What will lose the RWC for the Wallabies?

[Ruggo]

Wow, this thread is so glass half empty. We haven't even seen the first Wallaby squad selected or play this year but somehow we can asses how the Wallabies will lose the RWC?

Australian rugby collectivly this Sure 15 has been in a bit of a rutt but scattered out their are some good ingrediants for a successful Wallaby season. Key Players are adapting their games to suit gameplans and are executing well, The Tahs are demonstrating a strong front row with players stepping up, our best locking combination is fit and in form. Last years development players have progressed forward, the Force are still showing a strong back row. A third halfback has stood up to be counted and the Reds are showing that Australian players can front up at the breakdown as well as being hungry to win.

Combine these eliments into one national side and things are better than they may appear.

 

[Burke's Boot]

Gday Bazz, how are you mate? Don't forget to say hello to Ali who is here too.

 

[Slash]

What will lose the RWC for the Wallabies?

A dud scrum
A dud lineout...................hurry up and return Vickerman
No world class 8
A 10 who cant tackle
SBW and Robbie Fruen in black
A 15 who cant tackle
Rocky Elsom wearing the green and gold
Nathan Sharpe................

Need I go on?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Ruggo, agreed. Things are not in dire straits and we haven't played any test footy yet. I think the team is actually shaping up fairly well.

Front Row: Robinson appears to be back to his best and Slipper has kicked on since last year. Moore is back and playing and TPN will hopefully regain full fitness.
Second Row: We look good here, with Sharpe and Horwill both playing welll. Simmons and probably Pyle will provide good backup.
Back Row: The Cock is back and McCalman is playing OK, but we need a fit and firing Rocky and Cliffy to complete the picture
Halfback: Genia is back in the kind of imperious form we saw in 2009
Inside Backs: Cooper and O'Connor are playing as well as they ever have and Barnes is returning to full fitness
Outside Backs: A problem with Mitchell gone and Beale hasn't quite been at his best, but we still have some options.

So overall, I think we're going reasonably well heading into the 3N. Most of our top line players are fit and we don't have anybody else, so they are who we will be going with.

 

[Scotty]

Out of a combine all blacks and wallabies side you could easily have the following oz players in it:

Robinson, Moore or tpn, sharpe, horwill, pocock

Genia, ioane, Beale

Cant count us out in the relative merits of our top cattle but as always we will be praying for no injuries.

 

[TheTruth]

Ruggo, agreed. Things are not in dire straits and we haven't played any test footy yet. I think the team is actually shaping up fairly well.

Front Row: Robinson appears to be back to his best and Slipper has kicked on since last year. Moore is back and playing and TPN will hopefully regain full fitness.
Second Row: We look good here, with Sharpe and Horwill both playing welll. Simmons and probably Pyle will provide good backup.
Back Row: The Cock is back and McCalman is playing OK, but we need a fit and firing Rocky and Cliffy to complete the picture
Halfback: Genia is back in the kind of imperious form we saw in 2009
Inside Backs: Cooper and O'Connor are playing as well as they ever have and Barnes is returning to full fitness
Outside Backs: A problem with Mitchell gone and Beale hasn't quite been at his best, but we still have some options.

So overall, I think we're going reasonably well heading into the 3N. Most of our top line players are fit and we don't have anybody else, so they are who we will be going with.

Agree with most Hornet

Palu's injury concerns me and gee who knows about Rocky (this weekend will be interesting to see how he goes) - has TPN ever had full fitness - IMO Higgers a real chance to cover 6 or 8, suppose it depends on RE

 

[Jnor]

What will lose the RWC for the Wallabies?

A dud scrum
A dud lineout...................hurry up and return Vickerman
No world class 8
A 10 who cant tackle
SBW and Robbie Fruen in black
A 15 who cant tackle
Rocky Elsom wearing the green and gold
Nathan Sharpe................

Need I go on?

You forgot the :fishing Slash.

I'll give you the scrum and 10 who can't tackle but the rest is pretty trolly. And Fruen and SBW in blakc aren't going to be much of a problem unless there are 13 other blokes around them...

 

[JimboJoe1006]

Lack of depth, specifically a lack of experience depth. It will be this lack of experience will make it hard for the Wallabies to switch to a plan B when required. Eddie Jones once said that to win a WC you need at least 650 test caps in your XV. Against France, Australia had 519, this number may fall come WC-time. Australia has only one guaranteed test-veteran (50+ caps) - Sharpie (AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper); Mitchell; Giteau; Elsom and Mortlock are the other veterans). (Compare this to NZ's veterans who have Carter; McCaw; Thorn; Mealamu; Woodcock; Rokocoko; Muliaina and Nonu. In addition, Siviatu; Cowan and Weepu have 40+). SA are packed full of experience too.

Injuries to key players are inevitable, and if those injuries happen to befall upon one, or two, of our few big ball-runners and either of the halves combo then we are up shit creek, and Giteau has the paddle...

Please excuse my pessimism - I follow the Waratahs.