Wallabies Watch

[Athilnaur]

Kinda crazy isn't it. Pre RWC Kurtley was the best fullback in the world. 18 months later he has little to show at test level, there is a huge cloud over him, and he's seen as a likely candidate for wallabies fly-half.

 

[Braveheart81]

Kinda crazy isn't it. Pre RWC Kurtley was the best fullback in the world. 18 months later he has little to show at test level, there is a huge cloud over him, and he's seen as a likely candidate for wallabies fly-half.

You're a year out pretty much.

I don't think he has been close to the world's best fullback since late 2010.

 

[Scoey]

It's not an amateur sport any more. Like any other professional activity, we need to work to attract and keep the best people. By doing that, we stay more competitive with other teams on the field and we stay more competitive with other sports in the competition for the supporter dollars that pay for Wallaby rugby and help to fund the grassroots development of the sport.

I probably don't disagree with the principle of your post. We do need to work to attract and keep the best people. I don't think we attract them with the promise of a Wallabies jersey. And I think that the best people for Rugby, are the ones that actually want to play it. No, the ones that need to play it.

We attract them by maintaining the sanctity of the Wallabies jersey. If the message we send out is that a celebrity on a gap year from League can have a Wallabies jersey for a Lions series then I think we are in danger of seriously undermining our product.

 

[Athilnaur]

BH - not for me, but I have to say looking at this cheered me up.

 

[Groucho]

I probably don't disagree with the principle of your post. We do need to work to attract and keep the best people. I don't think we attract them with the promise of a Wallabies jersey. And I think that the best people for Rugby, are the ones that actually want to play it. No, the ones that need to play it.

We attract them by maintaining the sanctity of the Wallabies jersey. If the message we send out is that a celebrity on a gap year from League can have a Wallabies jersey for a Lions series then I think we are in danger of seriously undermining our product.

I'm not suggesting we attract them with the promise of a Wallabies jersey. I said in the original post that you replied to that Folau should be selected if he deserves it on form.

 

[Richo]

Just looking at the Hurricanes game, Mitchell dropped a high ball which led directly to a Hurricanes converted try and then didn't catch a kick-off that then went into touch and the Hurricanes got a penalty immediately afterwards for another three points.

He is making big errors that are costing the team points. I agree that he is one of our best attacking players, but you have to cut out costly errors, particularly at test level.

As you know, I'm a massive Mitchell fan. He's my favourite current player and he's incredible busting tackles. It's those errors that you mention that are murderous. Much as I like him, I'd want to see those gone before he plays against the Lions. The signs are bloody good though and I'd see him, Ioane and JOC (James O'Connor) as the back three quite happily.

 

[Henry]

As you know, I'm a massive Mitchell fan. He's my favourite current player and he's incredible busting tackles. It's those errors that you mention that are murderous. Much as I like him, I'd want to see those gone before he plays against the Lions. The signs are bloody good though and I'd see him, Ioane and JOC (James O'Connor) as the back three quite happily.

I agree with absolutely anything in your post. If they're all in form, it would be lethal.

 

[Brumbieman]

I still think we're going to see the return of Kurtley Beale to the Rebels in a few weeks time and him wear the 10 jersey in the first Lions test.

Oh fuck no, please....

His disciplinary issues should rule him out almost unconditionally at this stage. He needs to lose 5-6kg of flab, get fit, COMPLETELY give up alcohol, no conditions, and earn his place to get back into the Rebels, let alone the Wallabies.

 

[Bairdy]

MMM out for at least 6 weeks

 

[Richo]

MMM out for at least 6 weeks

So that's until late May? Should be a definite for the squad and then be assessed from there.

 

[barbarian]

As you know, I'm a massive Mitchell fan. He's my favourite current player and he's incredible busting tackles. It's those errors that you mention that are murderous. Much as I like him, I'd want to see those gone before he plays against the Lions. The signs are bloody good though and I'd see him, Ioane and JOC (James O'Connor) as the back three quite happily.

He seems to be hitting form at the right time, his game on Saturday was his best in over a year I reckon. Made two errors, but IMO those were fairly forgiveable.

I reckon he will start in the first test. His kicking game is an asset no other wingers have, and he is a Deans favourite.
.

 

[disco]

Right now I'd be going with.
1.Robinson
2.Moore
3.Palmer
4. MMM
5.Horwill
6. Mowen
7.Gill
8. Palu
9. Genia
10.Cooper
11.Ioane
12.Tapuai
13.AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14.Mitchell
15.Folau
16.Hanson
17. Kepu
18. Slipper
19. Simmons - tough choice but he plays better alongside Horwill
20. Hooper
21. Higginbotham
22. Nic White
23. JOC (James O'Connor)

I think out of that team most people on here will bag my Folau selection but I think he's brilliant & is the only Aussie that is safe under the high ball & with a smart kicking game can be a real threat @ restarts & in attack.

 

[Braveheart81]

He seems to be hitting form at the right time, his game on Saturday was his best in over a year I reckon. Made two errors, but IMO those were fairly forgiveable.

I reckon he will start in the first test. His kicking game is an asset no other wingers have, and he is a Deans favourite.
.

I agree that they were fairly forgivable errors in the sense that many players would have made them. They just proved to be very costly.

His kicking game and the fact that he's a left footer definitely help his chances.

 

[Slim 293]

I think out of that team most people on here will bag my Mogg selection but I think he's brilliant & is the only Aussie that is safe under the high ball & with a smart kicking game can be a real threat @ restarts & in attack.

Fixed for accuracy..........

 

[Sully]

I've just watched this weeks highlights package on the blog.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/super-rugby-highlights-round-8/

I have to mention Folau's positioning in defence on 3 of the Hurricanes tries. Just terrible.

 

[Dave Beat]

I've just watched this weeks highlights package on the blog.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/super-rugby-highlights-round-8/

I have to mention Folau's positioning in defence on 3 of the Hurricanes tries. Just terrible.

Yep, and also look at how other 15's involve themselves in the game. The 15's involve themselves in the game on instinct, and the read of the game. Izzy doesn't have the match time up yet, he is improving though but not up for the Lions series. People have said Mogg lacks experience, but people talk up Izzy - dont understand.

 

[qwerty51]

Which try(s) did he have poor positioning in? I just looked at the highlights package and didn't see any poor positioning by him. He made 1 error in defence which was the 2nd Savea try but that was a little unlucky on his part because of the bounce, he was 1st to the ball.

One of the tries he was not in a sweeping position but that was because the Tahs had just turned the ball over and he was in an attacking position, not his fault. The other he came up correctly but was faced with a 2 on 1 situation. Again not his fault. I think you're looking for something that is not there.

 

[TOCC]

I noticed Folaus positioning during the game was poor at times as well, the Hurricanes were exploiting that with their kicking game

 

[qwerty51]

The Tahs kept turning the ball over in attack which meant the defence at the back was non-existent, Barrett's boot perfectly exploited this but that is not Folau's fault.

 

[Dave Beat]

Which try(s) did he have poor positioning in? I just looked at the highlights package and didn't see any poor positioning by him. He made 1 error in defence which was the 2nd Savea try but that was a little unlucky on his part because of the bounce, he was 1st to the ball.

One of the tries he was not in a sweeping position but that was because the Tahs had just turned the ball over and he was in an attacking position, not his fault. The other he came up correctly but was faced with a 2 on 1 situation. Again not his fault. I think you're looking for something that is not there.

I never played at the back so only compare against other 15's, there was 3 times i thought his positioning was so bad it was non existant. Now that maybe due to my lack of knowldege of the 15, or it may come down to lack of communication between the 11, 14, 15.
In the Force game I was sitting on the try line, on 3 times Izzy was not confident in defence, he was stand offish, and was stood up - I was less than 40m away it was obvious.