Wallabies Watch

[Swat]

Players like Mogg, Lealiifano, Mowen, MMM, Gill, White, Auelua, Carter, Pyle, Fardy, Ryan etc. still have it all to do.

One thing is for certain; Mogg's chances have improved greatly since Beale decided to take a leaf out of the Matt Henjak guide to team building.

 

[BDA]

One thing is for certain; Mogg's chances have improved greatly since Beale decided to take a leaf out of the Matt Henjak guide to team building.

this is true. Beale's behaviour must push him outside the 22, although I'd still like to see him in the squad. He's potentially a great bench option.

 

[Scotty]

I wouldn't throw out Higgers yet, think he has been pretty good so far this year.

I'd go with a backrow of Higgers, Smith and Palu at this point, with MMM and Fotu on the bench.
.

I'd have a Gill or Hooper on the bench instead of Fotu. Smith can play 8 against a tired pack well enough.

Hooper can come on and use his speed and running game or Gill can come on an get some crucial turnovers while getting the pick and drive working. If we are playing a tight game I'd probably go for Gill over Hooper.

 

[KevinO]

this is true. Beale's behaviour must push him outside the 22, although I'd still like to see him in the squad. He's potentially a great bench option.

I think Beale might end up copping a harsh enough punishment penalty for these actions. Think Lions place is going to come down to who stuffs up more in 2013 between Beale, O'Connor and Cooper.

Did Joç learn from 2011? He seems to have kept out of the headlines since the Pre-World Cup photo shoot.

Did QC (Quade Cooper) learn from last season?

At this stage Beale has to be out of the Lions squad when you look at form.

Eddie Jones, things the 3 Amigos can't be in the same side at the same time?

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...allabies-says-eddie-jones-20130327-2gt0m.html

 

[BDA]

http://www.planetrugby.com/lions-09/story/0,25883,16024_8600671,00.html

Just read this article. Comments from Deans are encouraging, although the following quote suggest to me that Deans doesn't see Smith as first in the pecking order.

"It's always good to have a longer queue of players, there's no doubt about that, so it would be great to be able to consider him.

Although this is Robbie Deans, so im not going to try to decipher his riddles.

 

[Paradox]

Although this is Robbie Deans, so im not going to try to decipher his riddles.

Probably wise

 

[Zinzan]

G.Smith should be starting #7, hooper offers more than Gill off the bench.

 

[Richo]

Although this is Robbie Deans, so im not going to try to decipher his riddles.

"Riddle'" suggests that there is an answer hidden in there. I dispute that premise.

 

[Scotty]

G.Smith should be starting #7, hooper offers more than Gill off the bench.

Probably depends on the conditions. Fast open game - hooper
Tight, slow or wet game - gill

Gill better on the ball and pick and drive. Hooper better loose running.

I now suspect that gill will end up the better player. His improvement has been amazing.

 

[Brumbieman]

My backrow atm is this:


Mowen
Smith
Palu

MMM
Hooper
Fotu

MMM covers 2nd row, Fotu covers Palu (big softy with experience for a big lunatic without international experience).



2nd row is tough, but Horwill showed in his 40mins that his effect on the Reds is like McCaw's: The just play at another level with him on the field. If he has no more injuries and keeps getting fitter and finding more form, he's a shoe in, and Captain.
Douglas was great last year, but has been a bit meh. I don't get the Pyle love, and after the Sharks televised abuse, I wouldn't be selecting any Rebels too easily. Simmons had a good 40mins against the Bulls, but has been rubbish for the rest of the year. Timani is a lineout liability and out, for me unless we have two jumpers in the backrow. Fardy has continued his excellent form, as has Carter, and Kimlin as well, but they're all a bit green. If I had to pick one of them, i'd go with Fardy. MMM is the other obvious 2nd row option, and a Horwill/Madness combo is rather tasty.

For a pack of

Robinson
Moore
Palmer (We have to have the best scrum possible for at least the first half of the first two games. If the momentum goes against us at scrum time we're fucked)
Horwill
MMM
Mowen (calling the lineout)
Smith
Palu

TPN
Alexander
Fardy/Douglas/Simmons/Timani (whoever is showing the best form)
Hooper
Fotu

 

[Scoey]

G.Smith should be starting #7, hooper offers more than Gill off the bench.

Smith shouldn't be starting as he isn't a contracted ARU player. IF and only if, they sort that out, he should be used as cover for Hooper and Gill - those boys have earned their shot at the Lions.

 

[qwerty51]

That post is full of contradictions Brumbieman

Oh and just for those that keep pressing the Timani lineout liability line, on the weekend Timani had 2 lineout takes, 1 led to the set piece Mitchell try. Douglas had 0 takes on own throw but had 1 steal. I think Timani is adequate at the lineout and he's worth it when you consider his contribution to the scrum is Thorn-like.

 

[Slim 293]

That post is full of contradictions Brumbieman

Oh and just for those that keep pressing the Timani lineout liability line, on the weekend Timani had 2 lineout takes, 1 led to the set piece Mitchell try. Douglas had 0 takes on own throw but had 1 steal. I think Timani is adequate at the lineout and he's worth it when you consider his contribution to the scrum is Thorn-like.

Isn't it one of the primary roles for every rugby lock starting from U10's to catch a lineout?

Has it already gone past the stage of ridiculousness when we need to point out the one game where he does this one basic role to somehow show that he's deserving of higher honours?

The second bolded part, I'm not buying......... Thorn-like?

I think there are plenty of locks already in Australia who are far, far superior in the set piece, with higher work rates displaying more physicality that are far more deserving of a gold jersey........

 

[Scotty]

I'd be happy with Timani on the bench, but not paired with Horwill to start.

 

[fatprop]

Isn't it one of the primary roles for every rugby lock starting from U10's to catch a lineout?

Has it already gone past the stage of ridiculousness when we need to point out the one game where he does this one basic role to somehow show that he's deserving of higher honours?

The second bolded part, I'm not buying... Thorn-like?

I think there are plenty of locks already in Australia who are far, far superior in the set piece, with higher work rates displaying more physicality that are far more deserving of a gold jersey....

Meh

Timani was used as a crash ball in the 12 channel all last year for the Wobs and the Tahs, I would love for our resident geniuses to explain to me how he is supposed to get decent lineout figures when the coach has him in the back line. This season for the Tahs he is being used more as a traditional lineout with no issues

As for his scrum work, it is well documented, there is a strong correlation between his work and effective scrummaging for Aus and the Tahs

That said, I wouldn't pick him for the Wobs with Douglas & Horwill available

 

[USARugger]

this is true. Beale's behaviour must push him outside the 22, although I'd still like to see him in the squad. He's potentially a great bench option.

Unless he changes dramatically as a person before this Summer he shouldn't even be eligible to participate in the Lions tour. He assaulted not only another teammate but his fucking captain as well, completely inexcusable in and of itself. Tack onto that the incidences that have already occurred this year, including another assault which he clearly has learned absolutely nothing from. He needs to have the fucking kitchen sink thrown at him this time if we are to expect anything in regards to him actually changing.

Over the past 18 months of watching Kurtley's twitter and media reports about him/quotes from him as well as some anecdotal stuff on here I've come to the conclusion that he's a bit of a colossal fluffybunny and that seems to be at the root of his issues. I'm getting a little armchair psychoanalyst here but bear with me. Just based on what I've seen and heard it seems his ego/attitude is an much of a problem as his drinking. Those two variables don't seem to mix well for him. For example, I think that as much of a role as alcohol played in the recent incident I wouldn't be at all surprised for Kurtley to admit that he struck out at Delve for quite literally telling him what to do. The worst part (aside from the assault) of it all is that Kurtley hasn't played well enough to justify acting even a little bit that way for what, almost 3 years now?

He needs to learn from this or we just need to let him go and I think a 90-day vacation from professional footy wouldn't be a terrible start.

 

[USARugger]

Meh

Timani was used as a crash ball in the 12 channel all last year for the Wobs and the Tahs, I would love for our resident geniuses to explain to me how he is supposed to get decent lineout figures when the coach has him in the back line. This season for the Tahs he is being used more as a traditional lineout with no issues

As for his scrum work, it is well documented, there is a strong correlation between his work and effective scrummaging for Aus and the Tahs

That said, I wouldn't pick him for the Wobs with Douglas & Horwill available

I think the issue was that Timani was put in the backs so often because of a lack of ability to jump well enough to make him competitive in an international line out. He sure wasn't there because he was the best ball running forward we had on the field.

 

[fatprop]

I think the issue was that Timani was put in the backs so often because of a lack of ability to jump well enough to make him competitive in an international line out. He sure wasn't there because he was the best ball running forward we had on the field.

Who were the better " ball running forward we had on the field" last year

Deans liked a set up off first phase lineout by a crash ball last year.

 

[USARugger]

Who were the better " ball running forward we had on the field" last year

Deans liked a set up off first phase lineout by a crash ball last year.

Off the top of my head? Palu, Hooper and Higginbotham. Out of those three Hooper may have been seen as too small for the 1st phase crash. Higginbotham and Palu surely aren't, they can actually operate in an international line out though and because of Timani's inclusion in the squad had to be involved in the line out.

Lets not start praising Timani for actually getting in the air twice in a Super Rugby match, it's one of the most basic roles of the positions he plays (as Slim already mentioned). He's not that much heavier or bigger than guys we are already putting in the air so his size is no excuse for why he could hardly jump at all previous to this. His scrummaging ability DOES NOT offset his inability to jump. On average there are many more lineouts than there are scrums in a match (if you see 20 scrums in a game there are almost always ~30+ lineouts) and the new laws, I feel, have pushed this even more in favor of the line out. If the majority of our and the other teams set piece possession is coming from the line out then his ability to scrummage means fucking shit in the face of that fact. If we have to pick who our crash ball runner is based around having a lock forward who can't competitively jump at line out time that really speaks volumes for development at the youth level.

Point being he wasn't picked to crash the ball up because he's a spectacular ball runner. He got put in that position because he was absolutely shit at jumping. A lack of basic positional skills should not be determining who gets placed in which spots during set piece movements in our goddamn international squad.

 

[Athilnaur]

TPN also had a few good runs in tight during the welsh tests iirc. But Palu stands alone really, his metreage is that good. The only player I can see rivalling his style of play is Aelua.