Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[qwerty51]

31 man squad. What do we reckon the make-up will be? 18 forwards 13 backs?

5 Props
3 Hookers
4 Locks
2 Opensides
4 Backrowers

2 Scrumhalves
3 Flyhalves
3 Centres
3 Wings
2 Fullbacks

Going to predict a squad now and see how close I get once it's named.

Sio, Slipper, Kepu, Alexander, Robinson
Moore, Polota-Nau, Fainga'a
Carter, Skelton, Simmons, Dennis
Hooper, Pocock
Palu, Fardy, McCalman, Higginbotham

Phipps, White
Foley, Cooper, To'omua
Kuridrani, Ashley-Cooper, Beale
Horne, Speight, Naiyaravoro
Folau, O'Connor

 

[Jagman]

They always take 3 scrumhalves. You'd be mad not to and in a spot of panick going into a game with only one scrumhalf if one got injured a day or two beforehand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[qwerty51]

Such a waste taking a 3rd.

 

[Jagman]

I've never seen a squad without 3. Normal backs don't train with the forwards the way a scrumhalf does. If you end up even playing part of a game with no scrumhalf it's a huge deficiency.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Joe Blow]

The Tahs really mullered the Brumbies in the forwards and restricted any opportunity for good ball. They almost completely shut down TK as well. Not sure if I have seen that before, at any level?
I thought Fardy was one of the best in a losing pack and the yellow was very unlucky.
I'm not a huge Palu fan but he pulled a big game out of the hat and had a lot to do with the Tahs dominance up front.

 

[Marcelo]

Kuridrani out for 8 weeks. The ARU should put focus on the top players, they must monitor the recovery of the top players and make sure they are in no hurry to return.

 

[Joe Blow]

Kuridrani out for 8 weeks. The ARU should put focus on the top players, they must monitor the recovery of the top players and make sure they are in no hurry to return.

Should be fresh for the RWC. Still the standout 13 in world rugby

 

[Scrubber2050]

Should be fresh for the RWC. Still the standout 13 in world rugby

Plenty of time to recover, find form and be our spearhead in the backs

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Assuming there's an extra place for a 5th prop...............

I've still not seen anything on whether squads sizes will be increased to cover the requirement to carry an extra reserve prop in the match day 23, although logic suggests they will (but then again it's a Workd Rugby event), this is gonna have a big impact on team composition.

If you're only allowed a 31st player then a hooker who used to prop or a prop who used to hook, not to mention a guy who can prop both sides without necessarily being that good on either, becomes a very valuable player & likely at the expense of a specialist & better player.

I'm hoping that the NH infatuation with scrums leads WR (World Rugby) to allow squads of 32.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Suppose we have Slipper and Kepu who can play both sides. To a lesser degree Alexander.. Think Sio is limited to only LHP but who knows.

Reckon our whole front row , including Moore and TPN is very competitive.

 

[emuarse]

Obviously those dastardly comments by a mongrel, unethical, immoral Tahs player had the desired result on the outcome of the game

When the dastardly remark was made, is that what stopped the Brumbies forward pack in mid-stride, with players looking around, and saying, "who,..me?".
Aparently what the Tahs forward said was 'footsak', which is Afrikaan's for 'fuck off', not the other word as quoted in the press, 'fa...fag..., sorry, I can't bring myself to use it.
You can say you heard it here first.

 

[Wilson]

31 man squad. What do we reckon the make-up will be? 18 forwards 13 backs?

5 Props
3 Hookers
4 Locks
2 Opensides
4 Backrowers

2 Scrumhalves
3 Flyhalves
3 Centres
3 Wings
2 Fullbacks

That's probably pretty close to it, though the lock and backrow numbers are probably linked. I'd expect 3 specialist locks and 2 out and out number 8s, with the 3 position balance being a bit dependent on the guys in form, particularly with guys like Dennis and Timani playing and importantly scrummaging well at lock.

As far as backs go I'd only be taking 2 'specialist' wingers (the guys like Speight and Cummins who you wouldn't play elsewhere) and that third guy would be very much a wing utility like JOC (James O'Connor). Part of the problem (in predicting squad make-up, it might end up being good in rugby terms) right now seems to be that almost all of our fullback options after Folau don't regularly play there, so the question becomes where you count those guys.

 

[emuarse]

I completely forgot about AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Still wouldn't have him in the run-on, but would possibly have him instead of Lealiifano. I had thought about the wings but rejected the idea of Cummins or Tomane as they only fill that one role. In my team you'd have to shift Folau to the wing for Beale or just put Beale there, which isn't really ideal. I had just been thinking that Beale could replace Cooper, Folau or TK (with other minor shuffling like Folau to 13 for TK).

Beale proved last weekend that he cannot tackle, fullstop. He shouldn't be in the 31 man squad.

 

[emuarse]

31 man squad. What do we reckon the make-up will be? 18 forwards 13 backs?

5 Props
3 Hookers
4 Locks
2 Opensides
4 Backrowers

2 Scrumhalves
3 Flyhalves
3 Centres
3 Wings
2 Fullbacks

Two flyhalves and four centres with To'omua being the inside centre, easily filling the third flyhalf role if required.

 

[Marcelo]

I've still not seen anything on whether squads sizes will be increased to cover the requirement to carry an extra reserve prop in the match day 23, although logic suggests they will (but then again it's a Workd Rugby event), this is gonna have a big impact on team composition.

If you're only allowed a 31st player then a hooker who used to prop or a prop who used to hook, not to mention a guy who can prop both sides without necessarily being that good on either, becomes a very valuable player & likely at the expense of a specialist & better player.

I'm hoping that the NH infatuation with scrums leads WR (World Rugby) to allow squads of 32.

32 players should be allowed and the WC should last longer, at least two months. This is a tough sport, not like soccer. Players need much recovery time between games.

 

[KOB1987]

Should be fresh for the RWC. Still the standout 13 in world rugby

I reckon Bob is going to win this argument come RWC time..

The dual playmaker set up hasn't worked for us at international level and with Folau doing a top job attacking from 13 for the Tahs I reckon we could see 12. TK and 13. Folau..also makes room for JOC (James O'Connor) or Hunt at the back..

re the halfback, we can probably get by with two as Foley can play there..not ideal but a satisfactory contingency plan especially if the previous paragraph pans out to be right. I agree a 3rd halfback is a waste of a squad spot so fly another one over if we get an injury.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Does anyone have data on the injury count to date in the Super 15 comp vs previous years ? ....the way the teams are smashing each other I suspect the RWC 31 or 33 may look very different from the teams many are proposing at present . And how many players are in Cheika's frame regarding the Wallaby training regime and systems ? The answer may be critical to the ultimate success of a Wallaby tilt at the RWC given the available talent when final selections are made .

 

[qwerty51]

31 is the confirmed squad size

 

[Brumby Runner]

I read that Cheika, Larkham et al were having some sort of get together this week to go over RWC issues. Were players also to be involved? ie, was it to be a training camp as well? If so, does anyone know who might have been invited?

 

[qwerty51]

Yes it was a players camp, saw something in an article saying that Hunt emailed Cheika saying he wouldn't attend (not like he'd be invited anyway).