Wallabies v Wales: Name Your Best XV

[Braveheart81]

I like the idea of Alexander as the reserve prop.

His ability to sniff out a try is surely going to be at its best if he is fresh and other forwards are tired late in a game.

 

[Lee Grant]

I think we are forgetting something: that the Brumbies and Rebels are playing each other 8 days before the Wales test in Rd. 15, the Tahs are playing the Hurricanes 7 days before, and the Wallabies are playing Scotland 4 days before.

Deans has mentioned that he will pick a team against Scotland mostly from the Reds and the Force, who have bye in Rd.15, but surely some from the other 3 teams have to be snuck in a 22.

But how will that affect the team against Wales? Do you want forwards starting in a test on Tuesday and also on the following Saturday? Or do you start the Reds and Force forwards on Tuesday and rest them on Saturday, or play them from the bench? The backs don't matter that much.

I mentioned that at the time the Scotland game was announced and it doesn't get any easier to think of an answer now, a couple of months down the track.

Two things for sure:

1. The team against the 6N champions, Wales, will be compromised because some Reds and Force players will front up twice in four days and some of the Tahs, Rebels and Brumbies could play in some capacity 3 times in 7 or 8 days.

2. The team against Scotland won't be a real test team.


With all that in mind who will be in the 15 or even the 22 for the 1st test against Wales?

No, I don't know either.
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[Lee Grant]

Perhaps this thread could be hijacked and folks list:

1. A team against Scotland that has only Reds and Force players starting but with other backs permitted for the bench.

2, A team for the 1st test against Wales that has only Tahs, Rebels and Brumbies starting but with other backs permitted from the bench. OK Pocock is Superman and could probably start in both if you like.

This would be useful for Deans in the lead up to 4N. Mind you, a couple of tests could be blown doing it.

 

[Braveheart81]

Vs Scotland

1. Cowan
2. Charles
3. Slipper
4. Sharpe (c)
5. Simmons
6. Hodgson
7. Gill
8. Brown
9. Sheehan
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Tapuai
13. Cummins or Fainga'a
14. Shipperly or Cummins or Mafi
15. Hmm... not sure

16. Hanson
17. Ma'afu
18. Pocock
19. Horwill
20. Higginbotham
21. Genia
22. One of the bracketed starting backs

Vs Wales

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Horwill (c)
5. Pyle
6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock
8. Palu
9. Genia
10. Barnes
11. Ioane
12. O'Connor
13. Ashley-Cooper
14. McCabe
15. Beale

16. Polota-Nau
17. Alexander
18. Timani or Douglas or Carter
19. Dennis
20. Mowen
21. Phipps or White
22. Lealiafano

 

[The Red Baron]

I reckon that there should be an award given to the person who manages to select the same 22 that Dingo selects for each game.

 

[MrMouse]

I reckon that there should be an award given to the person who manages to select the same 22 that Dingo selects for each game.

Let's call it the "Wow You Must Be A Psychic Blind Orphan Monkey Goat" award.

 

[Gnostic]

Gone are the days when a Test match in the Nations Colours meant that the individuals selected were the best players in the country to make a team. We have become the NH by stealth with some of the best deemed unavailable due to club commitments. Thus is test Rugby, the pinnacle of our game, devalued.

 

[The Red Baron]

An orphan monkey goat eh? I'm just trying to picture what that would actually look like..

 

[MrMouse]

Perhaps this thread could be hijacked and folks list:

1. A team against Scotland that has only Reds and Force players starting but with other backs permitted for the bench.

2, A team for the 1st test against Wales that has only Tahs, Rebels and Brumbies starting but with other backs permitted from the bench. OK Pocock is Superman and could probably start in both if you like.

This would be useful for Deans in the lead up to 4N. Mind you, a couple of tests could be blown doing it.

I did go fairly close to this already by selecting my starting XVs for both, but hey let's play by the rules.

Scotland | Wales
1. Pek Cowan | Benn Robinson
2. Moore Charles | Moore
3. Palmer Slipper | Kepu
4. Sharpe (c) | Sharpe Pyle
5. Pyle Horwill (c) | Horwill (c)
6. Higgers Hodgson | Dennis
7. Pocock | Pocock
8. Mowen Higgers | Palu
9. Genia | Genia White
10. JOC (James O'Connor) Cooper | Barnes
11. Ioane | Ioane Kingston
12. Carter Tapuai | JOC (James O'Connor)
13. Tapuai Cummins | AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Shipperley | Shipperley Mogg
15. Beale Mafi | Beale

16. Hanson | TPN
17. Holmes | Alexander
18. Simmons | Timani
19. Gill | Saffy
20. Lucas | Mowen
21. Fainga'a/JOC (James O'Connor) | Genia
22. Gerrard | McCabe

Changed to reflect the spirit of Lee's request. I only had one overlapping back, JOC (James O'Connor) bracketed with Fainga'a, fitness pending. I THINK that the first team should have enough but there's some wildcards in there, that's for sure. I liked my original plan more.

 

[MrMouse]

An orphan monkey goat eh? I'm just trying to picture what that would actually look like..

Be careful...to stare into its eyes is death. Death by compassion, for its soul holds all the sadness of the universe. It's like Medusa meets Puss in Boots.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Here we have a truly absurd situation. The ARU has agreed to play a Test against the Scots on Tuesday the 5th of June followed by a Test against Wales four days later on Saturday the 9th. In effect this relegates the Scotland game to a midweeker. This perception is reinforced by the fact that the national coach has gone on record as saying that the team for that match will be largely comprised of players from the Reds and Force on the grounds that they have a bye the previous weekend whereas the Rebels and Brumbies play the previous Friday and the Waratahs on the Saturday.

So much for any pride in the Wallabies jersey. In effect Scotland has been relegated to playing a midweek game against a Brisbane-Perth selection yet the game will be counted as a Test. It is a disgrace.

Given that the match is being treated with ill-disguised contempt it is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate whether Tom Carter has the ability to perform at the international level or whether the Carter haters have been right all along. Select him at 12 and then if he’s out of his depth people like me will have to shut up and go along with the mob viewpoint. No matter that he will be backing up on Tuesday after playing on Saturday. Whatever his supposed limitations he has a big engine and would be willing to play and quite capable of playing a full game on Sunday after playing on the Saturday.
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[MrMouse]

Given that the match is being treated with ill-disguised contempt it is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate whether Tom Carter has the ability to perform at the international level or whether the Carter haters have been right all along. Select him at 12 and then if he’s out of his depth people like me will have to shut up and go along with the mob viewpoint. No matter that he will be backing up on Tuesday after playing on Saturday. Whatever his supposed limitations he has a big engine and would be willing to play and quite capable of playing a full game on Sunday after playing on the Saturday.
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That was my thought, but then Lee told me I couldn't select Tahs against Scotland. Against the rules or some such.

 

[Bruce Ross]

That was my thought, but then Lee told me I couldn't select Tahs against Scotland. Against the rules or some such.

You might be intimidated by LG, Mr Mouse, but in view of my seniority over him I make up my own rules.

 

[MrMouse]

You might be intimidated by LG, Mr Mouse, but in view of my seniority over him I make up my own rules.

I am but a whippersnapper, a tadpole swimming in the ocean of rugby knowledge populated by Kronosaurs of the likes of you and Lee, Bruce. Forgive my cowardice.

 

[sudrugby]

Starting XV: 1. Ben Alexander 2. Stephen Moore 3. Dan Palmer 4. James Horwill 5. Nathan Sharpe 6. Ben Mowen 7. David Pocock 8. Scott Higginbotham 9. Will Genia 10. James O'Connor 11. Digby Ioane 12. Christian Lealifano 13. Adam Ashley Cooper 14. Pat McCabe 15. Kurtley Beale

Reserves: 16. Tatafu Polota-Nau 17. Benn Robinson 18. Hugh Pyle 19. Matt Hodgson 20. Nic White 21. Berrick Barnes 22. Dom Shipperley

 

[joshbristow]

Obviously too late now, but anyone else think Morty should have gotten a run at RWC?

 

[vidiot]

Obviously too late now, but anyone else think Morty should have gotten a run at RWC?

He did.

 

[joshbristow]

He did.

hahaha, I see what you did there.

 

[RedsHappy]

Here we have a truly absurd situation. The ARU has agreed to play a Test against the Scots on Tuesday the 5th of June followed by a Test against Wales four days later on Saturday the 9th. In effect this relegates the Scotland game to a midweeker. This perception is reinforced by the fact that the national coach has gone on record as saying that the team for that match will be largely comprised of players from the Reds and Force on the grounds that they have a bye the previous weekend whereas the Rebels and Brumbies play the previous Friday and the Waratahs on the Saturday.

So much for any pride in the Wallabies jersey. In effect Scotland has been relegated to playing a midweek game against a Brisbane-Perth selection yet the game will be counted as a Test. It is a disgrace.

Given that the match is being treated with ill-disguised contempt it is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate whether Tom Carter has the ability to perform at the international level or whether the Carter haters have been right all along. Select him at 12 and then if he’s out of his depth people like me will have to shut up and go along with the mob viewpoint. No matter that he will be backing up on Tuesday after playing on Saturday. Whatever his supposed limitations he has a big engine and would be willing to play and quite capable of playing a full game on Sunday after playing on the Saturday.
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The other dimension to this 2012 "Test" roster stupidity is the extra risk it poses to our Aus S15 teams' chances of performing well in the S15, via injury in this extra "Test" and/or the fatigue of having to train for and play 4 Tests in the S15 break period. And clearly, in this case, it's the Force and Reds players (Genia, Pocock?...) who apparently will have to make up the bulk of Test 1 and who will be exposed to additional, overall fatigue and injury risk if any of their number have to play on for Tests 2-4. Just because they had the random chance - or misfortune - of the proximate bye near Test 1. And look at the injuries our S15 teams are already carrying.

For both gate income and viewership status, it's absolutely clear that getting Aus teams into the S15 finals and possibly better is a far, far higher code-enhancing property than Newcastle rugby fans (how many are there?) seeing a one-off Test without a full Wallaby squad against a Tier 2 rugby nation and with incremental risks of top player injury and fatigue. Just look at the massive commercial and code benefit of the Reds getting to the S15 finals last year, let alone the GF, the accumulating benefits were already large well pre the 2011 GF.

The whole stupidity of this 'extra' Test is beyond words. Where is the clear thinking re priorities for the code's success in Australia? Where is the sensible judgement regarding potential income maximisation and fan priorities? Finally, the whole 2012 Wallaby roster - what with 4 June Tests, a now 4N including major new travel to Sth America and back, then a final Bled game, then more EOYT - makes the latest ARU policy of a scaled back 32 man Wallaby squad look even more of an absurd misjudgement that could send Wallaby playing quality and Wallaby playing stocks in both 2012 and 2013 to even lower levels than were realised in the 2011 RWC.

 

[Jnor]

Here we have a truly absurd situation. The ARU has agreed to play a Test against the Scots on Tuesday the 5th of June followed by a Test against Wales four days later on Saturday the 9th. In effect this relegates the Scotland game to a midweeker. This perception is reinforced by the fact that the national coach has gone on record as saying that the team for that match will be largely comprised of players from the Reds and Force on the grounds that they have a bye the previous weekend whereas the Rebels and Brumbies play the previous Friday and the Waratahs on the Saturday.

So much for any pride in the Wallabies jersey. In effect Scotland has been relegated to playing a midweek game against a Brisbane-Perth selection yet the game will be counted as a Test. It is a disgrace.

Given that the match is being treated with ill-disguised contempt it is the perfect vehicle to demonstrate whether Tom Carter has the ability to perform at the international level or whether the Carter haters have been right all along. Select him at 12 and then if he’s out of his depth people like me will have to shut up and go along with the mob viewpoint. No matter that he will be backing up on Tuesday after playing on Saturday. Whatever his supposed limitations he has a big engine and would be willing to play and quite capable of playing a full game on Sunday after playing on the Saturday.
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I like it Bruce, but I give the chances of it happening about one in a million. Unfortunately. I'm guessing the reason for the scheduling is revenue, NZ and SA are having tests at the same time too if I remember correctly so it may not be solely ARU folly