Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[dru]

Heaps of chatter here around a broad group selection that is mostly predictable. Imagine how this is going to get as we see Cheika ultimately cut down to 23.

Some of the reporting has this group of 40 as "bold", "avoiding favouritism" etc. What dross.

Bold comes with the 23. And I have no expectation or requirement for political selections to demonstrate an absence of bias. I want Cheika to actually be bold, and select what we needs to do the job. It is necessarily biased towards how he wants to play the game.

If that is 15 Waratahs with friends, so be it. Don't think it will be. But over to Cheika at this point.

 

[Viking]

No argument here with 15 Tahs picked - after all they were the most successful franchise this year.

Dennis had a strong season so not surprised there.

I'm just happy about the exclusion of the Ben's.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Might have something to do with JOC (James O'Connor) playing like shit. DELETED

Well the last 3 comments are pure hyperbole and playing the man considering there is no evidence that says that.

In his 12 or so games he has 5 try assists, 38 defenders beaten, 10 clean breaks, 9 offloads, is averaging 6.8m per run. All whilst being on the end of a fucking shithouse backline in a shithouse team.

If that's playing like shit, I wish I could play like shit every week.

 

[Purce]

He said he picked Beale on form and ability, and to perform a role as requested.

It's quite off the topic of the thread now so might let this be my last post on it. I'm not sure if Link would want others to know he wasn't the one pulling all the strings... the players were certainly led to believe it wasn't his decision/he was pressured into it. It would fit the (alleged)trend which led to him quitting re: not having full control over the team/selections. Anyway I think we will have to wait for his book to come out... if that ever happens.

 

[Slim 293]

Moore is the obvious choice for Captain, the interesting question is who covers the back half of each game after Moore finishes his shift? He won't be playing 80 minutes, more likely 50.

It will either be one of the minority likely to play 80 minutes in each game, or one a couple of "vice captains" who share the role.

"If" Hooper & Pocock are likely to share a shift (at worst), it could be both made "vice captains"

Moore could actually be on the field for 65 - 75 mins, which is how long he was playing for on the 2013 EOYT.........

I guess it would depend on the state of the game.........

 

[fatprop]

Moore could actually be on the field for 65 - 75 mins, which is how long he was playing for on the 2013 EOYT...

I guess it would depend on the state of the game...

He may, but the question still stands, another will be closing every test, who?

 

[Slim 293]

Well, the obvious choices would have to be Pocock or Hooper, depending on who's left on the ground..............

If both on the ground I would assume Cheika might lean towards Hooper based on recent statements.

 

[Benaud]

I assume whoever starts 7 will be the VC.

 

[Viking]

What about Slipper? I guess he wouldn't play 80mins either.

 

[fatprop]

What about Slipper? I guess he wouldn't play 80mins either.

same issue, unless Sio starts, Slipper will be sitting next to Moore at the back end of the game

 

[Highlander35]

Moore captain, Pocock and Hooper vices, the 3 club captains (Higgers, Dennis and Slipper) round out the leadership group. It'll be very unlikely that one of those isn't on the field.

If the situation arises that none of them is on the field, there are enough leaders between the likes of Simmons, Horwill, Mumm, Genia, White, To'omua etc. to find a temporary captain.

 

[Scoey]

I don't know if this has been done before or even if this is the most appropriate spot for it but I just threw together an excel spreadsheet as a fairly crude RWC Knockout Stage predictor.

Basically, if we win our pool we are a solid chance of meeting the AB's in the Final. If we runner up our pool we are royally fucked. Anyway, it should be pretty self explanatory, but fill in the green fields and follow the games through.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Don't think he needs to be in the train on squad to be able to contribute though. I saw where Cheika has said there might (will) be a role for George Smith later in the campaign. It read to me that he might join the coaching/management side, perhaps informally, because of his inside knowledge of the French players and NH style of play. If that's what Cheika wants from Mumm, then he could have contributed in a similar manner rather than as would appear keep a better performed local player in Jones out of the squad. In any case, I'm not sure that that is the reason Mumm is in the side. Cheika has said that he wants to pit three full sets of tight fives against each other in order to find the best operators and combinations. That sounds like he sees Mumm as one of the top six locks.

Role for George Smith Cheika sees (as stated to the media) is a number 8 (if they need to draw on that)

To me, it is baffling that a player off the bench for the Waratahs is preferred to either of Jones or Coleman who have put in the hard yards all year long in our competition.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

The Wallabies will make a good team out of that squad. Set piece should be good, defence should be good, I'm hopeful Mitchell starts on a wing to improve our kick options and I'm hoping if we can get some front foot ball our attack will fire. The team I would pick for the first test:
Slipper
Moore
Kepu
Simmons
Skelton
Higginbotham
Pocock
Palu
Phipps
Cooper
Tomane
To'omua
Kurindrani
Mitchell
Folau

Res:
Hanson
Sio
Holmes
Horwill/Dennis/Fardy (not sure about this one)
Hooper
Genia
Foley
Ashley-Cooper


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Starting cooper - nope - foley for my mind is who you would start with...

Higgers vs Fardy for other starting breakaway position....

Mitchell for starting wing spot.....hard to see that one....as he was on the decline when he left and was no shoo in as starting winger before he left...more likely Horne or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (with whoever misses out on the bench)

Be interesting to see Giteau get some game time....as well as the big fijian flyer....maybe against the argies...like to see how both play in test rugby....

Gits has been on fire for Toulon so my dark horse but player NH rugby vs test match rugby two different things...

 

[Joe Brian]

Who are people picking at 12? Does anyone fancy Kerevi, or is it between Giteau and To'omua (and possibly Beale). I like the Kerevi styled inside centre, similar to Nonu, but unlike the AB's, we don't have a ballplayer at fullback (Smith or Dagg) to share the playmaking duties.

 

[dru]

Starting cooper - nope - foley for my mind is who you would start with.

Higgers vs Fardy for other starting breakaway position..

Mitchell for starting wing spot...hard to see that one..as he was on the decline when he left and was no shoo in as starting winger before he left.more likely Horne or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (with whoever misses out on the bench)

Be interesting to see Giteau get some game time..as well as the big fijian flyer..maybe against the argies.like to see how both play in test rugby..

Gits has been on fire for Toulon so my dark horse but player NH rugby vs test match rugby two different things.

Only two experienced competitive jumpers, in both of these teams.

I think we need three true jumpers in the starting side, and expect to use Skel on line outs you hope to be unopposed. Ultimately I suspect we need both Higgers and Fardy for the starting side. Alternatively you need to leave Skelton on the bench or in the stands.

 

[Viking]

Who are people picking at 12? Does anyone fancy Kerevi, or is it between Giteau and To'omua (and possibly Beale). I like the Kerevi styled inside centre, similar to Nonu, but unlike the AB's, we don't have a ballplayer at fullback (Smith or Dagg) to share the playmaking duties.

To'omua first choice, then Lilo. Kerevi to be injected if they want to switch game-plans away from the 2 play-maker strategy.

Gits - I dunno.

 

[Benaud]

Only two experienced competitive jumpers, in both of these teams.

I think we need three true jumpers in the starting side, and expect to use Skel on line outs you hope to be unopposed. Ultimately I suspect we need both Higgers and Fardy for the starting side. Alternatively you need to leave Skelton on the bench or in the stands.

Yeah if Skelton starts, Palu doesn't, and vice versa.

 

[Brumby Runner]

It's my belief that Higgers must be used as a jumping No 8 only while Will Skelton is playing lock. He offers more complementary skills and capabilities to Skelton's than any of the other 8s, and Fardy must also be on the field at the same time as big Will.

 

[Groucho]

Not well liked by most of players as he has his OWN agenda on certain issues.

Mate, with all due respect, that's complete horseydoos. Pocock's a popular player who is well-liked and respected by almost everyone except Miranda Devine and her Twitter followers. Are you substituting your own political opinion for the players' personal ones?