Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Brendan Hume]

It helps when your pack's not getting smashed behind the gain line and when your backs offer some options for your 10. The whole Reds team is static - it would be a tough call for anyone from the Reds to make the squad on form right now. Thankfully (or not) there's a whole lot of Super Rugby left to get it right...

 

[qwerty51]

1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Rory Arnold
5. Lopeti Timani
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. Ben McCalman
9. Nic White
10. Matt To'omua
11. Rob Horne
12. Kurtley Beale
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Henry Speight
15. Robbie Coleman

 

[hammertimethere]

I think there is a 31 man squad so Holmes would likely be your 31st. Apart from Palu for Higgers I think that's a very likely squad, although I'd back in Weeks as the back up Thp reserve. If Cliff is fit I think he's an absolute shoe-in for 8, and I'd be surprised if Hooper fits on a 5-3 bench. Also think McCalman is in the squad, possibly for Higgers?


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Yeah completely forgot Big Dog and Beale. They would slide in. Lilo and someone else would drop out, probably Arnold. Higgers is probably second choice 6 and in my opinion should be second or first choice 8.

 

[RugbyReg]

Timani still being picked at lock? I'd have Dennis all over him in his current form.

 

[Braveheart81]

Dennis' physicality has been very impressive so far this season. Lachie Turner was obviously unlucky that he chose to lead with his head but gee Dennis has put on some big hits so far.

 

[BDA]

presumably Cheika will take one 6/lock to the world cup. Seems like a three way battle between Timani, Dennis and Jones.

Not that you could ever get away with playing one in the second row against the Northern Hemisphere teams, but you could certainly play them there against the minnows.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Also if Skelton comes off the bench you need to a line-out jumper at 6.

Skelton won a lineout or two against the Reds on the weekend. Maybe he's getting that part of the game under control as well as his contribution to scrumming?

 

[Strewthcobber]

Skelton won a lineout or two against the Reds on the weekend. Maybe he's getting that part of the game under control as well as his contribution to scrumming?

Hes definitely improving but the two reds locks were very poor around the park and both in the lineout and scrum. There will be much sterner tests to come.

 

[Brumby Runner]

1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Rory Arnold
5. Lopeti Timani
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. Ben McCalman
9. Nic White
10. Matt To'omua
11. Rob Horne
12. Kurtley Beale
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Henry Speight
15. Robbie Coleman

That's a team that reflects current form much better than earlier posts by others. But I'd dispute Beale in front of To'omua or Lealiifano at 12 (unless you're only looking at the games this weekend - but if so, how come Timani?) and Robbie at 15. Coleman certainly has a heart as big as himself, and he has been quite good as fill in at 15 for Moggy, but I think Folau is starting to hit his straps and is deservedly still the favoured No 15.

Beale had a particularly strong forst half against the Reds but once the Reds woke up to his inside passes his impact in attack certainly tapered off.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Hes definitely improving but the two reds locks were very poor around the park and both in the lineout and scrum. There will be much sterner tests to come.

I would expect so, but he could become a very useful surprise jumper at No 2 in the lineout against all comers if he continues to put the effort in.

 

[BDA]

agreed. Glad to see him improving in that area, but imagine that even with improvement he wont be a genuine jumper in the line-out; he'll be used sparingly.

Seems like Cheika has made improving Skelton's game a big focus of the Super season. He's giving him long minutes, and it looks like some work has gone into improving his set piece technique. Very promising Skelton appears, at least from the early games, to be getting his body into a better position in the scrums, and actually using his weight to drive forward. After another 10 rounds, he should be much more proficient than he was on the EOYT. Same goes for the Line-out. Cheika is certainly trying to get Skelton more involved, even jumping from time to time.

I think Chieka sees Skelton as important piece in our WC puzzle, and he's using the Super season to iron at the noticeably rough edges.

 

[BDA]

What are people's thought on Quade Cooper covering Fullback. He plays there a lot anyway, can counter attack and can probably play a territorial kicking game better than any of our other backs

 

[Wilson]

I think he's probably an option, but his running game is not quite what it used to be before he did his knee. I'd be picking Foley at fullback before Quade though.

 

[Godfrey]

I guess safety under the high ball is the big concern there. But then again Beale is always talked about as the second-choice 15 and I feel no more confident when he's leaping up to catch a ball than Quade. He could cover it in a pinch of course. Add in one ore two decent performances at 12 (in attack) at test level and he's got decent utility value as your second back reserve.

 

[qwerty51]

If Foley isn't the 10 he's the backup 15.

 

[Jagman]

Beale has only been bad under the high ball when he's been visibly overweight and unfit. Ok that was for 2 whole years, but I haven't seen him stuff up in that regard since.


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[Viking]

Beale has only been bad under the high ball when he's been visibly overweight and unfit. Ok that was for 2 whole years, but I haven't seen him stuff up in that regard since.


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That's because he play's 12 now. He does drop back to fullback on occasion but he is very rarely put under pressure. That will change if starts at 15 for the wallabies, SA and NZ would have a field day.

 

[Jagman]

That's because he play's 12 now. He does drop back to fullback on occasion but he is very rarely put under pressure. That will change if starts at 15 for the wallabies, SA and NZ would have a field day.

The Brumbies and Crusaders thought the same thing in the finals last year. Peppered him all night, he didn't drop a single one. He almost never plays twelve in defence. He's always the second fullback. And when
Teams don't want to give Folau the ball they give it to him, which is often.


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[Viking]

The Brumbies and Crusaders thought the same thing in the finals last year. Peppered him all night, he didn't drop a single one. He almost never plays twelve in defence. He's always the second fullback. And when
Teams don't want to give Folau the ball they give it to him, which is often.


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peppered him all night? Bit of an overstatement. Both the Brumbies and Crusaders had poor kicking games in the finals, sure they kicked often but they kicked poorly and didn't put enough pressure on the kick returners (eg KB (Kurtley Beale)), which was a contributor to their loss.

KB (Kurtley Beale) can catch a ball but if he is one out of two or more jumpers competing in the air he losses most of the time.

Agree his counter-attack is up there with the best.

 

[qwerty51]

That's a contradiction.. if he was so poor they would've kicked to him more wouldn't they? Maybe they didn't kick to him often because he was handling them fine..