We'll always have Paris... Dean's selection 'loyalty' - shortsighted?

[qwerty51]

I'm thinking O'Connor slots back into 14 as well until Mitchell can prove he's fully fit and firing. It's hard to break up the current backline. I definitely do not want to go back to a playmaker in the centres, there's a reason our defence has improved so much since 2010 and it's the dominant tackling centres.

Think back to 2010 where we conceded a shitload of points to the Saffers in SA, the England game at Twickers and all the ABs games. They were running their backrowers at the centre channel and we weren't making dominant tackles, they got over the ad. line too easily and got quick ball.

 

[Sluggy]

You blokes who picked Mitchell had better start lighting candles, I realise it's a wishlist if all players are fit but Drew's not going to be fit for quite some time. If ever.

At least with Digby we have a proven replacement for Mitchell. If they were both fit should Digby get a run at 13?

 

[Brisbok]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/s...-clash-with-reds/story-e6frf4qu-1226397217524



You can't knock Britneys self confidence, he has it in spades. But I would prefer at international level he stays at 14 until he can bring his team mates into the game more.

I don't think I've ever heard/read about a player who, having never really proven himself in a particular position for a sustained period of time at the highest level, constantly talking (publicly) about wanting to play in that position. It is one thing to discuss it privately with your coaching staff, but to continue saying it publicly...... I wonder what the likes of BB and McCabe etc. think about JOC (James O'Connor) constantly pushing his case in the media.

 

[Scoey]

Couldn't agree with you more Brisbok. He is very much the stereotypical Gen Y.
I don't understand all of the JOC (James O'Connor) love at National level either. He is definitely a quality player, but to me, is a "utility" back and I think that is how he would be best used. He can cover 10/11/12/14/15 well and would be best used late in a game running amok amongst tired players. I also am not sure how anyone can leave out Ioane of a Wallaby backline. And if McCabe hasn't proven himself yet at 12, then I'm not sure anything he could do would make a difference. For mine...

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. McCabe
13. A. Finger/Horne
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

21. White
22. JOC (James O'Connor)

 

[Lindommer]

Leave McCabe at 12 but always include a centre on the bench for when his shoulder breaks. Looking at it like that JOC (James O'Connor)'s the perfect sub, but A Finger isn't, the backline's unbalanced if he goes on at 12.

 

[Sluggy]

Couldn't agree with you more Brisbok. He is very much the stereotypical Gen Y.
I don't understand all of the JOC (James O'Connor) love at National level either. He is definitely a quality player, but to me, is a "utility" back and I think that is how he would be best used. He can cover 10/11/12/14/15 well and would be best used late in a game running amok amongst tired players. I also am not sure how anyone can leave out Ioane of a Wallaby backline. And if McCabe hasn't proven himself yet at 12, then I'm not sure anything he could do would make a difference. For mine.

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. McCabe
13. A. Finger/Horne
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

21. White
22. JOC (James O'Connor)

9-15 for Saturday:

15. Kurtley Beale (Melbourne Rebels)
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
13. Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)

Antfinger is on the bench so with Beale in for the injured Cooper that was close to the mark.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Remember back in the day when Deans was a fool for putting JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing because he was "too slow", picking McCabe out of position into 12 was stupid, and Fainga'a/Horne at 13 was a liabilty? Now Deans' silly moves seem to be everyones first picks too.

 

[Braveheart81]

If we beat Wales again on Saturday, it would seemingly become harder for JOC (James O'Connor) and QC (Quade Cooper) to play themselves back into the starting lineup for our first Rugby Championship test against the All Blacks on August 18.

Barnes has done well at 10, our centres have performed well and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has played very well.

I think Cooper probably has the hardest job finding a spot back in the team considering Beale is also a contender for the 10 jersey and if we play Cooper at 10, we miss out on Beale's counterattacking from 15 which notably stifled his impact last season when he had to defend on the wing.

 

[Scoey]

Antfinger is on the bench so with Beale in for the injured Cooper that was close to the mark.

I actually would've started Finger over Horne but with the little Red Koala in my top right corner, it would've been too Red heavy and any credibility I had would've been out the window!

 

[vidiot]

Unless the Reds can stretch their season Cooper won't get a whole lot of exposure to push for anything.

 

[Sluggy]

I actually would've started Finger over Horne but with the little Red Koala in my top right corner, it would've been too Red heavy and any credibility I had would've been out the window!

Should have said Barnes in for Cooper, actually.

 

[Jiggles]

Unless the Reds can stretch their season Cooper won't get a whole lot of exposure to push for anything.

Deans doesn't pick on form so Cooper won't be selected based on what he does or doesn't do, just whether or not he fits Robbie's "vison"

 

[Sluggy]

Remember back in the day when Deans was a fool for putting JOC (James O'Connor) on the wing because he was "too slow", picking McCabe out of position into 12 was stupid, and Fainga'a/Horne at 13 was a liabilty? Now Deans' silly moves seem to be everyones first picks too.

Not sure... loss to Ireland in the pool stage of the RWC, and no Bledisloe for a decade... Scotland was a scheduling problem, but Samoa?

Deans tends to stick to his selected team, even when players such as Barnes and Mitchell are fit and available (in the RWC rounds), and this year where Cooper and Beale might have played a bigger role in this series. Cooper was stated to need game time, but could have trained with the squad right through June, yet Beale is being brought in after a couple of weeks of contact drills, replacing Vuna. (No complaint there, and it was an obvious change).

Loyalty is a quality seen too seldom, but not when it becomes intertwined with obstinacy. My suggestion in the OP was that Deans picks a team to do it 'his way', yet the result in Paris showed what happens when we keep the ball in hand and do it 'our way'. See also Cooper's complaint about the Wallaby game plan in the February 2012 interview, and the previous thread about what effect that might have had on selections.