Wallabies v France 1st test - Suncorp 7 June

[The_Brown_Hornet]

As am I Gnostic. Foley has been terrific this season and has a beautifully balanced game. He does all the basics well and takes good options -- exactly what you want from a 10.

 

[Blue]

I will give Link this one and it's a biggie. Reputation counts for sweet sugar honey fuck all thank you ma'am.

I wish our coach had that attitude. If someone mistakenly gave him a spade for his birthday he'd go and dig open Hansie Brewis' grave too see if the bones had a pulse.

Kudos to Link. A man of conviction, that much is true.

 

[Tomikin]

Was the moment when Kane Douglas completely monstered Jones a critical one...

For mine generally pretty happy with the side would have like to seen skelton in place of Horwill and Higgers on the bench in place of McCallmum. McCalmum has been really good but I think you have to look at the impact from the bench and higgers offers more in that way. McC more of an 80 minute player

Or Carter out worked him and out played him Saturday..Probably more of a issue

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[The_Brown_Hornet]

I will give Link this one and it's a biggie. Reputation counts for sweet sugar honey fuck all thank you ma'am.

I wish our coach had that attitude. If someone mistakenly gave him a spade for his birthday he'd go and dig open Hansie Brewis' grave too see if the bones had a pulse.

Kudos to Link. A man on conviction, that much is true.

Seems that way, doesn't it. Like you I applaud it and hope it continues. He's a canny man, our Link. Hopefully the results reward the policy but at least he seems to have picked the right men for the job.

 

[Scoey]

With Test footy it is essential to carry enough 'experience' in the team. Yes it's great to give the up and commers a shot but this needs to be done with a measured approach. The balance below I think is pretty good. A little light on with experience (guys like Moore and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) bump the numbers up a fair bit with 40% of the starting caps between the two) which is why guys like Horwill have been retained in favour of guys like Jones and Skelton. Pull 49 caps off the bench and replace with a doughnut and should Simmons go down with 20 to go in a tight one and we have two rookie locks in the tight five and we start looking a bit light on.

Test Caps:
1. Slipper (49)
2. Moore (91)
3. Kepu (38)
4. Simmons (37)
5. Carter (0)
6. Fardy (10)
7. Hooper (28)
8. Palu (49)
9. White (10)
10. Foley (4)
11. Cummins (12)
12. To'omua (10)
13. Kuridrani (8)
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (91)
15. Folau (15)

16. TPN (46)
17. Cowan (5)
18. Ryan (2)
19. Horwill (48)
20. McCalman (29)
21. Phipps (14)
22. Beale (39)
23. McCabe (20)

Totals:
Starting 452 30/player avg
Bench 203 25/player avg
Total 655 28/player avg

Note: The numbers come from Wiki so they could be well wrong, it's just easier to get them from there for this exercise they should be close enough.

 

[ACT Crusader]

To be honest his scrummaging still wasn't that great against the Chiefs. He was up against probably one of the weaker looseheads in the comp when it comes to technique. It was his best game of the season, but he was playing better footy last year and the year before IMO.

I think it is more of a last man standing sort of situation.

Problem for Genia and Horwill is the fact that there are a number of other good players that are playing well in their positions. To be honest i would have started Horwill or dropped him all together. I think he is wasted on the bench and would rather see Jones there.

I would imagine that Horwill is there for insurance though just in case the young fella is overawed by the occasion and goes MIA. You'd hope not, but Horwill would be able to pick it up seamlessly. Jones again is a greenhorn. Not ideal bringing a greenhorn for a debutante

 

[Pete King]

Or Carter out worked him and out played him Saturday..Probably more of a issue

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Rebels beaten soundly by both waratahs and Brumbies, so hard for Jones to look like a world beater. was just suggesting that the bone rattler from douglas may have put some lingering doubt in links mind as to his physicality.

 

[KAOPointman]

Man I can't get past the fact genia is left totally out. I'm ok with it anyway but the way he plays when a forward pack is moving forward or holding their own is second to none!
White is electric tho and Phipps has had my respect for along time now
Love this team overall! (Maybe would love to see Skelton in somehow)

 

[Mr Doug]

Sam carter will not be overawed by the occasion, nor will he 'let the team down'. He comes from good stock, with a father who has played against the French in France, having been accommodated in "second-rate, rural hotels", with all their luggage being "mysteriously lost".
Later in his career, Dave experienced a junior World Cup final in France when coaching the 'future Wallabies' (can't remember if it was when he was coaching the U21s, or U19s), where every French junior player was allocated 1 x current French test player, 1 x sports psychologist, and 1 x personal trainer!!
Australia lost to France in the final, by 6-9!!

If we lose this Saturday, it wont be Sam Carter's fault!

 

[It is what it is]

As am I Gnostic. Foley has been terrific this season and has a beautifully balanced game. He does all the basics well and takes good options -- exactly what you want from a 10.

He takes the ball to the line at pace with the ball in 2 hands....and it works!

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

He takes the ball to the line at pace with the ball in 2 hands..and it works!

Dead right. It's an underrated skill. Ever since I saw Mark Ella for the first time, that particular part of the game has always struck me as a massive attacking weapon.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Sam carter will not be overawed by the occasion, nor will he 'let the team down'. He comes from good stock, with a father who has played against the French in France, having been accommodated in "second-rate, rural hotels", with all their luggage being "mysteriously lost".
Later in his career, Dave experienced a junior World Cup final in France when coaching the 'future Wallabies' (can't remember if it was when he was coaching the U21s, or U19s), where every French junior player was allocated 1 x current French test player, 1 x sports psychologist, and 1 x personal trainer!!
Australia lost to France in the final, by 6-9!!

If we lose this Saturday, it wont be Sam Carter's fault!

I'm sure it won't mate and I know you're sticking up for your kin

He deserves his shot and I hope he kills it.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Sam carter will not be overawed by the occasion, nor will he 'let the team down'. He comes from good stock, with a father who has played against the French in France, having been accommodated in "second-rate, rural hotels", with all their luggage being "mysteriously lost".
Later in his career, Dave experienced a junior World Cup final in France when coaching the 'future Wallabies' (can't remember if it was when he was coaching the U21s, or U19s), where every French junior player was allocated 1 x current French test player, 1 x sports psychologist, and 1 x personal trainer!!
Australia lost to France in the final, by 6-9!!

If we lose this Saturday, it wont be Sam Carter's fault!

No it won't be Doug, it will be Robbie's.....

I hope the kid goes well. But you never know with a debutante no matter what their pedigree or form at lower levels, and I guess that's what Link wants to find out.

 

[It is what it is]

Or Carter out worked him and out played him Saturday..Probably more of a issue

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And how good was Carter's body height and leg drive too.

 

[Tomikin]

No it won't be Doug, it will be Robbie's...

I hope the kid goes well. But you never know with a debutante no matter what their pedigree or form at lower levels, and I guess that's what Link wants to find out.

I think Mr Doug's a little bias , but I have the most respect for Sam Carter he works his absolute Arse off. He wont fail for lack of effort, and Im not the first to think his the hardest working lock in super rugby.

I would love to see the stats the Super Club and Wallabies see when picking players... I bet he would be towards the top..

 

[It is what it is]

Carter's greatest area of improvement has come in his ball carries.
Last year an ant could ankle tap him and he'd be felled like a tree.
Now he's balanced, feet are wider apart and he's not so upright.
All credit to him and the confidence from this area has spread across his full game.

 

[BDA]

Well carter better hope the wallabies arent beaten badly, because he might find it quite difficult to get a second chance, particular with the likes of Jones breathing down his neck.

Just ask a guy like Mozza. Thrown to the wolves against the scots and never seen again in a wallabies jersey.

 

[RedsHappy]

Seems that way, doesn't it. Like you I applaud it and hope it continues. He's a canny man, our Link. Hopefully the results reward the policy but at least he seems to have picked the right men for the job.

Link's picked a fine Wallaby team........but please, please keep an eye on the revealed calibre of his whole specialist coaching team.......I promise you his calls in this latter selection, right in and close to him, will prove to be just as important as his playing team as chosen today.

 

[lewisr]

Well carter better hope the wallabies arent beaten badly, because he might find it quite difficult to get a second chance, particular with the likes of Jones breathing down his neck.

Just ask a guy like Mozza. Thrown to the wolves against the scots and never seen again in a wallabies jersey.

Unlike Deans, I think McKenzie has the ability to see past a single bad performance and judge whether or not the player has worth in the grand scheme of things. If Carter continued to show promise, I doubt Link would bag him after one bad debut.

 

[ACT Crusader]

I think Mr Doug's a little bias , but I have the most respect for Sam Carter he works his absolute Arse off. He wont fail for lack of effort, and Im not the first to think his the hardest working lock in super rugby.

I would love to see the stats the Super Club and Wallabies see when picking players. I bet he would be towards the top..

Indeed he is Tomikin. Always enjoy Doug's posts on all things Carter.

He's had a big year so far working in an effective engine room for the Brumbies. He's good at lineout time and has int he last few weeks carried the ball with greater oomph.