Wallabies v Wales: Name Your Best XV

[RedsHappy]

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

1. TC absolutely deserves a chance in something like the Scotland mock-Test. He's performed well-to-very-well as 12 for the Tahs this year, and we need to expand selection options for the remainder of 2012 at 12.

2. From what I can see on the NZ and SA rugby sites Jnor, we are the only nation in the SH opting for 4 Tests in June 2012, NZ has 3 v Ireland, SA 3 v England. For all the risk-to-Aus-S15 reasons I note above, why are we the only nation imposing 4 Tests in such a short and important S15 break period on our players and where we have relatively less depth than both SA and NZ. And now too our Wallaby squad is only to be 32 players in total.

 

[Cave Dweller]

1. TC absolutely deserves a chance in something like the Scotland mock-Test. He's performed well-to-very-well as 12 for the Tahs this year, and we need to expand selection options for the remainder of 2012 at 12.

2. From what I can see on the NZ and SA rugby sites Jnor, we are the only nation in the SH opting for 4 Tests in June 2012, NZ has 3 v Ireland, SA 3 v England. For all the risk-to-Aus-S15 reasons I note above, why are we the only nation imposing 4 Tests in such a short and important S15 break period on our players and where we have relatively less depth than both SA and NZ. And now too our Wallaby squad is only to be 32 players in total.

Looks like you guys opted for a "warm up" match before going into a test series where the other teams decided to go into a test series with cold combinations. One playing it safe the other taking a gamble and trusting that the players might click.

 

[vidiot]

I'm not sure that we won't end up with the worst of both approaches, by having two cold combinations, each of them a gamble - because of the proximity of the games.

And widening the impact in the super comp to Aus teams.

 

[Braveheart81]

And now too our Wallaby squad is only to be 32 players in total.

I don't think the Wallaby squad is only going to be 32 people. I think this is just top up contracts.

I imagine Wallaby squads will be just as big as they have been previously and people will be paid for training (I assume this) and match payments will be made to the matchday 22 (this is a given).

I think the ARU is trying to find some middle ground between ensuring they keep the bulk of their key players in Australia and ensure that they aren't committed to paying too many fringe players who 6-9 months later wouldn't be part of a Wallaby squad on form.

 

[jay-c]

let me state first i am a tahs fan and like carter for what he does at the tahs (mainly keep hangers out of the team)
i do not believe he is a good choice for the wallabies for one simple reason- he is slow. look at the wallaby backs once genia gets the ball away- cooper, mccabe, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), horne, ioane, beale, oconner etc- all of these guys are lightning and carter would be left for dead when breaks are made, the wallaby backlines strength is its pace.
also he does not have the ball skills to keep up with the above mentioned players, if picking an inside center i would be picking more on the players ability to enhance the existing weapons rather than on his solo qualities and for this reason id prefer taps or leafo>
the idea of "gifting" a cap angers me and insults the gold
this is our national team for fucks sake

 

[MrMouse]

let me state first i am a tahs fan and like carter for what he does at the tahs (mainly keep hangers out of the team)
i do not believe he is a good choice for the wallabies for one simple reason- he is slow. look at the wallaby backs once genia gets the ball away- cooper, mccabe, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), horne, ioane, beale, oconner etc- all of these guys are lightning and carter would be left for dead when breaks are made, the wallaby backlines strength is its pace.
also he does not have the ball skills to keep up with the above mentioned players, if picking an inside center i would be picking more on the players ability to enhance the existing weapons rather than on his solo qualities and for this reason id prefer taps or leafo>
the idea of "gifting" a cap angers me and insults the gold
this is our national team for fucks sake

Ever heard of a useless slow bloke with no distribution skills called Nathan Grey? Some say he was a rather useful wallaby...

Also, if you "...like Carter..." and then proceed to backhand him by saying that what you like is it means Hangers isn't playing, you're not being reasonable or helpful (or even funny).

 

[jay-c]

ok that was more of a dig at hangers, carter gets enough talk on here without me needing to list his attributes
nathan grey was one of my favourite players- him and herbert were probably one of my favourite centers combo for the wallabies for their physicality> the point i was making was that carter is noticeably slow> it is my opinion that this would hamper an attack that relies on speed
im not trying to insult the guy> a lack of speed was and is my biggest fault on field> so i feel for him> some guys got it some dont
for carter to be picked at inside for the wallabies we need a distributer at 13 bod like> we dont have this> and thus i feel that his skill set does not complement the rest of the team

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Ever heard of a useless slow bloke with no distribution skills called Nathan Grey? Some say he was a rather useful wallaby...

Also, if you "...like Carter..." and then proceed to backhand him by saying that what you like is it means Hangers isn't playing, you're not being reasonable or helpful (or even funny).

I thought Grey was OK as a Wallaby, but not earth shattering. Flatley and Giteau were better test 12's for my money.

 

[Shiggins]

best team atm
15. Kurtley Beale
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
13. Mcabe
12. Barnes
11. Digby Ioane
10. JOC (James O'Connor)
9. Will Genia
8. Palu
7. David Pocock
6. higgers
5. Horwill
4. For fuck sakes Sharpe
3. Ben Alexander
2. Stephen Moore
1. Cowan
Reserves:
16. Charles
17. Slipper
18. Rebells lock, pick one,
19. Ben McCalman or brown
20. Hodgson
21. Sheean
22. Cummins

 

[emuarse]

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.

The Dingo Droppings Trophy

 

[Paradox]

Carter is well down the pecking order for 12s in Australia.

McCabe, Lealiifano, Barnes, Taps, JOC (James O'Connor), and A Fainga'a are all ahead of him. Yes, one of those blokes (none depending on Quade) could be a at 10 portentially.

 

[Braveheart81]

I would be highly surprised if Cooper plays any of the June tests if he only makes his super rugby return in May.

He is such a confidence player that I think it will take him a while to find his best form again.

 

[#1 Tah]

1. Cowan

17. Slipper

Are you... are you serious?

 

[Braveheart81]

Well, Wales' preparation isn't going to be ideal.

Warren Gatland has fallen off a ladder in NZ and broken both his heels. Both legs are now in casts.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...-heels-falling-off-ladder-20120412-1wub3.html

 

[What2040]

let me state first i am a tahs fan and like carter for what he does at the tahs (mainly keep hangers out of the team)
i do not believe he is a good choice for the wallabies for one simple reason- he is slow. look at the wallaby backs once genia gets the ball away- cooper, mccabe, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), horne, ioane, beale, oconner etc- all of these guys are lightning and carter would be left for dead when breaks are made, the wallaby backlines strength is its pace.
also he does not have the ball skills to keep up with the above mentioned players, if picking an inside center i would be picking more on the players ability to enhance the existing weapons rather than on his solo qualities and for this reason id prefer taps or leafo>
the idea of "gifting" a cap angers me and insults the gold
this is our national team for fucks sake

I am not a Carter fan but the bloke does bring some mongrel to the Tahs and think he is avaluable team player.

The comment that i do agree (whether about Carter or others) is that "gifting" a Wallaby cap insults the gold as well as the many blokes over many years who have deserved selection

 

[Braveheart81]

The comment that i do agree (whether about Carter or others) is that "gifting" a Wallaby cap insults the gold as well as the many blokes over many years who have deserved selection

I understand these comments but I think things are remarkably different compared to the past. Playing two tests four days apart is unprecedented and with the amount of rugby played now in general, it is a fact of life that national teams will need to use far more players than they previously needed.

It would seem to me that any blame on the gifting of Wallaby caps should be directed towards the national unions for scheduling so many games rather than at the players who receive the caps or the coaches/selectors who select the debutants.

 

[barbarian]

Well, Wales' preparation isn't going to be ideal.

Warren Gatland has fallen off a ladder in NZ and broken both his heels. Both legs are now in casts.

How is an injury to the coach going to hamper Wales' preparation?

He wasn't planning on selecting himself was he?

.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'd imagine that it will be difficult to coach the team whilst he has casts on both his legs.

 

[fatprop]

I thought Grey was OK as a Wallaby, but not earth shattering. Flatley and Giteau were better test 12's for my money.

Grey was bloody good, his elbow won the last Lions series for us

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Grey was bloody good, his elbow won the last Lions series for us

Hahaha, yes it did!