Wallabies vs Barbarians

[Slim 293]

The Wallabies will just need to run through that 10/12 channel...

Cipriani can't tackle and Mortlock doesn't have the pace to get over and make the tackle...

 

[darkhorse]

It's definitely worth a shot (JOC (James O'Connor) @ 10). Barnes will probably play a bit of first receiver in the Wallabies own half, and JOC (James O'Connor) will take control in the OPP half.

Congrats David Pocock on getting the captaincy role. Also, I'm sure a lot of people will be happy to see Dave Dennis and Taps get a run. It is a baa baa's game so they should come on relatively early.

We keep saying things like this in hope. It should, but it's not gonna happen. During the RWC we all thought that Deans would surely use Barnes to take the pressure of Quade. Did it happen? Maybe once...

 

[Reddy!]

It will be interesting how this will affect our defense structure and counter attacking plans. Will JOC (James O'Connor) defend in the front line? We all know he is capable to...or will we see him drop back in defense given our fire power out wide isn't as potent as it could be, as my old mate Lee Grant mentioned. Looking forward to this experiment.

 

[spectator]

It will be interesting how this will affect our defense structure and counter attacking plans. Will JOC (James O'Connor) defend in the front line? We all know he is capable to...or will we see him drop back in defense given our fire power out wide isn't as potent as it could be, as my old mate Lee Grant mentioned. Looking forward to this experiment.

I'm not. Happy to eat my hat but JOC (James O'Connor) is not a 10, and a loose structure that is a Barbarians game might convince too many that he is the answer.

 

[Richo]

I just hope this isn't the first step in turning another potential all-time great 12 into an average 10. It will be interesting to see how JOC (James O'Connor) goes, but I'd really have preferred to see 10 Barnes 12 JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[fatprop]

For the past couple of years we have focussed on counter attack from turnovers as the prime attacking option with the prime option from set play to have worked to get the opposition's defensive line shortened and go around that edge.

Now we see a side selected that looks average on counter from kick return on paper with no Beale, no Cooper, no Mitchell. Pretty safe but if I was Henry I would be kicking to Turner or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) putting some pressure on to watch them kick return at best, or to Iaone with a good chase because he can't kick.

I wonder if on defence JOC (James O'Connor) will be dropped back to 15 with any of the back three taking his spot in the line to add the decent counter attack option.

We also have picked about our loosest tight 5 available, plenty of running, but who is going to do the hard work?

If this wasn't a Baa Baa game I would be looking at decent opposition to be grinding us into the ground in tight, as they kicked into the corners, leveraged Matfield's lineout pressure, our average kick return options.

For Aus, just run at Cipriani all game, the guy is a turnstyle, or put footwork and speed on Mortlock who turns like a battleship these days and try to move around a pack that is big but maybe a bit old and slow

 

[Joe Mac]

I cant work Deans out. Barnes was MOM against Wales in the WC, he should be kept in 10 which is his best position.

JOC (James O'Connor) (as mentioned above) is a 12 and could become Australia's new Tim Horan. Playing him against the old war horse Mortlock (12) who is a lot slower and less agile than he used to be would have been the perfect opportunity for JOC (James O'Connor) to shine.

Now we have a play maker 10 matching against Mortlock and JOC (James O'Connor) playing with a lot less space in the 10 channel... Crazy

 

[Schadenfreude]

I'm just thinking of the 2010 Reds v Force game where JOC (James O'Connor) looked like a turnstile - no Tim Horan in that performance.

 

[Swat]

I'm just thinking of the 2010 Reds v Force game where JOC (James O'Connor) looked like a turnstile - no Tim Horan in that performance.

Try thinking about last season instead. This will help jog your memory...

[video=youtube;feJ62DDHmVU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feJ62DDHmVU[/video]

 

[What2040]

Congrats to Bam Bam - well deserved - what an honour especially being a young bloke

 

[hughkh]

Would like to have seen Benny Lucas get a run out against the Baa Baa's. Apart from that think it is a very solid team, should win against the Baa Baa's!

 

[Hawko]

Would like to have seen Benny Lucas get a run out against the Baa Baa's. Apart from that think it is a very solid team, should win against the Baa Baa's!

Have you seen the BaaBaa's team list? I think you have the rose coloured glasses on.

 

[Jnor]

According to Grumbles JOC (James O'Connor) and Sookface will be switching at 10 and 12. Don't know why but at least some of our questions might be answered on Sat...

Also, congrats to Bam on the captaincy too.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/pocock-to-lead-australia-into-battle-20111124-1nx11.html

LONDON: David Pocock is the new Wallabies captain, while James O'Connor will take over at five-eighth when they play the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Wallabies selectors have decided to lighten the load of their regular Test skipper James Horwill by playing him off the bench, enabling Pocock, Australia's most dynamic forward, to lead the national team for the first time.

Although Pocock is only 23, he is now regarded as one of the senior members of the Test team, being part of a Wallabies leadership group that also includes Horwill, Will Genia and Rocky Elsom.

Pocock is accustomed to captaincy having led the Australian team at the under-20 World Cup in Wales in 2008 and he also skippered the Western Force against the Melbourne Rebels in the final round of this year's Super Rugby tournament.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans stressed Pocock's promotion was not another radical team captaincy change, following on from Elsom being replaced by Horwill as Test skipper shortly before the World Cup.

Deans said Horwill had been involved in a strenuous season, playing in all of the Queensland Reds' 18 matches during their Super Rugby title triumph and most of Australia's Tests this year.

''While James ended the World Cup with a bit of a shoulder niggle, he is in good nick, given the load that he has carried,'' Deans said.

''We just felt this was a good opportunity, both to lessen the load on James, while also giving David the chance to gain experience captaining the side.''

Meanwhile, O'Connor will get his chance to convince Deans he is ready to depart permanently from the wing to the midfield, after taking over the No. 10 jersey in the absence of the injured Quade Cooper.

O'Connor, one of Australia's most consistent players during the World Cup, has been wanting to get closer to the action, and for some time has appeared an obvious Test inside-centre candidate.

At the start of the season, Deans said O'Connor was probably not yet physically ready for a positional switch to either No. 12 or five-eighth, but the loss of Cooper has forced the coach's hand.

When O'Connor has appeared at No. 10 for the Force, he has shown that he has the versatility and skills to handle this demanding role.

Berrick Barnes at No.12 is the insurance, and the pair will switch their roles around during a match against a high-quality Barbarians outfit which features Jerome Kaino, Keven Mealamu, Piri Weepu, Adam Thomson, Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield and Stirling Mortlock.
With Kurtley Beale also absent through injury, Adam Ashley-Cooper returns to fullback, Rob Horne regains the outside-centre spot with Lachie Turner replacing O'Connor on the wing.

The Wallabies forward pack, apart from Rob Simmons replacing Horwill in the second row, is the same which defeated Wales 21-18 in the World Cup third-placed play-off. Waratahs utility forward Dave Dennis and Reds centre Ben Tapuai are new faces on the bench.

Deans warned the Barbarians outfit had the capabilities to embarrass the Wallabies.

''They're all proud men and will be looking at this match as a great opportunity with no significant downside,'' he said.

''They've got class players all over the field who will play without fear or inhibition. That is going to make them a very tough outfit to beat.''

 

[Ruggo]

I'm just thinking of the 2010 Reds v Force game where JOC (James O'Connor) looked like a turnstile - no Tim Horan in that performance.

Bit unfair? The whole Force side looked like a turnstyle. I distinctly remember Higgers brushing Sharpie off like a rag doll to score but nobody holds that against him. JOC (James O'Connor) has become a very good defender since.

 

[waratahjesus]

Deans at this point is a complete joke, this game means f all and that's more to do with the Wobs than the Barbs. Putting a ten on JOCs back is purely a defensive move for deans to say he knows more than the average man. Extra space should ensure JOC (James O'Connor) at least has a couple of good touches, the deans will drop him to FB or wing next week citing some BS but call hm the future and everyone will fall over themselves saying the alls Wallabies turned corner when in fact where on the same rickety wagon on the old dirt road to ashitty outback town were the locals don't care about talent or ability just numbers os they want soeo to talk to at th pub and someone to breed with there daughter to insure the survival of they once lucrative but now obsolete miniature horse farm that is now half it's size but hey there getting the NBN next year so they can google photos of James much easier knowing the future is in safe steady hands of the weakened 2011 Tri nations champs, but hey, the un will still come up tomorrow and we will learn lessons, lots and lots of lessons.

 

[Swat]

Drunk or just really angry?

 

[Braveheart81]

That's quite the incoherent rant.

 

[waratahjesus]

Drunk or just really angry?

Yes

 

[Swat]

hahaha, well played WJ

 

[Blue]

Is Victor South African rugby's Justin Beiber?

We don't do man love.