Wallabies v Springboks - Suncorp, Brisbane, 10th September 2016

[The torpedo]

Problems? You guys think you have problems? Hahahaha! I'll give you sodding problems. I'll stop at ten. I haven't got all day.

1. Coach is tactically useless.Insists publicly that "Lions rugby is not test rugby" and still plays Jakeball from 2007 and the same shit that never worked at the Stormers. He does not have the nouse, knowledge, skill or risk profile to coach at this level.
2. Backline coach is a sevens player who has only coached for two years in then in the lower ranks and only as an assistant. Yes. You read that right. He is the Bok backline coach.
3. Jantjes and Coetzee have history. The player fell apart under this coach when he went to the Stormers for a year. He was forced into a game plan which does not suit him. It is happening again only the stakes are higher.
4. The Captain is woefully out of form and seems to lack confidence. Should never have been told that he has the gig for the whole year. Now the coach does not seem to want to back track and drop him.
5. Franscois Louw at openside has been utterly, utterly useless.
6.This is the most unbalanced back row I can remember in Bok history, largely due to Louw. Mohoje has been good (other than the odd high tackle which can be fixed). Whiteley is being forced into playing like a second openside. Not his strength.
7. The combination of De Allende and Mapoe in the midfield looks totally out of sync but fix the problem at ten first - ie let Jantjes play.
8. Morne Steyn on the bench. What message does that send to Jantjes? What does that say about the coaches willingness to take risk? Your backup ten needs to be able to make an impact. Shift a gear. Steyn is there as a kicking insurance policy. How fucked up is that?
9. Starting Beast who is woefully out of form, in the name of "experience".
10. The breakdown. We have not attended one this year. Kind of important. See 5. and 6.

Notice how I do nor refer to quota selections being an issue. This is not currently the problem. It is selection and coaching mediocrity which is are the real issues. This is a hole South Africa will not crawl out of under this coach.

I predict that we will finish last in the competition. You guys will play for your lives in Brissie and beat us. You will beat Argie here and lose to them there, and beat us in South Africa. Yes, I firmly believe that.

If you don't believe me you did not watch the Ireland series to realise how bad this Bok team is. You have a coach that can actually make improvements. We do not.

Hey at least you've won a game this year
What other issues are there with the Boks? Let it all out Blue

 

[KOB1987]

Nice work KOB, but if Hodge is in there so should Kerevi. He played a whole season last year and 2 international games this year at 12. I think that qualifies.

Yes and that's why I say Hodge should be removed. The point of the exercise was to compare the merits of the players who have actually been playing at #12 to try and identify Giteau/To'omua's potential replacement in the squad. Hodge and Kerevi are both in the squad, notwithstanding that MC doesn't see Kerevi as a 12 anyway, a differing view to the rest of us I know!

The players at the top of the list were the better attackers, the ones at the bottom are the better defenders (excluding Fainga'a, he was shit in all categories!). The more rounded players are the ones in the middle, I'd be looking there for a longer term option (Godwin/Horwitz/Inman). Inman is getting a bit long in the tooth though, the other 2 maybe.

 

[Viking]

Yes and that's why I say Hodge should be removed. The point of the exercise was to compare the merits of the players who have actually been playing at #12 to try and identify Giteau/To'omua's potential replacement in the squad. Hodge and Kerevi are both in the squad, notwithstanding that MC doesn't see Kerevi as a 12 anyway, a differing view to the rest of us I know!

The players at the top of the list were the better attackers, the ones at the bottom are the better defenders (excluding Fainga'a, he was shit in all categories!). The more rounded players are the ones in the middle, I'd be looking there for a longer term option (Godwin/Horwitz/Inman). Inman is getting a bit long in the tooth though, the other 2 maybe.

Godwin I feel could be the Ryan Crotty of the Wallabies. Solid all-round but not a world-beater in any area. Which can work well with a flyhalf like Cooper.

Hodge looks like a good prospect too and just having him on the field will give us a long-distance kicking option. I really want him to pick a position (fullback or 12) and stick with it.

So my pick is one of those 2 guys. Although I do love the idea of developing Kerevi.

 

[amirite]

Godwin I feel could be the Ryan Crotty of the Wallabies. Solid all-round but not a world-beater in any area.

I agree, but use Conrad Smith as your example! The man Crotty is the foil for. It's MUCH more flattering.

I think Inman could've been a really solid Wallaby too, but we've probably missed the boat. Good carrier, really solid defender (one of our better ones). The kind of player that makes the flashy players look better. That being said, we don't have enough of the flashy players to make look better.

 

[KOB1987]

So looking at squad changes for next week, there were 33 in the squad prior to Bled 1 and I suspect we were carrying a couple of extra backs to allow for the foreign legion, so we won't necessarily replace all of them. Presumably the squad announced will be for the next 2 games.

I'd expect the definite changes will be Arnold in for Skelton (MC will heed our expert advice and send him back to the NRC), and Naivalu will come in (provided it's right that he is eligible after the Boks game). Assuming To'omua is out then I think we will see either Godwin or possibly Inman brought in, as we don't have a specialist 12 in the current squad. And if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is gone I think it's highly likely that Speight will come in if he shines again this weekend.

NB these are only anticipated squad bolstering inclusions, not suggestions for the starting lineup!

 

[Wilson]

As far as squad replacements for giteau and To'omua go I'd be looking at lance and Godwin well before anyone else.

 

[upthereds#!]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) might be heading back to Europe, and Mitchell is not technically cleared and released formally for Wallaby matches, he's only been here on his own volition and being paid by the French Government as he is injured. Expect to see Speight join the next 'squad' in addition to Godwin.

#Hodge12 !!!!

 

[Scrubber2050]

I'm at a point where I've picked my team but now I don't really give a flying fuck who is in the actual team:

I JUST WANNA WIN

 

[Slim 293]

Depending on how he fares in the next Vikings match, I wouldn't be surprised to see Speight fast tracked into the 23.........

 

[bigmac]

Depending on how he fares in the next Vikings match, I wouldn't be surprised to see Speight fast tracked into the 23...

Better than dhp on the wing

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[Braveheart81]

It will be interesting to see how many of the squad are sent back to the NRC this weekend.

I'd hope it will be a fair few of them.

 

[Highlander35]

Hopefully Hodge, Hanson, Timani (ideally allocated to the Rams), McCalman and Skelton at the least. Maybe Kerevi, Coleman and Phipps too.

 

[amirite]

As far as squad replacements for giteau and To'omua go I'd be looking at lance and Godwin well before anyone else.

That's a thought. A non-flashy second-playmaker who is good in contact. I wouldn't be mad at that at all.

Would be a good foil for Quade and I'd be perfectly comfortable with him defending in the line while Quade defends deep (a vintage Ewen McKenzie move). He also has a combination with Genia/Quade from his Reds days.

I like the sounds of this.

 

[KOB1987]

Better than dhp on the wing

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That's true, it's possible that DHP gets dumped from the squad entirely, especially if Naivalu and Speight both come in and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't go back to Europe. Under those circumstances we have plenty of 15s and plenty of wingers

 

[amirite]

That's true, it's possible that DHP gets dumped from the squad entirely, especially if Naivalu and Speight both come in and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't go back to Europe. Under those circumstances we have plenty of 15s and plenty of wingers

Let him see out the year, he was good against England.

We've invested caps now, may as well back him in and see if we get paid back.

 

[KOB1987]

Let him see out the year, he was good against England.

We've invested caps now, may as well back him in and see if we get paid back.

true, and from a long term perspective we'd be better off to let AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) go anyway and keep DHP in the system

 

[bigmac]

I reckon cheika has had enough of the missed tackles out wide and needs a quick fix in the backline. A specialist winger might solve things.

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[Viking]

true, and from a long term perspective we'd be better off to let AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) go anyway and keep DHP in the system

He can stay in the extended squad but surely can't start next game. Time for Morahan to have a crack - maybe he can reproduce his B&I Lions game.

 

[bigmac]

He can stay in the extended squad but surely can't start next game. Time for Morahan to have a crack - maybe he can reproduce his B&I Lions game.

Cant have a no tackler on the wing leaking tries in cohort with foley. Speight morahan mitchell even honey badger are all options.

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[KOB1987]

He can stay in the extended squad but surely can't start next game. Time for Morahan to have a crack - maybe he can reproduce his B&I Lions game.

Yeah that's all I meant, needs to be benched at least.