Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Viking]

All I have to say about the forwards is this: They better bloody well perform in the set-piece.

England and Wales will no doubt back their set-piece over ours, they will want to avoid the Pooper at rucks and exploit our weak kicking game and our weak high ball skills. The solution = put up bombs anywhere but too Folau and kick to the corners. This will result in more scrums and more line-outs given they kick well.

 

[Groucho]

All I have to say about the forwards is this: They better bloody well perform in the set-piece.

England and Wales will no doubt back their set-piece over ours, they will want to avoid the Pooper at rucks and exploit our weak kicking game and our weak high ball skills. The solution = put up bombs anywhere but too Folau and kick to the corners. This will result in more scrums and more line-outs given they kick well.

Bit harsh on AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Mitchell there Seb, who are both very solid under the high ball.

 

[Viking]

Bit harsh on AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Mitchell there Seb, who are both very solid under the high ball.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is pretty solid, not sure about Mitchell but I hope your right. And lets hope they both actually start.

But then there's the issue of To'omua/Gits and Cooper/Foley dropping back to fullback all the time. They have been rubbish under the high ball lately.

 

[Braveheart81]

https://www.redbull.com/au/en/stori...-hooper-s-game-within-the-game&jumpHover=Jump

Check out the video above.

Apparently this was filmed at Brookvale Oval.

It's certainly a little unusual!

 

[Groucho]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is pretty solid, not sure about Mitchell but I hope your right. And lets hope they both actually start.

But then there's the issue of To'omua/Gits and Cooper/Foley dropping back to fullback all the time. They have been rubbish under the high ball lately.

I don't think they drop back to fullback in Cheika / Grey's defensive system. Folau defends at fullback, mainly for the purpose of defusing the bomb. They drop back to (I think) the blindside wing.

 

[qwerty51]

That's true but blindside wings are the main diffusers of the box kick.

I still have nightmares about the NZ box kicks in the 2011 semi that Jane, Kahui and Dagg recovered every time. Why have I still not seen pictures of the backs at training jumping into others with tackle bags on their back?

 

[Viking]

I don't think they drop back to fullback in Cheika / Grey's defensive system. Folau defends at fullback, mainly for the purpose of defusing the bomb. They drop back to (I think) the blindside wing.

Doesn't matter, they are still targeted easily by the opposition. Recently Carter kicked it straight to Cooper twice last Bled.

 

[Dai bando]

querty, 1/2p is not just a kicker, his positioning is second to none, that he stays out of the 3/4 line is part of the defensive game the team are ment to play,
As for Williams time will tell, can be a bit of a hothead, Phillips was the lions 9, if as you say Genia owend him you must have other deficiencies else where as I recall us beating you

 

[Bairdy]

Too bad we're playing a team of 23 boyos rather than 11 + 12 from elsewhere in British & Irish Isles then isn't it.

Gatland's men must surely doubt whether they can ever beat the Wallabies

 

[Dave Beat]

Been watching the RWC Classics on FOX - ge the game has changed - BUT - even the RWC we won our scrum was being dominated which i don't recall.
Gee the 91 game against England - wow.
Even France in 99 had the upper hand.

2 more sleeps, and my short lived fishing season comes to an end.

 

[Beer Baron]

Paul out for first game with hamstring injury.....
Waste of a spot.

 

[Dave Beat]

Paul out for first game with hamstring injury...
Waste of a spot.

Was looking at that and thought who the fook is Paul - then read the paper Palu.

 

[Beer Baron]

Paul is Palu's brother dyslexic .

 

[Dave Beat]

Paul is Palu's brother dyslexic .

Hard done by injuries as well - but the other leg

 

[Braveheart81]

Paul out for first game with hamstring injury...
Waste of a spot.

Palu wouldn't have played that first game. If he'd been selected for it there would be an outcry that Cheika has made a poor selection.

He'll start at 8 in the second team against Uruguay.

 

[Beer Baron]

Its the more the point that in a tournament where you have to play 7(?) test games to win in a tight time frame , and we only have 1 easy one, we can't afford to be bringing players that a known injury liabilities. For me Palu, given that he is now not a starter (thanks to the Pooper) doesn't rate high enough in the reward:risk ratio.

 

[Braveheart81]

Its the more the point that in a tournament where you have to play 7(?) test games to win in a tight time frame , and we only have 1 easy one, we can't afford to be bringing players that a known injury liabilities. For me Palu, given that he is now not a starter (thanks to the Pooper) doesn't rate high enough in the reward:risk ratio.

I think he'd play this match if he was required. The media comments are that they're giving him more time to make sure he's completely over it. It's unclear when the injury happened but it certainly wasn't at training yesterday. Seems more like an ongoing niggle.

I don't disagree that injury prone players are a risk but it's not like we have a bunch of indestructible number 8s who were also in the selection frame. Higginbotham is pretty much as injury prone and he was probably next closest.

 

[BDA]

Is it possible to bring in a new player for Palu if he only has a minor injury that is likely to clear up before the end of the tournament? (i.e. does it categorically have to be a tournament ending injury?)

 

[dru]

I was going to scoff at the PLu hand wringing but see that it is a knee injury requiring surgery. Can someone confirm what this means (out for the whole RWC?)

McM out too.

Not the injury run of say Wales, but still annoying.

 

[BDA]

I might add that Ita Vaea would be a decent replacement is needed. He was a part of the initial Wallabies training camp and he's been playing very well down in the NRC.

Different kind of no.8 to Palu but probably offers more impact these days.