Wallabies vs All Blacks 10th August @Optus Stadium Perth

[fatprop]

Meh ................... Savea starting, a good front row and Leiert-Brown & Goodhue in the centres, ABs by 25

 

[John S]

Mate, honestly, what are you going to do with a unicorn?

Teach it to be an attack unicorn?

 

[KOB1987]

6. Savea 7. Cane - The Caveat

 

[VassMan]

If Read goes down and Todd goes on it'll be the All Black's Mc Pooper!

 

[Derpus]

This is probably JOCs shot to make the RWC squad. Latu is the same. We know what Fainga'a and TK give us and they are both first choice.

If JOC (James O'Connor) is badly off the pace and Latu has a brain snap, that answers a few questions for Cheika.

Running with this line of reasoning, its unclear why he refuses to try someone else at 6.

 

[KOB1987]

This is probably JOCs shot to make the RWC squad. Latu is the same. We know what Fainga'a and TK give us and they are both first choice.

If JOC (James O'Connor) is badly off the pace and Latu has a brain snap, that answers a few questions for Cheika.

Running with this line of reasoning, its unclear why he refuses to try someone else at 6.

Depends who 'he' is. As I said last time, if it eventuates LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)'s reselection smells more of a Johnson casting vote than it does a Cheika call.

 

[Brumby Runner]

6. Savea 7. Cane - The Caveat

And 8 Read, the Savvy Cread.

 

[RugbyReg]

I would say that Hanigan got through a ton more work without as much grunt. He was much more accurate.
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) seemingly has it locked down. The only other person given a run has been Jones for 10 minutes?

For all the talk of trying other options there have been few alternatives trialed in most positions.

I've done some stats stuff for the SUper Rugby season. Now we all now stats don't tell the full story, but they act as a guide I guess.

Unfortunately I don't have minutes played nor ruck involvements. Just the basics. But some observations of the players that started at 6 for their teams (min 3 starts).

Match involvement (simply, the number of runs they made plus the number of tackles attempted) per game:

1 Luke Jones & Angus Scott Young with 19.25 involvements per game
3 Ned Hanigan 17.5
4 Lachie Swinton 17.17
5 Luckan Salakai-Loto 16.75
6 J Dempsey 16
7 A Cottrell 15.33
8 R Valetini 15
9 T Cusack 14.5
10 P Samu 13.75

Tackle effectiveness (%ge of missed tackles of total tackle efforts)

1 Valetini 56 efforts @ 94.64%
2 Dempsey 25 @ 92%
3 Hanigan 67 @ 89.55%
4 Jones 97 @ 88.66%
5 Scott-Young 102 @ 88.24%
6 Swinton 62 @ 87.10%
7 Samu 32 @ 84.38%
8 Cusack 39 @ 82.05%
9 Cottrell 58 @ 81.03%
10 Salakai-Loto 75 @ 78.67%

Hanigan's efforts are there, but I guess impact is what let's him down.

Samu's numbers are very low. Perhaps just an impact player.

LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) has significant defensive issues while at 6.

 

[Derpus]

Those missed tackles are not impressive.

 

[RugbyReg]

1. Scott Sio (56 Tests)
2. Tolu Latu (13 Tests)
3. Allan Ala'alatoa (32 Tests)
4. Izack Rodda (19 Tests)
5. Rory Arnold (21 Tests)
6. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (13 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (93 Tests)
8. Isi Naisarani (2 Tests)
9. Nic White (24 Tests)
10. Christian Lealiifano (20 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (21 Tests)
12. Samu Kerevi (vc) (27 Tests)
13. James O’Connor (45 Tests)
14. Reece Hodge (35 Tests)
15. Kurtley Beale (85 Tests)

Reserves
16. Folau Fainga’a (9 Tests)
17. James Slipper (88 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (13 Tests)
19. Adam Coleman (31 Tests)
20. Luke Jones (4 Tests)
21. Will Genia (102 Tests)
22. Matt To’omua (44 Tests)
23. Tom Banks (4 Tests)

 

[KOB1987]

OK so Panda was right, bar the wing jersey numbers

 

[Joe Blow]

Does 'form' mean that he's performed incredibly average for the Wallabies for the last 2-3 years? Good defender but I can't remember him breaking a tackle ever.

I don’t think TK is the issue. It’s Kerevi. While his individual numbers are good he does not link well. The only decent move that linked with the outside backs last test was when Koroibete came in and cut out both centres. Other than that Kerevi generally ran away from his support.
Having JOC (James O'Connor) at 13 and he and Kerevi switching a little might work a bit better?

 

[Joe Blow]

I like it. The modern game demands a ball playing 13. The only question will be if his defence is up to it.

 

[Dctarget]

Coles & Savea in, this is going to be brutal. Wallabies to be in at just at HT then ABs to blow out the score to finish 50+.

 

[Derpus]

Well itll be interesting, thats for sure. Cant see anything other than a comfortable AB win though.

 

[Derpus]

I don’t think TK is the issue. It’s Kerevi. While his individual numbers are good he does not link well. The only decent move that linked with the outside backs last test was when Koroibete came in and cut out both centres. Other than that Kerevi generally ran away from his support.
Having JOC (James O'Connor) at 13 and he and Kerevi switching a little might work a bit better?

Is there anything conceptually wrong with having our 12 providing the attacking impetus and our 13 being a largely defensive figure? Defense wins games.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

Fox Lab stats also tell the real story: that is, the best in form #6 in the comp was ASY (Angus Scott-Young).

Looks like they're treating the Bledisloe Cup as some sort of selection run for the RWC.

NZ should win this very easily.

 

[fatprop]

I don’t think TK is the issue. It’s Kerevi. While his individual numbers are good he does not link well. The only decent move that linked with the outside backs last test was when Koroibete came in and cut out both centres. Other than that Kerevi generally ran away from his support.
Having JOC (James O'Connor) at 13 and he and Kerevi switching a little might work a bit better?

"If" the goal is JOC (James O'Connor) to play 12 for bits and distribute then Banks at 15 makes more sense

 

[Shaker]

Latu starting

 

[Rugby Head]

Latu starting

I am not too fussed. Think he will provide some more attacking threat at the breakdown, which we are lacking with Hooper and no Pocock. Although I do think he can provide more impact coming off the bench.