Lets be fair, Chieka's left field selections are far better than the same ones we saw from Deans for 2011, with on one 7 in the whole squad. As for 2007, we knew that we didn't have a scrum (tight ((Loose)) 5) that could hold its own.
So in those terms this is a much more balanced side.
I like others am somewhat mystified at the Douglas selection, just as I have been about the exclusion of Jones right from the first squad announcement. If people stop and think, there may well be a link there and an explanation for both. Somebody earlier in the thread said something about Chieka being a fan of Douglas and him having something that suits Chieka's game plan. If you check on my posts at the start of the S15 this year I suggested that a significant weakness in the Tahs was the lack of an effective replacement for Douglas and that I didn't rate Dennis to be that replacement. Even though I don't think that the demise of the Tahs this year was down to the loss of Douglas, it certainly effected the forward play that the Tahs were able to put out, it lacked the intensity at times that the Tahs consistently produced in 2014. That said it was the one dimensional play and no real kicking options in the back three that killed them against the Highlanders and against the Force x2.
As for Horwill, I think that he was lucky to get a few games as his form was pretty poor for most of the year, even after his discipline problems of the first few weeks improved. If injuries to Carter and Simmons didn't happen it is quite likely he wouldn't have got a run at all. Yes Horwill has been playing much better in the RC, but IMO he could well have missed out because that improvement is seen as the ceiling of his performance potential, and given his form since his injuries and most recently in the S15 that may well be a fair argument.
Similarly the selection of White, who I thought was very slow to clear the ball at nearly every ruck from the start in Bled 2 even in those first minutes when the forwards were going forward. Still I think he had far better form in front of Genia, who I haven't seen anything from in 2 years to warrant test selection.
The puzzling thing for me is the selection of so many wingers/ outside backs. Horne I can understand as he can effectively cover 12 and 13 and IMO was the form winger of the Australian Super sides. For mine one of Speight and Tomane would have been left out for a third Hooker.
But there you go, I think I understand the thought around the non-selection of Horwill and White which seems to me to be the biggest whinge that people have.
The non selection of a third hooker whilst a risk, and I think an unnecessary one, is a topic I think people have seized on to highlight the "recklessness" of Chieka and Co. No matter how you look at it the side is as I said a better balanced side and more complete than anything we have seen since 1999. 2003 I can't include as they out-performed with scrum "rulings" being favourable to be nice. The squad selection certainly isn't a QRU - RG moment.
