Wallaby Watch 2014

[Bowside]

The vice captain?

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a guaranteed starter whether at 13 or 14.....

We're talking for next year here.

Nothing is guaranteed. IF O'Connor has a stellar season next year he will play wing. And they will pick a bigger winger on the other side to compensate (like Speight).

I use to think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was our best 13, but I don't think he offloads well enough at speed to play that role in the current set up. It's not out of the question that Kuridrani gets picked ahead of him.

Berrick Barnes was VC of the Wallabies in 09. In 2010 he was riding pine behind a bloke who was on criminal charges. Anything can happen.

 

[Pete King]

agree that the current backline players have locked in those places for the time being. but id still consider quade our first choice 5/8. Foley was decent against a poor french team. i wanna see how he goes for the rest of the series and in the Rugby Championship before i determine whether he keeps his starting spot when cooper returns. good signs tho. I like the fact that he is happy to take the ball into contact (something quade rarely does)

your right very early days for foley. Foley strikes me as a bit of a confidence player , he was uncomfortable early in the year with KB (Kurtley Beale) outside him and it stifled his play at times looking pretty ordinary. In the last month or so he has adopted and is playing some really good football. He and quade both arent the best defenders, they both have good passing and running games. Quade has the ability to turn something brillant on but I think Foley has a "neater" all round game. That basically means quade is more likely to turn the ball over or throw some shockers.

Quade would have definately been the starting 10 but rugby/life is about seizing opportunity and Foley would have gain a fair bit of confidence from playing a weakish french side.

 

[Ignoto]

I'd imagine the current back line pecking order sees AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) above both Kuridrani and Cummins.

When Speight becomes available it won't be AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) making way. Likewise it O'Connor returns.

If hypothetically we go through the rest of the international season with this current back line, and it performs well, I can't see Link swapping players into different positions for the sake of it. With such a green backline, I can't see Link removing our most consistent back for the last 5? years and the most experience one just to accomodate a O'Connor or Speight.

 

[Pete King]

We're talking for next year here.

Nothing is guaranteed. IF O'Connor has a stellar season next year he will play wing. And they will pick a bigger winger on the other side to compensate (like Speight).

I use to think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was our best 13, but I don't think he offloads well enough at speed to play that role in the current set up. It's not out of the question that Kuridrani gets picked ahead of him.

Berrick Barnes was VC of the Wallabies in 09. In 2010 he was riding pine behind a bloke who was on criminal charges. Anything can happen.

Next year AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would have played over 100 tests , He is currently in career best form. he is the best 13 in the country and probably the best winger too atm. We will never really know but I would think JOC (James O'Connor) is pretty far down the pecking order in Links planning for RWC. I would think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is well ahead of speight and Kudrini also

 

[Aussie D]

JOC (James O'Connor) wouldn't be in the planning order at all at this stage as he hasn't officially signed with an Australian super rugby team. Also, Link's determination to change the culture of the Wallabies will also affect his chances due to repeated off-field incidents over the years. Would he fit into the current Wallabies?

 

[BDA]

Honestly if all of Speight, Cummins, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), McCabe and Tomane are fit and eligible to play at the World Cup, JOC (James O'Connor) could miss out on a spot in the squad. Team culture is definitely an important ingredient in Link's wallabies. I'd take cummins on the wing ahead of JOC (James O'Connor) currently (even if JOC (James O'Connor) is a more gifted player).

 

[Pete King]

I like PFitzy's opinion on JOC (James O'Connor) - something along the lines of he can go fist himself , I think?

 

[swingpass]

JOC (James O'Connor) wouldn't be in the planning order at all at this stage as he hasn't officially signed with an Australian super rugby team. Also, Link's determination to change the culture of the Wallabies will also affect his chances due to repeated off-field incidents over the years. Would he fit into the current Wallabies?

wrong question,

do the Wallabies fit in to JOC (James O'Connor)'s strategic planning ?

 

[BDA]

JOC (James O'Connor) definitely wants to be a part of the world cup, but the last thing he wants is to return to aus rugby and miss WC selection altogether. He must know its a possibility at this stage, unless Link is continuing a dialogue with him, which I doubt it. JOC (James O'Connor) was a player of the Deans era. Link is building his own team now, one where egos and immaturity is not welcome. I think its unlikely that link will pick any players for the WC that dont play a test this year (save for Pocock). The players know that,

JOC (James O'Connor)'s eligibility is going come down to whether reds sign him which as i understood could potentially hinge on whether he was prepared to sign for two years rather than one. There's definitely some risk involved for JOC (James O'Connor). Safer best might be to stay in europe another year. Then go play Sevens in 2016, then use that to transition back to rugby in 2017 with a view to playing for the wallabies in the lead up to the 2019 world cup. By then he'd be 28, still in his prime.

 

[Athilnaur]

Link's primary goal - and ours I believe - in the next two years is very simple. Win the RWC. It can only be this way. Everything else builds to it of course. Will Link consider JOC (James O'Connor)? if JOC (James O'Connor) clears the gateways; playing well in Super Rugby, Passing the attitude check, and prepared to play whatever position Link says, and some good old humble pie in the sheds and in public wouldn't go astray.

If he does those things, yeah he'll be in, and I reckon most GAGR members will be for him too. So.. Can he take a page or twenty from Quade's book?

 

[Bairdy]

It's already been done to the death this JOC (James O'Connor) conundrum but it is irritating when people keep including JOC (James O'Connor) in their hypothetical 2015 RWC teams.

Link was happy to give JOC (James O'Connor) a clean slate and ignore pass transgressions, but he never repayed the faith. When he lost his ARU contract, he tucked tale and ran to England when encouraged by Link to take a pay cut and modify his behaviour.

On current form (London Irish form, not his 2010 form), in which position is JOC (James O'Connor) playing better than the incumbent? He played fullback primarily in the Premiership but he's no better than Folau. You could accomodate him on the wing but AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Cummins have played well for the Wallabies since the Spring Tour. Behind those guys you have the likes of McCabe, Horne, Speight soon etc. etc.

 

[kiap]

Oh no.

Bustling Wycliff Palu looks set to be the third forwards casualty from the Wallabies’ opening Test pounding of France.​

​

The injury-plagued Palu missed training at Sanctuary Cove on Monday afternoon to nurse an ankle problem that has him in serious doubt for the second Test in Melbourne on Saturday night.​

​

. . . . . Read more: http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/06/10/wallabies-hit-palu-problem/​

 

[Brumbieman]

Bugger me, didn't see that coming!!!

 

[Tex]

McCalman starts and Higgers onto the bench, I guess.

 

[Joe Blow]

What is the word on Dan Palmer at Grenoble? I think he is contracted there until the end of this year.
Wonder if Link is trying to get him back for 2015?

 

[Braveheart81]

What is the word on Dan Palmer at Grenoble? I think he is contracted there until the end of this year.
Wonder if Link is trying to get him back for 2015?

He retired due to his recurrent foot injuries.

 

[BDA]

apparently Dan Palmer has retired due to injury

 

[Pfitzy]

IF O'Connor has a stellar season next year and ceases being such an annoying little self-centred fluffybunny he will play wing.

Fixed. And he's no guarantee at wing.

BTW you really need to get over this problem you have with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) not being able to pass the ball. He has shown that, when he has support runners, he is quite a capable passer.

The issue at Tahs and Wallabies level in the past is a lack of options to pass to. This belief that he can't/won't offload is so much fucking bullshit.

 

[Viking]

Fixed. And he's no guarantee at wing.

BTW you really need to get over this problem you have with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) not being able to pass the ball. He has shown that, when he has support runners, he is quite a capable passer.

The issue at Tahs and Wallabies level in the past is a lack of options to pass to. This belief that he can't/won't offload is so much fucking bullshit.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) made a nice break on the weekend with Cummins on his outside but he fired the final pass way to early before drawing in the fullback. Consequently Cummins was pulled down just before the line. Luckily we scored a few phases after. So whilst I agree he is a capable passer and a team player, I would definitely not call AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) a good distributor of the ball. This is why I prefer AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wing.

 

[TOCC]

Should try and get Dan Palmer back, he isn't even getting game time in France!