Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[saulityvi]

Actually Hanson is a very very good lineout thrower and probably better then Moore, incredibly i don't think he has lost a ball on his own throw in 2015.


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Well I did not bother too many Reds games this season, but I stand corrected if you did.
Then the situation at hooker does not really consern me at all.

 

[KOB1987]

Ok, the only BIG problem with Beale as impact is that if you are defending a lead in your own territory, his defense is useless. Remember the last game in Cape Town. He couldn't stop anyone

Yes, we all know that wasn't his finest performance..but in fairness the Wallabies went pear-shaped in the final 10 minutes of that game and it was the outperformance of the entire Boks bench over our own that caused the damage, it wasn't just KB (Kurtley Beale).

Interestingly, Bret Harris in the Aus this morning is talking up the prospect of Beale playing as a specialist blind-side winger this weekend. KB (Kurtley Beale) certainly isn't saying 'news to me' when quizzed about it. I don't buy it personally, not as a starting proposition, with the wingers we have available. I'd say the plan for him would be similar to the Tahs use of him, only off the bench - bring him into the line in attack and have him defending up the back with Izzy.

 

[Lindommer]

Here's my 31 selected to go to the RWC, with a bit of background and explanation to start:

• It is essential there're two candidates available in the squad for jumpers 1, 2, 3 & 9 AT ALL TIMES. Let's not forget AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) made his test debut after Flatley succumbed to an injury in the test team's warmup at a Perth match, he had to put down his pie and beer and grab his boots FFS! My suggestion is to take three rakes, three scrummies and five props, one of whom is ambidextrous, preferably more comfortable at THP.
• Past RWC squads have included some walking wounded, which bit us on the arse painfully. It's a given players will have a few niggles after a long Super season and a few tests, but recovery from serious injury renders players ineligible for me. As does disappointing form. So, I'm not going to consider Carter, Douglas or JOC (James O'Connor). Slipper's selection presents some concerns as I think it could end in tears. However, the medicoes in the Wallaby squad seem to think he's OK to play ATM, I'll bow to their superior medical knowledge.
• Whom to select in the second and back rows presents some problems. Horwill, Simmons and Skelton are montes, but what happens if, say, Simmons goes down? Rob's like-for-like, Arnold, would seem to be a big risk. Or, what about the grunt lock, Skelton, copping an injury? Horwill's form hasn't been great this year, I can only hope TGC can inspire James to reproduce what we know he can do. For the life of me I can't fathom why Jones and Coleman weren't included in the original 40.
• There are three candidates available who can play in the second row and at 6: Dennis, Fardy and Mumm, the first two better at BSF. And there are three who can cover 6 & 8: Higginbotham, McCalman and Pocock. Do we count Fardy as a backup lock? If Fardy goes down who's our big, bruiser replacement at 6? Probably McCalman. We're going to need big, beefy bastards in our pack to compete with the NH teams, the thought of starting with Hooper and Pocock fills me with dread. I can see a spot in this squad for Dennis as Fardy's BSF backup.
• This dream of Giteau as a backup half simply must stop: Matt last performed halfback duties some six years ago. As an inside centre I rate him too small for the modern test game, and he still crabbed too much for me a few weeks ago. Leali'ifano's size trumps Gits here.
• We seem to have wingers to burn, but not many of them have speed to burn. JOC (James O'Connor)'s form doesn't warrant selection and I'm not too impressed with big Taqele, I reckon he needs a few more years in rugby. I can just see some smart NH 10 putting the ball behind him all game, he's not going to enjoy turning around on those heavy grounds.
• I'm also putting up a suggested shadow squad, all of whom MUST play in the NRC. Dunno about Giteau and Mitchell here, TGC's problem.

Here 'tis:
LHP: Sio, Slipper
Hookers: Hanson, Moore, TPN
THP: Faulkner, Holmes, Kepu
Super Rugby: Horwill, Mumm, Simmons, Skelton
BSF: Fardy
OSF: Hooper, Pocock
8: McCalman, Palu
1/2: Genia, Phipps, White
5/8: Cooper, Foley
IC: Leali'ifano, To'omua
OC: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Kuridrani
W: Horne, Speight, Tomane
FB: Beale, Folau

Shadow squad:
Props: Alexander, PAE, Robinson, Smith, Weeks
Hookers: Fainga'a, Latu, Mann-Rea
Super Rugby: Arnold, Carter, Coleman, Douglas (is Kane going under the knife?), Jones
BSF: Dennis, McMahon
OSF: Gill
8: Higginkhyber, Vaea
1/2: Burgess, Frisby, Stirzaker
5/8: cover in squad, not required
IC: Giteau, Kerevi
OC: Hunt
W: Mitchell, Naiyaravoro, JOC (James O'Connor), Cummins needs a good rest
FB: not required

Select away

 

[Strewthcobber]

Here 'tis:
LHP: Slipper, Sio
Hookers: Hanson, Moore, TPN
THP: Faulkner, Holmes, Kepu
Super Rugby: Horwill, Mumm, Simmons, Skelton
BSF: Fardy
OSF: Hooper, Pocock
8: McCalman, Palu
1/2: Genia, Phipps, White
5/8: Cooper, Foley
IC: Leali'ifano, To'omua
OC: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Kuridrani
W: Horne, Speight, Tomane
FB: Beale, Folau

Think you've just about nailed it Lindommer.
Only question mark in my mind will be resolved soon - Mumm to start one of the next two tests against NZ to confirm if he's up to the rigours of an international scrum.

We're going to be targeted by all and sundry there up north and we can't afford to carry anyone at any stage of the WC who's not genuinely adequate at lock (eg Fardy)

 

[KOB1987]

Think you've just about nailed it Lindommer.
Only question mark in my mind will be resolved soon - Mumm to start one of the next two tests against NZ to confirm if he's up to the rigours of an international scrum.

We're going to be targeted by all and sundry there up north and we can't afford to carry anyone at any stage of the WC who's not genuinely adequate at lock (eg Fardy)

They are obviously keeping their options open there, aside from Kane Douglas training with the squad so is Sam Carter.

 

[Gnostic]

@ Lindo - I'd probably have gone for Weeks ahead of Faulkner. as third THP. Certainly before Alexander in the shadow squad, unless he is injured?

 

[Brumby Runner]

@Lindommer. Pretty good squad and good reasoning. Unfortunate, but Rob Simmons must now be in the unlikely to be fit list, judging from the reports elsewhere here about the time to recover from scaphoid injury.

Think I'd also go with Weeks over Faulkner, but Toby Smith might beat both of them even though he plays LH. I would judge him to be the next best prop available, and it just might be that James Slippefr in the one most likely to go down with injury.

 

[Lindommer]

Weeks sits in the injured/disappointing form bin for mine. Yes, he and PAE are probably the next best THPs in the country but Laurie hasn't played enough Super rugby this year. If either Holmes or Kepu goes down there's no doubt one of them would get a guernsey. Same for Smith if Slipper's woes catch up with him.

My rationale for taking Faulkner is if any prop goes down in the days immediately preceding a match Tetera ensures we meet our obligations to have two suitably trained props for both sides. Obviously the wounded one would be replaced by a specialist (Smith or Weeks/PAE) in due course.

I did a scaphoid in my left wrist many years ago. Played the good dad bit and bought a bike to go cycling with my (then) young son. And fell off going around a corner, used my left hand to break the fall and broke a bone. Bloody painful. Luckily for me the break was identified immediately and my forearm and wrist were "backstrapped" in the shape of a gooseneck with plaster and binding. Took about two weeks IIRC.

 

[CarnTheBrumbies]

My RWC starting team
1. Slipper (or Sio)
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Horwill (if only for Luke Jones)
6 Fardy
7 Hooper
8 Pocock
9 Phipps
10 To'omua (12 for defence)
11 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12 Giteau
13 Kuridrani
14 Speight
15 Folau
16 Tatafu PN
17 Sio
18 Holmes
19 Skelton
20 Higginbotham/ McCalman
21 White
22 Lealiifano
23 Mitchell

 

[Groucho]

The problem with Giteau at 10 is that he's been tried many times in that position and has come up short for the consistent reason that he runs sideways, and takes space from his outside runners.

This is less of an issue in the northern hemisphere where backline play is much less direct, but it's an issue here. It's the same problem that Beale has at 10, and it's the same problem as has crept into Cooper's play.

We'd be better with To'omua at 10 than Giteau, because we'd play straight instead of drifting in attack.

Gits needs not to drift at 12 either, if his comeback is to be successful.

 

[CarnTheBrumbies]

I agree somewhat, though he hasn't been tested there and I would like to see how he would go with two direct running centres in To'omua and Kuridrani.
Also, evident in the argies game, foley and cooper both drifted in attack.

If Gits at 10 doesn't work then lealiifano in

 

[Gnostic]

The problem with Giteau at 10 is that he's been tried many times in that position and has come up short for the consistent reason that he runs sideways, and takes space from his outside runners.

This is less of an issue in the northern hemisphere where backline play is much less direct, but it's an issue here. It's the same problem that Beale has at 10, and it's the same problem as has crept into Cooper's play.

We'd be better with To'omua at 10 than Giteau, because we'd play straight instead of drifting in attack.

Gits needs not to drift at 12 either, if his comeback is to be successful.

Drift after passing the ball to get the second touch as Bob Dwyer like to say. No use drifting with it in hand.

 

[Groucho]

Drift after passing the ball to get the second touch as Bob Dwyer like to say. No use drifting with it in hand.

Excellent point.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Drift after passing the ball to get the second touch as Bob Dwyer like to say. No use drifting with it in hand.

Correctamundo.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree somewhat, though he hasn't been tested there and I would like to see how he would go with two direct running centres in To'omua and Kuridrani.
Also, evident in the argies game, foley and cooper both drifted in attack.

If Gits at 10 doesn't work then lealiifano in

I think it's very much down to Foley and Cooper at 10. I just don't see the sort of time frame that would allow another player to start a test at 10.

The second Bledisloe is the last test before our RWC squad is named.

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[Benaud]

Here 'tis:

LHP: Sio, Slipper
Hookers: Hanson, Moore, TPN
THP: Faulkner, Holmes, Kepu
Super Rugby: Horwill, Mumm, Simmons, Skelton
BSF: Fardy
OSF: Hooper, Pocock
8: McCalman, Palu
1/2: Genia, Phipps, White
5/8: Cooper, Foley
IC: Leali'ifano, To'omua
OC: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Kuridrani
W: Horne, Speight, Tomane
FB: Beale, Folau

Looks pretty good to me except Giteau is bound to be there somewhere. They changed selection rules this year mostly to get him. If he is even half decent against the ABs, I'd say he is a certainty for the 31. Most likely for Lilo, outside chance we only carry 2 specialist halfbacks.

The other one that can book a place from outside your picks with a good showing against the ABs is Mitchell. Although admittedly whichever winger makes way for him will be unlucky - they've all had good years.

Can't fault the rest. Higgers looks on the outer. 5th prop still up in the air. And queries over Carter/Douglas still an outside chance to shake up the locks. Rest look safe injury-permitting.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Looks pretty good to me except Giteau is bound to be there somewhere. They changed selection rules this year mostly to get him. If he is even half decent against the ABs, I'd say he is a certainty for the 31. Most likely for Lilo, outside chance we only carry 2 specialist halfbacks.

The other one that can book a place from outside your picks with a good showing against the ABs is Mitchell. Although admittedly whichever winger makes way for him will be unlucky - they've all had good years.

Can't fault the rest. Higgers looks on the outer. 5th prop still up in the air. And queries over Carter/Douglas still an outside chance to shake up the locks. Rest look safe injury-permitting.

I fear you're right on both counts. My preference would be Lealiifano over Giteau and Mitchell over Beale. Then, job done.

 

[Groucho]

People are underestimating Beale. In a competition where we lack points of difference that can turn a game for us, Beale is one of them. In the very last game, Beale came on and made a difference with two great touches. After the game, some people bitterly disputed that he'd touched the ball at all. In the forthcoming game, people are saying that if all is lost, and there's a couple of minutes to go, then maybe (maybe) we can take the risk and bring him on. It's madness.

 

[qwerty51]

Beale also scored the winning try the last time we beat NZ.

 

[Groucho]

Beale also scored the winning try the last time we beat NZ.

And zipped through the Kiwi midfield to eventually set up O'Connor the time before that.