Wallabies v Pumas, GIO Stadium, Canberra, Sat 16th September

[KOB1987]

I think Timani should come in for Hanigan, don't care which of he or McMahon plays 8, it's academic really but I'd be inclined to leave McMahon there and play Timani on the side. The call up of Tui for Douglas is interesting though.

Can't see any changes in the backs unless he wants to rotate Speight or Rona out to blood Koroibete which I wouldn't be opposed to.

 

[dru]

Hunt to be considered if fit. Line out and scrum to be resolved - personnel changes if necessary.

 

[Derpus]

He must not rate Koroibete very highly to pick Rona as a winger in a position he hadn't played in all year.

 

[Slim 293]

Can any of the Canberrans shed light on whether this game is being promoted much?

The Crimes did run a piece concerned about the lack of exposure for the game, considering the problems with the Force fiasco and the general shiteness of Australian rugby has been dominating the headlines.

 

[KOB1987]

Hunt to be considered if fit. Line out and scrum to be resolved - personnel changes if necessary.

I don't think he is, from what I can find the only squad changes are Moore for Latu and Tui for Douglas.

 

[Slim 293]

I don't think he is, from what I can find the only squad changes are Moore for Latu and Tui for Douglas.

Correct......... Hunt isn't there. Tom Banks has been added to the squad with DHP out for the year.

 

[A mutterer]

I think Timani should come in for Hanigan, don't care which of he or McMahon plays 8, it's academic really but I'd be inclined to leave McMahon there and play Timani on the side. The call up of Tui for Douglas is interesting though.

Can't see any changes in the backs unless he wants to rotate Speight or Rona out to blood Koroibete which I wouldn't be opposed to.

i think i've personally moved on from timani.

just like with some other wobblies forwards we get one good game in ten from them.

i'm tired of hearing about player potential. you either deliver or you don't.

happy to be proven wrong but i just cant see a situation where the announcers say timani's name like they used to say 'keeeefffuuuuuuuuuu'.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think Hanigan looks like he needs a rest though. I thought the two Bledisloe games were his best two tests so far where he both had good workrate and it was reasonably effective.

He certainly looked like he missed a few cleanouts against the Boks and didn't look strong in that area.

Realistically that is the most important aspect he needs to be providing to the forward pack right now. High workrate with effective cleanouts. If he can't do that, he isn't fulfilling his role.

 

[Killer]

From left field maybe, has Phillip played 6 in the SS, some serious grunt there, if Chek can bring in a hooker with no Super starts. Yeah I know Phillip isn't even in the wider squad.

 

[KOB1987]

From left field maybe, has Phillip played 6 in the SS, some serious grunt there, if Chek can bring in a hooker with no Super starts. Yeah I know Phillip isn't even in the wider squad.

I have a feeling that's why Tui has been brought in. Not for this week but to develop him as a 4/5/6.

 

[Warpath]

If Marika Koroibete does not play in this game, i'm sure he will give up on union. I hear Tom Banks was called up for DHP, it will be sad if he got ahead of Marika in the pecking order for this game.

 

[Braveheart81]

If Marika Koroibete does not play in this game, i'm sure he will give up on union. I hear Tom Banks was called up for DHP, it will be sad if he got ahead of Marika in the pecking order for this game.

I don't think Banks is at all likely to play.

I don't think that necessarily means Korobeite does play. I'd like to see him get a run off the bench instead of Rona though. Rona didn't exactly do well in his few minutes last game and there isn't really much to lose by giving Korobeite a crack.

 

[Warpath]

I figured they would use Marika last weekend too, shocked they named Rona on the bench instead. They needed speed last weekend to beat South Africa, Marika has that in abundance..the draw was more of a loss to australia than south Africa cause not only did australia lose ranking points in the draw but the chance for a win because of the many breaks they made, they could not finish due to the lack of speed on the outside, DHP is a big loss and i stand by my comment from last week that Hodge is slow (that break he made and got caught, yikes, (marika or DHP would have finished that ). Speight looked injured last weekend, think he caught a heavy knock, so we may see Rona start with Hodge on the wings (wow worst wing pairing ever), personally i'd rather see Kerevi on the wing than Rona, atleast if he gets the ball, he can do something with it and maybe give one of his miracle passes to Beale or Folau for a try.

 

[Scrubber2050]

The Douglas omission is interesting.

Guy goes from a champion season with the Tahs, heads OS, back for RWC 2015 (goes very well), gets injured, signed by Reds and hasn't played consistently well since. Has had opportunities at Wallaby level and failed to retrieve that good form.

Bloke has shown plenty of ability at top level, is not injured at all so it's difficult to understand.

Personally I think he would have been "cut" at the Reds (instead of Simmons) but he had a year left on his contract.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Tui may in time be groomed for the No 6 spot, but can't see him playing this weekend, nor in the remainder of the RC. I would be more than happy for Matt Philip to be brought in, but he apparently doesn't have Cheika's eye atm.

So, we will go with another undersized and unbalanced backrow and the scribes and pharisees (the sect of coaches/selectors we currently have) will wonder why we get bossed at the breakdown, why the scrum is on roller skates, why we can't win a turnover and why our defense in close falls away.

Any one of dozens or more GAGR posters could open their eyes if only they'd ask.

Unfortunately, we will see Squeaky return at Uelese's expense, and we will again try to cope with out of form players like Genia, Foley and Folau.

But, notwithstanding, this is a test the Wallabies should and must win, even with some of the questionable selections that will be on offer. There is a discernible improvement in skills levels (thanks Byrne?) and importantly in attitude towards having a go (thanks Beale?). It is almost last chance saloon for the Wallabies in this RC, and another string of losses will just about cause the shop to be shut.

 

[Highlander35]

Fox Sports saying that Uelese to retain his bench spot ahead of Moore, and Koroibete to debut from the Bench in place of Rona.


https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...d/news-story/fed6f6f4021d778ecc51a1eacf5215d9

 

[Brumby Runner]

Have to say that I was particularly disappointed with Izzy last weekend. Looked like his heart wasn't in the game, as though he had lost interest. Seemed to be content on most occasions to simply transfer the task of returning the ball to KB (Kurtley Beale). Hopefully, it was a one off, and that he regains better form this weekend and takes the line on with more intent.

Will G was another who performed well below expectations. One good game on and one poor one off. Could mean he will have a belter this game. However, if I was marketing this test, I would go all out in starting Powell in the No 9 spot, going head to head with Tomas Cubelli in Canberra. What more could you ask.

 

[Derpus]

Fox Sports saying that Uelese to retain his bench spot ahead of Moore, and Koroibete to debut from the Bench in place of Rona.


https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...d/news-story/fed6f6f4021d778ecc51a1eacf5215d9

Would be the prudent choices. Rona looked a weird combination of dangerous and nervous on the weekend.

Only other change i'd make is Hanigan bench, Timani start Dempsey out.

 

[Derpus]

Have to say that I was particularly disappointed with Izzy last weekend. Looked like his heart wasn't in the game, as though he had lost interest. Seemed to be content on most occasions to simply transfer the task of returning the ball to KB (Kurtley Beale). Hopefully, it was a one off, and that he regains better form this weekend and takes the line on with more intent.

Will G was another who performed well below expectations. One good game on and one poor one off. Could mean he will have a belter this game. However, if I was marketing this test, I would go all out in starting Powell in the No 9 spot, going head to head with Tomas Cubelli in Canberra. What more could you ask.

You could ask for a test quality 9 starting for the Wallabies?

 

[hammertimethere]

It such a shit situation with our forward pack where we have been forced into compromises by inadequate squad selection and injury but making the best of limited resources for this weekend (and preferably for the rest of the RC) I'd go with.

1. Sio
2. TPN
3. Kepu
4. Arnold
5. Coleman
6. Simmons
6. Hooper
8. McMahon
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Speight
12. Beale
13. TK
14. Hodge
15. Folau

16. Moore
17. Faulkner (or Cowan if we can modify the squad)
18. AAAA
19. Tui
20. Dempsey or Timani (or Hanigan)
21. Phipps
22. Kerevi
23. Koroibete

I'm fucking sick to death of the Wallabies ruining the early part of good young players' Test careers (particularly forwards) by throwing them in before they are truly ready and have the physical maturity + Super Rugby experience/form to prove it (unless it's absolutely fucking necessary). Robertson, Hanigan are both in this category for me. They've been thrust into the Test arena 18 months-2 years before they are really primed to succeed.

Simmons at 6 is not going to win us any games with dynamism, but he's a 90+ % tackler, good set piece exponent, rarely misses cleanouts and carries as well as the current blokes anyway (who don't have his other skills). Structuring our bench this way should actually allow us to finish games running with players who can actually break a tackle or make a play if the game is tight or we are chasing it.