Wallabies v Fiji, Canberra

[Gooch]

I agree Gagger. I was not very happy when I first heard the team but it is the only game we can experiment in. Personally I think Dick Brown has done enough in the Wallabies jersey to NEVER be chosen again, even against Fiji.
I'm going down to the capital Saturday night so hoping to see an exciting game. Hoping Brown has the fumbles early and Hodgson gets his chance to see if his Super 14 form continues at the next level.

 

[Groucho]

Looks like Deans rushed Beale into the starting squad before his court date. Can't help wondering that if he is innocent as he claims then why the need to give him game time pronto if he is supposedly going to escape the charges anyway.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/beale-to-suit-up-before-court-date-20100601-wvdm.html

On that theme, maybe Dick Brown also has an upcoming court appearance.

I think the point the article was making, Paris Tah, was that the court case precluded Beale playing in the Barbarians game, and Deans wanted him to play in one of the games.

 

[cheezel]

Agree fatprop, I'm not looking forward to a Carlos Spencer style pass (circa 2003 world cup semi final) that will make us all wish we stuck with Gits

 

[Groucho]

Groucho, get in touch with these guys and see if they'll be showing it: http://www.theexchange.com.au/lockerroom/

You need to register for it though but it only takes 2 seconds to do

I watched a Reds game there on a Friday night and they had a room dedicated for the game with a big screen and commentary. It was a great atmosphere because the only people in the room were those who wanted to actually watch the rugby

Thanks Tiger, looks great! Just registered.

 

[DPK]

I agree Gagger. I was not very happy when I first heard the team but it is the only game we can experiment in. Personally I think Dick Brown has done enough in the Wallabies jersey to NEVER be chosen again, even against Fiji.
I'm going down to the capital Saturday night so hoping to see an exciting game. Hoping Brown has the fumbles early and Hodgson gets his chance to see if his Super 14 form continues at the next level.

Let me get this straight. You're a Wallabies fan, yet you would be happy to see one Wallaby play badly so that another (untested, I might add) can get a chance? Poor form.

 

[Scotty]

Actually the more time I've had to think about it, the more OK I am with this team against Fiji

As the only 'easy' game we got where else do we get to see the young talents together in the backline? We also have a gaping hole at 8 and if there was any 'safe' game for Dick Brown to have another run, this would be it. Similar goes for Huia. If it were the Poms, I'd be thinking different.

I understand that it is only Fiji, and a trial match for some of the wallaby hopefuls, but there aren't many on here that have critised the inclusion of the likes of Beale or Horne.

As I said, my three main issues are AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wing, Edmonds for Finger, and Brown. Both the Brown and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) selections are not 'experimental' as we already know what they can do in those positions. And the Edmonds selection is no more experimental that what the Finger selection would have been, as neither have played a test match.

So having Mitchell on for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is no less experimental.
Having Elsom go to 8, with Hodgson at 6 is actually more experimental that Brown at 8.
And having Finger instead of Edmonds is also no less experimental, but ultimately could be damaging to future games where Finger needs to play against better opponents, but doesn't yet have the teamwork going with the remainder of the pack.

 

[RugbyReg]

This was posted on 'another' website:

just checked with Nemani on twitter. The team isn't named until tomorrow, so that team is probably just another guess.

 

[Gooch]

DPK: Fair enough. Not good to want a Wallaby to play bad, but I just don't like him.

 

[en_force_er]

Can anyone else picture KB (Kurtley Beale) killing it on Friday night and maybe against England and then bleeding tries against the ABs (similar to O'Connor last year).

Seriously, I don't know what playing against a team of S14 quality (arguably less) will do other than reprove KB (Kurtley Beale) is a quality Super rugby 15. We already know that.

 

[DPK]

O'Connor's June Tests performance was a bit different last year enforcer, Italy isn't as difficult as England. If KB (Kurtley Beale) gets game time against England and Ireland and performs well, then he would certainly be quite useful in the Tri Nations.

But I get what you mean, I don't think he should start in the Tri Nations this year.

 

[waratahjesus]

basically if you keep questioning things you can poke a hole in anything.
playing fiji is being used as a warm up match. they can pick whoever they want, all the hope of 40 points plus will go the way of scrappy dropped ball and the blaming of conditions and reffing.

i take it the edmunds was picked to make it an all brumbies front row to help out mafu.

Beale was fringe last year and deserves a run, its not like he hasnt displayed form for a few years that has put him in this position. he will be fine, his defence has improved time and time again this season (while still not being great) and he will aim up, this is the first year he has seemed like he has composure and the same can be said of quade (at times), they have both added extra maturity although quade still has the od brain fart.

JOC (James O'Connor) still scares me, i think at times he trys to much, hopefully with the run he is bound to get during the international season he lets those around him put him through gaps rather than trying to fake 37 passes and stepping like a fool. he has to do it all for the force and to an extent it works, but like giteau being a better player when he lets others do there share i think he will to.

 

[Lee Grant]

enforcer - don't get too excited about the Oz selections for the next three games.

We may find out things about new starting Oz players and players getting a 2nd chance that we didn't know. Maybe we won't, and that will be instructive too.

The only things that I am sure about are:

1. We should not get too excited about selections and non-selections until the Ireland game - the one before 3N. The real team should be picked for that one. We shouldn't argue to much about combinations yarda, yarda. The Oz backline has been playing as though they didn't know each other year after year regardless of continuity - give or take a few exceptions - so don't fly that kite. Frankly I like assessing players who can mix and match. How many times have we seen the backs of our national team look like Brown's cows because one of them had to be replaced early? Let's see who can cope best - and who, worst - with non-regulars.

2. The most important thing in the game will be how long the forwards play physically for - and who mix it for the longest time. Who wants to have a go at counter rucking for however long they are on the park and who is interested in preventing it; who will drive into the tackle area to take out the first opponent arriving; who is good at first in and who at second in; who drives in low with low hips so he doesn't flop and get penalised but can apply his centre of gravity against the other fellows centre of gravity to knock him back, and if he can get an arm whilst doing all that, all the better.

That has been the most serious problem for the Wallabies for 50 years and it will be the same for 2010. Our forwards don't have the physicality that the South Africans have - or even the Kiwis - so we should take a great deal of care in picking which forwards can play with grunt for a longest time.

When we do that we can start talking about the backs.

PS - would some kind soul (not me) start a thread that can go all winter with the subject: "These forwards are playing with real grunt." Who knows - it may force people to watch the tackles and rucks and mauls - and not just the players behind them picking their noses. Maybe there won't be so many "Geez didn't Fred Nerk make a good break..." comments.

End of daily rant. Geez, I feel better.

 

[Reddy!]

Kurtley Beale at fullback has a bit of the Chris Lathams about it to me. Alot of Beale's tries and breaks this season came from 50/50 chip kicks, grubbers and regathers where the bounce of the ball or the opposition fumbling the ball played a big part in his eventual scoring opportunity. Individual kind of rugby. This kind of razzle dazzle worked for Latham year after year in the Super rugby competition too. But like Latham, I don't see this working at test level every time for Beale...well not yet. So therefore I expect Beale to look like an idiot at times if his rugby instinct comes into play - although this post might have more meaning once we come up against Ireland and he is starting.

And I also think this is the difference between Quade and Kurtley at this stage. While some are worried about Quade falling to bits, I think his game of highly skilled rugby (dependent on composure and vision) will more often than not work compared with Kurtley Beales game of high risk rugby (dependent on variables such as the bounce of the ball, opposition mistakes). I hope that makes sense haha

 

[waratahjesus]

Kurtley Beale at fullback has a bit of the Chris Lathams about it to me. Alot of Beale's tries and breaks this season came from 50/50 chip kicks, grubbers and regathers where the bounce of the ball or the opposition fumbling the ball played a big part in his eventual scoring opportunity. Individual kind of rugby. This kind of razzle dazzle worked for Latham year after year in the Super rugby competition too. But like Latham, I don't see this working at test level every time for Beale...well not yet. So therefore I expect Beale to look like an idiot at times if his rugby instinct comes into play - although this post might have more meaning once we come up against Ireland and he is starting.

And I also think this is the difference between Quade and Kurtley at this stage. While some are worried about Quade falling to bits, I think his game of highly skilled rugby (dependent on composure and vision) will more often than not work compared with Kurtley Beales game of high risk rugby (dependent on variables such as the bounce of the ball, opposition mistakes). I hope that makes sense haha

from watching the tahs this year, im not sure kurtley plays as high risk as it looks. He has excellent vision and he rarely chip kicks if he isnt going to be first there. He hasnt actually waisted many short kicks that i can think of at all. the flashy stuff gets remembered but he has done some of the simple things well, he has adjusted his tackling style and his positional play has improved more and more. Being in this team, if only for the first couple of matches will do his confidence the world of good and provide austrlia with another option.

the point about quades brainfarts are the trip or dropping the ball cold while trying to do his fancy step. i think the main difference between the two players at the moment (and i know there playing different positions, but i meant in attitude) is that when something isnt on, kurtley seems much more capable of hitting the line and making a few yards in the tackle, something of which nieither of them would ever dream a year or so ago.

im excited to see them both out there tomorrow though and hope they form a combination of sorts, they both have good vision and it would be great to see them work well together.

 

[Groucho]

from watching the tahs this year, im not sure kurtley plays as high risk as it looks. He has excellent vision and he rarely chip kicks if he isnt going to be first there. He hasnt actually waisted many short kicks that i can think of at all. the flashy stuff gets remembered but he has done some of the simple things well, he has adjusted his tackling style and his positional play has improved more and more. Being in this team, if only for the first couple of matches will do his confidence the world of good and provide austrlia with another option.

the point about quades brainfarts are the trip or dropping the ball cold while trying to do his fancy step. i think the main difference between the two players at the moment (and i know there playing different positions, but i meant in attitude) is that when something isnt on, kurtley seems much more capable of hitting the line and making a few yards in the tackle, something of which nieither of them would ever dream a year or so ago.

im excited to see them both out there tomorrow though and hope they form a combination of sorts, they both have good vision and it would be great to see them work well together.

Kurtley and Quade have been playing together in representative teams for a decade, often in these respective positions. I think we can hope for more than them 'forming a combination of sorts'.

 

[#1 Tah]

Turner must start V ABs and Boks. Best defensive back being over looked by Beale?

 

[en_force_er]

I never thought I'd say this in the past but I actually have began to rate Kurtley's defense. Sure he misses more tackles than he should be you can tell it isn't because he hates contact. He goes in there to make big hits, they just don't come off sometimes. He will get there.

Quade on the other hand goes in heaps too upright and clearly detests making tackles.

 

[RugbyReg]

I never thought I'd say this in the past but I actually have began to rate Kurtley's defense. Sure he misses more tackles than he should be you can tell it isn't because he hates contact. He goes in there to make big hits, they just don't come off sometimes. He will get there.

Quade on the other hand goes in heaps too upright and clearly detests making tackles.

that's just wrong. He's made some crackers this year.

 

[en_force_er]

that's just wrong. He's made some crackers this year.

If a man plays almost every minute of a season he will make "some crackers". Generally he looks uninterested in contact. A good example of this is his rucks, he always goes straight off his feet and never looks like moving anyone. It frustrates me.

Great attacking player though.

 

[fatprop]

I never thought I'd say this in the past but I actually have began to rate Kurtley's defense. Sure he misses more tackles than he should be you can tell it isn't because he hates contact. He goes in there to make big hits, they just don't come off sometimes. He will get there.

Quade on the other hand goes in heaps too upright and clearly detests making tackles.

Kurtley was pretty good at 15 in defence, but he was just terrible in the defensive line