Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Pete King]

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.

Ive seen some bias on these forums but a queenslander picking CFS as our best 13 option and lauding Mike Harris as the form inside centre has to take the cake

 

[Tip]

Ive seen some bias on these forums but a queenslander picking CFS as our best 13 option and lauding Mike Harris as the form inside centre has to take the cake

Perhaps you missed the "CFS / Kuridrani". I just pick Outside Centres that pass.
Harris has been top 3 on park for the Reds in the past 3 weeks.

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....

Is there any news on the impact that the additional prop has on the number of players in a squad. In 2011 it was 30, and with 8 players on the bench now, surely they'd have to raise that number to 31?

A RWC squad would have 5 props, 3 hookers, 4 locks and 6 back rowers. This is necessary as otherwise you won't have contested scrums at training.

Throw in 2 half backs and you only have 10 spots left for the backs.
Quade, Speight, To'omua, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), O'Connor, Folau should start.
Which leaves:
Beale, Cummins, CFS, Leali'ifano, Harris, Kuridrani, Foley, McCabe, Godwin, Inman all fighting it out for the final four spots.

 

[Tomikin]

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.

Leos better and as good jmif not better kicker so Id have him before Harris

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[Braveheart81]

The biggest problem Australia has with kickers is that neither of Leali'ifano or Harris can kick long range shots which are probably the lowest percentage ones.

Cooper can't really do it either although he has a little more range.

 

[Tomikin]

The biggest problem Australia has with kickers is that neither of Leali'ifano or Harris can kick long range shots which are probably the lowest percentage ones.

Cooper can't really do it either although he has a little more range.

Nic White can but he has to be on the pitch ..his been kicking well recently but not sure his test standard

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[Tip]

Leos better and as good if not better kicker so Id have him before Harris

Thankyou for the first reasoned response!

I'd prefer Harris as he's stronger than Leali'ifano and plays more direct. This offers the Wallabies a chance to change tactics mid game if we're not making it across the advantage line - all without losing a ball player. I'd much rather see some size on the bench, especially if we have Beale in the 23 jersey.

It'll be interesting to see how Leali'ifano is playing by the end of the year with some match fitness. ATM he hasn't started kicking from the tee due to his ankle rehabilitation.

 

[Tomikin]

Thankyou for the first reasoned response!

I'd prefer Harris as he's stronger than Leali'ifano and plays more direct. This offers the Wallabies a chance to change tactics mid game if we're not making it across the advantage line - all without losing a ball player. I'd much rather see some size on the bench, especially if we have Beale in the 23 jersey.

It'll be interesting to see how Leali'ifano is playing by the end of the year with some match fitness. ATM he hasn't started kicking from the tee due to his ankle rehabilitation.

Good points and reasonable Harris hasn't been playing badly so its not out of this world to expect he might make the 23.. He needs to kick for the Reds though as if his not kicking then hard to pick him for it.

At the moment on form and suspected team Cooper will be the kicker

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

[Braveheart81]

Do you seriously think Harris' form this year at 12 has been better than McCabe, Beale, Godwin or Inman?

He's not even the first choice goal kicker for the Reds anymore either.

 

[Tip]

Better than Godwin, yes. He's had 1 good game. Harris' last 3 have been good.

Quade is first choice kicker because he'll be the first choice kicker for the Wallabies. He needs as much practice as possible wouldn't you agree?

 

[Braveheart81]

Let's agree to disagree. I think Harris will be dropped to the bench when CFS is healthy and Tapuai will move to 12.

Tapuai's form has been greatly improved in the last couple of games.

I also don't think Graham would pick Cooper as his kicker just on the basis of him kicking for the Wallabies if he actually thought Harris was significantly better.

Harris had an amazing goal kicking run in 2012 but he has failed to replicate that since. Meanwhile Cooper has improved substantially.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Better than Godwin, yes. He's had 1 good game. Harris' last 3 have been good.

Quade is first choice kicker because he'll be the first choice kicker for the Wallabies. He needs as much practice as possible wouldn't you agree?

Im sorry but the stats really show a different story. Both harris and Godwin have played 5 games all started at 12 and the stats have Godwin along way in front


Harris:
Carries: 35
Meters Made: 98
Defenders Beaten: 3
Clean Breaks:2
Tackles Made:36
Tackles Missed:6
Trys:1

Godwin:
Carries: 48
Meters Made: 145
Defenders Beaten: 8
Clean Breaks:3
Tackles Made:50
Tackles Missed:6
Trys:1

 

[Tip]

There are 3 types of lies.
Lies, Damn Lies & statistics.

It really depends where you get your stats from. Foxsports has Harris beating 7 defenders and Godwin 9. It also has them even at 1 linebreak a piece and Godwin down for missing 10 tackles. Both players have the same amount of tackles as highlighted above.
Harris has 5 off loads, Godwin has 1.

I wouldn't read too much into it as both average 3m per carry and have a tackle completion rate of +80% (In Harris' case 85%).

 

[Lindommer]

CAN WE PLEASE STOP ANY TALK OF JOC (James O'Connor) IN RELATION TO RWC2015. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

 

[Tip]

Believe 2104 Lindo!

Unfortunately the RWC will be held in 2101 & 2105.
Perhaps that is the year that the Tahs finally win a Super Rugby Title?

 

[GaffaCHinO]

There are 3 types of lies.
Lies, Damn Lies & statistics.

It really depends where you get your stats from. Foxsports has Harris beating 7 defenders and Godwin 9. It also has them even at 1 linebreak a piece and Godwin down for missing 10 tackles. Both players have the same amount of tackles as highlighted above.
Harris has 5 off loads, Godwin has 1.

I wouldn't read too much into it as both average 3m per carry and have a tackle completion rate of +80% (In Harris' case 85%).

this is where the stats come from not fox sports who’s stats are very unreliable and incomplete.

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/fixtures/2014-super-rugby/

I do agree that stats don’t tell the whole picture but they do show exactly what a player has been doing on the field and how peoples baseless statements of “He has only had 1 good game” may not quite be the case..

I also put the same stats together for Beale and McCabe

Beale:
Carries: 59
Meters Made: 200
Defenders Beaten: 5
Clean Breaks: 1
Tackles Made:18
Tackles Missed:5
Trys:2

Shows Beale as a great attack option but doesn’t do much on defence

McCabe (he has played 1 more game than the rest)
Carries: 47
Meters Made: 210
Defenders Beaten: 7
Clean Breaks:6
Tackles Made:31
Tackles Missed:3
Trys:0

Based on that McCabe is well in front going on the stats but if you take away his game against the Highlanders it looks like this:

Carries: 31
Meters Made:109
Defenders Beaten: 3
Clean Breaks:1
Tackles Made:24
Tackles Missed:3
Trys:0
So apart from the game against the Highlanders where McCabe went mad I would say his form is well done on the other options. But that’s taking nothing away from that game which he was massive in.

So I guess you could use the statement about the 1 good game for McCabe………

 

[qwerty51]

CAN WE PLEASE STOP ANY TALK OF JOC (James O'Connor) IN RELATION TO RWC2015. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

Yes it will.

 

[TheKing]

The biggest problem Australia has with kickers is that neither of Leali'ifano or Harris can kick long range shots which are probably the lowest percentage ones.

Cooper can't really do it either although he has a little more range.

Beale has performed the role for the Wobs okay in the past (Bloemfontein:

), and Mogg takes the Brumbies long shots.

Since none of those 4 are really likely to be starting, it doesn't solve the problem.

Australia's kicking coach Damien Hill (

) should be going over the technique of all the potential 2015 kickers with a fine tooth comb. I'm no expert at kicking, but surely there's room for minor improvements in all our goal kickers - They're professional athletes! get them in a weights room and strengthen their legs and cores, milk an extra 5-10 metres of power out of them. He's got a year and a half to do it, might as well get started early.

I'm sure the players would be happy to give up a few hours of their own time during the weekly grind in the hope of impressing enough to earn the specialist long range kicker for the Wallabies for 2015..

 

[Pete King]

Perhaps you missed the "CFS / Kuridrani". I just pick Outside Centres that pass.
Harris has been top 3 on park for the Reds in the past 3 weeks.

.

Think your statement was "Id prefer CFS rather then Kuridraini and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)"

I think you will find that both the alternatives can pass when need be, are solid in defence and have huge impact with ball in hand.

Kuridraini is the incumbent and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is one of the highest cap wallaby backs of all time and has been in stellar form for the tahs

 

[TOCC]

If CFS is able to get back from injury and pick up the form he had in the first few games, i think the competition for 13 will be between Kuridrani and CFS(in that order). Kuridrani whilst not the complete package offered physicality and penetration in the back line in 2013, which is crucial to playing outside of Quade. CFS offers very similar qualities to Kuridrani and thus i think he will be considered highly for that reason.

As for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), he will once again be your utility back, he will fill in at 13 if there are injuries but his style is different to the two mentioned above.

 

[Shiggins]

this is where the stats come from not fox sports who’s stats are very unreliable and incomplete.

http://www.sanzarrugby.com/superrugby/fixtures/2014-super-rugby/

I do agree that stats don’t tell the whole picture but they do show exactly what a player has been doing on the field and how peoples baseless statements of “He has only had 1 good game” may not quite be the case..

I also put the same stats together for Beale and McCabe

Beale:
Carries: 59
Meters Made: 200
Defenders Beaten: 5
Clean Breaks: 1
Tackles Made:18
Tackles Missed:5
Trys:2

Shows Beale as a great attack option but doesn’t do much on defence

McCabe (he has played 1 more game than the rest)
Carries: 47
Meters Made: 210
Defenders Beaten: 7
Clean Breaks:6
Tackles Made:31
Tackles Missed:3
Trys:0

Based on that McCabe is well in front going on the stats but if you take away his game against the Highlanders it looks like this:

Carries: 31
Meters Made:109
Defenders Beaten: 3
Clean Breaks:1
Tackles Made:24
Tackles Missed:3
Trys:0
So apart from the game against the Highlanders where McCabe went mad I would say his form is well done on the other options. But that’s taking nothing away from that game which he was massive in.

So I guess you could use the statement about the 1 good game for McCabe………

How many try assists or line break creates does beal have compared to pat? Beal is a
Second ball player. Beals stats would be better ?