Wallabies Watch

[TOCC]

I'm going to argue against AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) been a certainty, I've been a long term fan of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) but I've gotta admit I was really disappointed with his 2012 form..

Yeah he is playing well again this year, but not enough to nail the spot down unchallenged, he is just playing in a position where there isn't any significant competition.

 

[Slim 293]

I just had the same conversation with Timmsy on the Podslam - he also said TPN will start.

I can't believe that will happen - it would be a joke given the form Moore is in. But then again, given recent Wallaby selections I might be wrong again.

Scott, I think you should do an analysis of Australian hookers in 2012 and 2013, print it off, and staple it to Robbie Deans' forehead.........

 

[Scott Allen]

I'm going to argue against AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) been a certainty, I've been a long term fan of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) but I've gotta admit I was really disappointed with his 2012 form..

Yeah he is playing well again this year, but not enough to nail the spot down unchallenged, he is just playing in a position where there isn't any significant competition.

TOCC - but who else is there for #13 with form and/or experience?

Tevita Kuridrani from the Brumbies? Mitch Inman from the Rebels? Ant Fainga'a from the Reds? Winston Stanley from the Force isn't eligible is he?

There are no challengers - hence AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) must be a certainty at this stage.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

TOCC - but who else is there for #13 with form and/or experience?

Tevita Kuridrani from the Brumbies? Mitch Inman from the Rebels? Ant Fainga'a from the Reds? Winston Stanley from the Force isn't eligible is he?

There are no challengers - hence AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) must be a certainty at this stage.

Stanley is eligible but i doubt he is close

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[ACT Crusader]

I'd say AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a certainty. Whether its at centre, wing or fullback, he's too good a player (and experienced) to leave out of a big series vs the Lions, especially when there are question marks over every other backline position except Digby's wing and Genia at 9.

 

[Slim 293]

I figure that this possibly pertains just as much to the Wallabies, but the Brumbies really are getting themselves into a good position in the lead up to requesting an extension on Smith's contract from Suntory........

Three Suntory coaches, including Peter Hewat, are in Canberra receiving some mentoring from the Brumbies' coaching staff in an arrangement requested by Eddie Jones:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rug...eep-smith-for-finals-tilt-20130402-2h5eg.html

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Seriously though, as Braveheart has said before, there is still a lot of rugby to be played between now and selection time. 'Form' players like Mogg, Mowen, Mafi etc. may not be firing in a few weeks time, that is the nature of form.

I am skeptical when people actively champion someone after they have played only a couple of good games. Form is temporary, class is permanent. Palu is class, not sure Mowen is. JOC (James O'Connor) is class, not sure about Mogg. Ioane is class, not sure about Mafi. The list goes on.

PS. Lealiifano has big match temperament? What, because he kicked a late penalty against the Bulls? Well how about we pick Bernard Foley as well? I'm a fan of Lilo but I can't see him bagging a run-on jersey for the Lions series. Bench at best IMO.
.

Mowen and mafi were stand outs for their respective teams last yearso its not really flash in the pan stuff.


Also your final comment is pretty stupid, if we are goi ng to talk 'big games' in your sense of it then what? only start players who have test experience and dont blood new players till EOYT?

I dont understand how you can get much bigger than being the focal point for the form australian team offensive structure.....but your right. Everyone without caps to the bench and we will stick with timani and rob horne

 

[USARugger]

TOCC - but who else is there for #13 with form and/or experience?

Tevita Kuridrani from the Brumbies? Mitch Inman from the Rebels? Ant Fainga'a from the Reds? Winston Stanley from the Force isn't eligible is he?

There are no challengers - hence AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) must be a certainty at this stage.

Not even to mention he can cover far more positions off the bench and likely much better than any of the players you mentioned. He'll be a starter in the first test so that is somewhat irrelevant but it absolutely adds to his value in a three-game series. He wasn't spectacular this past year but honestly I don't think he was 'bad' at all. As has been mentioned a million times, he does step up big time in test matches (NZ solo try, South Africa double tackle bonanza to name a few). Outside-center is also one of the most defensively challenging positions on the field, throwing a guy with zero test experience in to defend the channel that will get attacked by Halfpenny/North/Visser/Tuilagi/etc, no thank you.

 

[Scoey]

What would be excellent would be to start the same 15 for all three tests! Imagine that? All playing well enough and no injuries! Was there a time that we ever got to do that?
Last year against Wales/EOYT I think both Barnes and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) played three different positions in close to as many games. Barnes 10/12/15 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 13/14/15.
*sigh*
What a luxury that would be!!

 

[USARugger]

What would be excellent would be to start the same 15 for all three tests! Imagine that? All playing well enough and no injuries! Was there a time that we ever got to do that?
Last year against Wales/EOYT I think both Barnes and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) played three different positions in close to as many games. Barnes 10/12/15 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 13/14/15.
*sigh*
What a luxury that would be!!

Even if Deans had a test squad locked in and everyone was on the form of their career injury would likely stop this over the course of three games. Injury is a cruel mistress who comes in the night and swaps your athleticism for pain. I've been out for over a year after a back injury so maybe I'm just bitter

 

[Braveheart81]

Also your final comment is pretty stupid, if we are goi ng to talk 'big games' in your sense of it then what? only start players who have test experience and dont blood new players till EOYT?

I dont understand how you can get much bigger than being the focal point for the form australian team offensive structure...but your right. Everyone without caps to the bench and we will stick with timani and rob horne

You've taken this out of context. Barbarian was responding to someone saying that Lealiifano has proven big match temperament.

How can this comment be justified? He hasn't played anything that you could describe as a big match.

Whilst I have no doubts Lealo is exactly the sort of guy that will rise to the occassion and is destined to be a Wallaby in 2013, you can't really argue that he's already shown he has big match temperament.

 

[Braveheart81]

The question of props is interesting.

We are playing 23 man sides so you are picking two loose heads and two tight heads.

Do you start with your strongest scrum or do you wait and see what the Lions are doing with their props? Currently you'd imagine that our strongest scrum has Robbo at LHP and Palmer at THP. If the Lions have one of their best scrummaging props on the bench is it better to hold Palmer back for example and mix your prop order around.

With Palmer and the emergence of Ryan and also Slipper and Kepu potentially in the mix, does Alexander seem like the likely back up LHP? Who else is likely?

You could start with Robbo and Palmer and finish with Alexander and Slipper/Ryan.

Alternatively you could mix it up and decide to start with Robbo and Slipper/Ryan and bring Palmer on later in the game to bolster the scrum when it is weakened by having the second choice LHP and a weaker locking combination (also if Palu starts at 8 and comes off, the scrum will weaken slightly then too). If your starting locks are Horwill and Douglas, any substitution there will weaken the scrum unless it is Timani coming on.

Likewise if we end up with both Smith and Hooper/Gill on the field late in the game (or even Hooper and Gill if Smith doesn't play), that produces a slightly weaker scrum than having Mowen, Dennis or Higgers at 6.

 

[Richo]

Good post. I'm interested to see what people think about that too.

I like a Robbo/Palmer/Ryan/Alexander combination, but I haven't paid much attention to Slipper this season. With Moore and perhaps TPN as hookers, there would be a lot of familiarity in the front row. Kepu would seem to be some distance away, although he could find form.

 

[USARugger]

Whilst I have no doubts Lealo is exactly the sort of guy that will rise to the occassion and is destined to be a Wallaby in 2013, you can't really argue that he's already shown he has big match temperament.

I completely agree with you but I think he has proven beyond a doubt that he deals very, very well in high-pressure situations. True he hasn't been tested at international level yet but he has been the axis around which the Brumbie's attack functions for the past two years (even at 12 I see him doing just as much, if not more, play-making than To'omua) with incredibly few mistakes as well as being ice-cold when he steps up to the tee.

The question of props is interesting.

We are playing 23 man sides so you are picking two loose heads and two tight heads.

Do you start with your strongest scrum or do you wait and see what the Lions are doing with their props? Currently you'd imagine that our strongest scrum has Robbo at LHP and Palmer at THP. If the Lions have one of their best scrummaging props on the bench is it better to hold Palmer back for example and mix your prop order around.

With Palmer and the emergence of Ryan and also Slipper and Kepu potentially in the mix, does Alexander seem like the likely back up LHP? Who else is likely?

You could start with Robbo and Palmer and finish with Alexander and Slipper/Ryan.

Alternatively you could mix it up and decide to start with Robbo and Slipper/Ryan and bring Palmer on later in the game to bolster the scrum when it is weakened by having the second choice LHP and a weaker locking combination (also if Palu starts at 8 and comes off, the scrum will weaken slightly then too). If your starting locks are Horwill and Douglas, any substitution there will weaken the scrum unless it is Timani coming on.

Likewise if we end up with both Smith and Hooper/Gill on the field late in the game (or even Hooper and Gill if Smith doesn't play), that produces a slightly weaker scrum than having Mowen, Dennis or Higgers at 6.

I think we really have to address our line out before we start selecting for the scrum. It was an below standard in 2012 and with Sharpie gone I don't expect it to get any better. Because of that you can essentially guarantee that both Horwill and Mowen will be on the field but then the you have to select a third jumper for the other locking position or one of the loose forward positions (I really do believe you need at least 3 jumpers who are more than just 'viable' to have a competitive line out at international level). I think after that is addressed then we can start approaching the scrum based on a synthesis between our current selections based around balancing the line out as well as what we think (or know) the Lions are going to do with their front-row. For once I think we may actually have a shortage of quality lineout operators and jumpers (at least who can all be put together in a pack that is remotely balanced) instead of props, Palmer and Sio along with the explosion of Ryan putting in some big performances has really changed the landscape a bit.

Number 8 is really an enormous question mark for me though. Fotu is really the only standout in the position right now as Mowen will likely play at 6 for the Wallabies. Palu has the test experience was having some marked issues breaking or even bending the line before he started getting injured...as he seems wont to do. Higgers hasn't exactly been spectacular either but he's been playing in a losing side and does bring some of the best line out jumping we have access to. So do we roll the dice on a new guy, or try one of the old warhorses even though they are under-performing compared to their standards? Selection of Higgers at 8 would also provide much more flexibility in regards to installing what has come to be know as the infamous 'scrummaging lock' into the lineup.

 

[Braveheart81]

My pack on current form and proven test experience would be:

Robbo
Moore
Palmer
Horwill
Douglas
Mowen
Hooper
Palu

Alexander
Ryan
TPN
MMM
Smith/Gill

MMM is the reserve lock and Smith (if he plays) provides backup to all three backrow positions. Hence the reason for him to be on the bench. When Douglas and Palu come off, MMM goes to lock, Smith goes to 6 and Mowen to 8. In the event of Hooper getting injured, Smith is obviously the backup 7.

I think that provides strong balance between the starters and the finishers.

Lineout wise you have Horwill, Douglas, Mowen and Palu to start and Horwil, MMM, Mowen and Smith to finish. I think that is close to the strongest test lineout we can put out there without sacrificing our scrum and other areas of play.

Having 5 forward reserves allows for 3 back reserves which will give us a better chance of having someone like Mogg debut off the bench.

 

[TOCC]

TOCC - but who else is there for #13 with form and/or experience?

Tevita Kuridrani from the Brumbies? Mitch Inman from the Rebels? Ant Fainga'a from the Reds? Winston Stanley from the Force isn't eligible is he?

There are no challengers - hence AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) must be a certainty at this stage.

Stanley is eligible but he isn't a strong candidate at this time...

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is admittedly playing the best he has in a long time in the 13 jersey, but I think his lacklustre form 2012 wallaby form will hang over him hence why I don't consider him a certainty...

I think Robbie would be more inclined to pick someone like Tapuai at 13 if he can continue to improve his form...

 

[USARugger]

I think Robbie would be more inclined to pick someone like Tapuai at 13 if he can continue to improve his form.

I may put a fork in my fucking eyeball if he ever tries to make Tapuai play 13 again. Even the difference in between very closely spaced tests with Tapuai at 13 and then at 12 were nearly night and day.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Do you start with your strongest scrum or do you wait and see what the Lions are doing with their props? Currently you'd imagine that our strongest scrum has Robbo at LHP and Palmer at THP. If the Lions have one of their best scrummaging props on the bench is it better to hold Palmer back for example and mix your prop order around.

You have to remember that against England our props were Robinson and Alexander, and we monstered them. So going off of current international form, those two are the ones to go with. Having Palmer or Ryan on the bench along with a good loose head (Think Greg Holmes) means that when the Lions begin to tire or bring on their own bench, we have a "better" tighthead available.

 

[USARugger]

You have to remember that against England our props were Robinson and Alexander, and we monstered them. So going off of current international form, those two are the ones to go with. Having Palmer or Ryan on the bench along with a good loose head (Think Greg Holmes) means that when the Lions begin to tire or bring on their own bench, we have a "better" tighthead available.

Marler did a lot on the day to make the entire Wallaby front row look very good. I highly doubt he will be flying with the Lions.

 

[Braveheart81]

You have to remember that against England our props were Robinson and Alexander, and we monstered them. So going off of current international form, those two are the ones to go with. Having Palmer or Ryan on the bench along with a good loose head (Think Greg Holmes) means that when the Lions begin to tire or bring on their own bench, we have a "better" tighthead available.

I would be very surprised if someone like Greg Holmes leapfrogs any of the current test props. I think Alexander or even Kepu could end up being the backup LHP behind Robbo.