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

[Sword of Justice]

My guess is that it'll be his provisional 31 plus another XV, for cover in all positions.

So 4 hookers, 7 props, 6 locks, 9 backrowers (inc 3 Opensides), 4 halfbacks, 3 fly halfs, and an assortment of centers, wings, full backs and utilities totalling 13 players.

Not too different from your guess, just depends how many he's got his eye on in each position.

Haha you were smart and didn't bother putting a number on positions after #10. I think he'll focus on positions that aren't clear, which I think will be squad props out of the 23 and 6 and 8, as well as wingers.

 

[RugbyReg]

Cheika saying he'll select a total squad of around 45. Not sure if its already been posted but for lack of a better thread. Anyone want to conjure up a squad out of pure speculation?

Well let's start with the starting teams of each of the 5 Oz teams. Take out the ineligible foreigners and we're getting close to 45 from there.

 

[Viking]

45 is basically everyone. Easier to name who's gunna miss out then who's in it.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

So 4 hookers, 7 props, 6 locks, 9 backrowers (inc 3 Opensides), 4 halfbacks, 3 fly halfs, and an assortment of centers, wings, full backs and utilities totalling 13 players.

I don't see Cheiks taking 7 props into camp - I'd ay there'd be 8 with 4 hookers. That's two contestable scrums side by side. Otherwise I agree with the make up of the squad.

For me:

LH Props: Slipper, Sio, Robinson, Smith
TH Props: Kepu, Holmes, Alo-Emile, Alexander
Hookers: Moore, TPN, Hanson, Fainga'a
Second Row: Skelton, Simmons, Horwill, Coleman, Jones, Timani
Openside: Hooper, Pocock, Gill
Blindside: Fardy, McMahon, Dennis
No.8: Higginbotham, Palu, Vea (McCalman injured)
Scrummie: Phipps, White, Genia, Stirzacker
Fly Half: Foley, Cooper, Lealiifano
Inside: Giteau, Kerevi, To'omua
Outside: Ashley Cooper, Kuridraini
Outside Backs / Utility: Folau, Horne, Speight, O'Connor, Mitchell, Tomane

 

[BDA]

No chance in hell Beale will be left out of the 45.

I'd say take out Toby Smith and put in Beale and you're pretty much on the money

 

[KOB1987]

My revised team for this game:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Palu
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Tomane
12. Lealiifano
13. Kuridrani
14. Ashley-Cooper
15. Folau

16. Polota-Nau
17. Sio
18. Holmes
19. Dennis
20. Pocock
21. McCalman
22. Genia
23. Beale

My omission of To'omua is not a dropping per se, more an expectation that even if he is fit it will be only just and Cheika will choose to rest him.

 

[hammertimethere]

For the Bokke I'd go
1.Sio
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Skelton
5. Simmo
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Higgers
9. Phipps
10. Cooper
11. Tomane
12. To'omua
13. TK
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

16. Chibba
17. Robinson
18. Holmes
19. Jones
20. Palu
21. Genia
22. Giteau
23. Horne


Reasoning
Slipper needs time off. He's not 100% and needs to build whatever he can into that shoulder to give him the best chance of lasting the year. Furthermore, in the not impossible event we lose him for the season Robbo is going to need to be up to speed and prepared to play bench minutes.

Speight suspended puts him behind the 8 ball in a 4 (maybe 5 if you reckon JOC (James O'Connor) will come good) way race for the wing spots. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) offers another kicking option to be left out and Tomane has rocked the show recently.

Foley hasn't been dropped per se but we need to see how Gits manages in Tests (hard ones) so we can make an accurate decision later. Foley to come back when the Wobs play away games in RC and start. Exactly same story with Hooper.

 

[Marcelo]

Slipper needs time off. He's not 100% and needs to build whatever he can into that shoulder to give him the best chance of lasting the season

I agree. But Cheika seriously think of that possibility?

 

[RugbyReg]

I'd have no problem resting Slipper for the next month, particularly if it gives Sio some more test match footy. Back for the All Black tests in August.

 

[Marcelo]

I'd have no problem resting Slipper for the next month, particularly if it gives Sio some more test match footy. Back for the All Black tests in August.

I agree but Cheika thinks the same? Maybe we should tell to Georgina Robinson. She's a reader of this forum

 

[BDA]

Is Slipper really that in need of a rest? He'll have had about a month on the side lines by the time this game starts.

His schedule from June to the World Cup is:-
- 4 weeks off
- 2 weeks on
- 1 week off
- 2 weeks on
- 2 weeks off
- 1 week on
- 2 weeks off
WORLD CUP

The above schedule is not that intensive. I'd feel differently if Slipper had played the whole season and finals series and then went straight into the RC.

Slipper is hardly going to be overworked by playing 40-50 minutes against the boks, unless he's injured, in which case he shouldn't be playing.

Cheika's priority is to get us winning games, quickly. A win against Boks at Suncorp is imperative to give us some momentum going into the season. I'd start him against the Boks but sub him early in the second half. I'd probably do the same for the rest of the rugby championship.

 

[BDA]

1.Sio
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Skelton
5. Simmo
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Higgers
9. Phipps
10. Cooper
11. Tomane
12. To'omua
13. TK
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

16. Chibba
17. Robinson
18. Holmes
19. Jones
20. Palu
21. Genia
22. Giteau
23. Horne

No major complaints with your team, but there is no chance in hell of Hooper not starting in the no.7 jersey, despite the fact that most fans agree he should be on the bench.

 

[Hawko]

Without going into the detail of who plays where, I doubt Cheika will go with anything except a 6:2 bench split for all the major games up to and including the World Cup. That way he can play three replacements to cover lock and the backrow, which allows both Hooper and Pocock game time.

Running 6:2 is what Cheika has done almost the whole Super season, the only exceptions were when there was some doubt about the fitness of a player in the backline.

 

[Train Without a Station]

If Cheika opts for a 6/2 bench on the basis of that's what he's done in Super Rugby, I doubt he will be successful as an international coach.

If he can't see that some things work at international level and some don't he is doomed. He already appeared to make some of McKenzie's mistakes again in his first 4 tests. Hopefully he is quicker to learn which aspects can work at Super Rugby level by not test level.

 

[RugbyReg]

Is Slipper really that in need of a rest? He'll have had about a month on the side lines by the time this game starts.

His schedule from June to the World Cup is:-
- 4 weeks off
- 2 weeks on
- 1 week off
- 2 weeks on
- 2 weeks off
- 1 week on
- 2 weeks off
WORLD CUP

The above schedule is not that intensive. I'd feel differently if Slipper had played the whole season and finals series and then went straight into the RC.

Slipper is hardly going to be overworked by playing 40-50 minutes against the boks, unless he's injured, in which case he shouldn't be playing.

Cheika's priority is to get us winning games, quickly. A win against Boks at Suncorp is imperative to give us some momentum going into the season. I'd start him against the Boks but sub him early in the second half. I'd probably do the same for the rest of the rugby championship.

it's not about the 40/50 mins v the Boks. It's about the weeks of training in the lead up. I'd be resting him. A break away from rugby didn't hamper Eales, Burke, Finegan, Larkham et al back in 1999.

 

[PaarlBok]

Look like Meyer will struggle to get a match 23 together for this test. He forced players to break from s15 rugby and it only lead to more chicken running and injuries.

 

[hammertimethere]

He's got a small issue with his shoulder (long standing as I understand it) that will need an operation at some point (booked in post RWC). To Maximise the chance of him playing his most powerful, most confident footy he needs enough time to get as strong as he possibly can

 

[hammertimethere]

If that means he takes an extra 2-3 weeks to give him to best shot at being in top form come RWC I'm all for it

 

[Blue]

Look like Meyer will struggle to get a match 23 together for this test. He forced players to break from s15 rugby and it only lead to more chicken running and injuries.

Resting players lead to them signing overseas contracts and getting injuries.

Right.

Paarl can I ask you something. Are you jealous about Saffer players using their skills to go and earn good money overseas? You are so bitter about it. Must touch a nerve.

 

[PaarlBok]

Resting players lead to them signing overseas contracts and getting injuries.

Right.

Paarl can I ask you something. Are you jealous about Saffer players using their skills to go and earn good money overseas? You are so bitter about it. Must touch a nerve.

I am not going to answer you. Last time you throw a moerse tantrum and left the door open on your way out. So dont qoute my posts. use the ignore button.