Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC
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qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Maybe, I'd probably go for Smith first then Robinson.
Slipper's injury situation is definitely a concern. He's come off injured fairly early in a bunch of games this year and it has already been suggested he needs surgery at the end of the year.
That's a long road ahead to be playing injured. He'll need to be managed very carefully and hopefully he's up to it. It definitely seemed like the Reds scrum dominance dwindled after the first couple of scrums. It's an issue if he's only the best LHP for the first half an hour and then tails off a bit before needing to be replaced.
Most people have been suggesting that the 5th RWC prop will either be a THP or able to play both sides and that certainly makes sense. It could throw a spanner in selections however if there's concern that Slipper isn't quite right.
Sio needs to remain healthy now. He's already had a long injury layoff this year and has had his test experience severely limited by injury in both the last two years.
That's a long road ahead to be playing injured. He'll need to be managed very carefully and hopefully he's up to it. It definitely seemed like the Reds scrum dominance dwindled after the first couple of scrums. It's an issue if he's only the best LHP for the first half an hour and then tails off a bit before needing to be replaced.
Most people have been suggesting that the 5th RWC prop will either be a THP or able to play both sides and that certainly makes sense. It could throw a spanner in selections however if there's concern that Slipper isn't quite right.
Sio needs to remain healthy now. He's already had a long injury layoff this year and has had his test experience severely limited by injury in both the last two years.
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
Even though I'm an old forward, this tight head v loose head argument confuses me, particularly as many seem to play one side for their super team and then the other side for their national team! Further, I've never met a prop that can't play both sides. And they all tell me that tight head is much easier to play than loose head..
Floggn'
Jimmy Flynn (14)
I am sure he is fine with a weeks rest. To be fair to Slipper they have been different things. The bloke doesn't stop running around the paddock after being solid as a rock in scrums and lineouts so the miles he does is quite incredible. The amount of times he has been there for a covering tackle blows my mind. If we get 50 minutes out of any prop who does all that I think that is a lot better than 50 minutes out of number 8 which is all Palu will give you at that level.
Floggn'
Jimmy Flynn (14)
Robinson's body is really a disgrace he is overweight even for a Fat Cat. If he fixed that up he would be a real contender however he just isn't fit enough. Plus he isn't scrummaging better than other props out there.
He's clearly not fine though. He's only delaying surgery due to the test season and the RWC.
My worry is that the rugby is going to get harder, not easier and our scrummaging struggles at the best of times, let alone when we have a prop playing injured.
We need him and I think he'll be our starting LHP at the RWC but I think he needs to be carefully managed to make it there in a decent condition.
My worry is that the rugby is going to get harder, not easier and our scrummaging struggles at the best of times, let alone when we have a prop playing injured.
We need him and I think he'll be our starting LHP at the RWC but I think he needs to be carefully managed to make it there in a decent condition.
T
Train Without a Station
Guest
Yeah I agree. The Reds management of Slipper has been terrible. How many games has he gone off injured? Yet he has still started every single game hasn't he? He's not 100%
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
Hey, nice to meet you. I can't play both sides. I'm a loose head* through and through. Can't play tighthead because I'm not nearly large enough. My much more elegant and slender body means I stick to loose where I can rely on technical skill rather than beef.
*aspirational lock also.
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
Well obviously this only applies to me, but I find that at tight head you have both shoulders to push on, so as you say technique is less of an issue, you can just concentrate all your effort on pushing.
Whereas at loose head, all your power is being channeled through one shoulder, so it's a lot easier to accidentally/inadvertently bore in or spin. So you have to obviously push with as much power as possible, but at the same time make sure you keep yourself (and in turn the scrum) straight.
So yeah, you summarised it pretty well already.
Sorry can't let this one go unchecked. This is bullshit, pure and simple.
If you meet the bloke in real life you realise he barely has an ounce of fat on him.
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For comparison:
Benn Robinson 16 games, 1124 minutes (70 minutes per game), 101 tackles @ 91.8%
James Slipper 16 games, 929 minutes (58 minutes per game), 110 tackles @ 90.2%
Toby Smith 15 games, 1040 minutes (69 minutes per game), 91 @ 78.4%
Scott Sio 11 games, 707 minutes (64 minutes per game), 60 tackles @ 89.6%
Benn Robinson 16 games, 1124 minutes (70 minutes per game), 101 tackles @ 91.8%
James Slipper 16 games, 929 minutes (58 minutes per game), 110 tackles @ 90.2%
Toby Smith 15 games, 1040 minutes (69 minutes per game), 91 @ 78.4%
Scott Sio 11 games, 707 minutes (64 minutes per game), 60 tackles @ 89.6%
I reckon it would be hard. Scrums won or lost, or even collapsed can be down to too many variables. Unless you coded multiple games and looked at how often a prop went down or got popped / shunted, but even then, there are too many things to take into account. Unfortunately, from a stat-geek POV, it just has to be whole-scrum effectiveness.
Aussie D
Desmond Connor (43)
Hang on a second gents (and ladies). This is an AUSTRALIAN rugby site. We are not allowed to talk about the merits of props. It is supposed to be about which 5/8, centre or wing we should have in the extended squad. All this talk about props and work rate (whilst making an old prop like me smile) is for foreign rugby sites. Geez, blokes like Spiro and the spin-it-wide brigade would be having kittens if they knew what is being discussed on this thread.
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