Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[ljperk]

i think its unreasonable to judge JOC (James O'Connor)'s form on his super rugby season... very disjointed backline with regular changes in key positions... any player (esp outside back) would struggle... Chek should judge him on these last 3 weeks....

 

[ACT Crusader]

i think its unreasonable to judge JOC (James O'Connor)'s form on his super rugby season. very disjointed backline with regular changes in key positions. any player (esp outside back) would struggle. Chek should judge him on these last 3 weeks..

I don't think the disjointed back lines, changes to personnel etc, have anything to do with the lack of poise and execution he has shown.

Overall his level play has been disappointing. Some okay bits, but overall well below where he probably should be.

 

[qwerty51]

You can't really blame JOC (James O'Connor)'s strength in contact on his teammates. It just isn't there anymore. He used to break tackles easily.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

JOC (James O'Connor) appears to be the latest in a long line of players who have come back worse from the NH than they left. I personally think it's from being overworked up there. We haven't seen too many who are better players now than when they went up there.

 

[Train Without a Station]

i think its unreasonable to judge JOC (James O'Connor)'s form on his super rugby season. very disjointed backline with regular changes in key positions. any player (esp outside back) would struggle. Chek should judge him on these last 3 weeks..

I don't think it is. What do you do? Judge him on international form from 2013 and before? Is it not entirely conceivable that he is no longer that player?

 

[BDA]

You can't really blame JOC (James O'Connor)'s strength in contact on his teammates. It just isn't there anymore. He used to break tackles easily.

The Fox Sports stats say JOC (James O'Connor) has made 32 tackle busts in his last 4 matches. That's more than Horne, Tomane, Speight, Savea, etc.

 

[Slim 293]

The Fox Sports stats say JOC (James O'Connor) has made 32 tackle busts in his last 4 matches. That's more than Horne, Tomane, Speight, Savea, etc.

Actually, that's incorrect..........

JOC (James O'Connor) has 34 tackle busts in total over the season, with 16 in his last 4 matches.

Savea has 61 tackle busts over the season, with 15 in his last 4 matches.

Speight and Horne have 32 tackle busts.........

Tomane has 29, but he's also 2nd in the competition for line breaks with 15.

A worrying stat - Folau and beale are 1st and 2nd respectively for handling errors.

Savea has now overtaken Beale for turnovers...........

Raw stats.

 

[TOCC]

How does JOC (James O'Connor) have more tackle busts then our best wingers, I thought he had lost his strength in contact?


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[fatprop]

You can't really blame JOC (James O'Connor)'s strength in contact on his teammates. It just isn't there anymore. He used to break tackles easily.

Yeah my good memories of JOC (James O'Connor) was him on kick return nearly always beating that first defender (same as Beale actually) both have lost that edge. Both are fringe options at best as a result.

Typos by SwiftKey, errors in tone by me

 

[chiraag]

Why is no one mentioning Dane Haylett-Petty? He has more tackle busts than all of those above (84 in 8 games), is extremely solid under the high ball, has a big boot, great defense and can cover 11, 13, 14, 15.

I'd certainly be much happier with him at full back than JOC (James O'Connor) or KB (Kurtley Beale) if Izzy went down. Would love to see him given a go in the RC

 

[emuarse]

Like it or not Alexander has a lot of test experience and would be well in contention.

Unfortunately, whenever Alexander came on from the bench in last year's EOYT, our scrum was smashed.
I don't think Cheika will forget that.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Unfortunately, whenever Alexander came on from the bench in last year's EOYT, our scrum was smashed.
I don't think Cheika will forget that.

For a part of that tour, he had an ineffectual lock packing (or not) in the second row behind him. And remember all the criticism of the Aus flankers and No 8 meerkatting instead of pushing in the scrums. There were reasons other than Benny A that the scrums were dominated. Not saying Ben didn't also contribute, but he was largely pushing by himself on the scrum blind side. Same thing happened no matter who was packing THP last year so not logical to attribute the whole issue to just Ben A.

The second row problem has been fixed this year and I'm sure that the coaching staff will be working on having the back row also identify as part of the 8 man unit. I expect there will be a huge improvement in the Aus scrum compared with last year's efforts no matter who is playing THP.

 

[emuarse]

He's had a couple of bright spots this year and connecting with cooper along side a resurgent reds may go along way for him. He'll still need to prove himself in the RC but the indifferent form of the other options combined with his experience and versatility should see him get a chance to. Test form in the RC will overrule the super season pretty quickly.

JOC (James O'Connor) will probably get in because of his ability as an outside back utility, who can also do fly half off the bench if injuries go the wrong way for us

 

[emuarse]

For a part of that tour, he had an ineffectual lock packing (or not) in the second row behind him. And remember all the criticism of the Aus flankers and No 8 meerkatting instead of pushing in the scrums. There were reasons other than Benny A that the scrums were dominated. Not saying Ben didn't also contribute, but he was largely pushing by himself on the scrum blind side. Same thing happened no matter who was packing THP last year so not logical to attribute the whole issue to just Ben A.

The second row problem has been fixed this year and I'm sure that the coaching staff will be working on having the back row also identify as part of the 8 man unit. I expect there will be a huge improvement in the Aus scrum compared with last year's efforts no matter who is playing THP.

Funny though how the scrum held together when Kepu is at prop

 

[Tomikin]

I think the performances of James O'Connor have shown that Top 14 form doesn't transfer into competitive Super Rugby or Test Rugby form. It would be hard to have Mitchell as anything other than injury cover.

I think that what it proves is that you can't go back to back to back seasons with out a break more and keep form (Cummins and JOC (James O'Connor)) then the old 'Top 14 sucks' idea. Git's and Mitchell will both be rested and ready to go..

 

[fatprop]

Unfortunately, whenever Alexander came on from the bench in last year's EOYT, our scrum was smashed.
I don't think will forget that.

If we use the Tahs as a scrummaging model for the Wobs (which has a certain logic to it), Cheika/Mario Ledesma's continual focus has been on scrummaging square, working hard as an 8 and not giving away penalties. So less bullshit games, more work.

I don't see Alexander being 1st or 2nd choice under those criteria, but as the 3rd THP in squad, maybe,we ain't got much better

Kepu & Holmes seem logical
Alexander or Weekes for that 3rd spot
Faulkner, Ryan, Ah-Nau would be below them

 

[Tomikin]

Funny though how the scrum held together when Kepu is at prop

Kepu didn't have Skelton packing behind him.. I think that's the point being made.. very rarely did that happen

 

[fatprop]

Why is no one mentioning Dane Haylett-Petty? He has more tackle busts than all of those above (84 in 8 games), is extremely solid under the high ball, has a big boot, great defense and can cover 11, 13, 14, 15.

I'd certainly be much happier with him at full back than JOC (James O'Connor) or KB (Kurtley Beale) if Izzy went down. Would love to see him given a go in the RC

I like him, but would you think he is the option to replace Folau in the semi final of the RWC? Perhaps not

Wider training squad & November tour is my guess

 

[Tomikin]

If we use the Tahs as a scrummaging model for the Wobs (which has a certain logic to it), Cheika/Mario Ledesma's continual focus has been on scrummaging square, working hard as an 8 and not giving away penalties. So less bullshit games, more work.

I don't see Alexander being 1st or 2nd choice under those criteria, but as the 3rd THP in squad, maybe,we ain't got much better

Kepu & Holmes seem logical
Alexander or Weekes for that 3rd spot
Faulkner, Ryan, Ah-Nau would be below them

Alexander is also a very very good LHP, I would say he probably should have stayed there and would have if Dan Palmer didn't go down hurt.

 

[BDA]

Actually, that's incorrect....

JOC (James O'Connor) has 34 tackle busts in total over the season, with 16 in his last 4 matches.

Savea has 61 tackle busts over the season, with 15 in his last 4 matches.

Speight and Horne have 32 tackle busts...

Tomane has 29, but he's also 2nd in the competition for line breaks with 15.

A worrying stat - Folau and beale are 1st and 2nd respectively for handling errors.

Savea has now overtaken Beale for turnovers.....

Raw stats.

hmm. I must have been looking at the wrong figures.

In any event, those figures still prove my point. The suggestion that JOC (James O'Connor) has somehow "lost his ability to break tackles" is incorrect. Over his last 4 matches he's broken more tackles than nearly every big name winger (I haven't looked at Nadolo's figures but imagine he is clearly out in front).

I think JOC (James O'Connor)'s form is being understated a bit. He had an injury plagued start to the season, and since then has moved between 14,10 and 15 in a backline that has struggled. Leaving aside the shocking kick against the Sharks, his form has been pretty good over the last 4 or 5 games. He's shown glimpses of brilliance and had at least one arguable MOTM performance against the Cheetahs.

Still I'd agree he hasn't done enough to guarantee a RWC spot and needs a couple of good performances in the last 2 rounds to solidify a spot in TRC squad.