Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Tomikin]

George Smith for 7 !!! Bring back the King

 

[Dave Beat]

George Smith for 7 !!! Bring back the King

All comes down to form - Alfie Langer like come back rugby union style.

To have a player who can play
Lock and 6 on the bench like Luke Jones.
and a
7 & 8 on the bench like George Smith.

It allows allot more bench versatility.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Playing 7 from the back of the scrum doesn't provide versatility. He still presents all the same shortcomings that playing Hooper and Pocock in tandem does.

 

[Dave Beat]

Playing 7 from the back of the scrum doesn't provide versatility. He still presents all the same shortcomings that playing Hooper and Pocock in tandem does.

Coaches far more versed than I have had him playing good rugby at 8.
Does the same apply with the likes of To'omua playing 10 or 12.
Or Luke jones playing lock or 6.
Or Dave Dennis playing lock or 6.

Beg to differ how much top quality has Hooper, or Pockock. George Smith has played test rugby at 8.

 

[Brumby Runner]

This was true about 3 years ago, but he was one of our best runners on the EOYT and consistently good with slow, messy ball in a shit Force side. He has just as much impact as Higgers and Palu IMO.
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Not in my opinion gained from watching him in all the Force's games this year. He may have more impacts but none are as impactful as those by Cliff or Higgers.

 

[Train Without a Station]

How's his line out jumping been? That's a huuuuge consideration if Skelton is in the team.

 

[Brumby Runner]

How's his line out jumping been? That's a huuuuge consideration if Skelton is in the team.

Smith's or McCalman's? If you're asking about George Smith, then Higgers should be 8 when Skelton's on but George (or Poey) could come on towards the end when Skelton and one other get a rest.

Of the three overseas based players under consideration, George would be the only one I'd like to see get a run. One or two outings in the RC should be enough to resolve the question of his suitability once and for all.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Do you think it's really a wise choice to have somebody on the bench, but you can only bring him on when another player comes off, and that's not the player you are substituting him for?

 

[KOB1987]

The Brumbie army will come out in force on this one, but Speight now needs to rely on getting selected for the Bledisloe Cup after at least 3 other blokes will have a chance to shine on the wing v the Boks and Argies, basis two lackluster performances in gold on last year's EOYT..

 

[qwerty51]

I think it's definitely cost him a starting spot, he'll still make the RWC squad however.

 

[KOB1987]

I would agree with that.

 

[Slim 293]

I think it's definitely cost him a starting spot, he'll still make the RWC squad however.

This.............

He'll still be in the squad, but he'll now have to rely on one of Tomane, Horne or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to drop in form to claim a starting spot...........

Speight has real shit luck when it comes to test rugby.

 

[KOB1987]

Or an injury, and throw Tevita in that group too because if he goes down AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will go to 13.

Mitchell is floating around as well.

 

[Groucho]

I drove the Vaea bandwagon out of the station in November

Choo choo!

And you were right. Vaea could well be a great Wallaby. He may never lose the flab though.

 

[Groucho]

It isn't everything but for example Junior Wallabies need some gym sessions to face Baby Blacks and Baby Boks, right?

This 'baby' talk is frankly bizarre. Who names their junior rugby teams 'babies'? New Zealand and South Africa. A psychologist would have a field day with that.

 

[Groucho]

Not 3 years ago, more like 1 year ago. Like you said his last EOYT he was solid all round but prior the that he lacked impact. So he's had one solid Test season and a couple questionable ones.

Also, has he stepped up against the ABs and Boks yet?

Which recent Wallaby has regularly had an 'impact' against the Boks and ABs? Perhaps only Pocock, Larkham, Gregan, Mortlock and Smith. Campese and Horan going back a bit. If the role of our 8 man is to skittle those sides like ten-pins, then we've never had one. It's a romantic re-invention of history that our players in any position should be routinely dominant against first-tier teams. We win by being just a bit better on the day.

 

[Viking]

Which recent Wallaby has regularly had an 'impact' against the Boks and ABs? Perhaps only Pocock, Larkham, Gregan, Mortlock and Smith. Campese and Horan going back a bit. If the role of our 8 man is to skittle those sides like ten-pins, then we've never had one. It's a romantic re-invention of history that our players in any position should be routinely dominant against first-tier teams. We win by being just a bit better on the day.

Not many have "regularly" had impact but that wasn't my point. The fact is he hasn't had ONE game where he was above average against the Boks or ABs, in fact does he even have a game where he was solid? Maybe one.

So we are expecting him to do something he has NEVER done before. And that is to have a solid game agains the AB's or Boks. How do we know if it's even possible?

Sure the signs are looking good, A great EOYT backed up by a great super xv season but we won't know for sure if he can translate this to top 2 teams until he actually does it.

 

[barbarian]

Of course. No-one is saying he is a certainty to be MoTM against the All Blacks. Just that he is the best 8 we have at the moment, regardless of opposition.

And it's not like he's played dozens of games against the ABs and Boks and constantly disappointed. He would have only started in a couple (one of which he WAS good in), and come off the bench in a few more (again showing decent form).

By some of that logic we shouldn't pick a guy like Henry Speight either, because he's never played the ABs and Boks and we don't know that he will perform.
.

 

[Tomikin]

Of course. No-one is saying he is a certainty to be MoTM against the All Blacks. Just that he is the best 8 we have at the moment, regardless of opposition.

And it's not like he's played dozens of games against the ABs and Boks and constantly disappointed. He would have only started in a couple (one of which he WAS good in), and come off the bench in a few more (again showing decent form).

By some of that logic we shouldn't pick a guy like Henry Speight either, because he's never played the ABs and Boks and we don't know that he will perform.
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Don't Bring Speight into it .. He does it all, I've seen him kick chase, line up in the lineout, pack in the scrum.. every team needs a Speight. .

 

[wamberal]

Which recent Wallaby has regularly had an 'impact' against the Boks and ABs? Perhaps only Pocock, Larkham, Gregan, Mortlock and Smith. Campese and Horan going back a bit. If the role of our 8 man is to skittle those sides like ten-pins, then we've never had one. It's a romantic re-invention of history that our players in any position should be routinely dominant against first-tier teams. We win by being just a bit better on the day.

Toutai Kefu. How quickly we forget.