

[Spook]

I would have had AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13, Mitchell at 15 and Cross on the bench.

 

[Scotty]

The Wallabies squad:
Is this the first time there's been a 5-2 bench?
Good to see Brown in the 22, he's got lots of potential and is as hard as nails. If he measures up he'll give Palu some competition for the 8 spot.
Giteau: what happens if he gets injured?

Yes, first 5-2. I suggested it from the first 3N game, and have done so a few games since - we hardly ever use our 3 reserve back, so why not have an extra forward there - this is where the game will be won and lost.

Is it possible that Sheehan or Coordingly could play 10 if Gits is injured.

I predict the ABs to win in a tight one, on the back of Carter's superior positional kicking, and McCaws ruck work (yeah I know, not exactly going out on a limb with who the best performers will be). If Oz win it will be from getting a good start and putting the NZ centres under pressure.

I also expect that Cross and Mortlock will swap around a bit in the midfield. We need our back three to play 100% better than they have for the last few games. Gee our field kicking options are poor....

 

[Gagger]

The start of the new Australian rugby dream, and any meaningful success comes down to this one test in Brisbane on Saturday. A loss, and the only difference from 2007 is the South African Hoodoo broken, but at the cost of a record thrashing. A win, and regardless what happens in Honkers or Europe, this is the most successful year since 2001, with further glory to be had.

So what to expect?

I've read all the "thrashing is just what we needed" and "Robbie will come back even harder" stuff, largely pumped out by the Kiwis to try and somehow grab an underdog card. Well, let's face it, as much as we'd like it to be true, it's bullshit.

Let's face the facts.

When we won it in 2000, our losses were by 5 and 1 points. In 2001, one loss in RSA by only 5 points. There were no 45, or 24 point beltings, not by a long way. Thrashings are not good signs. Ever.

The wins? By 7 at home in Perth, over a McCaw-less ABs also at home, and then a pathetic Springboks in Durban.

Don't get me wrong, I see the progress in this team. The beginnings of where Aussie Robbie wants to take it along with the promising mix of talent that's coming through in the likes of Burgess, Barnes, Horwill, Robinson, Palu and Elsom.

But with three key injuries - to Burgess, Vickerman and Barnes - all of a sudden it's gone from an x-factor to make-do. Mortlock's playing at 12 for about the first time ever, and is the designated cover for our one remaining play maker and 10 - renowned concussionist Matt Giteau. This is with an ongoing experiment at full-back, broken line-out, fragile kicking game, worsening defence and against a full strength All Black team in a do or die match.

Our lifeline? Well, nothing short of a spectacularly ballsy performance with the right rub of the green and Giteau's radar spot on. And if someone could find Susy the waitress and get her to Brissy, that wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Scotty]

Hard to disagree with you Gagger.

 

[barbarian]

Well said Gagger. I think the injuries will be our downfall- without a viable 12 I wouldn't be surprised if our backline falls to pieces.

 

[Moses]

And if someone could find Susy the waitress and get her to Brissy, that wouldn't hurt either.

Seems like she's there

Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom has missed training ahead of Saturday night's Tri Nations rugby decider against New Zealand due to illness.

 

[Gagger]

Silly bint, I said Marriot, not Crown PLaza!