Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[barbarian]

It was going to be this week, but I think they have bumped it back a week to the Easter long weekend.

 

[Ruggo]

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.

Nah the Cooper To'omua combo worked bloody well and if both are playing well should be put back into place. The number of options that combo provides is plentiful due to its diversity and it I think allows us to adapt how we play.

 

[topgun]

After this weeks performance I think it is in Australian rugby's interest to select Taqele Naiyaravoro for the wallabies. It's a hard task when choosing between Speight, Horne, Cummins, Betham and Tomane but the man is a bull and if he doesn't reach selection he's off to scotland. Tankele repeatedly put it past Tomane making 108 metres off 8 runs, If he keeps it up he surely can't miss the call up

 

[barbarian]

He is a massive liability on defence though. Is improving rapidly, but I can't have him in our World Cup team.

 

[topgun]

Maybe not world cup, just unleash him on Argentina in the rugby championship. His contract has an opt-out clause if he gains a wallabies cap. I really think he needs to stay

 

[MarkJ]

Tankele repeatedly put it past Tomane making 108 metres off 8 runs, If he keeps it up he surely can't miss the call up

And Tomane had 103 metres off 8 runs. So for both blokes their defensive issues in a way pretty much cancelled out their good work on attack

 

[Marcelo]

And Tomane had 103 metres off 8 runs. So for both blokes their defensive issues in a way pretty much cancelled out their good work on attack

Tomane is like the Ben Alexander on the wing. Very good at Super Rugby level but inconsistent at international level

 

[Slim 293]

Tomane is like the Ben Alexander on the wing. Very good at Super Rugby level but inconsistent at international level

So he's also like the Quade Cooper on the wing? Or the Will Skelton on the wing? Or the Nic White on the wing? Or the Kurtley Beale on the wing? Or maybe even the Scott Higginbotham or Ben McCalman on the wing?

He's essentially the [insert most Wallabies of the past 10 years] on the wing?

 

[topgun]

And Tomane had 103 metres off 8 runs. So for both blokes their defensive issues in a way pretty much cancelled out their good work on attack

Yet he didn't drop a sitter on the tryline

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Nah the Cooper To'omua combo worked bloody well and if both are playing well should be put back into place. The number of options that combo provides is plentiful due to its diversity and it I think allows us to adapt how we play.

On balance I think it's our best 10/12 combination. What I love about Matt is how he consistently smashes blokes on D. That will be very handy come RWC time, especially against teams like England and Wales, whose one and only game plan (it seems) is to crash the ball through that channel. Actually in fairness to Wales, they also throw the ball to North as well.

 

[BDA]

Naiyaravoro's not ready. He's basically a less experienced version of Nadolo.

Plus the line is long. Choosing the wingers for the world cup ain't gonna be easy.

On form, I'd probably say Tomane's been our best / most consistent winger over the first 6 rounds. which makes things even tough, given that I have him earmarked to miss out.

 

[BDA]

The 10/12 combo is a big matter of contention.

I think everyone should at least concede that To'omua is our best 12. Dominant defender, solid on attack, decent boot, can take pressure off the 10 and act as a second playmaker. He ticks all the boxes.

Whether you want Cooper or Foley at 10 is really a matter of preference. I can see arguments for both. I didn't think Foley really got the most out of our attack last year, but there's still a lot i like about him. Personally I'd like to see a Cooper/To'omua combo, but I can see the arguments for a Foley/To'omua combo

 

[Braveheart81]

If JOC (James O'Connor) and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are both fit and in reasonable form, I think there might only be space for one specialist winger in the RWC squad so it's going to be very tough for the likes of Speight, Cummins, Tomane etc.

 

[qwerty51]

Naiyaravoro is twice the player of Nadolo

 

[BDA]

Naiyaravoro is twice the player of Nadolo

ha. perhaps. You might be right, but I'm not sure what you're basing that comment on. I think Nadolo is finally starting to come into his own, after spending a good amount of time fine tuning his game. Did you watch the Crusaders game on the weekend? His performance was just as impressive (if not more impressive) as Naiyaravoro IMHO

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

In typical G&GR fashion we're throwing out all these left field names for individual positions with blokes who've played hardly any top line footy. Added to that we have weird ideas as like TK at 12. Not as bad as Campo's suggestions, so there's that.

 

[Marcelo]

So he's also like the Quade Cooper on the wing? Or the Will Skelton on the wing? Or the Nic White on the wing? Or the Kurtley Beale on the wing? Or maybe even the Scott Higginbotham or Ben McCalman on the wing?

He's essentially the [insert most Wallabies of the past 10 years] on the wing?

Tomane at the wing at international level is so bad as Ben Alexander at THP at international level. Both are similar, great Super Rugby players and nothing more

 

[Dave Beat]

Plus the line is long. Choosing the wingers for the world cup ain't gonna be easy.

On form, I'd probably say Tomane's been our best / most consistent winger over the first 6 rounds. which makes things even tough, given that I have him earmarked to miss out.

Some one mentioned the other day Drew Mitchel may be the first non based Wallaby picked - any one else heard that may be an option

 

[KOB1987]

In typical G&GR fashion we're throwing out all these left field names for individual positions with blokes who've played hardly any top line footy. Added to that we have weird ideas as like TK at 12. Not as bad as Campo's suggestions, so there's that.

Playing TK at 12 is hardly weird, it just involves playing two centres instead of two playmakers..just like the ABs still do and every other nation (including ours until recently) has done for an eternity.

That said, I will concede that the Cooper/To'omua version of the dual playmaker setup pushed all the right buttons..but that involves QC (Quade Cooper) being both fit and in form.

 

[Slim 293]

Tomane at the wing at international level is so bad as Ben Alexander at THP at international level.

Oh god, what rubbish.........