Wallabies v Italy

[southsider]

did the chiekmesiter consider running Old Man Ashley at 12?, with him at 12, To'omua can focus more on playmaking than defending..Kerevi at 13, this was the best game to test combinations, wasted opportunity. Hope AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has a good game cause they may need a defending 13 cover come the big game next week. also missed opportunity on have Valetini on bench, another good time to try out a new dynamic player at 6/8, wobblies won't be playing any more weaker teams until the RWC..

Have someone who refuses to pass play 12, yea nah

 

[kiap]

Petaia and Arnold both out injured. Replaced by Koro and Simmons

Petaia has a slight hammy strain and Arnold a slight fractured eye socket

That's surprisingly unsurprising

(no slight intended)

 

[Up the Guts]

There is potential in Hanigan, but what he needs more than anything is an off season to bulk up and to be made to fight for the position.

Hanigan is only 2cm shorter and 3kg lighter than Squire. I don't think bulking up anymore will necessarily help him as he just doesn't play heavy. IMO he doesn't have that much confidence playing at Wallaby level and tends to go missing in attack and defence. He is better at Super level where he is more confident and physically assertive.

 

[Wilson]

Hanigan is only 2cm shorter and 3kg lighter than Squire. I don't think bulking up anymore will necessarily help him as he just doesn't play heavy. IMO he doesn't have that much confidence playing at Wallaby level and tends to go missing in attack and defence. He is better at Super level where he is more confident and physically assertive.

Reported numbers mean very little, but what I mean by bulk up is more about building a body designed to hit rucks and break tackle's. He's 23 and hasn't had an off season/full pre-season to grow into his body since he was at least 21. You only have to look at what mccalman did a little while back when he fell out of favour and was able to take some time in the gym. Put on a few kilos yes, but was so much more menacing and effective - it's where his performance against Wales in the 2015 world cup was built.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Jake Polledri looks unreal for Italy.

 

[USARugger]

Why play Foley at 12 instead of Kerevi 12 Naivalu 13? If there's anyone we can get away with running a bash/bash center combination against it's probably Italy. (Forgive me if either are injured because I honestly don't know).

Kerevi is infinitely more likely to be an actual match-day cover if we have injuries at 12 and our depth at 13 is completely non-existent outside of TK/Kerevi. How many disappointing games does Hodge need to have at 13 before the coaching staff realizes he's not the answer to our 13 depth issue? Not to mention if we have injuries anywhere from 10-15 Hodge is likely to be the cover there anyway - so why rely on him to also be the first cover for the most specialized defending position on the field?

Even giving Maddocks a run in the back three and giving Folau another crack at 13 would have had more practical upside than playing Foley at 12.

Even with To'omua back it's hard to feel like we have any real depth across 10/12/13 yet with guys getting played out of position so regularly.

Practically speaking isn't Foley really our 6th choice at 12, considering he's more or less locked into the starting 10 role the majority of the time? I don't understand the point of this at all.

 

[Strewthcobber]

As others have said, it may just be our 1st choice 12 needs some time at 10, our 2nd choice needs a rest and our 3rd.choice needs time at 13 before the England game.

It kind of leaves Foley there by default, to get his 6th cap at 12 for the Wallabies

 

[fatprop]

Why play Foley at 12 instead of Kerevi 12 Naivalu 13? If there's anyone we can get away with running a bash/bash center combination against it's probably Italy. (Forgive me if either are injured because I honestly don't know).

It is the second playmaker system, I think they want Beale, Foley & To'omua to be fluid in the 10/12 roles. Beale & Foley swapped around all season quite successfully for the Tahs all season. Foley played a lot at 12 despite having 10 on his back.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think KOBs point is, is Foley at 10 & To'omua at 12 > To'omua at 10 and ? at 12.

All our other 12s are shit at the moment

Strewth, I have no concern with KOB's point about the selections, though I will say that I would much prefer to see Kerevi at 12. I was calling out his inclination to heap shit on Brumbies' fans when the call for To'omua to have a shot at 10 has come from all teams' fans including from some with Tahs' affiliations.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I don't want to ignore BR completely because I do value his input, plus his anti-Waratahs stance is funny, plus he's fun to wind up. But I do wish there was an 'ignore post' button sometimes.

KOB, we do sometimes engage in some banter on the threads, and that is good. But your comment above was not specifically, hardly generally, directed at me. It was a straight out shot at Brumbies fans.

What you may not understand is that many of your posts do accuse other posters, including me, of bias when they contain criticism of any of the Tahs contingent in the Wallabies when it is more apparent to me that it is the continued failure of some of the Tahs fans to face the fact that certain Tahs players are out of form or simply not up to standard that is more biased towards their players than those who might be advocating changes for the better (as they see it).

I will not agree that I have an anti-Waratahs stance, but I am very much against and angered by the apparent favoured treatment our national coach gives to some of them. And when I do suggest replacements that I'd like to see, in the large majority of cases I will put forward names of players from the Reds, Rebels or even alternatives from the Tahs.

Right now, for example, I would not play the Pooper and that means dropping Michael Hooper because he is the second best No 7 in the team. I would have kept Timu (Reds) in the side as his replacement, or Cottrell (Rebels). I would never select Simmons in the team, but that attitude pre-dates his move to the Tahs. I would prefer Sam Carter to Rob, but as a replacement for the Wallabies I would go for Matt Philip (Rebels), or even Holloway (Tahs) on his form in the second row this year. Nick Phipps is another I would lose, with Gordon (Tahs) a better prospect. I think Cheika's handling of Joe Powell is a disgrace, and I fear over a period he might do the same with Gordon if he doesn't absolutely kill it v Italy. To'omua is a better football player than Foley and despite your view that he isn't experienced at No 10, he played numerous games there for the Brumbies in a time when they were the top Aussie team and in most years among the finalists in Super Rugby. But Toomia is not now a Brumby and hasn't been for a couple of years. He is still a better player than Foley. Beale's days have gone. He offers so little to the Wallabies' game in both attack and defense that I would remove him from the squad altogether. A replacement No 12? I would have Kerevi (Reds) in a flash. Unlike others, he is a threat to any defensive line and contrary to popular belief he is actually a reasonable distributor and getting better, as is his kicking game. Kuridarni (Brumbies) when fit should come into the side at 13, so is the one for one replacement for Beale.

I think most would agree that my dislike of the players mentioned is based on some solid foundation and not just an anti-Waratahs stance. And I certainly do not, nor have ever, just put forward Brumbies players as the replacements which I can infer is the meaning in some of your posts alleging bias on my part, and certainly as has been repeated plainly by some of the other Tahs posters on the site.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Petaia and Arnold both out injured. Replaced by Koro and Simmons

Petaia has a slight hammy strain and Arnold a slight fractured eye socket

Both training injuries. WTF is Cheika trying to do? We seem to suffer a whole lot more injuries in training than we do in the games proper.

 

[KOB1987]

And yet anyone else's comments are just whinging or provincial bias...

That was a reference to your opinion,not mine.

I’ll retract the reference to the ‘Brumbies lot’ and replace it with ‘several people’ and concede it was unwarranted. It wasn’t meant as a provincial thing and I don’t really have any aversion to the proposition that MT be given a run at 10 although I personally think he is a 12, and our best one ATM at that.

But when you get what you ask for and then complain about the necessary circumstances that come with that, yes, that’s whingeing.

 

[KOB1987]

Strewth, I have no concern with KOB's point about the selections, though I will say that I would much prefer to see Kerevi at 12. I was calling out his inclination to heap shit on Brumbies' fans when the call for To'omua to have a shot at 10 has come from all teams' fans including from some with Tahs' affiliations.

I’ve addressed the latter above.

I’m not opposed to Kerevi playing 12 in the right circumstances, but these aren’t the right circumstances. He’s short of match time and needs to prep for playing 13 next week. So like it or not it’s Foley and/or Beale.

 

[kiap]

Both training injuries. WTF is Cheika trying to do? We seem to suffer a whole lot more injuries in training than we do in the games proper.

We certainly hear about them at selection time.

The other selection norm of naming 24 players (one to be omitted) doesn't seem to be trotted out as often though.

So there's that.

Thing is, guys are also being selected to play with slight injuries. It's common and has always been normal. Has Coleman been playing on with a sternum injury? Is captain Hooper running out with a dodgy hammy? It's certainly a good excuse for being out-sprinted by fatties.

But if Arnold has a fractured eye socket, "slight" or otherwise, I'd have thought he'd normally be sent home.

The Wallabies have plenty of cash to carry all sorts of non-participants on tour, so who knows? Was RA recently sending the begging bowl around to individuals - former players and the like - to tap them up for money? Dunno, might've just been another rumour.

 

[Joe Blow]

Strewth, I have no concern with KOB's point about the selections, though I will say that I would much prefer to see Kerevi at 12. I was calling out his inclination to heap shit on Brumbies' fans when the call for To'omua to have a shot at 10 has come from all teams' fans including from some with Tahs' affiliations.

Yes. Beale at 12 would give him the best comparison with how Foley performs at 5/8.
Foley should be on the bench.

 

[KOB1987]

Yes. Beale at 12 would give him the best comparison with how Foley performs at 5/8.
Foley should be on the bench.

It sounds like he will get both. I like the idea of Beale coming from the bench to see if he has better impact in that role, I suspect he will.

 

[Quick Hands]

Yes. Beale at 12 would give him the best comparison with how Foley performs at 5/8.
Foley should be on the bench.

You've overlooked the point that unless To'omua scores three tries, sets up another three and kicks 8 goals and a couple of field goals, Foley will play next week.

 

[formerflanker]

Both training injuries. WTF is Cheika trying to do? We seem to suffer a whole lot more injuries in training than we do in the games proper.

Many post losing match comments from captain, coach, and team management refer to how well the team and individuals trained.
Training seems to be a huge yardstick in the selection process these days.
Players pick up on that, follow coach's instructions, and suffer game-like injuries because they train at game pace and intensity.
It's all part of the "professional" approach to rugby.

Perhaps that is what has to change. Move to a simpler game plan, less contact training and more games (e.g. midweek tour games).

 

[KOB1987]

You've overlooked the point that unless To'omua scores three tries, sets up another three and kicks 8 goals and a couple of field goals, Foley will play next week.

More than likely, but I’d like to see them work well together and start in the reverse positions next week.

 

[liquor box]

Perhaps that is what has to change. Move to a simpler game plan, less contact training and more games (e.g. midweek tour games).

I guess they parctice the contact side of the game as we are perfect at all the other skills like passing, catching and kicking