Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[I like to watch]

I am fucking luvving this,you are going to lose some skin when you play against our boys this year.
Bring it on!!!!!!
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/r...h-michael-cheika-smiling-20150826-gj83qd.html

 

[Braveheart81]

Yes Cheika has to live by his results. But this is a once in a 4 year tournament. What about the fans and their hopes which may not be achieved because of poor selection. Just say "Oh well, Cheiks jobs on the line. If you don't like it don't watch"?

No one is arguing against it being a bad selection decision on paper.

It is a once in 4 year tournament. I don't think that really changes anything.

I doubt anyone would think that we should make the RWC squad selections based on a popular vote because fans only get to watch it every four years.

I think people are getting too caught up on this selection. If Horwill hadn't made any squad this year no one would have batted an eyelid. He was selected and from most people's perspective played pretty well and deserved to get selected for the RWC. He didn't, but this same thing happens every single RWC in every single participating country.

There are always going to be controversial selections. It's the nature of sport.
What fits into a coaches plan isn't necessarily known to fans. Access to the players in terms of what coaches and fans see is also substantially different.

 

[fatprop]

OK, it is his fault

WALLABIES scrum coach Mario Ledesma has dismissed concerns over Australia picking two specialist hookers in their 31-man squad, saying Argentina did the same in the four Rugby World Cups he played in.
The 42-year-old former hooker is comfortable with the decision to have just Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau as the rakes for next month’s rugby showpiece.

“We (Pumas) played 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 with two hookers and a prop that can play hooker and that’s the case over here,” Ledesma said on
Wednesday.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/r...-hookers-concern/story-e6frf4pu-1227499698390

 

[fatprop]

I am fucking luvving this,you are going to lose some skin when you play against our boys this year.
Bring it on!!!!!!
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/r...h-michael-cheika-smiling-20150826-gj83qd.html

Yeah, they are going at it

 

[RugbyReg]

Cool, hope they can keep the agro going for the next two months until the Final

 

[p.Tah]

Yeah, they are going at it

I guess Kane's back is feeling better these days

 

[RugbyReg]

yep, because of the additional chiro treatment he is getting from Big Willy

 

[Tahtrajic]

yep, because of the additional chiro treatment he is getting from Big Willy

Well we now know what big Will is going to do after rugby. I bit of neck manipulation here and there.

 

[wamberal]

I

TWAS, that's a straw man.

I don't think anyone is arguing that Cheika must be right because he's an expert. I certainly haven't intended to say that.

He's *more likely* to be right, which is the reason we choose experts, rather than holding a random lottery.

I have often thought that we should select our national parliament by lottery. What could be more Australian than that?


However, the Wallabies are far more important and AFAIK Cheika is generally thought to be the best person to take charge of the team, and of course selections.


All the experts on threads like this are pretty laughable really, huffing and puffing but blowing nothing down, except smoke up each others' bums.

 

[qwerty51]

I wonder if Carter is the next lock in line if there's an injury? Or is Horwill there too.

 

[TOCC]

At yesterday's training session, Carter was there, but I don't remember seeing Horwill

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I am fucking luvving this,you are going to lose some skin when you play against our boys this year.
Bring it on!!!!!!
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/r...h-michael-cheika-smiling-20150826-gj83qd.html

Love it! You often know a squad is heading in the right direction when the boys get a bit toey on training track. I'm a big believer in training like you mean to play and this is an example of it. Release the mongrel boys.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Have heard that Horwill may well be retiring imminently, despite that OS contract.

 

[Lindommer]

If that's the case that's very sad. James, from a rugby purist's POV I feel you have more to contribute. However, if you disagree and reckon there's no more petrol in the tank, well who am I to argue.

 

[Red Rag]

Have heard that Horwill may well be retiring imminently, despite that OS contract.

Michael Cheika has lot to answer for if true.

 

[qwerty51]

Michael Cheika has lot to answer for if true.

You mean vindicated.

 

[Train Without a Station]

You mean vindicated.

How would that vindicate Cheika's decision to pick a player who's never performed at international form and has no recent form to warrant selection?

Because Horwill In his 30s says "fuck it" after getting shafted for a parachuted in Douglas, it make cheika's call a good one?

 

[qwerty51]

Carter looks in line before Horwill. So he would've missed anyway.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Well Carter hasn't made a single mistake in a test match this year, so he's certainly got that going for him.

 

[qwerty51]

Australia are planning to use prop Scott Sio as a possible third hooker during the Rugby World Cup.

The Wallabies raised a few eyebrows last week when they named only two specialists in the number two berth - captain Stephen Moore and experienced hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Scrum coach Mario Ledesma admitted to the media on Wednesday that Sio would be the man to step in during the short-term should the Wallabies need him.

"If we have an injury that lasts only one week, we'll make the prop play,” Ledesma told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"If it lasts longer, we just have to get the other hooker [James Hanson from the train-on squad] who has been training with us every day.

"He is working as a prop, and a little time here and there we will be working [on hooking]. But I'm real comfortable with 'Taf' and 'Squeak' [Moore] and if they get a serious injury, the third hooker will come.”