Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Brumbieman]

And he doesn't look anything like fit enough. Next year.

He might bo still carrying a few hundred kilo's of flab, but his workrate has been nothing short of astonishing this year.

Watch the Stormers game again, and check out who is the one most often tracking back to support his fullback after clearance kicks.

He's not just topping the run stats, pick and drives etc, he's doing it a very high effectiveness, for close to 80mins week in week out. He's not drifting in and out, he's just smashing people for 60-70 mins week in week out.

I'm genuinely in awe of his rate of recover from his illness.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Jake White never played anyone as a 7. As the man himself once said, "the only fetcher I need is my son when I ask him to fetch me a beer from the fridge".

Shit - we have 2

 

[Brumbieman]

It is about balance, they have two great jumping locks and a 6 just as effective.

We can't have ineffective jumping lock = Skelton and Vaea starting in test rugby. The Tahs lineout weaknesses stem from being a jumper down - having Dennis & Pots with Palu & Skelton trying to be the third.





In a test match, a decent lineout will just cover your two jumpers and make you throw to hopefuls or throw to competion

Absolutely, which is why i'd have McCalman or Higgers as the starting 8, and bring Vaea on with Pocock after 55mins.

When Skelton goes off, someone needs to fill his role of being an enormous human.

 

[Brumbieman]

I think it speaks volumes for the man that we are even talking about Ita Vaea for the Wallabies atm. Earlier in the season, he wasn't even on anybody's long list. I tend to agree that he is directly competing with Cliff Palu for a spot, and you'd have to say he is at long odds to make the RWC despite his fairly impressive form later this season. I believe the two front runners for the No 8 spot are Palu and Higgers and each will get a go depending on the game plan for particular matches. But then I'd have Vaea in preference to Ben McCalman because he has greater impact on a game - don't believe me, go back and watch the Brumbies/Force game from a couple of weeks ago. In any case, I think that Vaea will be first cab off the rank to replace Palu next year, his sternest competition being Lopeti Timani.

I drove the Vaea bandwagon out of the station in November

Choo choo!

 

[fatprop]

Absolutely, which is why i'd have McCalman or Higgers as the starting 8, and bring Vaea on with Pocock after 55mins.

When Skelton goes off, someone needs to fill his role of being an enormous human.

no chance

 

[Dave Beat]

The RWC 23 (major games) and 31 that I would like to see picked
1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Skelton
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Palu
9. Phipps
10. Cooper
11. Mitchell
12. To'omua
13. Kurindrani
14. Tomane
15. Folau

16. Hanson
17. Sio
18. Holmes
19. Jones
20. Hooper
21. Vaea
22. Genia
23. Foley

24. Polota-Nau
25. Toby Smith
26. Horwill
27. Higginbotham
28. Stirzacker (this will be White based on the squad already named)
29. Leiliifaano
30. Ashley-Cooper
31. O'Connor

Great thought went into that, and i agree with nearly all of it.
I though Speight would have been in the 31?

Depending on opposition and game plan I'd have Hooper / Palu or Poey / Higgers.

I'm not sure that I'd have Foley on the bench if it is a 6 / 2 split and we would 3 x 10's. Given To'omua can step into 10 do we look at a bit more of a utility player.

 

[Groucho]

Shit - we have 2

I hope you named them Smith and Waugh!

 

[hammertimethere]

Ita Vaea will play many good tests for the Wallabies but unlikely to feature at the RWC.

We're losing Higgers (who has many years of good footy ahead) and Palu as options at 8 next year but we are exceedingly lucky that Vaea and Timani Jr. have developed in such a manner as to minimize the impact of that loss in depth. I am very enthused about this

 

[Jagman]

Palu isn't necessarily lost to the Wallabies next year.


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[KOB1987]

I've said this before, but as much of a fan of Ita Vaea I am we aren't going to see him in gold this year..or any debutante for that matter. An injury or two may create an exception but aside from that the Vaeas, Colemans and Timanis, etc will have to wait till next year and beyond..with all due respect.

 

[qwerty51]

Palu isn't necessarily lost to the Wallabies next year.

I don't think he'll play, same as AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). We should only pick the overseas players we desperately need which should only be Kepu.

 

[Viking]

Palu isn't necessarily lost to the Wallabies next year.


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He also hasn't exactly cemented his spot either. If he has another average Test season this year I wouldn't bother looking at him again even if he is still eligible.

Higgers will be the one too watch. I got a feeling he is just peaking now. You heard it here first.

 

[hammertimethere]

Doesn't have 60 caps therefore does not qualify

 

[Brumby Runner]

For the RWC Vaea has Palu, Higgers & McCalman in front of him. So about 10% chance at best, as he can't really be used as a utility back rower either (like Higgers & McCalman)

Played 7 under Jake White after playing almost exclusively at 6 before that. Has all the versatility of the others. (Though I wouldn't really like to see him play 7 again).

 

[Joe Blow]

He also hasn't exactly cemented his spot either. If he has another average Test season this year I wouldn't bother looking at him again even if he is still eligible.

Higgers will be the one too watch. I got a feeling he is just peaking now. You heard it here first.

Hope you are right.


Shame he is going OS. It will be interesting to see if Cheika can get him to play more directly when needed. I don't recall him being so wide at the Reds?
The thing with Higgers is he plays so wide for the Rebs that it appears he is seagulling, but his involvements are all well selected leading to tries, good runs, sacking a maul or big hits and the stats show that his number of involvements is still pretty good.

He is big, strong and fast enough to really dominate. He falls well short of the threshold right now so expect to see him back in Oz in a couple of years for a tilt at the next RWC.

 

[qwerty51]

He played much wider at the Reds..

 

[Joe Blow]

He played much wider at the Reds..

Thats not really possible. You mean wider than at the Rebs?
In the stands?
He was primarily a 6 and I seem to remember him scoring some amazing tries but also playing a bit more up the middle.

 

[Groucho]

He played much wider at the Reds..

He did play wider at the Reds, but that's because the Reds played a wider game, and Higgers' role was to run in those channels in order to increase the width of the backrow umbrella, and thus enable the wide game to be played.

 

[Joe Blow]

He did play wider at the Reds, but that's because the Reds played a wider game, and Higgers' role was to run in those channels in order to increase the width of the backrow umbrella, and thus enable the wide game to be played.

Sounds like something the Wallabies are trying to do. We need to be able to play both ways but our real strength will lie out wide.
Let's face it, we are not going to win this RWC by dominating England, the Darkness and SA up front, although it would certainly help.
We need to achieve parity with the heavy weights in the forwards if possible.

 

[Marcelo]

I think it speaks volumes for the man that we are even talking about Ita Vaea for the Wallabies atm. Earlier in the season, he wasn't even on anybody's long list. I tend to agree that he is directly competing with Cliff Palu for a spot, and you'd have to say he is at long odds to make the RWC despite his fairly impressive form later this season. I believe the two front runners for the No 8 spot are Palu and Higgers and each will get a go depending on the game plan for particular matches. But then I'd have Vaea in preference to Ben McCalman because he has greater impact on a game - don't believe me, go back and watch the Brumbies/Force game from a couple of weeks ago. In any case, I think that Vaea will be first cab off the rank to replace Palu next year, his sternest competition being Lopeti Timani.

With Lopeti Timani and Vaea we cover the position after the WC. They are two very very strong players, they are stronger than Palu and Higgers ATM but they lack the international experience for a WC. It will be interesting to see his forays into the team next year.