Wallabies Watch

[Train Without a Station]

I personally thought Folau was a little anonymous tonight, whilst I did notice Mogg at times. Though I did not watch the entirety of the game. I flicked over to the AFL at regular intervals.

 

[Sully]

I thought Mogg defended poorly otherwise both okay.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk HD

 

[Bairdy]

Alexander cannot be 3. Slipper preferably, then Palmer. Would also lean to Higgers at 8 as well, let Palu come off the bench.

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Douglas
5. Horwill
6. Mowen
7. Gill
8. Higgers
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Lilo
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. JOC (James O'Connor)
15. Mogg

16. Hanson
17. Alexander
18. Palmer
19. Simmons
20. Palu
21. White
22. Horne
23. Folau

+ Hooper & Barnes

Why can't Alexander be 3? I'm guessing it's because of his scrummaging, but Slipper is only marginally better.
I hate to admit it (as my perception is that he buckles back against great scrummagers, due to his body height, like 2012 vs France), but unless Deans chooses Palmer, I think Kepu is probably our best bet at 3.
He may give the odd penalty or two due to flopping at the ruck, but the Tahs front row has been the strongest in the Australian conference with him, TPN and Robinson.

 

[Brumbieman]

WTF?!? Horne was probably our best back at the half. Good runs, great in defense, busted tackles and even threw some passes.

First time in years he's looking like the player that is worthy of his selection. Been good the last few games.

Ant is not the first choice 12 atm, that is Lealiifano. Ant would be 2nd/3rd now that Barnes is back. Horne not, because he's only played a few good games, rather then 4 solid seasons as the defensive rock of a competition winning/leading backline.

 

[lewisr]

Update on public perception from rugby HQ:

Halfback:

Will Genia - 88.29% as starting 9 (surprise surprise)

Nic White is second on 8.29%

Flyhalf:

Quade Cooper - 61.29% (Hardly the hotly contested 10 position that the media are making it out to be)

James O'Connor is second on 13%

 

[ChargerWA]

Can Robbie ignore Quade now? I don't think so. Without Beale there is no credible alternative. He will be starting 10 in the first test.

 

[Richo]

Update on public perception from rugby HQ:

Halfback:

Will Genia - 88.29% as starting 9 (surprise surprise)

Nic White is second on 8.29%

Flyhalf:

Quade Cooper - 61.29% (Hardly the hotly contested 10 position that the media are making it out to be)

James O'Connor is second on 13%

The surprise there is that anyone thinks Nic White should start.

 

[Richo]

First time in years he's looking like the player that is worthy of his selection. Been good the last few games.

Ant is not the first choice 12 atm, that is Lealiifano. Ant would be 2nd/3rd now that Barnes is back. Horne not, because he's only played a few good games, rather then 4 solid seasons as the defensive rock of a competition winning/leading backline.

Yeah, Horne has only been good at 12 for the last 8 or 9 games, while Ant played well there last week.

I'd take Lilo most days of the week, but Ant Fainga'a hasn't played enough 12 to be mentioned, let alone selected.

 

[Bowside]

Hanson has to be a back up hooker IMO.

Would like to see Horwill, Douglas and Pyle named as locks.

It will be criminal if McCabe is at 12. Lilo had a good early run, but Rob Horne looks the man for the job at the moment.

Alexander and Kepu can not start if we hope to have a credible scrum.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Have you lost your mind that you think Ant is actually someone to consider fo the wallabies?? So sick of this parochial selection bias. Hey Inman should start 13 over AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).
Bore off. Ant is behind lilo McCabe, Horne, tap,cummins,Barnes, Godwin and I will say Inman for either 12 or 13. Ant is shit.
I thought Barnes was superb. He willl be either 12 or 15 for he wallabies.

 

[BDA]

I expect TPN will still be there for the lions series. He has more than a month to recover

 

[qwerty51]

He broke his arm..

Moore should be on house arrest.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The surprise there is that anyone thinks Nic White should start.

Maybe he comes from a large family

 

[qwerty51]

1. Benn Robinson
2. Stephen Moore
3. James Slipper
4. Hugh Pyle
5. Kane Douglas
6. Scott Higginbotham
7. Michael Hooper
8. Ben Mowen
9. Nic White
10. Bernard Foley
11. Digby Ioane
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Henry Speight
15. Israel Folau

 

[USARugger]

Robinson has been immense for the Waratahs this year. He's been outperforming the rest of their front row in the tight and in the loose recently. TPN has a slight edge in carrying (when he isn't knocked out on the field, this is seriously becoming an issue) but Robinson has really been holding their scrum together.

Kepu has been showing some shocking inconsistencies at scrum time in the past few rounds. His scrummaging just hasn't been up to snuff at all..he was getting blown up during the Kings game. Although he recovered for the ensuing scrums getting blown off the park by the Kings front row is not alright for a potential Wallaby prop. There was a scrum in the 3rd quarter of the game where Kepu lost control, TPN went entirely to ground (referee somehow missed TPNs entire shin laying on the ground) but Robinson more or less single-handedly held the scrum up. Coupled with the amount of breakdown work he does as well as ever-improving tackling and carrying game I'm really beginning to think the Robinson/Moore/Slipper front row will surprise some Lions fans.

P.S. Speight still isn't eligible, for the 900th time.

 

[Joe Blow]

I expect TPN will still be there for the lions series. He has more than a month to recover

I was thinking the same. If it is a minor fracture he could still be available. If not Hanson should be called in as back-up.
None of the Reds really did themselves any favours in the selection stakes today except Digby. They just could not get in any kind of rhythm.

 

[Pfitzy]

Screw a plate on it and get him out there. Not like the bloke has any regard for his own safety.

Anyway, I didn't have Smith in my team, but yeah big loss. I've got confidence in Hooper and Gill though.

Those who are picking either Finger brother are smoking crack - either stop smoking crack or stop expressing your opinion. Try both.

Barnes won't be playing 12 as he'll be too busy covering fullback while Lilo or Horne play 12.

Lastly, the Lions will NOT be playing simple truck it up rugby. They'll have had several tour games to lull us into thinking that, then Gatland will use the formula that made Wales successful: phases in the forwards and Jamie Roberts followed by a midfield screen with ball to the wingers.

The solution to this is a set piece oriented pack to deny them clean ball, a Waratahs midfield of Horne and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) with Queensland halves and the fluffybunnyiest fluffybunnys you can find to smash their wingers. But I think I covered that elsewhere.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Those who are picking either Finger brother are smoking crack - either stop smoking crack or stop expressing your opinion. Try both.

 

[USARugger]

Pfitzy

Please name another Wallabies eligible hooker that isn't James Hanson to back up Moore

 

[Brumby Runner]

(Ironic part being that Cooper has defended better than JOC (James O'Connor) this year, Deans' likely choice at 10.)

Agree. For comparison, check out Cooper's dominant tackle on Ranger against JO'C's embarrassing back slam when he attempted to tackle Rene.