Wallabies versus Wales- SFS

[AlexH]

You got the 'like' for the South Park reference.

Would have picked Fardy, Carter, Pyle, Neville and Douglas ahead of Timani in that order. I am guessing, well, more hoping, that Hooper will come on for Pocock at some stage to give him a much needed rest.

 

[Jiggles]

Sharpie's staying on for the 4N:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...le-for-rugby-championship-20120619-20l5s.html

I hope he made Deans' get on his knees and beg.

 

[Jiggles]

I'd like to see Genia get a rest too. He burnt out last year due to too much rugby. I doubt we will be in a position to allow for him to be pulled off, though.

 

[AlexH]

Agreed. It also would not hurt to give our reserve nine a trot before the 4N.

 

[RedsHappy]

I hope he made Deans' get on his knees and beg.

Really, it's a massive credit to Sharpie given Deans' historical ambivalence towards him. He'd not need the few extra match payments. He's done this for pride, the team and the love of the game. 5-star respect.

 

[Jiggles]

Really, it's a massive credit to Sharpie given Deans' historical ambivalence towards him. He'd not need the few extra match payments. He's done this for pride, the team and the love of the game. 5-star respect.

Perhaps Deans has finally learnt his lesson to not completely burn the bridge with senior players he deems "not needed"

 

[Scotty]

I like the team. Beale adds so many options apart from his extra attacking flare at the back he allows us to run with a 5/2 bench.

I expect that higggers or pocock won't have to play 80 this week. Much better balance on the bench, but would have liked to see Slipper over Alexander.

Tough on Harris, but in a 5/2 split Fa'ainga deserves the spot more since Beale is able to cover 10 and kicking.

 

[barbarian]

I'll stick up for Timani. Well in a sense anyway. I will preface this by saying I'm not sold on him yet, and would probably have picked Pyle over him. But I think I can see what Deans sees in him.

Timani is a big, hard bastard who can bang heads and run over people with the ball. That is something you cannot say of any other Aussie second rower at the moment. He's 6'8 and 120+kgs.

The problem is his ball skills aren't quite there yet and he lacks a little bit of game sense. But he can certainly get there.

I would hesitate to judge him on his two Wallabby performances thus far. Both have been in shocking losses of which he was hardly culpable (but certainly not blameless). They have been in 2nd string teams, and one of those performances was in hideous weather.

So my point is I don't think the jury is in yet on Timani, and I will be watching him closely on Saturday to see what he can produce. Because if he can play to his potential he could be a real asset for the Wallabies.

I think Deans knows exactly what Pyle, Neville, Douglas and Simmons can provide. We still aren't sure about Timani. It could go either way- from sublime to ridiculous.

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[Joe Mac]

Hooper's inclusion confuses me. Yes he brings impact, but he comes on at #6? Dennis is a six, and a bloody good one, and you'd want Higginbotham and Pocock on for the 80minutes. It does not make sense, like most of what Deans does, it does not make sense.

Loving the South Park bit there, but I disagree with your points on selections.

The concept of playing two fetchers in the final stages of the game when the opposition are tired, is a concept I love. Link used it to great effect last year and I hope it is a trend that Deans continues.

Dennis has played a lot of lock in his time and I think he provides ample cover for the position, if needed. His line-out is strong, he plays very well in the tight, though his scrummaging abilities from Lock I am unsure of...

This bench is also optimal in the most likely injury scenario in our forward pack; Cliffy Palu going down. If we were to substitute one of those bench spots for another Lock, we would have to drop Hooper so that we have a real 6 on the bench and we lose the advantage discussed above.

That means we cant play two fetchers in the end of the game which is a big advantage Australia have at the moment, being blessed with so many world class 7's.

I think Deans and his bench is the right strategy for this Wallabies team and for once in his career he is making a lot of sense...

 

[Troy]

Not Test-blooding a Pyle etc with Sharpe's departure likely (though that may have changed) seems very mistaken with the series won especially as Timani has not performed consistently well in gold. The next Test is ABs.

Adam Freier on twitter:

The great @NathanSharpe5 has followed in the same footsteps of John Farnham announcing one last test campaign, again. #whsipersharpe #4N


Looks like Sharpie may be a round a bit longer..Good News

 

[Ash]

I'll stick up for Timani. Well in a sense anyway. I will preface this by saying I'm not sold on him yet, and would probably have picked Pyle over him. But I think I can see what Deans sees in him.

Timani is a big, hard bastard who can bang heads and run over people with the ball. That is something you cannot say of any other Aussie second rower at the moment. He's 6'8 and 120+kgs.

The problem is his ball skills aren't quite there yet and he lacks a little bit of game sense. But he can certainly get there.
.

The problem is that running over people with the ball (when it isn't dropped) isn't the prime requirement for a second rower. Sharpe is already a ball running second row who like to stand a channel or two wider, why the need for the second?

The second part of your post (which I deleted from the quote) must surely be why, along with being a Deans project player, that Deans selected him. But agree with others that, on this years performances, Timani is behind, in no order, Douglas, Neville (maybe), Pyle, Simmons from the Aus squad and probably Carter and Fardy from outside.

Hope Timani proves me wrong (as some of Deans' other selections have), but I wouldn't have selected him.

 

[It is what it is]

The problem is that running over people with the ball (when it isn't dropped) isn't the prime requirement for a second rower. Sharpe is already a ball running second row who like to stand a channel or two wider, why the need for the second?

The second part of your post (which I deleted from the quote) must surely be why, along with being a Deans project player, that Deans selected him. But agree with others that, on this years performances, Timani is behind, in no order, Douglas, Neville (maybe), Pyle, Simmons from the Aus squad and probably Carter and Fardy from outside.

Hope Timani proves me wrong (as some of Deans' other selections have), but I wouldn't have selected him.

I am undecided on Timani too.
Successful coaches agree that no player can be too big, too fast or too strong so perhaps that is why Deans is giving this big strong guy every chance.

 

[Behold]

Not sure if I am happy that Beale is in the team or not. We have been playing well with a lot of structure. Beale doesn't like structure so things might just break down. He didn't play that well during the RWC either but that may because of QC (Quade Cooper). I don't like the bench at all, and think Moore should be starting. I think he was earmarked to play the second test last week but because our front row performed well in the first game Deans didn't want to change it. One of Hooper or Dennis shouldn't be on the bench, probably Hooper since Pocock is unlikely to come off. I hope White gets some game time, even if the game is close we need to see what he can do. If Genia gets injured in the remainder of the Super Rugby season White will get his first cap in the Rugby Championship which isn't ideal.

 

[barbarian]

The problem is that running over people with the ball (when it isn't dropped) isn't the prime requirement for a second rower. Sharpe is already a ball running second row who like to stand a channel or two wider, why the need for the second?

Yeah, but how is the ability to run over people a bad thing? Provided his work rate is still high then I see that fact as a major string to his bow.

 

[kronic]

Well done on selling this game out btw.

 

[Jiggles]

Yeah, but how is the ability to run over people a bad thing? Provided his work rate is still high then I see that fact as a major string to his bow.

But thats the thing, he hasn't really shown he has a high work rate, has he. Its well below that of the other options, yet he goes straight to the front of the line ignoring form thus far this year, like Robbie tends to do for a few of his projects.

He did some ok things at the start of the Scottish test, but was out of puff after 30 minutes. The Wallabies is not the place to gain match fitness.

 

[barbarian]

I agree his work rate isn't high, but is hardly 'well below' that of other options. His stats against Scotland weren't bad. We will have a better picture after Saturday.

He is clearly a project player. His form was good in his last few games for the Waratahs and I can see why Deans is picking him. Once again I'm not sure I agree with it but I can understand it.
.

 

[gel]

I'll stick up for Timani. Well in a sense anyway. I will preface this by saying I'm not sold on him yet, and would probably have picked Pyle over him. But I think I can see what Deans sees in him.

Timani is a big, hard bastard who can bang heads and run over people with the ball. That is something you cannot say of any other Aussie second rower at the moment. He's 6'8 and 120+kgs.

The problem is his ball skills aren't quite there yet and he lacks a little bit of game sense. But he can certainly get there.

I would hesitate to judge him on his two Wallabby performances thus far. Both have been in shocking losses of which he was hardly culpable (but certainly not blameless). They have been in 2nd string teams, and one of those performances was in hideous weather.

So my point is I don't think the jury is in yet on Timani, and I will be watching him closely on Saturday to see what he can produce. Because if he can play to his potential he could be a real asset for the Wallabies.

I think Deans knows exactly what Pyle, Neville, Douglas and Simmons can provide. We still aren't sure about Timani. It could go either way- from sublime to ridiculous.

.

Has he been a standout in the tahs during the super rugby series (honest question)? I can't recall really seeing him as doing much if anything to make him a standout compared to the others. I recognise that super rugby is different to test rugby, but on what other basis do they pick a test hopeful? Deans isn't sure about what Timani can offer based on the games he has played so far for the tahs and the wallabies? If it is an experiment, then why not experiment with Pyle? A second string side playing a losing game is no defense for Timani given the comments made by many about any number of players that played against Samoa that should never wear the gold again.

It just seems to be an extremely odd selection that warrants a lot of excuses to justify.

Having said that, I want him to reach his lofty ambitions and be the wrecking ball he can be, of course.

 

[BDA]

Thoughts on the team:-
1) I like the fact that Deans has chosen an extra lock. We need to blood some new locks. Like most I'm not sure about Timani. Deans obviously sees something in him (other than his colossal size). I would have thought Pyle and Douglas were better prospects, but there you have it. Nevertheless I'm excited to see what he can do. If he's useless someone else can get a start next time.
2) The Back-line looks better with Beale at the back.
3) I like the consistency, especially in the centre and its good to see Hooper and Dennis getting more test experience.
4) Alexander has to be on thin ice. To be fair to Alexander he did a satisfactory job holding the scrum together in 2011, but seriously if he doesn't scrum well this week its time to give someone else a go. Slipper and Palmer are waiting in the wings. Anything less than a clean sheet this weekend and Ben should move to the back of the line.
5) Sucks for Harris but he is a kicker nothing more. With Beale back in the team I don't think he's needed for now. He'll get another shot somewhere along the line.

 

[barbarian]

Gel ST has only played the last three or four games, as he was out for the first half of the season with injury/he was still in Japan. And yes he has been something of a standout in that time IMO.

His form in the second half of the 2011 season was also very good.
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