Wallabies vs Wales - Suncorp Stadium June 9

[Jiggles]

I don't like the idea of that all Tah front row. They have been lazy as sin for the last month and we need workers and aggression at the breakdown on Saturday. Not a glory run every 10 minutes. Personally I would start Robinson (only because Holmes isn't in the squad) and Palmer again, brining Slipper on for Palmer at halftime.

 

[Blue]

I don't like the idea of that all Tah front row. They have been lazy as sin for the last month and we need workers and aggression at the breakdown on Saturday. Not a glory run every 10 minutes. Personally I would start Robinson (only because Holmes isn't in the squad) and Palmer again, brining Slipper on for Palmer at halftime.

With that you have just destroyed any credibility in any post you have ever made or will ever make on this board.

 

[Jiggles]

With that you have just destroyed any credibility in any post you have ever made or will ever make on this board.

Holmes has been fantastic at LHP this year. He has been horrible at THP. I thought South Africans were supposed to know their forward play. Evidently not.

 

[barbarian]

I'm with Blue here. Robbo is still the premier Oz loosehead.

I have to say I was impressed with Dan Palmer. It was a game tailor-made for him in many ways, but he still did well. Much better than I expected. I'd like to see Kepu given a crack at 3 for comparison this weekend, but we could do worse than keep DP in that shirt.

 

[Jiggles]

Either way we have no real need for BA anymore. Which is a good thing.

 

[No4918]

Either way we have no real need for BA anymore. Which is a good thing.

You are very unfamiliar with what Deans had done in the past 4.5 years. Expect BA to play a huge role in the series.

 

[cyclopath]

I don't like the idea of that all Tah front row. They have been lazy as sin for the last month and we need workers and aggression at the breakdown on Saturday. Not a glory run every 10 minutes. Personally I would start Robinson (only because Holmes isn't in the squad) and Palmer again, brining Slipper on for Palmer at halftime.

Absolutely agree. I can't see the point of focussing on good scrummagers, I mean, when did scrum problems last have any serious impact on a Wallaby Test? Wales can't scrum anyway.

 

[AlexH]

Who will be in the team? Who's fit?

Don't think Moore or Barnes should be expected to back up. The others should be fine.

My guess

1. Robinson
2. TPN
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Sharpe
6. Higgers
7. Pocock
8. Palu
9. Genia
10. Beale
11. Digby
12. McCabe
13. Fainga'a
14. Tomane
15. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

16. Fainga'a/Moore
17. Slipper/Alexander
18. Pyle
19. Dennis
20. Phipps
21. Barnes
22. Morahan

Prediction: Oh Fuck.

Nathan Sharpe only seems to turn up to play once in a blue moon. He has had a fair few touches in each game he has played this season but he is like a big floppy cock when he actually makes the hit up: fucking useless. Its a shame because he has shown how destructive he can be around the breakdown and with ball in hand as recently as the RWC but he has gone missing since then.

 

[Jiggles]

Absolutely agree. I can't see the point of focussing on good scrummagers, I mean, when did scrum problems last have any serious impact on a Wallaby Test? Wales can't scrum anyway.

If you are suggesting that Moore, Palmer, Slipper, Holmes cannot scrum, then you are a clown.

 

[RedsHappy]

Sort of a side reflection, but relevant.

In the melee of angst over the Newcastle Nightmare we have perhaps forgotten about the arrival of Totality Tony who, as we all will recall, self-announced in Ireland his arrival on the Wallaby scene some months back, and did so with such a bang it almost appeared as though Robbie's sole task post TT''s joining would be to check his inbox for the occasional emailed game plan and team breakfast menu from TT after all the players had been briefed on them.

Hence it was encouraging to see TT on Fox last night, offering up a few banalities in preparation for intensive bunker work down below. (I wonder what TT said to his wife after the game "Darling, this could be harder than any of us hoped"....?).

Seriously, TT came with a big expanded role and big billing and was obviously inserted by the ARU to bolster the quantity and quality of Wallaby support coaches. (Btw, there are strong rumours afoot that Robbie did not care for the ARU's choice of TT and the manner of his insertion - time will tell.)

What will be interesting during June is to see what improvements or changes TT, Scrivener and Blades bring to the Wallaby fold. With the notable exception of Phil Blake (and, to a degree Noriega), Robbie's previous (now sacked) support coaches seemed to have had no discernible impact upon the Wallabies skills or game plans. One can only hope the new team has a rapid, positive impact and Robbie heeds their input. Let's observe closely.

 

[Blue]

Holmes has been fantastic at LHP this year. He has been horrible at THP. I thought South Africans were supposed to know their forward play. Evidently not.

The Wallaby scrum was shit when Holmes was in it.

I might know fark all about forward play but thankfully my memory is sound.

Anyway I know I should not have started a debate with someone who rates Holmes over Fat Cat. What was I thinking?

 

[something]

i dont know much about the tight 5, but i think

6 Dennis & Hooper
7 Pocock
8 Higgers

9. Genia, but white on reserve
10. Lucas (he wont but id like it if he did) otherwise Beale or QC (Quade Cooper) - whoever is fitter
11. Digby
12. Barnes & McCabe
13. Fainga'a if Barnes, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) if McCabe
14. ????
15. Morahan if McCabe, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) if Barnes

thoughts?

 

[tigerland12]

Holmesie has been great this year, but to suggest he is better then Robinson is quite ludacris.

Palmer impressed me greatly last night, got through alot, although the style of game suited him, didn't have to move much the whole match!

 

[Jiggles]

The last time Holmes was in the Wallabies scrum was 2007. Vickerman, Moore, Sharpe & Palu were also apart of that same shit scrum so where is their criticism or is your memory only sound for select players?

 

[daz]

Hmm. We need a defensive weapon who can also break the line and score tries. Hmm, where to go....

Got it. Memo ARU: Recall Morgan Turinui immediately.

Damn it....where is the fucking fishing icon when you need it?

 

[openside_tom7]

Just thought I'd give you guys an insight on the Wales team for Saturday.

Absolutely agree. I can't see the point of focussing on good scrummagers, I mean, when did scrum problems last have any serious impact on a Wallaby Test? Wales can't scrum anyway.

Mate along with France, Wales has the best scrum in the world. Adam Jones is the best scrummaging tighthead prop in the world and has been for 3 years, no doubt about it. Gethin Jenkins is also a very good scrummager and is up there in the top three in the world. He is also easily the hardest working prop in world rugby (like a 3rd flanker) This front row was dominant in all games of the Six Nations, and World Cup they were together in.

This is the side that you guys probably will be up against Saturday:

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Ken Owens
3. Adam Jones
4. Luke Charteris
5. Bradley Davies
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton (c)
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. Rhys Priestland
11. George North
12. Ashley Beck/Scott Williams
13. Jon Davies
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Leigh Halfpenny

BENCH: 16. Matthew Rees, 17. Paul James, 18. Ryan Jones, 19. Justin Tipuric, 20. Lloyd Williams, 21. James Hook, 22. Ashley Beck/Scott Williams

As stated the front row is incredible. Ken Owens is blossoming beautifully into an classy test match hooker. At lock, Bradley Davies is a bully, like Brad Thorn or Bakkies Botha and will run hard, hit rucks and tackle hard (hopefully not to the extent he spear tackles someone like he did against Ireland), while Luke Charteris gets through a mountain of work (he made 16 tackles in 38 minutes of rugby against Ireland in the world cup quarter-final). You know about our back-row. Dan Lydiate won Player of the Six Nations with his low tackling and massive tool for Warburton to win turnovers. Faletau is our main carrier but the whole back-row can do the lot i.e. turnover ball, tackle, carry, take lineouts etc.

You know about most of our backline. Big and uncompromising. Alex Cuthbert is a similar player to George North. Big, fast and powerful. Halfpenny is a very sound option at full back. Safe under the high ball, kicks well and is dangerously elusive. You may not know so much about Ashley Beck. He is uncapped but this kid is very good. He has an eye for the gap, has beautiful distribution skills and can tackle well. Scott Williams is more in the Jamie Roberts mould, big ball carrier. He may be inexperienced but he has already proved to be a match winner when he scored an individual try against England with 5 minutes to go to win the match.

Ryan Jones has been getting better and better as the year has progressed. He can cover the whole back five. His carrying is brilliant, his breakdown work is excellent and in general he gets through a mountain of work. Would probably slot straight into your backrow, easily! Justin Tipuric is our back-up openside. He is pushing Sam Warburton for a test start, with his breakdown skills absolutely immense as illustrated in his brilliant performance against the Barbarians. He is also an excellent link player and terrific ball player, different option to Warburton who is more of a yard gainer than a distributer. James Hook also showed a return to form against the Barbarians with a very prominent display scoring 20 points including an excellent try.

So this what you are up against. A squad with copious amounts of depth, confidence and one that is gunning for you. Yet despite my belief that the Welsh team is on paper better than Australia's (at least in the forwards), you guys always seem to get up against us. Another bad omen is the fact that last time you lost to the Scots, you smashed us next week 33-12. So I could never take this Wallabies team lightly, because they seem to be developing into the new France - completely unpredictable. Can't wait for the match guys. It promises to be an absolute cracker and I'm excited to say I will be inside Suncorp on Saturday night.

 

[barbarian]

Yeah Tom I think Cyclo may have been taking the piss when he said the Welsh weren't good in the scrum...

 

[openside_tom7]

Yeah Tom I think Cyclo may have been taking the piss when he said the Welsh weren't good in the scrum.

yeahh that's awkward

 

[Blue]

This is the side that you guys probably will be up against Saturday:

Jeez that is a fantastic side. What a pity about Roberts.

I would be crapping myself if this is the side the Boks had to face on Saturday with almost no proper prep.

There is no room for error against that pack. If you want the definition of balance in a back row then that 6, 7, 8 is it.

Farque boys, take some deep breaths and add a shot or two of whiskey.

 

[Pieman]

Anyone know when the Wallabies lineup for Saturday is named?