Wallabies vs Boks Bloemfontein

[dobduff11]

Van was good this year but if Deans thinks that Baxter and Dunning are past their sell by dates then i'm sure he won't hand out a cap to a 35 year old who has probably only got a year or two left.

To be fair to deans though i wouldn't give van a jersey not at his age and the fact he has never been capped before, it would be different if he had 50 caps under his belt.

Turner would help aswell a bit, he has more pace than JOC (James O'Connor) and better defence and he is a specialist winger.

Also FP cooper would start for the all blacks at the moment, sharpie for Flip Van der merwe and donnelly. Beale for Frans Steyn.

 

[Sully]

Is higginbotham still injured?

 

[Scarfman]

Reg - great post. But you really need to find Australia's best injured 9 and 10.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Ben McCalman seems like a bit of a mongrel when he plays 8 and that might be beneficial compared to some guy on an insane sugar buzz (richard brown)

Saia had a poor game last week and Moore deserves a start, definite upgrade here

Chis doesn't do a whole lot but Mumm isn't exactly that involved himself, hopefully he stops seagulling and takes notes from sharpie on how to make an impact

Oh dear 21 barnes 22 a finger, they play the same position so what a stupid decision, we might aswell have tom carter on the bench as dingo isn't going to use them and if he did atleast somebody could come on and play 13

Anthony is the only 13 cover in the squad and is on the bench for that very reason. Deans tested him at 13 in the Barbarians games to see if he would be suitable.

Burgess covers 9
Barnes covers 10/12
Fainga'a covers 13
Wing and Fullback are covered by AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Van was good this year but if Deans thinks that Baxter and Dunning are past their sell by dates then i'm sure he won't hand out a cap to a 35 year old who has probably only got a year or two left.

To be fair to deans though i wouldn't give van a jersey not at his age and the fact he has never been capped before, it would be different if he had 50 caps under his belt.

Turner would help aswell a bit, he has more pace than JOC (James O'Connor) and better defence and he is a specialist winger.

Also FP cooper would start for the all blacks at the moment, sharpie for Flip Van der merwe and donnelly. Beale for Frans Steyn.

JOC (James O'Connor) is the quickest in the squad

 

[Richo]

According to Grumbles, the coaches think that J'OC has now "taken command" of the wing position and will be there for some time to come. Can someone enlighten me as to when that happened? I love the kid, but I know I'm not alone in thinking he belongs elsewhere.

 

[RugbyReg]

RR, did you leave out Van the Man for any reason?...he's back from injury now, isn't he? I know he has detractors via age etc, but if Thorn is the Rolls Royce version of what's possible at that age, Van H is a credible BMW. Deans' seeming rejection of older players - almost for that reason - still make no sense to me.

nah, not intentional. Just threw together a team, but I would've probably picked Douglas ahead of him anyway to be frank.

 

[RugbyReg]

Reg - great post. But you really need to find Australia's best injured 9 and 10.

yeah, couldn't think.

Justin Turner for 9? Ben Lucas for 9 or 10? Danny Halangahahahahahuhuhuhu? Is he injured? I'd throw him there. Sam Cordingly's probably injured isn't he?

 

[RugbyReg]

Is higginbotham still injured?

yep

 

[Slim 293]

JOC (James O'Connor) is the quickest in the squad

Where'd you get that idea from?

If JOC (James O'Connor) is the quickest in the squad then we've got the slowest team in world rugby.

There's not too many international wingers getting chased down (with a head start) by opposition forwards.

 

[Lindommer]

JOC (James O'Connor) is the quickest in the squad over 10 metres, and not in a straight line.

Fixed

 

[Reddy!]

I like the team, but the changes could turn out to be apples for apples. It must be said - THE BENCH SUCKS! Are any of those players on the bench, if used, going to make an impact?

The whispers are slowly growing louder...

 

[Lee Grant]

Anthony is the only 13 cover in the squad and is on the bench for that very reason. Deans tested him at 13 in the Barbarians games to see if he would be suitable.

Believe it or not I could cover Elle McPherson but I'm probably not the most suitable option for her.

Turner has been playing 13 for Eastwood and I'd back him to play 13 as well as A.Finger can. Plus is he the best option if a winger is hurt - he slots right in - one change. With AF on the bench it is two changes because AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would have to move to the wing.

If Beale is hurt there are two changes with Turner to wing and JOC (James O'Connor) to 15; but that is better than the two changes of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 15 and AF to 13.

I still don't get it.

 

[Ruggo]

Turner, Barnes and a five two split would of been the best option.

Chisholm is a bit of a dud call. Personally I think having Simmons packing alongside Sharpie would of been the best option and a significant investment for the future.

 

[Hawko]

Believe it or not I could cover Elle McPherson but I'm probably not the most suitable option for her.

Turner has been playing 13 for Eastwood and I'd back him to play 13 as well as A.Finger can. Plus is he the best option if a winger is hurt - he slots right in - one change. With AF on the bench it is two changes because AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would have to move to the wing.

If Beale is hurt there are two changes with Turner to wing and JOC (James O'Connor) to 15; but that is better than the two changes of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 15 and AF to 13.

I still don't get it.

Cover Elle McPherson? Classic!
No one but Mr Deans gets it. Its like the five people left in the world who think its flat. They know what's right despite all evidence to the contrary.

 

[Upright]

Cover Elle McPherson? Classic!
No one but Mr Deans gets it. Its like the five people left in the world who think its flat. They know what's right despite all evidence to the contrary.

Lets not forget RB never really knew losing in his time at the Crusabers, mainly because he had some of the best players in the world (McCaw,Carter, Thorn et al) at his disposal. Now he has a very limited playing group (some nothing more than over hyped schoolboys) and like all "super coaches" when they don't have the cattle they to are made look rather ordinary. From where I sit the confused and inconsistent selections indicate that RD is no genuis when it comes to coaching. It is feasible that we lose on Saturday and then again to the AB's next week, what a great year that will make it!

 

[TOCC]

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

On Chis, I think someone needs to get inside his scone and tell him that a bloke with a physique like his should be raising all sorts of hell on the rugby paddocks of the world. He's a fantastic physical specimen and just doesn't know how to channel it yet. Maybe he never will and that would be a pity.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Believe it or not (1) I could cover Elle McPherson but I'm probably not the most suitable option for her.

(2) Turner has been playing 13 for Eastwood and I'd back him to play 13 as well as A.Finger can. Plus is he the best option if a winger is hurt - he slots right in - one change. With AF on the bench it is two changes because AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would have to move to the wing.

(3) If Beale is hurt there are two changes with Turner to wing and JOC (James O'Connor) to 15; but that is better than the two changes of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 15 and AF to 13.

I still don't get it.

Lee, don't agree with you on the above 3 points... We'll just have to see how things pan out (not that I'd like to see point 1)

 

[Gnostic]

I have got to say its about time somebody started in front of Brown and probably Mumm as well.

At the risk of being hung by the Randwick brethren why are we even looking at Chisholm again? Didn't he get quite a few starts last year and failed, abysmally at times. Simmons should be starting with Mumm on the bench since Deans was so short sighted to not pick anybody new in Chisholm's squad place.

As for the continued lack of outside backs on the bench let alone on the field is mystifying.

13+ Boks this weekend.