Wallabies v Fiji, Canberra

[Slim 293]

Seriously though, I'm not sure what kind of crowd they're going to get up there as the weather has been horrible lately...

My parents, who are rugby tragics who would never miss a game like this are even contemplating not going if the weather is going to be horrible... but that was until I told my Dad that Caucau was playing... so?

But there is a fairly large Fiji contingent in Canberra and Queanbeyan, so hopefully they'll all turn out...

 

[RugbyReg]

There has been a lottle of discussion about who'll play 10 and 12. Does anyone have any thoughts about Gits palying 9. This would allow Gits, Cooper and Barnes on the field at the same time. With Burgess being as bad as he's been and Genia injured I think this could be an intersting and effective combination.

Welcome IamRed.

Mate, I have long been the fan of Gits at 9, particularly when he played there. I don't think its viable anymore and I don't think we need to be finding room for Barnes to play. If Gits was playing there at club, then sure, but let's not just throw him in there now.

 

[matty_k]

This isn't being played in Queensland...

There isn't bogans in the nations capital?

 

[RugbyReg]

team named:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/wallaby-team-named/

15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)

14. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)

13. Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)

12. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)

11. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)

10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)

9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)

8. Richard Brown (Western Force)

7. David Pocock (Western Force)

6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)

5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)

4. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)

3. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)

2. Huia Edmonds (Brumbies)

1. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)



Run on reserves:



16. Saia Fainga'a (Queensland Reds)

17. Pekahou Cowan (Western Force)

18. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies)

19. Matt Hodgson (Western Force)

20. Josh Valentine (Brumbies)

21. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)

22. James O’Connor (Western Force)

 

[Moses]

There has been a lottle of discussion about who'll play 10 and 12. Does anyone have any thoughts about Gits palying 9. This would allow Gits, Cooper and Barnes on the field at the same time. With Burgess being as bad as he's been and Genia injured I think this could be an intersting and effective combination.

Thought he played well enough there when given the chance, on current form I'd be looking at a 5-2 bench with Gits to cover 9/10/12

 

[Slim 293]

There isn't bogans in the nations capital?

This isn't a Raiders game...

Expect a large crowd of rich middle aged public servants and their spoiled private school kids...

 

[Reddy!]

New centre combination, which is probably the 6th combination tried in the last 12months.

I'm disappointed Hodgson isn't starting. Deans project players Brown, Burgess and Cowan have really been thrown a life line. I hope they make the most of it.

 

[Scarfman]

Weird sort of team. Positions 9-15 are pretty close to the G&GR collaborative side. If this is Robbie's A-team, then we've done pretty well, given the atrocities he could have comitted (10. Giteau, 12. Barnes, etc).

The forwards, though, you might hope have some speculative decisions.

BROWN: is Robbie saying that Elsom is a 6, tough luck to other 6s, including Hodgson, I'm not moving him to 8? I would rate Hoiles ahead of Brown, which is saying something. Brown has been found wanting, and his S14 form didn't show anything new.

EDMONDS: god knows what Robbie is thinking here. Doesn't want S.Fanger to get injured? Actually, maybe that's a good idea.

CHISHOLM: not in the top half dozen locks in the S14. Robbie loves the Jism.

Back 3: you could have reshuffled this lot with the reserves, thrown in Hynes, sure, but it's a pretty good selection.

In conclusion, not a bad side, with the weakness being the front row. You have to hope that this front row never has to play a Tier One test.

 

[Reddy!]

On Chisholm on the bench - Noddy mentioned this big lump of nothing will just be bench warming and not much else. I don't mind seeing him there as long as he doesn't play many minutes and the young guys have a good crack with the Barbarians team.

 

[Geeves]

There has been a lottle of discussion about who'll play 10 and 12. Does anyone have any thoughts about Gits palying 9. This would allow Gits, Cooper and Barnes on the field at the same time. With Burgess being as bad as he's been and Genia injured I think this could be an intersting and effective combination.

Too many cooks in the kitchen there.

In some stages last year it was bad enough having two headless chooks. Three could be an unmitigated disaster.

 

[RugbyReg]

New centre combination, which is probably the 6th combination tried in the last 12months.

interesting:

2010:

v Fiji = Gits & Horne

2009:

v Wales, Ireland & England = Quade & Diggers
v Scotland & Italy (2) = Quade & Cross
v NZL (4) = AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) & Cross
v NZL (2), (3) & SAF (3) = Berrick & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
v SAF (2) = AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) & Cross
v SAF (1), NZ (1), France & Italy (1) = Berrick & Morty

yeah, so 7.

 

[DPK]

How many of those were forced by injuries, Noddy?

 

[Reddy!]

Haha thanks for that, good guess!

Can't wait to see it in action though.

 

[RugbyReg]

How many of those were forced by injuries, Noddy?

dunno mate.

Berrick and Morty were two I guess.

 

[Scotty]

This is truly a bizzare selection. I am quite disgusted with this team, and in particular:

1. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as wing. Why wing? Why wing? Surely we have enough of them. We are short in experience and quality in 13 and FB, so keep him in one of those two spots. Mitchell deserved to start, and if Deans wanted to try others at 13 and FB, then put AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the bench, but don't shuffle him again.

2. Edmonds - plllluuuuuuuuuuuuuese. He must be kidding. The only thing I can see is that he wants to see what he can do starting, and then bring Fa'ainga on early in the 2nd half. But surely he also needs to see what Fa'ainga can do starting for the wallabies as well, particularly with TPN's injury and England looming?

3. Brown. Brown. Is there really any chance he is going to be risked against the likes of NZ or SA? Probably not. At 8 Hodgson > Brown, Elsom >Brown, Hoiles is even >Brown. Why aren't we trying combinations that we think could be effective in the 3N or RWC (eg Hoggo and Elsom), rather than giving abject failures another shot.

 

[Scotty]

I'm also not sure that Cowan has done enough this year to warrant bench selection ahead of Daley. Although I have only watched about half of the Force games.

 

[IamRed]

interesting:

2010:

v Fiji = Gits & Horne

2009:

v Wales, Ireland & England = Quade & Diggers
v Scotland & Italy (2) = Quade & Cross
v NZL (4) = AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) & Cross
v NZL (2), (3) & SAF (3) = Berrick & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
v SAF (2) = AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) & Cross
v SAF (1), NZ (1), France & Italy (1) = Berrick & Morty

yeah, so 7.

Obviously there has been many combinations lately but I think this is the best one so far. With Gits abilty to draw defenders Horne will have a field day. With his explosion I'm going to make the call he'll be first try scorer on Saturday.

 

[Groucho]

This isn't a Raiders game...

Expect a large crowd of rich middle aged public servants and their spoiled private school kids...

Slim, have you ever actually been to a Brumbies game?

I can remember in the early days at Bruce when the fans used to spit on the opposing team as they ran through the tunnel. Hell, I was one of them.

[not really]

 

[Groucho]

This is truly a bizzare selection. I am quite disgusted with this team, and in particular:

1. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as wing. Why wing? Why wing? Surely we have enough of them. We are short in experience and quality in 13 and FB, so keep him in one of those two spots. Mitchell deserved to start, and if Deans wanted to try others at 13 and FB, then put AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the bench, but don't shuffle him again.

2. Edmonds - plllluuuuuuuuuuuuuese. He must be kidding. The only thing I can see is that he wants to see what he can do starting, and then bring Fa'ainga on early in the 2nd half. But surely he also needs to see what Fa'ainga can do starting for the wallabies as well, particularly with TPN's injury and England looming?

3. Brown. Brown. Is there really any chance he is going to be risked against the likes of NZ or SA? Probably not. At 8 Hodgson > Brown, Elsom >Brown, Hoiles is even >Brown. Why aren't we trying combinations that we think could be effective in the 3N or RWC (eg Hoggo and Elsom), rather than giving abject failures another shot.

This backline is a nicel-judged experiment. Deans is testing Beale and Horne to see who goes best. If Beale goe best he'll get a shot at England, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will play 13 and Schmoo will go on the wing. If Horne goes best then he'll get a shot at England, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will play 15 and Schmoo will go on the wing.

 

[fatprop]

Huia Edmonds just depresses me, but at least we have another hooker ready for the shittiest wallaby hooker lists