Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Floggn']

Tight five picks itself at this stage. Hard to argue against:
1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Skelton

Back-row is much harder, good players are going to miss out.

I agree with this entirely. BUT ON FORM you would have Hanson there instead of Moore. He is currently Australia's best Hooker. BUT I would still have Moore there for his Captaincy.

 

[Slim 293]

I agree with this entirely. BUT ON FORM you would have Hanson there instead of Moore. He is currently Australia's best Hooker. BUT I would still have Moore there for his Captaincy.

He's in pretty good form in recent weeks, but that's going a bit far..........

 

[Slim 293]

My pack has changed very little, but this is what I've settled on for now:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Palu

16. TPN (or Hanson depending on TPN's health)
17. Sio
18. Holmes
19. Jones
20. Hooper

I'm not sure if those last two names on the bench balance things out right or not, but I just can't go past either of them.........

I'm willing to give Palu a chance on his reputation, but on form I'd be tempted to look at McCalman, and even Higgers offers a point of difference that could balance the back 3 out a bit better...........

 

[Floggn']

I agree that you would Moore there. But surely no one can argue that Hanson is playing better than Moorey at the moment. His set piece have been a bit off. I don't agree with TPN on the bench though. The games he has played his lineouts have been shaky and he has been generally off.

 

[Slim 293]

Brumbies lineout is the best in the comp......... but you can't lay blame on him for their recent scrum woes.

 

[hammertimethere]

My pack has changed very little, but this is what I've settled on for now:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Palu

16. TPN (or Hanson depending on TPN's health)
17. Sio
18. Holmes
19. Jones
20. Hooper

I'm not sure if those last two names on the bench balance things out right or not, but I just can't go past either of them...

I'm willing to give Palu a chance on his reputation, but on form I'd be tempted to look at McCalman, and even Higgers offers a point of difference that could balance the back 3 out a bit better.....

Yep you've basically nailed it Slim

 

[Brumby Runner]

Not sure there is ever such thing as a 'smart' penalty?

Ben Mowen was the talisman of giving away 'smart' penalties. Knew when and more importantly where to give them.

 

[Slim 293]

AndrewWA made some interesting posts in response to the Brumbies v Bulls article on the front page:

David Pocock had an outstanding 57 Ruck Engagements (Early [1st or 2nd] 81%; Impact 96%).

The nearest to him was Scott Fardy (26 engagements; Early 68%/Impact 89%).

In his 3 games of Ruck Stats that I have Pocock has averaged 51 engagements (32 Attack/19 Defence) at 80% Early and 96% Impact.
By comparison in the 7 games of Ruck Stats that I have for Michael Hooper he has averaged 31engagements (22 Attack/9 Defence) at 78% Early and 88% Impact.

Some other telling stats:
Pocock averages 10 tackles at 95% (av 0.5 Missed Tackles per game), 2.3 Turn Overs Won per game and 11 runs for 24m (av, 2.2m/run)

Hooper averages 11 tackles at 87% (av 1.6 Missed tackles per game), 0.6 Turn Overs Won per game and 8 runs for 35m (av 4.4m/run).

 

[KOB1987]

backrow incumbents are:

6 McMahon
7 Hooper
8 McCalman

I'd argue that Fardy is still the incumbent 6, McMahon was only there because Fardy stayed home for repairs..

 

[Brumby Runner]

long time listener, 1st time caller.



not too sure on Speight, always has a good highlights reel but think the lowlights reel should be just as important for the wingers. haven't seen his (enough of him play) so i cant really comment but he would be close to a jersey.

Have seen his low lights reel. Lasts approx 10 seconds, just time to show the title, and then it fades to nothing.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

According to Dismal Pillock it was through playing a lot of Maori Jailbreak Basketball or something similar involving casual racism.

According to? Nonu what? What is this "according to" casually vicious casual slandering for some shit ive never written? And theres nothing casually racist about Pareremoremoremo Brotown Breakout Blues Basketball. It's full blown racial profiling. Ask Alan Jones, the Australian rugby coach, wasn't he the guy who coined the phrase in the first place? Your white compatriot. Answer that one and stay fashionable. Game set and match pillock

 

[Scrubber2050]

Have seen his low lights reel. Lasts approx 10 seconds, just time to show the title, and then it fades to nothing.

 

[cyclopath]

long time listener, 1st time caller.





Can't see Foley having a hope of winning us a RWC. 4/5 passes go behind the man and thats no exaggeration.
QC (Quade Cooper), To'omua, Kuridrani is the best combo the wallabies have seen for a long time and is the only combo good enough to win the RWC.
throw genia in there due to his combination with QC (Quade Cooper) (and the fact that in a team going forward, he is the best, although think stirzaker is playing the house down).
Pocock at 7: he is a traditional scavenger/fetcher, imo is the definition of #7. hooper players more like a 6 but i still wouldn't pick him there (lineouts). also occasionally hooper misses tackles that pocock wouldnt. (eg To'omua try V waratahs)
Don't want to see Carter anywhere near a wallabies jersey, glad that those stats justify my beliefs. the only thing the stats miss is scrums. which of them provide the most at scrum time. i think people tend to forget the importance of the locks in the scrums..

not too sure on Speight, always has a good highlights reel but think the lowlights reel should be just as important for the wingers. haven't seen his (enough of him play) so i cant really comment but he would be close to a jersey.

4 out of 5 passes, eh? Riiiight.

 

[KOB1987]

I agree with this entirely. BUT ON FORM you would have Hanson there instead of Moore. He is currently Australia's best Hooker. BUT I would still have Moore there for his Captaincy.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Lachie Turner in front of Rob Horne or Joe Tomane. I don't think so. Really thought CFS outshone Lachie this game. Two tries scored must have been the selection criterion?

 

[Wilson]

I'd argue that Fardy is still the incumbent 6, McMahon was only there because Fardy stayed home for repairs..

If that's true than Pocock is still the incumbent 7, he's been in for 'repairs' for every selection opportunity since he last started.

 

[KOB1987]

If that's true than Pocock is still the incumbent 7, he's been in for 'repairs' for every selection opportunity since he last started.

Mmm, on a technicality you could get me on that one but again I'd argue that I'm right because excluding yourself from an EOYT for some timely minor knee surgery is a bit different to being completely unavailable for selection for the best part of 2 seasons.

 

[Brumbieman]

I agree with this entirely. BUT ON FORM you would have Hanson there instead of Moore. He is currently Australia's best Hooker. BUT I would still have Moore there for his Captaincy.

You're drunk mate.

 

[qwerty51]

I don't think Moore has been that good this year, although you'd still pick him as #1. It's concerning, same for TPN. Really we need to see better form from Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Kuridrani and Folau.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I don't think Moore has been that good this year, although you'd still pick him as #1. It's concerning, same for TPN. Really we need to see better form from Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Kuridrani and Folau.

Not sure what the concern about Moore is. To me he's been playing the same as he always does.
Slipper has been a bit off his normal pace in open play but his scrummaging is still very good. Kepu likewise has shown more than just glimpses of his true form but perhaps not quite consistently enough to entirely satisfy us fans. But again his scrummaging is very good.
Tevita was playing very strongly before his injury, and he is fairly slowly regaining his fitness and form. Hopefully he keeps improving to his top form over the next couple of weeks.
Izzy has had his better games and some not so good, but he's our best No 15 clearly and I think shouldn't be a problem come RC and RWC time.

I'm anticipating all of these will be just fine come test time, injuries permitting of course.