Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[BarneySF]

- If there is enough room in the squad to choose 2 utility backs id go with McCabe and JOC (James O'Connor). McCabe because he's hard as nails and JOC (James O'Connor) because he is world class. Both have the experience of having played a world cup.

Karmichael Hunt for JOC (James O'Connor)



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[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'd go along with that TWAS. I think we've seen far from the last of Jones at test level. A guy that athletic and versatile would be in the mix I would have thought.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree. I think the debuts of Carter and Skelton probably pushed them ahead of Jones but Jones could easily be the first choice backup to Fardy given he is the most like for like in terms of positions etc.

As has been discussed elsewhere, Jones is probably competing most with Simmons as a lock whereas Skelton, Carter and Horwill are all competing against each other.

 

[Brumby Runner]

32 MAN SQUAD

HOOKER - Moore TPN Charles
PROP - Slipper Kepu Alexander Sio Robinson
LOCK - Horwill Simmons Skelton Carter
B/R - Fardy Higs Palu Mccalman Pocock Hooper
H/B - Genia Phipps White
F/H - Cooper Foley
CENTRE - Beale To'omua Kuridrani AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
O/B - Folau Cummins Speight JOC (James O'Connor) Tomane

1. Slipper 2. Moore 3. Kepu
4. Simmons 5. Skelton
6. Fardy 8. Palu 7. Hooper
9. Genia 10. Cooper 12. To'omua 13. Kuridrani
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 15. Folau 14. Speight

16. TPN 17. Sio 18. Alexander 19. Horwill 20. Pocock 21. White 22. Beale 23. JOC (James O'Connor)

- Always prefer to see Higginbotham at 6 though

Australia A Squad

HOOKER - Hanson Fainga'a Sexton
PROP - Cowan Weeks Ryan PAE Holmes
LOCK - Neville Coleman Wykes Jones
B/R - Dennis Aeulua Cottrell Schatz Hodgson Gill
H/B - Burgess Lucas Mckibbin
F/H - Harris Lealiifano Godwin
CENTRE - Tapuai Inman CFS Horne
O/B - Mccabe Mogg Morohan Turner

I'd suggest three changes only to your squad. Jones in for McCalman as he has greater impact and more potential, Burgess in for Phipps as he is a better player, and almost anyone in for JO'C but I'll go with Crawford. Don't need self interested knobs anywhere near the Wallabies.
Edit : on second thoughts, McCabe for Crawford. Didn't see that he was missing from the list before.

 

[Richo]

Yeesh, some raw treatment for McCalman. I'd say he's well ahead of Higgers right now, as evidenced by selections this series. He'll have more chances in the RC as well.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

It's crazy how some people mark players. McCalman was great off the bench on the weekend his first touch he made a least 15m from after taking the ball from his own goal line. Kearnes mention how he had continued what Palu started . He made more tackles and runs in less than 20mins that most of the starting pack give the guy a break.

 

[Braveheart81]

I definitely think McCalman cemented his position as Palu's backup.

Barring injury, it will be his spot to lose for the remainder of the year.

I reckon only White and Foley didn't nail down their starting spots and that was probably based most off the 3rd test rather than the first two. That said, they're currently pretty safe given Genia and Cooper are injured and they will get to reprise their roles in the Rugby Championship.

 

[emuarse]

I must retract my comments as I didnt see

I must retract my earlier comments re skelton and Horwill as I misread your post not to include skelton as all I saw was carter and simmons start , horwill bench.

TWAS we disagree on the matter I want Kev to be back where he was but how many tests do u want to lose in the process. Skelton on the rise Kev on the decline. Think my bias comment was swaded a little by a team featuring : Genia, Cooper, CFS, Simmons, horwill wouldnt be a fair representation of our current best 23 imo. U can concede that anyone outside of a reds supporter would agree with me?

This year those players highlighted were certainly off form. But if the Reds have a big year next year, it will be largely due to these players. Yes they have to refind their form. But for the most part they have been around for a while and they will undoubtedly rise to the occasion.

And just one comment about White. He is overrated. True he had a surefire pass, but he was doing a lot of cross field running which he wouldn't get away with against the AB's or Sarfies. And he did very little in the way of darts etc. If that is the best he can offer we will be in trouble come 2015 and he's our No 1 half.

 

[Tomikin]

This year those players highlighted were certainly off form. But if the Reds have a big year next year, it will be largely due to these players. Yes they have to refind their form. But for the most part they have been around for a while and they will undoubtedly rise to the occasion.

And just one comment about White. He is overrated. True he had a surefire pass, but he was doing a lot of cross field running which he wouldn't get away with against the AB's or Sarfies. And he did very little in the way of darts etc. If that is the best he can offer we will be in trouble come 2015 and he's our No 1 half.

That cross field run were he hit Skelton for a try...

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[Tomikin]

This year those players highlighted were certainly off form. But if the Reds have a big year next year, it will be largely due to these players. Yes they have to refind their form. But for the most part they have been around for a while and they will undoubtedly rise to the occasion.

And just one comment about White. He is overrated. True he had a surefire pass, but he was doing a lot of cross field running which he wouldn't get away with against the AB's or Sarfies. And he did very little in the way of darts etc. If that is the best he can offer we will be in trouble come 2015 and he's our No 1 half.

ps I call Bullshit

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[Slim 293]

And just one comment about White. He is overrated.

Who is "overrating" him?

 

[RugbyReg]

Who is "overrating" him?

I'd suggest he thinks the wallaby selectors are over rating him.

 

[Dave Beat]

No idea why people still mention Pocock, he hasn't shown form for 3 years now. IMO he shouldn't even get a mention until he can show he can play 80, and then maybe show he can make the starting side of the a Brumbies.

Next people might mention Eales because he was awesome.

 

[farva]

Slipper
Moore
Kepu
Skelton
Simmons
Fardy
Hooper
Palu
Genia
Cooper
Speight (wrong wing but I don't care, he plays more like a left than right wing)
To'omua
Kuridrani
JOC (James O'Connor)
Folau

TPN
Sio
Alexander
Horwill
McCalman
Pocock
Giteau
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

Charles, Weeks, Carter, Higgenbotham, Gill, White, Godwin, Cummins

There. No need to thank me. World Cup winning squad right there.
Would win the Bledisloe, RC, Mandela Plate, etc.
Women would get pregnant just by looking at it, it's that potent.

 

[BDA]

No idea why people still mention Pocock, he hasn't shown form for 3 years now. IMO he shouldn't even get a mention until he can show he can play 80, and then maybe show he can make the starting side of the a Brumbies.

Next people might mention Eales because he was awesome.

did you read the name of the thread dave? "Optimum 23 players". Pocock is contracted with Brumbies next season (i.e. he's eligible), he'll have recovered from his current injury and will have had a good 6 months of rugby under his belt by the time the world cup starts. Whether he can reach to same standard he did pre 2013 is another matter, but I think most would have him in our best possible world cup squad in 2015.

if i was a betting man (and i am) i'd say he'll be there

 

[BDA]

My point was more that a 7 is wasted on the bench and we would be better served with a 6/8.

I'm not disagreeing with you but I remember we played Pocock/Smith in tandem to pretty good effect in the northern hemisphere. there might be certain circumstances when you would carry an extra 7, maybe with a 6/2 split,. unlikely tho

 

[Train Without a Station]

I'm not disagreeing with you but I remember we played Pocock/Smith in tandem to pretty good effect in the northern hemisphere. there might be certain circumstances when you would carry an extra 7, maybe with a 6/2 split,. unlikely tho

That circumstance is when you lack the 6/8 depth that we have now.

 

[Dave Beat]

did you read the name of the thread dave? "Optimum 23 players". Pocock is contracted with Brumbies next season (i.e. he's eligible), he'll have recovered from his current injury and will have had a good 6 months of rugby under his belt by the time the world cup starts. Whether he can reach to same standard he did pre 2013 is another matter, but I think most would have him in our best possible world cup squad in 2015.

if i was a betting man (and i am) i'd say he'll be there

I did, and with the form hooper had last year, and still has this year he'd be my starter. Pocock played a Deans game, he was strong over the ball and good on the pilfer (both of which Hooper has in his game), but Link plays a different game and I'm sorry I haven't seen Poey play for 3 years.

 

[BDA]

Yeh I'm still not 100% certain that you couldnt play an extra 7 and play a 6/2 bench. It would certainly be handy to have a guy like pocock on the bench (particularly if you got a bit of a lead in the game and wanted to amp up defense). It would probably come down to whether you had the right backs to cover all positions with 2 bench backs

 

[Train Without a Station]

Yeh I'm still not 100% certain that you couldnt play an extra 7 and play a 6/2 bench. It would certainly be handy to have a guy like pocock on the bench (particularly if you got a bit of a lead in the game and wanted to amp up defense). It would probably come down to whether you had the right backs to cover all positions with 2 bench backs

And de power the scrum and line out while he's on. If Palu is still on and Skelton is on you only have 1 competitive option in the line out.