Wallabies vs Wales - Suncorp Stadium June 9

[Viking]

So the plan, if I'm reading correctly, is to replace one of the best defenders and counter ruckers with the player with about the most missed tackles in Super rugby. And this is for his attacking abilities? Against a backline where every player is over 100 Kgs and a team that's just won the 6 nations.

Have I for that right?

Horne has most missed tackles? And the wales backline is all over 100KG? Did not know this.

Get Fainga into the back-line now!

 

[fatprop]

Timani limped off on Tuesday after playing pretty crap, I would be surprised if he started.

 

[kronic]

I'm really surprised Pyle isn't getting a look

His no longer in the squad. Neville is though. His been exciting, but I'm wondering why after 4 Super caps?

Bring Vuna in, he can work well with no space at times. Much more physical too, especially against the Welsh backs.

 

[kronic]

Get around it: http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/06/07/wallabies-fans-bring-back-waltzing-matilda/

 

[vidiot]

Unless these tests are some sort of trial process for the rugby championship development squad, I would be happy if we just chose the best fit combination of players who were not dice roll debutants to start this week and tried to get some sort of structure happening. If Tomane is fit I would play him over any other wing debutant.

 

[fatprop]

On form Fainga does deserve a spot over Horne. But when u look at it we are playing our 5 choice flyhalf? We need all the attacking threats we can get. Fainga doesnt offer this. He a defensive king, zero attack. Horne at least offers a little threat on attack. With any other Flyhalf Id have Fainga.

Horne was struggling early in the season, but has now is defending better (less big tackles, more defending - he missed 23 in the first 8 games and only 5 in the last 4)) and scored four tries in his last six games, that ain't bad

 

[Lance Free]

First Wallaby test team v. Wales is:

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
14. Joe Tomane (Brumbies)
13. Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
7. David Pocock (captain, Western Force)
6. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)
2. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)

Run on Reserves:

16. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
17. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
18. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)
19. Michael Hooper (Brumbies)
20. Nic White (Brumbies)
21. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
22. Mike Harris (Queensland Reds)

 

[What2040]

Am sure Ben R, TPN and Kepu will be and should be picked.

The only concern is the lack of effort around the park.

Top tacklers against scots were Moore and Slipper (14 each) Palmer 3.

Hopefully the Tahs fronties give some stick at scrum time and around the park

Wallaby's by 5

 

[What2040]

Is that team announced, Lance Free

 

[barbarian]

Yes. Official.

 

[tigerland12]

Fuck yeh that's intelligent, who needs a specialist lock reserve?

Rob Horne? That's a joke in itself that he gets picked over Fainga'a. Slipper unlucky for bench, Palmer unlucky for a start.

 

[Joe Mac]

I like that team and I think we will put them to the sword at Suncorp. That place is a fortress.

 

[Moses]

There are eight changes to the Qantas Wallabies starting line-up which has been named today for
Saturday night’s opening Test of the Castrol EDGE Wales Tour in Brisbane.

Five new forwards and three new backs feature in the starting combination, from that beaten 9-6 by Scotland midweek in Newcastle.

The alterations in the pack sees the all-New South Wales Waratahs front-row return to duty after not being required to back up from last weekend’s Super Rugby round midweek, while the Queensland Reds second rower Rob Simmons is reinstated for the injured Sitaleki Timani, after making an impact off the bench in Newcastle.

The changes mean loosehead prop Benn Robinson makes his first appearance since the record breaking 59-16 win over France that bookended the 2010 Spring Tour, having been forced to miss all of last year’s Test programme due to a knee injury.

Fellow prop Sekope Kepu is also back after an injury enforced break, where an eye injury sustained in the Rugby World Cup semi-final ruled him out of the back-to-back Tests against Saturday night’s opponents which ended the 2011 season.

Tatafu Polota Nau, who lines up between them at hooker, is one of nine members of the starting XV who also featured during Australia’s 24-18 win over Wales in Cardiff last December.

The others are fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper, winger Digby Ioane, flyhalf Berrick Barnes, halfback Will Genia, flankers David Pocock and Scott Higginbotham, and locks Simmons and Nathan Sharpe.

The fifth alteration to the forward pack from that which started against Scotland is at the back of the scrum where Wycliff Palu returns at No 8, for what will be just his third Test outing since 2009 after an unfortunate run of injuries.

The return of Palu necessitates a positional change which will see the versatile Queensland Reds loose forward Scott Higginbotham move from No 8, where he featured prominently against Scotland, to the blindside flank.

The backline unit named brings Ashley-Cooper into fullback for Luke Morahan, Rob Horne at centre moving Anthony Fainga’a to the bench, while Pat McCabe also returns to the midfield, taking over from Mike Harris.

Harris, who was one of six to make his Test debut in the Hopetoun Cup defeat by Scotland, has been named on a bench which also includes Brumbies halfback Nic White.

White would become the 860th Wallaby if he is called on to make his Test debut.

The forward reserves named all now have Test experience, with loose forwards Michael Hooper and Dave Dennis having taken their maiden bows midweek. Dennis offers both back row and second row expertise, which has taken on added importance in light of the absence of the towering Timani.

Wales arrived in Australia as the reigning Six Nations champions, having completed its second Grand Slam of the European heavyweights in five years during this year’s competition.

The Welsh also finished fourth at last year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, but lost back-to-back Test matches to Australia in the space of 43 days at the end of last year, with the Qantas Wallabies’ 24-18 win in Cardiff at the start of December retaining the James Bevan Trophy for the third time in succession.

The Welsh team which beat France 16-9 in Cardiff in March at its most recent outing, to secure the country’s 11th Grand Slam (only England has won more, with 12), featured just four personnel changes from that which Australia defeated in December.

This year’s three-Test series is a first between the two nations, on what is the seventh visit to Australia by the Welsh national side.

The Wallabies have won eight of the nine Tests played between the two sides in Australia, with the sole Welsh victory coming in the country’s debut on Australian soil when Wales won 19-16 at Sydney in 1969.

Saturday night’s match will be the fifth played between the two nations in Brisbane.

The Qantas Wallabies team to play in the first Castrol EDGE Wales Tour Test match for the James Bevan Trophy at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday (kick-off: 8pm AEST) is:

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
14. Joe Tomane (Brumbies)
13. Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
7. David Pocock (captain, Western Force)
6. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)
2. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)

Run on Reserves:

16. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
17. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
18. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)
19. Michael Hooper (Brumbies)
20. Nic White (Brumbies)
21. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
22. Mike Harris (Queensland Reds)

 

[Bruce Ross]

Robbiespeak:

"Timani, in difficult conditions for a forward, was accurate, his frame was evident and he was effective around the contact."

"His frame was evident"! It's a bit like a teacher, stuck for something to write in a school report, penning, "He sits up straight in class."

When he leaves us, after a couple more failed World Cups, we're going to miss him.
.

 

[fatprop]

Fuck yeh that's intelligent, who needs a specialist lock reserve?

Rob Horne? That's a joke in itself that he gets picked over Fainga'a. Slipper unlucky for bench, Palmer unlucky for a start.

Dennis is a 5/6/8 - it is not unheard of to select a bench option like that
Horne? see my comment earlier, his improvement has been good in attack and defence over the last 6 weeks, Fainga'a doesn't offer anything ball in hand
Slipper played 80 minutes on Tuesday, he was never going to play this game
Alexander can play both sides
Palmer doesn't play both sides

 

[No4918]

Horne should count himself lucky. I'd have lock and Dennis on the bench than Dennis/Hooper. No balance there at all. And Robbie keeps picking blokes out of position when an excellent lock like Pyle goes unrewarded.

 

[Braveheart81]

Hopefully our scrum holds up alright.

Sharpe and Simmons are probably the weakest scrummaging lock combination we can put on the park.

 

[Ignoto]

Fuck the small things, I'm just over the moon the we have a 1 on Robinson and a 3 on Kepu.

 

[tigerland12]

Dennis is a 5/6/8 - it is not unheard of to select a bench option like that
Horne? see my comment earlier, his improvement has been good in attack and defence over the last 6 weeks, Fainga'a doesn't offer anything ball in hand
Slipper played 80 minutes on Tuesday, he was never going to play this game
Alexander can play both sides
Palmer doesn't play both sides

I understand that Dennis can cover 5, but not at international level. You can't expect Simmons or Sharpe to both play 80minutes effectively. Hugh Pyle has been ripped off here, most of us had him as starter over Simmons when the squad was named.

 

[PinkRugby]

Team named:

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Tomane, Horne, McCabe, Ioane, Barnes, Genia, Palu, Pocock, Higginbotham, Sharpe, Simmons, Kepu, TPN, Robinson.

Replacements: Moore, Alexander, Dennis, Hooper, White, A. Fainga'a, Harris