Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Tomikin]

only 10 or 11 Brums in that team of Tomikin - funny as !!!!!!

I do my best it was mostly tongue in cheek.

I cant pick a team till I see the form this year. Brumbies may have 2011 form then id pick none







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[Tomikin]

You must have tossed & turned all last night to admit to that.
Glad that you have seen the light my son .

It was hard .. I still remember his as the mullet wearing twat who steals laptops

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[Scrubber2050]

I do my best it was mostly tongue in cheek.

I cant pick a team till I see the form this year. Brumbies may have 2011 form then id pick none



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fair enough Tomokin - all in good jest - Hope the Brums have a good year like 2013 and not 2011- but there are some big challenges for them this year.


Its always duifficult to maintain form year in and out - good luck

 

[Bairdy]

Having just read Scott Allen's article on another site about Wallabies bolters, I thought I might partake in this exercise, even though we are still a year and a half out from the RWC.

For the 30/31 man Wallabies squad, the players I would consider 'optimal' would include:

Forwards: Slipper, Kepu, Robinson, Moore, TPN, Horwill, Simmons, Higginbotham, Pocock, Hooper, Palu.

Backs: Genia, Cooper, Leali'ifano, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau.

For the props, it will be interesting to see how Wallabies Ben Alexander and Scott Sio go, and how promising players like Lahiff, Toby Smith, Salesi Manu, Paul Alo-Emile, Ruan Smith etc. fare in Super Rugby this year.

Fainga'a and Hanson at the Reds will surely go head to head with TPN for the back-up.

Douglas is likely to feature in the RWC squad with his experience, and as the only obvious back-up TH lock, but I wouldn't be surprised if Luke Jones, Hugh Pyle, and Cadeyrn Neville push for Wallabies selection.

I left out Fardy, but still expect him, Dennis, and possibly Schatz to feature in the backrow.

Will generally plays 80 minutes, so the bench option is really a toss up between Nic White and Luke Burgess.

Similarly with Quade, though as both Foley and To'omua played well in Super Rugby in 2013, I guess it comes down to form in deciding who is the back-up flyhalf.

Leali'ifano is a certainty with his boot, but it will be interesting to see who Link and co. go with at 12, if they pick a specialist inside centre and not just Lilo and To'omua. Tapuai, Godwin, and Horne (if he's not in Link's bad books).

The outside centre position is likely to be filled by AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), with Kuridrani a close second, but could we see Link choosing FTA, or, hell, even CFS or Inman?

And the outside backs; there's far too many to even think of picking the wings so far out from the World Cup.

TL;DR

Bairdy's 23 man Wallabies squad:
Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Horwill, Simmons/Pyle (if Rob is injured), Higginbotham/Fardy, Pocock, Palu, Genia, Cooper, Tomane, To'omua/Godwin, Kuridrani, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau

TPN, Robinson, Manu (yes you read right), Jones, Dennis, White, Tapuai, Beale

 

[Scrubber2050]

Having just read Scott Allen's article on another site about Wallabies bolters, I thought I might partake in this exercise, even though we are still a year and a half out from the RWC.

For the 30/31 man Wallabies squad, the players I would consider 'optimal' would include:

Forwards: Slipper, Kepu, Robinson, Moore, TPN, Horwill, Simmons, Higginbotham, Pocock, Hooper, Palu.

Backs: Genia, Cooper, Leali'ifano, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau.

For the props, it will be interesting to see how Wallabies Ben Alexander and Scott Sio go, and how promising players like Lahiff, Toby Smith, Salesi Manu, Paul Alo-Emile, Ruan Smith etc. fare in Super Rugby this year.

Fainga'a and Hanson at the Reds will surely go head to head with TPN for the back-up.

Douglas is likely to feature in the RWC squad with his experience, and as the only obvious back-up TH lock, but I wouldn't be surprised if Luke Jones, Hugh Pyle, and Cadeyrn Neville push for Wallabies selection.

I left out Fardy, but still expect him, Dennis, and possibly Schatz to feature in the backrow.

Will generally plays 80 minutes, so the bench option is really a toss up between Nic White and Luke Burgess.

Similarly with Quade, though as both Foley and To'omua played well in Super Rugby in 2013, I guess it comes down to form in deciding who is the back-up flyhalf.

Leali'ifano is a certainty with his boot, but it will be interesting to see who Link and co. go with at 12, if they pick a specialist inside centre and not just Lilo and To'omua. Tapuai, Godwin, and Horne (if he's not in Link's bad books).

The outside centre position is likely to be filled by AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), with Kuridrani a close second, but could we see Link choosing FTA, or, hell, even CFS or Inman?

And the outside backs; there's far too many to even think of picking the wings so far out from the World Cup.

TL;DR

Bairdy's 23 man Wallabies squad:
Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Horwill, Simmons/Pyle (if Rob is injured), Higginbotham/Fardy, Pocock, Palu, Genia, Cooper, Tomane, To'omua/Godwin, Kuridrani, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau

TPN, Robinson, Manu (yes you read right), Jones, Dennis, White, Tapuai, Beale

Very informative, precise and incisive post - and only have a couple of possible disagreements in bench (Manu, Jones and Taps)

 

[Phil]

Very informative, precise and incisive post - and only have a couple of possible disagreements in bench (Manu, Jones and Taps)

Agree it is a good post from Bairdy,but he must be expecting a big drop in form from Hooper not to make the squad.

 

[BigSteve]

Although we are over a year and a half away from this sort of thing to be relevant i decided to give a team prediction a crack!

Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu/sio
4. Pyle
5. horwill
6. fardy
7. pocock
8. higgenbotham
9. genia
10.cooper
11.spieght
12.To'omua / godwin / lealifano
13.kurindrani
14.cummins / AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) / tomane
15.folau

16.kepu/ sio
17.polota-nau
18. ben robinson / salesi manu
19.simmons / skelton
20.hooper / palu
21.nic white
22.lealifano / Bernard foley
23.tomane / mogg

i think this may be pretty close to the squad thats picked (although thier is a little bias in some decisions) i think players like Godwin, skelton and manu will rise up the ranks. im also interested in seeing how rebels boys toby smith and max lahiff go this season. but in saying all this form is the key, who would have guessed players like kurindrani, To'omua and fardy would play well enough to make it into the wallabies starting 15.....Alot can happening in a season of rugby.

 

[Bairdy]

Agree it is a good post from Bairdy,but he must be expecting a big drop in form from Hooper not to make the squad.

A bit of an oversight on my part to forget about Hooper, but in World Cups, I think it's pretty rare to see a backup 7 on the bench, especially with Pocock being an 80 minute player.

 

[Pete King]

Having just read Scott Allen's article on another site about Wallabies bolters, I thought I might partake in this exercise, even though we are still a year and a half out from the RWC.

For the 30/31 man Wallabies squad, the players I would consider 'optimal' would include:

Forwards: Slipper, Kepu, Robinson, Moore, TPN, Horwill, Simmons, Higginbotham, Pocock, Hooper, Palu.

Backs: Genia, Cooper, Leali'ifano, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau.

For the props, it will be interesting to see how Wallabies Ben Alexander and Scott Sio go, and how promising players like Lahiff, Toby Smith, Salesi Manu, Paul Alo-Emile, Ruan Smith etc. fare in Super Rugby this year.

Fainga'a and Hanson at the Reds will surely go head to head with TPN for the back-up.

Douglas is likely to feature in the RWC squad with his experience, and as the only obvious back-up TH lock, but I wouldn't be surprised if Luke Jones, Hugh Pyle, and Cadeyrn Neville push for Wallabies selection.

I left out Fardy, but still expect him, Dennis, and possibly Schatz to feature in the backrow.

Will generally plays 80 minutes, so the bench option is really a toss up between Nic White and Luke Burgess.

Similarly with Quade, though as both Foley and To'omua played well in Super Rugby in 2013, I guess it comes down to form in deciding who is the back-up flyhalf.

Leali'ifano is a certainty with his boot, but it will be interesting to see who Link and co. go with at 12, if they pick a specialist inside centre and not just Lilo and To'omua. Tapuai, Godwin, and Horne (if he's not in Link's bad books).

The outside centre position is likely to be filled by AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), with Kuridrani a close second, but could we see Link choosing FTA, or, hell, even CFS or Inman?

And the outside backs; there's far too many to even think of picking the wings so far out from the World Cup.

TL;DR

Bairdy's 23 man Wallabies squad:
Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Horwill, Simmons/Pyle (if Rob is injured), Higginbotham/Fardy, Pocock, Palu, Genia, Cooper, Tomane, To'omua/Godwin, Kuridrani, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau

TPN, Robinson, Manu (yes you read right), Jones, Dennis, White, Tapuai, Beale

I like the side but really think by 2015 Cliffy Palu's best days would have been well and truely behind him, if he doesnt succumb to injury before hand. That pushes Higgers to 8 and Fardy stays at 6. Not convinced of the bench, think that Dennis will be lucky to hold his spot at the tahs! (even being captain)

 

[emuarse]

An important consideration into the 2015 World cup squad is Mackenzie himself.
He took over the Wallabies from Deans without any preamble time. For the most part he was stuck with the side he inherited, and has had to make do.
That's not to say the majority of players were the best available, and after the EOYT performances after England, he probably has developed an affinity with them.
But this year and going into next, he has time to ferret out the opinion of the Super 15 coaches, get a feel for the potential players and talk to them as the Wallabies coach.
These factors could alter the makeup of his top 23 for 2015 WC.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Interesting aside: If the loosies at the Rebels Smith and Latiff play well, make the team and potentially leap frog Sio we may see Slipper revert to 3 where he plays his Super rugby

 

[Tip]

Very interesting week for Wallaby 2nd Rowers. Both Kimlin and Pyle have signed / renewed contracts in the NH for 2015. A damn shame as Kimlin would have been the perfect bench player covering back5 position bar 7. This would have also enabled us to start Pocock and have Hooper running off the bench.

1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Fardy
5. Simmons
6. Higgers
7. Pocock
8. Palu
9. Genia
10. Quade
11. O'Connor
12. To'omua
13. CFS / Kuridrani
14. Speight
15. Folau

16. Kepu
17. TPN
18. Alexander
19. Horwill
20. Hooper
21. White
22. Harris
23. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

Ryan, Jones, Hanson, Skelton, Burgess, Cummins, Beale round out the 30 man squad.

Yeah I've got Harris in there. Fuck me head over biscuit if we're going to lose a World Cup because we don't have a 90% kicker. He's been the form Inside Centre (of the Inside Centres who make dominant tackles..) this year and has never let anybody down in a Wallaby jersey.
I'd rather CFS than Kuridrani & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) considering CFS trusts his outside players and passes the ball.

 

[Braveheart81]

On what planet is Hooper not the starting Wallaby 7?

Picking Pocock on 2011 form in 2015 is ridiculous.

At this stage it is wishful thinking to suggest that he's the likely Wallaby starting 7 at the RWC. He has a huge amount of work to do to get back to that position.

 

[Tip]

On what planet is Hooper not the starting Wallaby 7?

Picking Pocock on 2011 form in 2015 is ridiculous.

At this stage it is wishful thinking to suggest that he's the likely Wallaby starting 7 at the RWC. He has a huge amount of work to do to get back to that position.

The thread is titled "Wallaby optimum 23 players for the 2015 RWC"
Pocock is an optimum Wallaby player yes?
This whole thread is based on hypotheticals, chief one being that nobody is injured.
Regardless, if that's the only bone you have to pick with my 23, I'd like to think that I'm pretty much on the money!

 

[Braveheart81]

I decided not to bother with Mike Harris. On form I think he's the 5th best starting 12 in Australia.

 

[Slim 293]

Looking at the top two players in every position currently with incumbents on the left (with a couple of changes - Palu, Speight), and alternatives on the right:

1. Slipper/Sio
2. Moore/TPN
3. Kepu/Alexander
4. Simmons/Jones
5. Horwill/Douglas
6. Fardy/McCalman
7. Hooper/Pocock
8. Palu/Higginbotham
9. Genia/White
10. Cooper/Lilo
11. Cummins/Tomane
12. To'omua/McCabe
13. Kuridrani/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Speight/JOC (James O'Connor)
15. Folau/Mogg

However, on current form I'd dump Mogg and bring in either Godwin or Beale.........

I still don't think there are too many challengers to the incumbent XV from last year.........

Sio was in excellent form, but Slipper isn't really doing much wrong either........

Alexander is our form TH, but his test form is flakey.........

Pocock, McCalman and Higgers would fight it out for a bench spot, although you could potentially play two of them off the bench with Fardy shifting to lock........

Jones is in good form but there's a few players ahead of him still.......... will probably have to wait until after the RWC to get into the 23 when the likes of Fardy and Palu head overseas.........

The biggest losers here are Robinson and Gill.........

Edit: We will probably require a fifth prop in the squad, therefore I would add Robinson and cut one of either Godwin, Beale, Tomane, JOC (James O'Connor) or Lilo depending on form........

 

[Tip]

Oh please, Godwin has played 1 good game this season. Of the other 3 centres, one can't make a dominant tackle and the other two can't kick. Harris can play 10, 12 & 15 and is the most accurate kicker from the tee in the country.

 

[Slim 293]

I actually disagree with Braveheart........

Harris is potentially the 7th or 8th best 12 in the country........

 

[Braveheart81]

I actually disagree with Braveheart....

Harris is potentially the 7th or 8th best 12 in the country....

I said 5th best starting 12.

There are only 5 Australian starting 12s by definition.

 

[Slim 293]

I said 5th best starting 12.

There are only 5 Australian starting 12s by definition.

True...... True.......

As you were........