Wallabies v Pumas - Saturday 17 September, nib Stadium Perth

[Brumby Runner]

Fixed that for you.

Reliable Mr Pfitzy.​

 

[Brumby Runner]

The other thing to note is the Bishop thinking seems to be that if we use a traditional 10 set up, the Bloke in the slot is Quade. I agree. But does Cheika? I would prefer 10-12 Quade-Foley than say Foley-Hodge/Karevi.

Yeah, me too, but them's not the only options. Cooper - Kerevi/Hodge would be even better.

 

[ForceFan]

Michael Cheika is an absolute genius.
If he can get everybody on this forum confused or talking about his selections just imagine the chaos in the Argentina camp!

 

[Brumby Runner]

The same Simmons that has been outplayed recently in the NRC?
What am I missing?

Fifth best lock on the ground recently against the Vikings. And Tom Staniforth was actually playing 6.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Hasn't Mumm been calling it?

Nah, Mumm's been pretty mum lately.

 

[Brumby Runner]

not just yet. Simmons there to provide a bit of guidance I suspect. If he is resting/dropping (whatever) Douglas then it had to be he or Skelton. And the latter wouldn't have gone down so well!

Sam Carter has shown way better form in the NRC than either of Simmons or Skelton, and I wouldn't be advocating his inclusion in the test side. Just another inexplicable selection it seems.

 

[TSR]

Sam Carter has shown way better form in the NRC than either of Simmons or Skelton, and I wouldn't be advocating his inclusion in the test side. Just another inexplicable selection it seems.

Not saying your comments about his NRC form are wrong, but it is easy enough to justify IMO -
- Simmons remains the best line out exponent in Australian rugby (but there is only so much he, or any of the others for that matter, can do when we our hooker isn't throwing well and we are constantly out numbered with jumpers)
- he has been reported several times if I'm not mistaken as being our best scrummaging lock
- he consistently has on of the best tackle effectiveness rate (I don't religiously check the stats, so happy to be corrected if that is no longer the case)

Simmons problem has always been his lack of impact around the field. He tackles effectively, but is not a big hitter. He runs the ball regularly, but rarely carries big meters.

And, since impact in the forwards is something we lack across our pack people keep looking for another option to take us forward.

But, IMO, all of the other options who are better than Simmons in that regard are inferior in the above 3. So he stays on Cheika's radar for that reason.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Crumbs. Look I have a lot of issues with Simmo, but honest, this one.. Horse Shit.

Look deeper to the cause of the LO failures. Simmo is not it.

It really says a lot about the quality of the team selections since and including the England tests if we've been running lineouts with the likes of Skelton, Douglas and McCalman as the main targets for the caller. I think I recall, however, that many of us here identified precisely those problems before the matches got underway.

Also, I think Mumm was the caller for one of the ABs tests, and that was the reason given for his mystifying replacement of Fardy during the second AB test. Seems that neither Simmons nor Mumm were demonstrably better than Coleman in his first effort last weekend.

 

[Quick Hands]

Yeah - for all the talk of Cheika being stubbornly loyal there has been no continuity at all in the lock spot. I guess it is symptomatic of the fact that none of our locks are the full package. I've no doubt he's probably pulling his hair our (figuratively speaking) with the fact that none of them have been able to make the position theirs.

I think that the same is pretty much true across the board. We have quite a few good players, but not many of them are the complete package in their respective position.

 

[TSR]

I think that the same is pretty much true across the board. We have quite a few good players, but not many of them are the complete package in their respective position.

Absolutely agree. Even Folau doesn't have the kicking game of an international fullback.

the issues we all moan about re selection are mainly born out of the relevant short comings of the alternatives.

 

[Quick Hands]

Don't think it's been posted yet (and we get Barnesy against the Boks in a couple of weeks too):

Referee​

​

Wayne Barnes (England)​

Assistant 1​

​

Nigel Owens (Wales)​

Assistant 2​

​

Nick Briant (New Zealand)​

TMO​

​

Ben Skeen (New Zealand)​

 

[KOB1987]

It really says a lot about the quality of the team selections since and including the England tests if we've been running lineouts with the likes of Skelton, Douglas and McCalman as the main targets for the caller. I think I recall, however, that many of us here identified precisely those problems before the matches got underway.

Also, I think Mumm was the caller for one of the ABs tests, and that was the reason given for his mystifying replacement of Fardy during the second AB test. Seems that neither Simmons nor Mumm were demonstrably better than Coleman in his first effort last weekend.

Actually the reason for the 'mystifying' replacement of fardy with mumm in the second Bledisloe was that Coleman had been sent to the bin. Evidently cheika rathered mumm go into 2nd row ahead of fardy. Several people on here including yourself IIRC have said that fardy should NEVER go into the 2nd row, and we saw how it worked out in last year's Bledisloe when Simmons got binned. So there was some justification for the move beyond cheika's 'man love' for mumm, sometimes you just need to look beyond the obvious.

 

[tragic]

Actually the reason for the 'mystifying' replacement of fardy with mumm in the second Bledisloe was that Coleman had been sent to the bin. Evidently cheika rathered mumm go into 2nd row ahead of fardy. Several people on here including yourself IIRC have said that fardy should NEVER go into the 2nd row, and we saw how it worked out in last year's Bledisloe when Simmons got binned. So there was some justification for the move beyond cheika's 'man love' for mumm, sometimes you just need to look beyond the obvious.

Sure but how many scrums are there in 10 mins? And you could just replace him in the event there was one. Surely that was not the only reason. If so it seems a bit amateur. Then again it's not the most unusual call Cheikas made this season.

 

[KOB1987]

Sure but how many scrums are there in 10 mins? And you could just replace him in the event there was one. Surely that was not the only reason. If so it seems a bit amateur. Then again it's not the most unusual call Cheikas made this season.

From memory it was at scrum time that he did replace him. Don't quote me on this but I think last year when fardy went into the row we conceded 2 tries in that 10 minutes, both from the scrum getting pole axed and one of which was a penalty try. I know it wasn't pretty that's for sure.

 

[dru]

It really says a lot about the quality of the team selections since and including the England tests if we've been running lineouts with the likes of Skelton, Douglas and McCalman as the main targets for the caller.

Hey bloke, I have different recollections. They mostly centre around Simmo being dealt a pup. No opportunity at all with the non-jumpers he had to call to.

Just my view of course.

 

[KOB1987]

I had to quell my curiosity. I was right, but it was 2014. Here's the timeline of the pertinent part.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Cheika still trying to work out his best XV it seems. Consistent selection in the backs is a good start.

What's with the 9 players being named on the bench all the time? I know I've asked this before, but seriously what is the deal there?

And on those bench players named, no point going 6/2 given Cheika is likely to play his two opensides for 80. Better to have the 3 backs just in case injury or the Wallabies need a spark.

 

[tragic]

From memory it was at scrum time that he did replace him. Don't quote me on this but I think last year when fardy went into the row we conceded 2 tries in that 10 minutes, both from the scrum getting pole axed and one of which was a penalty try. I know it wasn't pretty that's for sure.

I do remember getting pole axed back in 2014 although our scrum had many other issues then and the ABs scrum was also stronger.
Regardless I have no argument if the sub was made at scrum time.
My recollection was that it wasn't which is why I thought it was a little odd.
I'm happy to concede though as I have no desire to watch it again!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Cheika still trying to work out his best XV it seems......

In the seventh Test of the season? Pretty sure Deans would been virtually hung, drawn & quartered in similar circumstances.

 

[Tip]

I do remember getting pole axed back in 2014 although our scrum had many other issues then and the ABs scrum was also stronger.
Regardless I have no argument if the sub was made at scrum time.
My recollection was that it wasn't which is why I thought it was a little odd.
I'm happy to concede though as I have no desire to watch it again!

Weren't we down to 14 men during that period?