Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Slim 293]

I understand why we have those extra wingers, as technically Kuridrani is the only outside centre listed on paper, which means that a few of those guys are covering centre and fullback..........

Where we could've actually made room for an extra hooker was by discarding one of the backrowers or inside backs, as we actually have 4-5 guys in the squad who can play flyhalf.........

 

[Train Without a Station]

It would take 2 simultaneous injuries for that to happen. If any position we had 2 simultaneous injuries then we are screwed.

It's not like last World Cup we lost 2 players prior to the Ireland game or anything.

 

[Slim 293]

I'd be starting Pocock at 8 for all the big games but I do think Palu should have been in the squad. Number 8 is probably the position that suffers the greatest injury attrition.

I agree, and it's not so much because of Palu's form, but rather we need to have Pocock and McCalman play 8, and that's where we could've made room for another hooker.

McMahon is required as we'll need to rest the Pooper for Uruguay.

 

[Viking]

It's not like last World Cup we lost 2 players prior to the Ireland game or anything.

We can't blame that for the lose though.

 

[Braveheart81]

Foxsports has posted an article suggesting that the reasoning behind Horwill being left out was that Simmons and Mumm have been preferred to him as lineout operators / loose head lock and that Horwill's ball running and physicality weren't considered good enough so Skelton and Douglas have been preferred on the tight head side.

The reasoning is reasonable although I would have still taken him ahead of Douglas. It's a big leap of faith to assume that Douglas is going to be able to get himself to peak fitness and form in a month.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/r...om-the-wallabies/story-e6frf4pu-1227493047840

 

[Slim 293]

That may be true or Horwill, but there is zero test form (over a number of years) to suggest that Douglas will offer better ball carrying or physicality..............

 

[Train Without a Station]

We can't blame that for the lose though.

We could this time because if the injuries are to front rowers we won't be able to field a team.

It was just a response to your point about simultaneous injuries needing to occur for it to be an issue.

 

[Train Without a Station]

That may be true or Horwill, but there is zero test form (over a number of years) to suggest that Douglas will offer better ball carrying or physicality......

In fact there is zero form to suggest Douglas will offer better ball carrying.

 

[Slim 293]

That may be true or Horwill, but there is zero test form (over a number of years) to suggest that Douglas will offer better ball carrying or physicality......

Further to that point, the lock who has offered the most physicality and ball running attributes at a Super Rugby level was never considered...........

Cheika taking on Tony's captain's picks to his own detriment?

 

[Braveheart81]

That may be true or Horwill, but there is zero test form (over a number of years) to suggest that Douglas will offer better ball carrying or physicality......

I agree.

I guess we all need to get over it though because it is done now.

Douglas will either be mediocre and Cheika will look like a fool or he'll pull a rabbit out of his hat and we'll all be happy.

 

[Lorenzo]

Yeah AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne can legitimately cover 12 and 13, so not really pure winger selections. Don't think we really needed Tomane and Speight?

I would have picked White over Genia, especially since To'omua is our form flyhalf (though not getting picked there).

Moore and TPN have hardly had injury free careers...

 

[Viking]

Yeah AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne can legitimately cover 12 and 13, so not really pure winger selections. Don't think we really needed Tomane and Speight?

I would have picked White over Genia, especially since To'omua is our form flyhalf (though not getting picked there).

Moore and TPN have hardly had injury free careers.

Even as a Brumbies supporter I can't understand why both made it.

 

[Viking]

We could this time because if the injuries are to front rowers we won't be able to field a team.

It was just a response to your point about simultaneous injuries needing to occur for it to be an issue.

Come on TWAS I'm trying to look at the glass half full here!

 

[Train Without a Station]

The stupidest thing is big risks have been taken on the composition of the squad and they just aren't justified.

Players like Horne, Tomane, Speight and McMahon who seem excessive are not proven to be great test players yet. I could understand if they had all played a number of great test matches and felt they could all be game changers.

But it's just surplus numbers in some positions at the expense of surplus numbers in much more specialized positions.

 

[Marcelo]

Some questions:

WTF is the back-up at 6 for the games against Fiji and Uruguay??

Assuming that Pooper doesn't play these games and McMahon plays at 7

 

[Train Without a Station]

Come on TWAS I'm trying to look at the glass half full here!

As far as I'm concerned it's not just half empty. It's the wrong shape, full of rubbish warm beer that I didn't even want to drink anyway!

 

[Lorenzo]

Some questions:

WTF is the back-up at 6 for the games against Fiji and Uruguay??

Tomane

 

[Braveheart81]

Some questions:

WTF is the back-up at 6 for the games against Fiji and Uruguay??

I'd guess McCalman or Mumm will play 6 if Fardy doesn't start. Alternatively Pocock and Hooper will play 6 and 7 with Palu or McCalman number 8. I don't expect we'll start Pooper in either of these two games though.

 

[Benaud]

I'm coming around to McMahon, just. Running through a few possible combos:

Sio, Moore, Kepu, Simmons, Mumm, Fardy, Hooper, Pocock, Phipps, Foley, Mitchell, To'omua, Kuridrani, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau. Res: Slipper, TPN, Holmes, Skelton, McCalman, Genia, Cooper, Beale. Squad Extras: Smith, Douglas, McMahon, Palu, Giteau, Horne, Speight, Tomane.

Or swap Cooper, Beale for Giteau, Horne/Speight/Tomane, still in a 5-3.

Alternate with 6,2, same XV:

Res: Slipper, TPN, Holmes, Douglas, McMahon, Palu, Giteau, Beale. Squad Extras: Smith, Skelton, McCalman, Genia, Cooper, Horne, Speight, Tomane.

At most 1 of Horne/Speight/Tomane will be in the best 23 and possibly none of them. Carrying all 3 doesn't make sense. And the repercussions of not carrying a 3rd hooker are potentially serious. I could get nitpicky about other selections, but that is the most bizarre for me. Replace 1 of Horne/Speight/Tomane with Hanson and the squad looks much more adaptable to whatever might happen.

He's obviously going for a squad where everyone has an understudy keeping pressure on them and he has 2 full XVs to train against each other. Hopefully its worth it.

 

[RedsHappy]

The stupidest thing is big risks have been taken on the composition of the squad and they just aren't justified.

Players like Horne, Tomane, Speight and McMahon who seem excessive are not proven to be great test players yet. I could understand if they had all played a number of great test matches and felt they could all be game changers.

But it's just surplus numbers in some positions at the expense of surplus numbers in much more specialized positions.

Let me add: And where those specialised positions are absolutely fundamental to set piece effectiveness and success, something 90% of astute RWC observers say are the proven cornerstones of RWC success.