Wallabies v Argentina @ CommBank Stadium 7.45pm Sat 15/07

[molman]

To come out on top in this game, Eddie will need to lose his kick at all costs plan, and every player will need to be performing at a level so far missing from the team last week. I have severe doubts those conditions will be met. I think another loss is well and truly on the cards.

... and what of Argentina? Our opposition this week was hardly setting the world on fire with their performance last week. Both teams have lots of improving to do. Your view is rather pessimistic considering.

I'm also rather curious who you would be playing instead of all those players you have concerns with - Slipper, Porecki, Uelese, our second row, Nawaqanitawase?

I'd also challenge your assessment of Nawaqanitawase not being a strong tackler. I feel this has actually been his biggest area of growth.

 

[The Phoenix]

Surely if he had no intention of playing Faessler then he should have released him for the Australia A game. Now four hookers get a chance to impress before the squad is picked for All Blacks, while Faessler is left holding tackle bags.

 

[LeCheese]

Surely if he had no intention of playing Faessler then he should have released him for the Australia A game. Now four hookers get a chance to impress before the squad is picked for All Blacks, while Faessler is left holding tackle bags.

To me it reads as though Eddie thinks Faessler is a known quantity (as is Porecki), with Uelese and the Aus A guys battling for the final spot(s). I hope that's how it is anyway, as it's a pretty rough cop if not.

 

[Marce]

am I the only one that after seeing Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase)'s performance in the EOYT, could never conceive of a situation in which Vunivulu was selected over him, absent Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) subsequently failing repeatedly in tests?

No you aren't. I hope it was the last chance for Vunivalu at test level. It's time for Marky, Kellaway, Toole or whoever

 

[Marce]

We'll have a lot of lineout targets in the second half... hopefully Uelese can throw to one of them.

Some teams used to use their half-back to throw the line-outs. It's not the best scenario at test level but maybe Eddie could put White and McDermott to train that skill. They can't be worse than Jordan

 

[fatprop]

Some teams used to use their half-back to throw the line-outs. It's not the best scenario at test level but maybe Eddie could put White and McDermott to train that skill. They can't be worse than Jordan

Or just pick a hooker who can throw, his work around the field and scrummaging isn't making up for his lack of a core skill

 

[Marce]

Or just pick a hooker who can throw, his work around the field and scrummaging isn't making up for his lack of a core skill

There's no top class hookers in RA right now. So whoever you pick, there's a disavantage. Porecki throws straight but all the users say he isn't physycality enough at open play

 

[fatprop]

There's no top class hookers in Rugby Australia right now. So whoever you pick, there's a disavantage. Porecki throws straight but all the users say he isn't physycality enough at open play

Agreed, so pick the units who are least likely to screw up their core responsibilities ie lineout, scrum and do OK around the field

And then when we have/find a unit who can hit their lineout options, scrummage and be great around the field - he gets as much love as we can give him

The premise of playing a hooker who when we get that rare attacking lineout, you can't look because it is likely to be not straight or missing the target is not a sensible game plan

 

[Brumby Runner]

Not enough Brumbies in there? Close to the most morbid preview I have ever read?

Not enough Wallabies KOB. I just have no confidence in Eddie Jones as coach, as you acknowledged in another post.

 

[TSR]

BR’s post is hopefully overall pessimistic. But I disagree anything he said is without foundation.

Slipper does look to be really struggling (and he is a Brumbies player). The debate on Porecki was done this week but even his supporters seem only to be able to defend him with ‘he’s the best of a bad bunch’. I don’t understand the logic of retaining Uelese in the basis he could deliver on a potential that, up until now, he has consistently failed to deliver on. Neither Skelton nor Arnold were our worst last week - but neither brought the impact we wanted in the type of game when we needed them to impose themselves; I’m a huge fan of McReight and think his chance is well deserved - but these threads are full of others who think we need a bigger 7. As for Nawaqanitwase - whilst I agree Vunivalu’s selection was undeserved from what I’ve seen Nawaqanitwase also went backwards this year. I hope he kills it, but I don’t feel that confident about him being on the wing. Personally I’d feel far more comfortable with Petaia or Kellaway.

Is this a glass half empty take on things? Yeah, sure. Personally I am optimistic that Skelton & Arnold will find their groove, McReight will impose himself with speed, despite his lack of brawn, the inclusion of Holloway, Leota and Kemeny will give us punch from our backrow and White will get his balance right and allow the Cooper-Kerevi axis to give us more spark in attack this week for the outside backs (Nawaqanitwase included) to shine.

But I don’t think BRs concerns are without substance.

 

[Slim 293]

It's definitely a much stronger team than last week...

I really hope there is a lot of improvement from Uelese, and if not Eddie needs to cut that cord...

It's a shame that T Hooper is injured, as I would've liked to have seen what Eddie may have done with him with M Hooper out.

But Kemeny now has a good opportunity to provide that 6/7 hybrid, and I wonder if Leota will come on for Valetini or Holloway... and who will be running the lineout out of Holloway and Arnold?

 

[KOB1987]

Not enough Wallabies KOB. I just have no confidence in Eddie Jones as coach, as you acknowledged in another post.

There are 22 of them there by my count. I think because of your no confidence in Jones you are always going to find criticism in his selections, like you always did with Cheika. As we are all fully aware Aus rugby is a bit up the shit at the moment so it's a bit of a balancing act to make selections that are not necessarily either right or wrong, as we don't have any world class players - even the ones who are the closest to that you don't rate! Anyway, as TSR points out some of your concerns are valid, but I try to find reasoning in the selections and take a glass half full approach.

 

[Linerunner2023]

So seems gibbon, nongurr, Suli and hodge dropped which is no surprise
Hooper and hooper injured
Frost and Samu injured, rotated or dropped?
Bell back and pone Better bench options, with tupou back soon! Once kellaway and petaia back these will take out Marky N and either Wright or a bench spot
Phillip back also with Leota, wonder if Gleeson was available or not ?

 

[Sword of Justice]

BR’s post is hopefully overall pessimistic. But I disagree anything he said is without foundation.

Slipper does look to be really struggling (and he is a Brumbies player).

This isn't reflected in the statistics though. Leading the tackle count according to espn. It wasn't his side of the scrum that was struggling either.

 

[dusk]

Really hope McReight has a great game. I don't think Mike Hooper is a bad player but McReight just sparks up the defense and his work in super rugby was outstanding. I think if he has a great game it would be pretty difficult to keep him out of the 23.

If Jorgensen wasn't injured, would he have been brought on for the Argentina match?

 

[LeCheese]

Really hope McReight has a great game. I don't think Mike Hooper is a bad player but McReight just sparks up the defense and his work in super rugby was outstanding. I think if he has a great game it would be pretty difficult to keep him out of the 23.

I do wonder if he'll link as effectively with Valetini as he has done with Wilson for the Reds. If so, it could be some nice viewing.

 

[Dctarget]

From the presser with Slipper & Eddie:

- On why he keeps picking Uelese
"he's a good strong scrummaging hooker, good defensive player, he's got the capacity to carry well, and obviously there's a bit to his game that he's got to improve but we feel that him & Porecki can give us a really good 80 minutes".

- Petaia trained for the first time yesterday, further off than I realised.

- Confirms that Quade will kick.

 

[fatprop]

Depending on the game plan, the backline might see as little ball as last week too. If we are continually defending out wide, I can see Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) having the same problems as Vunivalu had last week, though his positioning should be levels above Vunivalu's. But he is not a strong tackler.

Nawaqanitawase is a strong tackler his issue was his defending/decision making. That has improved markedly since his early atrocities and in the games I saw him live this year he looked very threatening ball in hand

 

[Wilson]

I do wonder if he'll link as effectively with Valetini as he has done with Wilson for the Reds. If so, it could be some nice viewing.

As effectively unlikely - Wilson and McReight have already played more rugby together than most 7/8 pairings will in their career, but even 50% of that at it's peak will be good. He has a great connection with McDermott too, so there could be some fireworks if they're on the field together in the last 20.

 

[Marce]

Wilson and McReight have already played more rugby together than most 7/8 pairings will in their career, but even 50% of that at it's peak will be good. He has a great connection with McDermott too, so there could be some fireworks if they're on the field together in the last 20.

According those statistics someone who doesn't follow Super Rugby could think that their team had rock out in recent seasons