Wallabies Watch

[Brumbieman]

Be careful opening the Ant vs McCabe can of worms.

Its frustrating. They're basically the same player.

 

[USARugger]

Its frustrating. They're basically the same player.

Yep, I just see McCabe as the faster player and Ant the more dominant tackler/better groundhog.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Quite frankly, as much as I'd love to talk about McCabe vs Fainga'a's qualities as players the fact of the matter is we haven't seen Paddy for over 6 months...

Let's reignite this conversation in another month or two.

 

[Braveheart81]

I still don't think Cooper has shown anything like the form that he'll need to get the 10 jersey for the first Lions test.

Assuming he comes back fit from injury, I think Beale is in the box seat to wear 10.

 

[USARugger]

I still don't think Cooper has shown anything like the form that he'll need to get the 10 jersey for the first Lions test.

Assuming he comes back fit from injury, I think Beale is in the box seat to wear 10.

His passing game is still light years ahead of every single #10 in Australia right now

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

His passing game is still light years ahead of every single #10 in Australia right now

As is his ego.

I wish, like White at the Brumbies, Deans installs a no dickhead policy this year.

I still remain firm in my belief that Cooper has to prove more than any other player that he deserves his shot at the number 10 jersey. I wouldn't be giving him a free ride to the Lions test after his comments last year. I think he needs to earn his stripes.

 

[Braveheart81]

His passing game is still light years ahead of every single #10 in Australia right now

He makes more errors with it too but that's the style of football he plays. Higher risk, higher reward.

I think not defending in the line all the time for the Reds works against him in terms of Wallabies selection. I think there is a strong hesitation to go down that road again of having him defend at the back.

Cooper still has plenty of time before the Lions series, but he really hasn't shown any compelling form yet in 2013. Neither has Beale and now of course he's injured for a few weeks, but I think Beale has a big advantage of being the incumbent 10.

 

[Brumbieman]

He may be in the incumbant, but lets not forget how fucking horrible we were last year. For jebus sake, 4 tries in 4 games against NH opponents! And we were utterly dicked by the Frogs, who've been barely capable of beating a cripple before/since that game.

Beale/Tapuai is a god-awful combination and we are truly fucked if our hopes lie with the same backline we fielded last November.

 

[USARugger]

As is his ego.

I wish, like White at the Brumbies, Deans installs a no dickhead policy this year.

I still remain firm in my belief that Cooper has to prove more than any other player that he deserves his shot at the number 10 jersey. I wouldn't be giving him a free ride to the Lions test after his comments last year. I think he needs to earn his stripes.

Not gonna get into this boondoggle.

He makes more errors with it too but that's the style of football he plays. Higher risk, higher reward.

I think not defending in the line all the time for the Reds works against him in terms of Wallabies selection. I think there is a strong hesitation to go down that road again of having him defend at the back.

Cooper still has plenty of time before the Lions series, but he really hasn't shown any compelling form yet in 2013. Neither has Beale and now of course he's injured for a few weeks, but I think Beale has a big advantage of being the incumbent 10.

He's been defending in the line a lot more this season and has shown a huge improvement in his tackling and general physicality. Even when he is at that back there aren't many players in Australian rugby who are better counter-attackers than Cooper is either.

His form hasn't lit the world on fire but he's been fairly solid for the Reds so far (sans that one fucking pass). Beale doesn't need any more time in the Wallabies #10 jersey to prove that he isn't an international #10. He can't throw a reliable skip pass and crabs sideways when he approaches the line, killing any ability for the backs to attack.

 

[Braveheart81]

He may be in the incumbant, but lets not forget how fucking horrible we were last year. For jebus sake, 4 tries in 4 games against NH opponents! And we were utterly dicked by the Frogs, who've been barely capable of beating a cripple before/since that game.

Beale/Tapuai is a god-awful combination and we are truly fucked if our hopes lie with the same backline we fielded last November.

We also won three out of four tests on the Spring Tour which historically is a very good result for the Wallabies. I agree that the style of play wasn't great and we didn't score many tries, but neither did our opposition.

You'd also think that being the incumbent 10 who beat the sides that make up three quarters of the B&I Lions provides Beale with even more of a front running position to get the spot.

 

[Scoey]

Yeah it is a tough one. I'm a massive Quade fan as most here would know, but I'm not sure he's a good choice for flyhalf against the Lions. That being said though, I don't know anyone who is.

I don't like Beale at 10 for most of the reasons already mentioned.
JOC (James O'Connor) isn't a 10.
Lilo is a rookie and as much as I'd like him to get a shot at the Wallabies 10 jumper, the Lions tour is not the place to do it.
Barnes is Barnes.

I think this is a real worry for us and could well be the difference. I'm not sure we can win the series with Beale, JOC (James O'Connor), or Barnes at 10. I do think we could win it with QC (Quade Cooper) there but we could just as easily lose it with him there. Frankly, I'm sick of the Wallabies trying not to lose so I'd rather we just got out there and try and win. So for me and for these reasons, that's why I'd have Quade in there.

 

[Braveheart81]

My backline would be:

Genia, Beale, Ioane, Lilo/Tapuai (probably Taps as the incumbent), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (but needs to improve), JOC (James O'Connor), Barnes.

Bench would be White, Cooper, Mogg.

 

[Richo]

It's a shame we don't have a Dan Carter.

Seriously though, it's unfortunate that there are big trade-offs with all our 10s. It makes selections even more combination dependent since these need to address weaknesses as well as complementing strengths.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

It's a shame we don't have a Dan Carter.

Seriously though, it's unfortunate that there are big trade-offs with all our 10s. It makes selections even more combination dependent since these need to address weaknesses as well as complementing strengths.

Thank you.
I have been singing this song for a long time.
But there's another verse:
We have the 10s we do because we have a short term view of what a 10 should do. As a nation we value the league like ball playing 10 with the goose step.
In our juniors we don't look to put those players in the positions where a Dan Carter style of facilitator can give them their opportunities.
Compare the fate of NZ with Carlos Spencer versus Andrew Mehrtens: sure they would win games on the back of spencer's individual brilliance but they would not be as reliable winners as they were under Merhtens/Carter etc.
All the NZ 5/8s these days conform to the Carter template as facilitators. And they are all good.
A bloke like Tomua should be taken aside, because I think he has the makings of a facilitator with a little but more to his game, and told not to worry about whether he can match it with QC (Quade Cooper) for hot dogging. rather, concentrate on facilitating opportunities for those around him. And if we did that from under 8's to under 18's we would have a great foundation on which to build.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

A bloke like Tomua should be taken aside, because I think he has the makings of a facilitator with a little but more to his game, and told not to worry about whether he can match it with QC (Quade Cooper) for hot dogging. rather, concentrate on facilitating opportunities for those around him.

I hope we don't have to worry about Lelo and To'omua trying to match it with QC (Quade Cooper) for hot dogging under the tuterlage of Stephen Larkham, Laurie Fisher and Jake White. Something tells me they woudn't accept too much hot dogging...

 

[No4918]

It was surprising to see QC (Quade Cooper) back to defending at 15 this year. It did not work when the Wobs tried it and I don't think he will be selected, at least under Deans, while not in the front line. Especially while players like Beale are at 15. Maybe we will see it now that Genia is back. It's not doing the Reds any favours hiding him now with more good options at 15 than 2 or 3 years ago.

To'omua looks to finally be fulfilling his potential being facilitated by a dominant pack. Do like him but he is probably a few years off playing tests. It would be a lot easier to temper Coopers game, he has shown this somewhat this year but not been at his best. Having seen the other options he is superior in most areas by a way. Beale, JOC (James O'Connor) and Barnes etc are better in other positions.

 

[I like to watch]

He's been defending in the line a lot more this season and has shown a huge improvement in his tackling and general physicality. Even when he is at that back there aren't many players in Australian rugby who are better counter-attackers than Cooper is either.

His form hasn't lit the world on fire but he's been fairly solid for the Reds so far (sans that one fucking pass). Beale doesn't need any more time in the Wallabies #10 jersey to prove that he isn't an international #10. He can't throw a reliable skip pass and crabs sideways when he approaches the line, killing any ability for the backs to attack.

Then pick him at 15.
To play someone out of position in defence, they have to be by far and away the best option in attack.
ATM I think he is the best attacking 10, but not by much,and definitely not enough to overcome the questions about his defensive capabilities.
If Link was confident in his defence, he would play him in the front line.It's in QC (Quade Cooper)'s interest to defend there, it will enhance his chances of playing for the Wobs for a start.

 

[Sully]

His defence is not the reason he plays fullback in defence for the reds. He plays there for the counter attack.
This has been answered on many occasions by the Reds coaches why do we have this constant stream of bad information about the reason for him being there

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Braveheart81]

His defence is not the reason he plays fullback in defence for the reds. He plays there for the counter attack.
This has been answered on many occasions by the Reds coaches why do we have this constant stream of bad information about the reason for him being there

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

For whatever reason he plays fullback in defence, it will work against him for Wallaby selection for as long as he's considered a below average defender.

I agree with many that his defence has improved but I certainly don't think it's reached the point where anyone who counts would consider him solid in defence.

 

[Richo]

His defence is not the reason he plays fullback in defence for the reds. He plays there for the counter attack.
This has been answered on many occasions by the Reds coaches why do we have this constant stream of bad information about the reason for him being there

If we take the Reds coaches' comments at face value and assume they don't also privately have defensive reasons for playing him at fullback (which is at least possible, since what coach would say "Yeah, we play Quade at 15 because his defense is farkin' rubbish?"), his playing there means there is not a lot of evidence that he can consistently defend at 10.