Wallabies v. Springboks, 18th July 2015, Suncorp, Brisbane

[Lorenzo]

So the official ARU announcement says the following :

"The returning trio (ie Genia, Cooper and Giteau) make up three of the four total changes to the team which ran out against England at Twickenham in the final Test of the 2014 Spring Tour, with the other change being the return of Tevita Kuridrani at outside centre."

It then goes on to say :

"Saturday’s Test also marks the return of two players whose resilience and perseverance has been rewarded, with Qantas Wallabies Captain Stephen Moore returning to the starting lineup for the first time in over 12 months."

Some apparent discrepancy here? Squeaky makes it five changes, and iirc Scott Fardy didn't play the EOYT either. Are there really six changes to the starting lineup, and then another four or more on the bench?

I wonder who writes this sort of thing.

Lou from maintenance, after they didn't replace Di Patston

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Some posters are saying that Matt Giteau is a good defender. He tackles well, with good technique, but nearly always around the legs allowing the tackled player the opportunity to off load. I will be surprised if Saturday's test is any different.

Technically he's fine but he's giving away 15kgs to his opposite number. I s'pose if they drift he's only giving away 10 kgs to their 13. But he gives away 10kgs minimum to everyone in their backline.
That spells gain line every time they run at him irrespective of technique.
When you think about that I can't see how this fits with a plan to get us to RWC 2015.
Hope Im wrong: I usually am.

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

However If Cooper/Gits is successful, I'm afraid it might also give us a false sense of reality once the All Blacks game comes around since they won't have the same defensive issues the Boks may have.

Hmm.. this is the type of comment that gets appended to my signature... In the past 8 tests between the two sides, the Wallabies have failed to score more than 2 tries(per game).

 

[Ulrich]

There is general consensus that he is not a test level scum half. A good stop gap, and possible even offers a luxury of not having another 9 on the bench, but his kicking game is the real issue that lets him down. It's been four years to try and improve his game at 9 and it has not worked.

I still think he is the perfect bench impact player and cannot fathom how Meyer picks Reinach ahead of him. And he is a better option on the wing than JPP who has not played a decent game of rugby in two years.

The reality is that I think he is goign to go overseas if he is left on the outer and we will never see him in a Bok jumper again,

At the end of the day a certain quota has to be met, if we have a white winger then someone else in the backline or in the forwards will have to be of colour.

He missed out also because he didn't have any game-time at 9 this season. The Bulls are playing him at 9 now in the currie cup as he said he's fighting for a place in the 31 man RWC squad.

When his game is off at 9 he's really really crap, slow to pass, kicks get charged down etc. When he's on song at 9 he's no better than de Klerk or Reinach in my opinion.

I agree that he has been excellent at wing though.

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

100% right Ulrich, which is why De Allende is such a great prospect! I thought Rudy Paige looked as if he has potential as well after delivering some good touches behind a reversing Bulls pack this season - early days though

 

[Ruggo]

I am no fan of the Giteau selection but from a sheer rugby perspective, I am curious to see how he goes with his inside and outside man. The one on the inside has great peripheral vision and a brilliant pass off both sides and the one on the outside is a brutal direct runner with a power game. Remind anyone of previous Wallaby combinations either side of Giteau at 12?

 

[PaarlBok]

So let me try.

Meyer asks Super coach to rest Player X.
Coach rests Player X
Player X goes "Fark this shit. Nobody is resting me. I am going to leave now. Just after I do my knee."

Do you seriously believe the shit you write. Seriously?

The insults still flying like usual. Your attempt to try reading is shite. Now try again leaving but just close the door on your way out.

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

Welcome back Oom. Just hit the ignore button and move on, havnt seen you post for a while, been looking out for your predictions on this one!? Do you agree with GAGR's prediction of Wallabies by 18?? or is that a bit of bias creeping in?

 

[PaarlBok]

Welcome back Oom. Just hit the ignore button and move on, havnt seen you post for a while, been looking out for your predictions on this one!? Do you agree with GAGR's prediction of Wallabies by 18?? or is that a bit of bias creeping in?

Yep you are right. On ignore Blou go.

Boet I have been in Bloem all week, walking line at Grey College and enjoying Boland claim gold in the u18 Boys IPT.

I havent watched the full test against the World XV but I wasnt impress with it.

Wallabies by 50 my guess.

 

[PaarlBok]

Sad to see the Wallabies also falling in the sad SA trap by picking old chicken runners like Giteau. They'll pay like us a hectic price in a year or two.

 

[PaarlBok]

Drew Mitchell? Pretty sure Australia franchises could produce much better and hungrier S15 players. Really sad to see them going down the wrong lines.

Wallabies by 30 now.

 

[ChargerWA]

Cheika is a genius. That's the sort of team you can get excited about. We haven't had one of those since 2011.

 

[PaarlBok]

If we do a job on them they'll have some bleak prospects for the rest of their away matches.

Cut both ways. Bokke have nothing to lose. Will be a bonus if they win but if this happen, I geuss the Walabies with chicken runners and all will be bleak.

 

[Tex]

I say that because I think this is the most genuinely exciting Bokke team in recent memory. Great mix of mongrel up front and some fast and, dare I say it, creative backs.

As for the Wallabies? I think it's one of the better lineups we could manage, all things considered.

 

[PiXeL_Ninja]

With Vermeulen and Alberts out, we lose 2 strong ball carriers. I think this is your best chance in a long while of getting scrum parity (dominance even). That's generally where the game is won, and traditionally, where you have been weakest, so I can see what Chieka is trying to do with the pack selected. Interesting juxtaposition.

Still need to be convinced of Skelton's work rate, suppose picking 2 mobile loose forwards may help, provided Higgers gets involved with the tight stuff.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Like our team and like the Bokke just as much. This promises to be an epic encounter.

There are a few surprising calls for me:

1, The back row with Higgers and Hooper starting. I'm not sure that's the combo I'd be going with (for mine it would be Fardy/Pocock/Higgers or Fardy/Hooper/McCalman)
2, The wings. I'm fine with selecting one of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne but both together? We might lack a bit of outside gas there.
3, Genia at halfback, though this might be a reflection of the drop off in Phipps' form''
4, Gits starting, but at least he's at 12 which is his better position.

Nonetheless I think we've got a well rounded 23, with plenty of experience and they should give a good account of themselves. That Bokke team looks superb too. Hopefully we see some free flowing footy, because that appears to be Cheika's way (thankfully).

 

[Sword of Justice]

Like our team and like the Bokke just as much. This promises to be an epic encounter.

There are a few surprising calls for me:

1, The back row with Higgers and Hooper starting. I'm not sure that's the combo I'd be going with (for mine it would be Fardy/Pocock/Higgers or Fardy/Hooper/McCalman)
2, The wings. I'm fine with selecting one of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne but both together? We might lack a bit of outside gas there.
3, Genia at halfback, though this might be a reflection of the drop off in Phipps' form''
4, Gits starting, but at least he's at 12 which is his better position.

Nonetheless I think we've got a well rounded 23, with plenty of experience and they should give a good account of themselves. That Bokke team looks superb too. Hopefully we see some free flowing footy, because that appears to be Cheika's way (thankfully).

These are my thoughts as well. The two back rows you've listed seem to have much better balance.

 

[Froggy]

Like others here, I probably would have gone with Pocock at 7 & Tomane in place of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), but I don't have a problem with those selections. My problem is with Genia. We really need to see Will Genia 2012, otherwise he will severely slow our attack. I know he's a good ball runner, takes good options and tackles well, but I have three problems
1) The way he picks the ball up from the back of the ruck, takes a step back, stands up, looks around, then takes one (or two) steps to the side and pass. Way too slow!
2) His tendency, when things are a bit messy, to stand up and appeal to the ref, rather than just getting in there and getting the bloody ball out
3) The box kick! Say no more.
I know Phipps got fairly wayward with his passes, particularly in the last couple of games, and no doubt that's why Genia gets a turn. But I just love the speed and energy and urgency he brings to the game, and it seems to rub off on the players around him.
Go the Wallabies!!

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Cheika has hopefully told Will that he'll get a smack in the mouth for every box kick he makes.

 

[dru]

I know Phipps got fairly wayward with his passes, particularly in the last couple of games, and no doubt that's why Genia gets a turn. But I just love the speed and energy and urgency he brings to the game, and it seems to rub off on the players around him.
Go the Wallabies!!

This is exactly the reason I would have started Phipps with Cooper. I want to see how Cooper handles fast but wild delivery.