Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[qwerty51]

Ioane is gone, don't think there's any intention of coming back to Australia.

I like that pack but I have concerns over Robinson and TPN still being top class in 2015. As you say the set piece will be very important but I rate a strong scrum heavily over a strong lineout so Skelton at tighthead is a must.

1. James Slipper
2. Stephen Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. James Horwill
5. Will Skelton
6. Scott Higginbotham
7. David Pocock
8. Wycliff Palu

16. Polota-Nau
17. Scott Sio
18. Paddy Ryan
19. Rob Simmons
20. Scott Fardy
21. Michael Hooper

Who cares about the backs.

 

[I like to watch]

Why do you favour a strong scrum heavily over a strong line out?
Teams will be avoiding kicking it to IF,so I would imagine we will be having plenty of lineouts?
...I'm not suggesting you are wrong,just interested in the logic.
Cheers.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Ioane is gone, don't think there's any intention of coming back to Australia.

I like that pack but I have concerns over Robinson and TPN still being top class in 2015. As you say the set piece will be very important but I rate a strong scrum heavily over a strong lineout so Skelton at tighthead is a must.

1. James Slipper
2. Stephen Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. James Horwill
5. Will Skelton
6. Scott Higginbotham
7. David Pocock
8. Wycliff Palu

16. Polota-Nau
17. Scott Sio
18. Paddy Ryan
19. Rob Simmons
20. Scott Fardy
21. Michael Hooper

Who cares about the backs.

I'm going to short Palu.
If he's still going and available come RWC 15 that would rank as his longest continuous period of rugby - history is a good guide on these things.

 

[fatprop]

I like that pack but I have concerns over Robinson and TPN still being top class in 2015.

I expect them both to be there, Robinson is our best scrummaging prop by a long long way and the new rules suit him.

While Sio has yet to demonstrate a decent effort in scrummaging under the new rules so far.

Nau will be dependent on injuries, but that lottery affects them all

 

[qwerty51]

Why do you favour a strong scrum heavily over a strong line out?
Teams will be avoiding kicking it to IF,so I would imagine we will be having plenty of lineouts?
.I'm not suggesting you are wrong,just interested in the logic.
Cheers.

Think I've outlined it here before but basically because a poor lineout will only cost you possession where as a poor scrum will cost you penalties, yellow cards and possibly a penalty try. A scrum going backwards is such a drain on the players physically and mentally. 3rd Lions Test case in point.

 

[Highlander35]

In a squad of 30:

3 Hookers
5 Props
3 Halfbacks
10 "Backs"
9 Locks/Backrowers

First 2 Hookers/Halfbacks are obvious, the third less so. Don't know enough about Props under the new scrum laws to make any definitives, except Robinson and Slipper. Backs will be the 6 who performed well on tour (Cooper, To'omua, Kuridrani, Cummins, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau) plus Speight, Beale, another fly-half, and another outside back.

For the 9 Locks/Backrowers, I'd take Simmons, Horwill, Pyle, Fardy, Kimlin, Higginbotham, Palu, Pocock and Hooper.

With both Kimlin and Fardy able to cover lock, there isn't a necessity to have a 4th Lock. In the 9, there are 3 "wide" forwards, in Hooper, Higginbotham and Pyle. In the modern game, against the harder teams, you can't afford to play more than 2 wider forwards (1 starting, 1 bench). It gives the option for a lot of starting and bench combinations, such as:

4. Simmons, 5. Horwill, 6. Fardy, 7. Hooper, 8. Palu, 19. Pyle, 20. Pocock or

4. Simmons, 5. Horwill, 6. Higginbotham, 7. Pocock, 8. Palu, 19. Fardy, 20. Hooper or

4. Pyle, 5. Horwill, 6. Fardy, 7. Pocock, 8. Palu, 19. Simmons, 20. Hooper/Higginbotham

Or any other combination that gives 5 "tight" Forwards, and 2 "loose" forwards. Of course, against "Pacific 2" (Fiji) and Repechage, you would be able to play all 3 loose forwards, especially if Higginbotham keeps up his tight game for the Rebels.

Based on that approximation...

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Palmer
4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Higgenbotham
7. Pocock (c)
8. Palu
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight
15. Folau
16. TPN
17. Robinson
18. Kepu
19. Fardy
20. Hooper
21. White
22. Beale
23. Cummins

 

[Slim 293]

Higgers has played 23 tests and not been particularly great, and he's played his best Super Rugby at no 8........

I wouldn't be dropping one of our best players in recent times to squeeze both him and Palu into the back row......... unless you shift Fardy into the second row, but then you need to find another tight head lock and you force out Simmons who was our best performing lock all year.........

With everyone fit Higgers and Palu need to battle it out for one spot, but based on their recent history we'll be lucky to have one of them playing..........

For mine, looking towards RWC 2015 (starting XV for now):

1. Slipper/Robinson
2. Moore
3. Kepu/Palmer (only if he returns/form etc)
4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Fardy
7. Pocock/Hooper
8. Palu/Higgers
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Cummins
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. Speight
15. Folau

Plenty of depth in the backs (as always)........

Currently tight head prop and lock are our real concerns.........

 

[boyo]

Think I've outlined it here before but basically because a poor lineout will only cost you possession where as a poor scrum will cost you penalties, yellow cards and possibly a penalty try. A scrum going backwards is such a drain on the players physically and mentally. 3rd Lions Test case in point.

A poor lineout can cost a team a free-kick, a penalty, a card,...

 

[TOCC]

You're likely to have many more line outs then you are scrums as well, a strong line out is an attacking weapon and partnered with an effective kicking game can pin the opposition in their own 22... Or conversely it can have the opposite effect.

However as pointed out a poor scrum can create compound issues especially if an opposition team pressures for penalties.

The solution, find a balance which provides a happy medium, but leaning heavily towards one or the other is fraught with risk.

 

[qwerty51]

A poor lineout can cost a team a free-kick, a penalty, a card,.

How? As long as you stay disciplined you're not causing any of those. Assume you're talking about a maul from a lineout?

 

[boyo]

e.g
ball not travelling 5m
wrong numbers
offside
interfering with a jumper in the air
etc.
etc.

 

[Slim 293]

Teams with a poor line out will often find they gain no advantage from penalties as they simply hand back the ball, and the opposition can gain easy territory by resorting to the boot........

To disregard one set piece to strengthen another is very foolish ploy.........

 

[Scrubber2050]

Very very early but I think Link will stay with his starting front row of Slipper, Moore and Kepu.

Hopefully Sio gets another shot at the big time and does a lot better than before. It is important Robbio increases his form and will play an important dominant factor in the last 20. He will have a great S15 season for the Tahs.
My concern is at 3 - Kepu is fine but the backup leaves something to be desired.
Another interesting thought will be the form of Horwill - hopefully he has a good 2014 Super season, regains that work ethic, confidence and motivation to be an integral part of the team

 

[Lindommer]

For the life of me I still don't know what numbers to give Slipper and Alexander. James says he wants to play THP for the Reds.....Ben hasn't shone in the 3 gold jumper while he plays LHP for the Brumbies.....etc. And yet they've both been competent backups until the advent of 23 man squads eliminated the need for ambidextrous bench props. Kepu was mucked about by Deans in the props' numbers game and now he's permanently playing THP he's prospering.

I wish to bloody hell their Super teams'd give them a permanent side of the scrum. The last few years of musical numbers hasn't been good for either them or Oz rugby.

 

[Highlander35]

Unless you are wanting to add 6 props (Scotland might, given the 2011 squad, maybe others too), at least 1 player, both capable and fairly good at playing both sides of the scrum needs to be included in the WC squad.

I'd suggest Kepu, Slipper and Robinson are sitting pretty for now.

Assuming you view James as that potential switching prop, you need an additional player on either side of the scrum.

Palmer, Ryan, Alexander and perhaps Lahiff & R Smith would be the contenders for the tighthead side.

Sio and T. Smith would be the contenders for loosehead. Again, Lahiff could be here, maybe Alexander too. Albert Anae could step up.

Who knows. At all. We've seen Sio, Alexander, Slipper, Robinson, Kepu and Ryan under the new laws, but a full Super season (at least 12 games), plus the June internationals and maybe some NRC too should give us a much better idea of who thrives and who dives.

 

[TOCC]

Greg Holmes to make a late charge, 7 years between test caps would surely be some kind of record

 

[Bowside]

Will the Wallabies have a squad of backup players training separately in england during the world cup in case of injury?

Is that even allowed?

 

[TOCC]

There are pretty strict rules when it come to replacements, they need medical certificates, the replacement player can't play for at least 48hrs after the request is submitted and any replacement is permanent.

I'd imagine there would be a small group of players in Australia warned out to keep their fitness up and training together for the duration of the cup, but I doubt they would take them on tour.

 

[Braveheart81]

The 48 hour window is specifically there to keep the playing field level and make it so far away nations aren't tempted to do things like have players training close by on standby so they aren't disadvantaged compared to the home team(s).

 

[mudskipper]

Way to early to pick anyone BUT here goes....

1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Horwill
5. Carter
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Higginbotham
9. Genia
10. Cooper / To'omua
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) / Mogg
12. Leali'ifano
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight
15. Folau

16. Alexander
17. TPN
18. Kepu
19. Simmons / Pyle
20. Hooper
21. White
22. Beale
23. Mogg