Wallabies Watch

[Scott Allen]

Tri Nations stats from 2011 show the Wallabies at 9% from lineouts and 18% from scrums of the 11 tries tries scored.

TRC stats for 2012 show the Wallabies at 57% from lineouts and 29% from scrums but that was only over 7 tries so an even smaller sample to go by.

The numbers of tries scored in those two tournaments by the Wallabies was too small to get a really clear picture but if you average it out over both years the sample size gets a little larger (18 tries)- 28% of which started from lineouts and 22% from scrums - pretty close to the 30/20 split for all teams in international rugby.

 

[USARugger]

Yes, there was one try of the seven scored that came from a kick return. These are IRB stats.

Small sample pools can produce some hilarious figures

 

[Braveheart81]

Given that you'd generally have less scrum feeds than lineout throws, I would assume that means that the scrum is actually a better attacking platform in terms of the percentage chance of scoring a try from the ensuing possession.

 

[Scotty]

Yeah my post was tongue in cheek. I was making the point that a lot of players have weaknesses and to overlook Mogg on the basis that he may be defensively frail is not consistent with other test selection. Folau's ability to break tackles is quite amazing. He does appear to get turned over a bit when he goes to deck probably from poor ball placement (and lack of support). Very easily fixed. He's not a good kicker and looks a like a charge down magnet. If we put Ioane in the back 3 for Oz, I'm not sure if we could carry another non-kicking back 3 player.

Would be sort of like having tuqiri, sailor and Latham as the back three?

Hang on a minute.....

 

[Tomikin]

I think you also need to look at the affect having a good lineout in defence as well, Rebel's vs Brumbies game, early on the Brumbies stole possession on Rebel's throw so the rebels reverted to throwing to the front to get the ball in essence killing any platform of them being able to spread the ball wide and struggled them, with much more pressure then dominating the scrum. I think our best solution is to have a strong lineout and scrum, so if your a lock who can't jump your out, if your a lock who don't push your out. I would be picking Horwill and MMM as my locks at the moment. EOYT Fardy and Carter to get a run.

 

[Brumbieman]

My impression has been that our scrum has frequently (although not always) struggled with Fainga'a on. Whatever else might be said of TPN, he is a bloody good scrummager.

At international level? His debut year perhaps in a front row with Daley and Ma'afood.

When he's with good props, there is no problem. His discipline is the thing that worries me, and his ball carrying is just not very effective at international level. Does everything else very well though.

 

[Train Without a Station]

At international level? His debut year perhaps in a front row with Daley and Ma'afood.

When he's with good props, there is no problem. His discipline is the thing that worries me, and his ball carrying is just not very effective at international level. Does everything else very well though.

I would have neither and go with Hansen if it was my choice. Hanson < Fainga'a & 2011-2013 Model TPN

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Looking at all this is what leads me to say I'd want Fainga'a over TPN.

Good lord, Fainga'a isn't even the best hooker in the reds!

 

[cyclopath]

Good lord, Fainga'a isn't even the best hooker in the reds!

I'd agree, Hanson has really impressed in recent games.

 

[Dumbledore]

At international level? His debut year perhaps in a front row with Daley and Ma'afood.

When he's with good props, there is no problem. His discipline is the thing that worries me, and his ball carrying is just not very effective at international level. Does everything else very well though.

This. It's the problem I have with Simmons as well. You know he's going to be good for at least a couple of mindless penalties a game. Not effective enough at the ruck either.

 

[Brumbieman]

Yeah, i'm not keen on Simmons at the moment. He's been mostly very average and a penalty magnet.

 

[BDA]

What big tests has Fainga'a stood up in?
.

I remember him playing well in the game we won in Bloemfontein in 2010, but i have a poor memory.

I like saia as a player. The fact that he's a little bit lighter makes him pretty dynamic at provincial level. But my impression is that our scrum at test level is weaker when he's on.

The same people on this board that are championing Palmer's cause so vehemently should in theory be push TPN. It's pretty clear he is a strong scrummager.

 

[USARugger]

The same people on this board that are championing Palmer's cause so vehemently should in theory be push TPN. It's pretty clear he is a strong scrummager.

He's also go the chronic throwing issues and the chronic knocking himself the fuck out in the tackle issue as well. If Palmer has done anything this season it's prove that he can be both an excellent scrummager and a contributor around the park. TPN still has some pretty obvious flaws in his game. I think that's why you don't see so much vocalized support there. Swap Moore for TPN and yeah we may scrummage slightly better but then you have a liability at line out time and the likelihood he will need to come off at some point.

Yeah, i'm not keen on Simmons at the moment. He's been mostly very average and a penalty magnet.

He is easily the most frustrating player to watch in all of Australia for me. Nobody else has made me yell at the television so many times, nobody.

 

[qwerty51]

Uhm Bloemfontein was the one where he flipped Flip van der Merwe in the last 10 mins and nearly cost us the game

 

[Scott Allen]

So Sharpey nominated Horwill and Simmons as the locks tonight on Rugby HQ with MMM at #6.

He said he hasn't been that impressed with Douglas so far this year.

 

[Scott Allen]

The same people on this board that are championing Palmer's cause so vehemently should in theory be push TPN. It's pretty clear he is a strong scrummager.

Suggest you watch TPN scrummage more closely - he has some big technical deficiencies as a scrummager.

The biggest issue is the fact that he loses his bind on his props nearly every scrum. The hooker needs to be the glue at the front of the scrum and he consistently fails in this role.

 

[BDA]

He's also go the chronic throwing issues and the chronic knocking himself the fuck out in the tackle issue as well. If Palmer has done anything this season it's prove that he can be both an excellent scrummager and a contributor around the park. TPN still has some pretty obvious flaws in his game. I think that's why you don't see so much vocalized support there. Swap Moore for TPN and yeah we may scrummage slightly better but then you have a liability at line out time and the likelihood he will need to come off at some point.

I agree TPN is a flawed player. But so is Palmer. Just playing devils advocate. If the end game is a strong scrum and nothing else, as some people here believe then TPN is the obvious choice.That is why I have him in my 22. He offers physicality, a decent ball runner, and is strong at scrum time. Those three things are very important to the wallabies. As discussed earlier, I think his shortcomings, but also his strengths, make him better suited to playing the first half of a test match.

 

[tranquility]

Saia is good, that is plain enough.

Simmonds is pretty average. But having MMM back, makes us realise that all of our locks are pretty average.

Other than he, and Horwill they are all pretty green - and I hope like heck they are the locking combo for the Lions.

 

[BDA]

Uhm Bloemfontein was the one where he flipped Flip van der Merwe in the last 10 mins and nearly cost us the game

haha. That was perhaps the only test match I can remember him 'having an impact'.

 

[BDA]

If Palu isn't available for the first test I wouldn't be opposed to this combination:-
4. Horwill
5. Timani
6. MMM
7. Gill/Hooper/Smith
8. Mowen

Big physical pack and having MMM and Mowen in the backrow makes up for Timani's limitations at scrum time.