Wallabies Watch

[BDA]

Thr depth in Australia's prop stocks seems to get a bit better every year. I remember for a while there it was dunning and fuse and then daylight ...

Now we have plenty of decent props and one, maybe two, genuinely strong scrummaging props.

Still the Lions is a big ask. On the bright side we should be well placed for the 2015RWC

 

[BDA]

Remember that time the best front row we could put out for a test series was A Rookie Slipper/Fainga'a/Daley. That was embarrassing

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Remember that time the best front row we could put out for a test series was A Rookie Slipper/Fainga'a/Daley. That was embarrassing

With maafu off the bench. I remember that night well in perth against the poms and the 2 penalty trys that followed

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[Paradox]

It's interesting that a lot of posters are going for the players who didn't feature in Deans squad picked earlier this year (like Paddy Ryan).

 

[fatprop]

Slipper and Alexander are the clear standouts for me when it comes to work rate and impact around the field.

If I recall correctly the scrum battle between the reds and tahs was very even, if not even edged towards Qld. I can't see how Ryan can be picked ahead of Slipper.

I was talking about the option of scrummaging "sets", I also don't particularly rate Slipper as a scrummager, great around the field and adequate at scrum time but not a great scrummager.

 

[Scott Allen]

With maafu off the bench. I remember that night well in perth against the poms and the 2 penalty trys that followed

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Maafu started in both tests against England (Perth and Sydney). Slipper was the one on the bench.

I watched both matches earlier this year and have to say I can't remember a worse scrummaging display ever - Maafu was bad and got the yellow card but Daley was just atrocious.

 

[Scott Allen]

I was talking about the option of scrummaging "sets", I also don't particularly rate Slipper as a scrummager, great around the field and adequate at scrum time but not a great scrummager.

You're obviously thinking of a younger Slipper - he has come on in leaps and bounds and is now a good scrummager.

He's well ahead of Alexander at TH and getting close to Palmer as a scrummager but way ahead of him around the park.

 

[Paradox]

He's well ahead of Alexander at TH and getting close to Palmer as a scrummager but way ahead of him around the park.

Don't agree with either of those statements. Which scrums have the Reds mullered?

 

[Sully]

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/the-dominant-scrum/

 

[rotary hoe]

USA 'Rugger', Sorry mate, but nobody on Earth is pilfering shit when there are 4 forwards cleaning them out in a quarter of a second.[/quote]

USA 'Rugger' ,private message me and I'll send you a link (actually I'm too old and don't know how to do that shit) of the Aus v SA world cup quarter final and you will see that is exactly what David Pocock did in that game. And George Smith has done his entire career.

Gill and Hooper are incredible young players but they do not have the strength over the ball that these 2 have,they often get blown off the ball, hence George must play if available because the physicality the Lions will throw at the breakdown will be immense. Whether he starts, finishes or plays at 6 I don't care but he must be there.

I'm sure you could throw statistics,links etc at me but that is the difference between George and the young bucks hence the reason lots of people who have been around Rugby for many years are calling for his selection.It is not nostalgic but the fact he posseses qualities Gill and Hooper do not yet have.It is a one off series,no one remebers the tri nations from 5 years ago but Lions tours are remembered forever.or for quite a long time anyway.


[QUO[/QUOTE]

 

[USARugger]

That SA quarter where the Boks lost their pilferer and had nobody on the team who could compete on the floor with Pocock? Pocock put in an immense performance but the Boks lost that contest when Brussow went off.

If you read around here you'll see I'm one of the people calling for Smith's selection.

Using the Blues game as an example of why Gill shouldn't be there instead is absolutely backwards though. That was one of, if not the, most dominant and well executed breakdown performance out of any team so far this year in Super Rugby and the Reds were clearly making a point of not regularly committing to the contest over the ball. That's like punching a brick wall and then blaming your bones for breaking.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Paul Cully is saying JOC (James O'Connor) pretty much has 10 wrapped up. We can only hope he is misinformed.

 

[USARugger]

Based off of one game where he used his feet far more than the ball

 

[fatprop]

Well said Mr Deans,

Deans wants commitment from Folau

​

Wallabies boss Robbie Deans believes Waratahs back Israel Folau will become 'an absolute legend of the game' if he rejects big money NRL offers and commits to rugby union on a long term basis.


Folau, who has represented Australia at rugby league has been one of the Waratahs' standout performers since joining them failing to impress during two seasons as an AFL player.
​

Deans held his cards close to his chest when asked if Folau would be making his Test debut during the upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3824_8684817,00.html

 

[Scoey]

Gill and Hooper are incredible young players but they do not have the strength over the ball that these 2 have,they often get blown off the ball, hence George must play if available because the physicality the Lions will throw at the breakdown will be immense. Whether he starts, finishes or plays at 6 I don't care but he must be there.

I'm sure you could throw statistics,links etc at me but that is the difference between George and the young bucks hence the reason lots of people who have been around Rugby for many years are calling for his selection.It is not nostalgic but the fact he posseses qualities Gill and Hooper do not yet have.It is a one off series,no one remebers the tri nations from 5 years ago but Lions tours are remembered forever.or for quite a long time anyway.

I don't watch enough of Hooper to intelligently comment on him but to say Gill 'often gets blown off the ball' is crazy talk man! It also suggests that you are basing your sum opinion off him on the recent game against the Blues. USARugger has already given the main reason why he was quiet in that game but if you are going to consider Smith on the basis of his 12 years of experience then you can't judge Gill by one game. That's not a fair contest. Yes Smith does have experience, but in terms of physical abilities, the distinction between him and the two young guys is no where near as clear cut as you are making it out to be.

You say it's not nostalgic but it's a very fine line between when the rich tapestry of experience becomes the moth eaten blanket of nostalgia. I'm not for one second saying that Smith is at the moth eaten blanket stage; he's playing stellar footy. What I do find frustrating is the 'we must select Smith or we'll lose' type claims that are generally based on nostalgia and sentimentality.

 

[Braveheart81]

You say it's not nostalgic but it's a very fine line between when the rich tapestry of experience becomes the moth eaten blanket of nostalgia.

^ This is great!

I feel that if George Smith was not an option, this would still be one of the least concerning selection dilemmas for the Wallabies. Even with Pocock out injured, the discussion would be centered around who should start out of Gill and Hooper but there would be overwhelming confidence on the forum that this was one of the Wallabies strongest positions and an area where we could really get on top of the Lions.

For some reason, the return of George Smith has made everyone question the ability of the Hooper and Gill. Whilst Smith is playing excellent rugby, I feel that there is a fair element of nostalgia floating around. I think Smith is also benefiting from being better than everyone expected upon his return.

 

[Jets]

I personally don't want Smith to play. Nothing against him, I'm a huge fan, but he made a decision to leave Aust rugby and other guys have stood up. Hooper was outstanding last year and is starting to find that form again. Gill has been a revelation this year for the Reds. He has been close to the best on ground in every game bar the Blues. I thought he out preformed Smith in the Brumbies game, only just.
Like Braveheart81 says 7 is not an area we should be worried about. We have 3 really good options and anyone of they will go well and trouble the Lions and we'll have another on the bench to come on and terrorise them late in the game.

 

[BDA]

At this stage I'm not totally opposed to the idea of O'Connor playing at 10, as long as:
a) Lilo is named at 12 and the two players alternate regularly. This allows O'Connor to move out to inside centre with a bit more space and the ability to switch our 10/12 will make life difficult for the Lions; and
b) O'Connor plays the rest of the Super season at 10 and performs well.

I still think Cooper is a better option at 10 but I don't think people should write off O'Connor. Remember O'Connor has only played a handful of games at 10 this season, his best being last week IMO, and he doesn't have the luxury of playing outside of Genia. In fact he is playing off the back of a pack that is more often than not under pressure, which is a strong possibility come the Lions tour and we all know that Cooper's play under pressure leave a lot to be desired. He was not playing well this season before the return of genia and horwill (both of whom really put the Reds team on the front foot).

It seems to be lost on people that O'Connor did play 10 for us on the EOYT 2011 (against the British teams) and performed well.

If O'Connor continues to develop into the 10 role over the next 4-5 weeks and if we have dual playmakers I still think it could work.

At this stage the fact that Cooper continues to defend at 15 (albeit for tactical reasons) makes it difficult for the Wallabies selector to have confidence that he can handle defending at 10 for the wallabies. Furthermore, O'Connor is one player who has always performed exceptionally in the Gold jumper and handles pressure very well (the AUS v SA QF comes to mind). Cooper has not shown the same resolve.

We have another 4 week of rugby to go. Lets see how it plays out.

 

[barbarian]

Paul Cully is saying JOC (James O'Connor) pretty much has 10 wrapped up. We can only hope he is misinformed.

I kind of disagree. I am a fan of Quade but I honestly don't think we will lose much with JOC (James O'Connor) at 10. I don't think there is that big a disparity between Quade, Lilo, To'omua, KB (Kurtley Beale) and JOC (James O'Connor). All have decent passing, kicking and running games.

I wouldn't pick JOC (James O'Connor) at 10 if it was me selecting the team, but won't be aggrieved if Deans does.
.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'd imagine that Deans will be thinking that his Wallabies career is probably on the line against the Lions and that it would be weighing heavily on his mind that Cooper hasn't served him well in pressure situations before, particularly when there is a reasonably hostile crowd. You'd think for the Lions series the crowds will be at least 50% Lions fans and they will be the most vocal.

My bet is that Deans is more comfortable putting his Wallabies job in the hands of O'Connor than he is in the hands of Cooper.