Wallabies v Wales: Name Your Best XV

[vidiot]

He was preaching to a reds congregation. Having said that after samoa I'm sure he will want to keep some consistency in the line-up and bring in new faces off the bench rather than risk too many new players. No prep time = rely on existing combinations.

 

[abrixon]

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

16. TPN
17. Alexander
18. Pyle
19. Hooper
20. Higginbotham
21. Lealiifano
22. Tapuai

Tight 5 picks itself IMO. Waratahs have been the dominant scrum in 2012 and should reward Kepu if anyone ahead of other props. Fatcat is definitely the best LHP in Australia. Alexander and Palmer to fight for a bench spot both I'm happy with. Moore over TPN closely followed by Charles.

Pyle / Horwill will be definite selections although the other Lock position is a toss up depending on the availability of Sharpe. If Sharpe is available he will definately start, if not I would include S. Timani over R. Simmonds for me he hasn't been as dominate as I thought he would be. Sita will provide plenty impact off the bench.

Backrow I have picked Dave Dennis to start at 6. IMO he has outplayed every other 6 in the Australian Conference with consistent performances week in week out and his selection in previous Wallaby squads will see him get his first crack. Higginbotham will be on the bench. Palu hasn't been up to scratch as of late although at his damaging best we are all aware of how dominant he can be. Hooper I've put him down on the bench because I believe Deans will go for a 5/2 split and if he does I believe he deserves a spot. Pocock enough said.

Halves Genia and Barnes in the test arena will show class and will steer the ship. Lealiifano also deserves a spot has been the form 10 of the competition and has a 90% goal kicking ratio this season hopeful of a crack.

Centres are a big toss up which affects the wing positions. KB (Kurtley Beale) and Digby will be selections in their positions, although it's unclear if O'Connor has passed the test with Deans at 12 this year. Coming up against the Welsh they will field a very big backline with Roberts out O'Connor would be my 12 with Horne at 13. Horne hasn't been at his flying form which could see Tapuai selected at 13 or even AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) but the past couple weeks his made a number of good reads and solid hits his defensive best could be around the corner. If AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't thrown into the centres he will claim a wing spot.

The bench looking for players to provide impact and future Wallaby stars e.g. Pyle, Hooper, Lealiifano, Taps all deserve a spot in the squad with form under their belt. Unclear of the split 4/3 or 5/2 it'll be out of Hooper, Mowen, Palmer or a Halfback Phipps or White.

Good looking line up. I liked the look of Hooper last year and when he wasn't starting from the beginning of this year i thought he must have been injured/ lost his way a bit. Mowen has also done no harm in his claims. I think Dennis will end up being on the bench as 2nd Row cover to allow Hooper/Higginbotham. Now that Taps has done his shoulder it looks like it depends on the form and fitness of O'Connor/Barnes/McCabe/Horne for 10,12 and 13. For mine i like JOC (James O'Connor)/Barnes/Horne but a McCabe/Horne centre pairing would be pretty brutal.

 

[Bardon]

Here's the Welsh squad for the upcoming tour:

FORWARDS: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Paul James (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues).
BACKS: Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys), Aled Brew (Biarritz), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Will Harries (Newport Gwent Dragons), James Hook (Ospreys), George North (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Their first game against the Baa-Baa will be a good time to get a look at the players who'll probably play against the franchises (Brumbies confimed). A lot of those players probably wont be household names in Aus as 15 of the big names are flying to Aus early to acclimatize.

 

[the sabanator]

With the injuries and form changes in the past few weeks, some positions have definitely changed:
1. Holmes (Q)
2. Moore (ACT)
3. Palmer (Q)
4. Pyle (M)
5. Horwill (Q) (C)
6. Higginbotham (Q)
7. Pocock (WA)
8. Palu (NSW)

9. Genia (Q)
10. Lucas (Q)------------------------------------------> Cooper (Q)
11. Ioane (Q)
12. Ashley-Cooper (NSW)---------------------------> O'Connor (M)
13. Fainga'a (Q)
14. ------------------------------------------------------> Ashley-Cooper (NSW)
15. Beale (M)

16. Polota-Nau (NSW)/Hanson (Q)
17. Robinson (NSW)
18. Sharpe (WA)/ Simmons (Q)
19. Gill (Q)
20. Phipps (M)
2 other backs that I'm undecided upon, our backline depth will really be tested.
First choices are denoted with ---->

 

[barbarian]

1. Holmes (Q)
2. Moore (ACT)
3. Palmer (ACT)

Whaaaaaaat???

 

[Slim 293]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at inside centre?

That's completely ignoring McCabe being the form 12 all year...

 

[Slim 293]

And Phipps over White?

This kid be trollin'...

 

[Braveheart81]

He is selecting his form team.

Phipps had a great game against the Crusaders and White and McCabe didn't play because the Brumbies had a bye.

 

[Slim 293]

He is clearly not just picking on last week alone though...

 

[Aussie D]

I'll have a crack bearing in mind the game against Scotland is 4 days earlier and the Reds and Force coming off the bye ....
v Scotland
1 Slipper 2 Hanson 3 Maafu 4 Horwill 5 Simmons 6 Higginbotham 7 Pocock 8 McCalman 9 Genia 10 Lucas / Cooper 11 Ioane 12 Tapuai 13 Fainga'a 14 Shipperly 15 Harris / Lucas
res 16 Fainga'a 17 Palmer 18 Wykes 19 Hodgson 20 ? 21 Stannard 22 Morahan.
A bit Reds heavy admittedly, but this will give the new Wobs coaching staff combinations to work with and a week and a half to initiate their playing style.

v Wales
1 Robinson 2 Moore 3 Kepu 4 Pyle 5 Sharpe 6 Elsom 7 Hooper 8 Palu 9 White 10 Beale 11 Mitchell 12 McCabe 13 Horne 14 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 15 Mogg
res 16 TPN 17 Slipper 18 Horwill 19 Pocock 20 Dennis 21 Phipps 22 Lucas

Think both of these teams are capable of getting the win against their NH opposition.

 

[Braveheart81]

Tapuai is gone for the season isn't he?

I'd bet that Horwill and Genia will play off the bench against Scotland so they are fresh for Wales. I think Sharpe and Sheehan will start in their place.

I would almost put the house on the fact that the Honeybadger will make his test debut against Scotland.

 

[trophyhunter]

Going on injuries and current availability....

1. Robinson
2. TPN or Moore (TPN seems to be hitting his head a bit)
3. Kepu
4. Pyle
5. Horwill (c)
6. Mowen
7. Pocock
8. Higgers
9. Genia
10. Beale (kicker)
11. Digby
12. McCabe
13. A Fainga'a
14. Shipperly
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

16. S Fainga'a or Hanson
17. Slipper
18. Simmons
19. Hooper or Gill
20. White or Gerrard (Lucas can cover SH, Gerard's kicking for touch has been nice and can kick a goal as can White)
21. Lucas (can kick too if desperate)
22. Palu

 

[Torn Hammy]

​

My team would include.

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Palmer
4. Horwill
5. Pyle
6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock
8. Palu
9. Genia
10. Lucas
11. O'Connor
12. McCabe
13. Horne
14. Ioane
15. Beale.

16 Hansen
17 Kepu
18 Timani
19 Hooper
20 White
21 Mogg
22 Cummins

The talent here will get better over the next four years. I have kept Palu as his ability to break the defensive line is so valuable.​

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Joe Tomane for a bolter

 

[the sabanator]

I picked AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 12 over McCabe because AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) offers a much more potent attacking game. And Phipps over White was purely off last week's form, but it's not like either will get much time behind an in-form Genia.

 

[No4918]

Everyone else has so i'll have a go. Think this is a fair mix of new and old.

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Pyle
5. Horwill
6. Dennis
7. Pocock
8. Higgers
9. Genia
10. Beale
11. Ioane
12. JOC (James O'Connor)
13. A Fainga'a
14. Tomane/McCabe
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

16. TPN (Hanson if unavailable)
17. Slipper
18. Simmons (could go to a couple but he has incumbency and really improved in the last month)
19. Hooper
20. Palu
21. White
22. Barnes

If you want a 4:3 bench swap Hooper for McCabe/Tomane.

 

[Slim 293]

I picked AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 12 over McCabe because AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) offers a much more potent attacking game. And Phipps over White was purely off last week's form, but it's not like either will get much time behind an in-form Genia.

Haaaaaa... you might want to watch some Super Rugby from this year...

 

[the sabanator]

You're obviously still reeling from AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) choosing the Tahs over the Brumbies...
Watch any Wallabies test from last year and you'll see how AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is superior. McCabe has guts and excellent defence, but Ashley-Cooper remains the more viable all-round option.

 

[Viking]

I see lots of squad without McCabe. He has been the in-form 12 of the comp, distribution skills are getting better also. He is also the incumbent, his performance in the RWC was quite worthy. Think everyone should be picking him as one of the centres. Especially with JOC (James O'Connor) injured and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne in poor form.

Im a big supporter of Palu but if Fotu keeps playing the way he has then he deserves a shot in the gold jersey.

Higgers playing outstanding also. For me he is definitely in the starting squad, either 8 or 6 depending on the form of Palu/Fotu.

I would be very disappointed if Barnes starts at Fly-half. If he's at 12 then McCabe at 13.

 

[Slim 293]

I was just teasing, but you havent actually watched any Super rugby this year?

McCabe has been the form Australian inside centre this year...

Aside from defence he's been dangerous in attack and really mixing up his game... Helping set up tries...

Tapuai was probably the next best option but right now McCabe has a lock on the 12 jersey...