Wallabies v Baabaas
- Thread starter Pfitzy
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Cutter
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Mitchell or Tuqiri is attack v defence. I'm glad Tuqiri wasnt picked but I have no faith in Mitchell's ability to defend or put his carefully styled hairdo on the line.
I'd have swapped O'Connor and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Maybe AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will be told to link up with his two exciting, fast wingers. Lets hope so!
I'd have swapped O'Connor and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Maybe AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will be told to link up with his two exciting, fast wingers. Lets hope so!
naza
Alan Cameron (40)
Ah, finally CostaLote gets dropped. Tis a glorious day indeed, air is fresher, food tastes better, all is right with the rugby universe.
Hodgson at 6 is a bit of an embarrasment. He'd be what, 5th choice at best for the Kiwis or Saffers. I reckon he's doing well to start at S14. I take it he's either a stop gap until Palu or Elsom come into the side, or Robbie is experimenting. I reckon wing is an experiment too - Robbie's looking for a firepower/flair player to complement Hynes.
Hodgson at 6 is a bit of an embarrasment. He'd be what, 5th choice at best for the Kiwis or Saffers. I reckon he's doing well to start at S14. I take it he's either a stop gap until Palu or Elsom come into the side, or Robbie is experimenting. I reckon wing is an experiment too - Robbie's looking for a firepower/flair player to complement Hynes.
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Cutter
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
I think the backline balance is good with the current lineup and bench although, as I mentioned above, I would probably have swapped AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and O'Connor. The reality is that none of Tahu, Cross or Tuqiri demand a place in the team and playing club rugby will do them good. Adding any of them to the bench decreases its versatility in my opinion.
Cooper is very lucky but Deans sees the potential we all see and thinks he can iron out the creases which marr Coopers game. Cooper showed against the Barbarians on the EOYT and then again at the start of the S14 that he can play a more controlled game. His talent is not in doubt. I hope Deans can mould it.
Good on Hodgson. The backrow doesnt have a dominant ball runner in tight. They can all run wider well but will be relying on the tight five to truck it up in close. Deans clearly thinks the new ruck laws are going to be significant.
Sharpe will need to find the form he displayed on the EOYT and Horwill will need to find his 2008 domestic form. There is not a lot of support in the lineout from the starting backrow. However if they are having problems there I imagine Mumm will come on at 6.
I'm happy with the front row and excited by the novelty of being able say that.
All in all, I think this is a very strong, well balanced 22 for the first match of the season. There may be changes to the 22 for the Tri-Nations, although I reckon Deans is hoping there wont need to be but that, if there are, they will be forced on him by the form of the players left out rather than the form of the players included. That might seem obvious, but I mean that, in his ideal world, this would be his strongest lineup with the exception of injuries (particularly Palu, Ioane, Genia and, perhaps, Dunning) and Elsom.
Given Ioane is out for the season, the strongest team would be Palu for Brown, Brown to bench, Elsom for Hodgson, Hodgson out of 22, Pocock out of 22 and, if he finds form, Dunning for Alexander. I'm not sure of Genia's injury status, but he will also be tussling with the other two 9s for a spot in the 22 (and perhaps the starting spot). Other than that, providing Mitchell is sound defensively, if they play well, I have no issues with the rest of the 22.
Cooper is very lucky but Deans sees the potential we all see and thinks he can iron out the creases which marr Coopers game. Cooper showed against the Barbarians on the EOYT and then again at the start of the S14 that he can play a more controlled game. His talent is not in doubt. I hope Deans can mould it.
Good on Hodgson. The backrow doesnt have a dominant ball runner in tight. They can all run wider well but will be relying on the tight five to truck it up in close. Deans clearly thinks the new ruck laws are going to be significant.
Sharpe will need to find the form he displayed on the EOYT and Horwill will need to find his 2008 domestic form. There is not a lot of support in the lineout from the starting backrow. However if they are having problems there I imagine Mumm will come on at 6.
I'm happy with the front row and excited by the novelty of being able say that.
All in all, I think this is a very strong, well balanced 22 for the first match of the season. There may be changes to the 22 for the Tri-Nations, although I reckon Deans is hoping there wont need to be but that, if there are, they will be forced on him by the form of the players left out rather than the form of the players included. That might seem obvious, but I mean that, in his ideal world, this would be his strongest lineup with the exception of injuries (particularly Palu, Ioane, Genia and, perhaps, Dunning) and Elsom.
Given Ioane is out for the season, the strongest team would be Palu for Brown, Brown to bench, Elsom for Hodgson, Hodgson out of 22, Pocock out of 22 and, if he finds form, Dunning for Alexander. I'm not sure of Genia's injury status, but he will also be tussling with the other two 9s for a spot in the 22 (and perhaps the starting spot). Other than that, providing Mitchell is sound defensively, if they play well, I have no issues with the rest of the 22.
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
I think Hynes will be in Deans' side as well. He is the kind of winger Deans likes - positional play, steady defensively, good all round skills (pace not important, but Hynes can motor). Remember the wingers Deans preferred at the Crusaders - and look at how many tries Caleb Ralph bagged with the Saders' play style despite severely lacking in pace for a winger. I somewhat doubt Deans would've ever been interested in a Tuqiri-like player at the Crusaders.
Grandmaster Flash
Johnnie Wallace (23)
Waugh to captain BaaBaas...
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