Winter Tour; Wallabies v France Wednesday 7 July, Brisbane

[Dctarget]

France’s bench lock, Florent Vanverberghe, has been ruled out with a hip injury. Cyril Cazeaux replaces him. Shame because Florent is a 20 year old lock who featured heavily in France’s super u20s. Cyril is a handy replacement, he kept Kane Douglas out of the starting XV at Bordeaux but isn’t as promising as Florent.

 

[Derpus]

Nothing against Lolesio, I hope he makes the grade. But JOC (James O'Connor) has another couple of years in him I reckon.

Does he? He was injured for half of the short test season last year and is once again injured. Relying on JOC (James O'Connor) is a roll of the dice IMO.

 

[Adam84]

game day!

 

[Adam84]

Angus Bell is a big unit isnt he

 

[Longreach Jumbucks]

G'day Fulla's, first time poster on here. I'm in rural NSW with a good friend of mine who I think some of you may know as Bobby Sands. He's mad as a cut snake but a great fella and genuinly knows his rugby. We're in and around bowral atm and looking for a good rugby pub in the southern highlands or beyond to have a few rums tonight and watch the wallabies smash the frogs. We've heard that this is Gene Fairbanks territory so would be good to bump into that old Easts Tiger. We thought if anyone was to know of a good pub they would be on this forum. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated fella's. Up the Jumbucks!!

 

[Zero_Cool]

Yeah, I do worry Lol'o is gone to be one of those awesome Super Rugby but average Test Rugby players. I do really hope he steps up and torches the French, but I think JOC (James O'Connor) is just so composed and so steady and is big enough to bully a lot of other flyhalves. I do think it's not impossible that O'Connor is still going well come 2023 just because he is really using his size and strength, along with his vision and guile, unlike a lot of flyhalves, he doesn't rely on his speed.
IMO He's a bit similar to Dan Carter in his style of pay so should be able to go well into his 30's. Maybe for the 2023 RWC he plays the big games and we let our young bloke (whoever that is, we've got options now) tear up against the weaker oppositions, with O'Connor able to be bench cover for 10, 12, 13 as well as wing or 15 if needed. Obviously with anyone the wrong side of 27 any injury could be an end to their test career.

 

[Tah Man]

Little bit out of Bowral but the Burrawang Hotel is a cracking pub that loves Rugby, otherwise maybe the Royal in town. Enjoy!

G'day Fulla's, first time poster on here. I'm in rural NSW with a good friend of mine who I think some of you may know as Bobby Sands. He's mad as a cut snake but a great fella and genuinly knows his rugby. We're in and around bowral atm and looking for a good rugby pub in the southern highlands or beyond to have a few rums tonight and watch the wallabies smash the frogs. We've heard that this is Gene Fairbanks territory so would be good to bump into that old Easts Tiger. We thought if anyone was to know of a good pub they would be on this forum. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated fella's. Up the Jumbucks!!

 

[Dctarget]

Angus Bell is a big unit isnt he

Same height as Naisarani? We could be throwing him up. Makes Paisami look tiny.

Edit: jeez, Bell is nearly 6’4. That’s nuts for a modern day prop. Like Sheridan.

 

[Braveheart81]

Nothing against Lolesio, I hope he makes the grade. But JOC (James O'Connor) has another couple of years in him I reckon.

I definitely think JOC (James O'Connor) is likely to be the first choice 10 at the 2023 RWC but the problem is that every player gets injured and if Lolesio is the heir apparent, we need him to have some more experience by then.

We have less than 30 tests before the world cup.

I don't really want to be in a position where Hodge is still considered the best option as a backup because he is steady and has lots of experience. By the sounds of things that could have been the case tonight if he'd been back to full fitness a bit sooner.

 

[Zero_Cool]

@Braveheart Yeah, I think we will see O'Connor used more and more off the bench to keep him fresh for the World Cup. But I'm not sure that Lol'o will necessarily be the next best flyhalf option with a number of guys who will be hot on his heels.

 

[Braveheart81]

@Braveheart Yeah, I think we will see O'Connor used more and more off the bench to keep him fresh for the World Cup. But I'm not sure that Lol'o will necessarily be the next best flyhalf option with a number of guys who will be hot on his heels.

I kind of doubt that first point. When JOC (James O'Connor) is fit he'll start. He also doesn't have a vast amount of test experience at 10 and has lots of improvement in him. I certainly don't think you can put him in cotton wool and think he's ready to start at the 2023 RWC.

I'm not sure Lolesio is the long term solution either. I still think Harrison has a higher ceiling and would perhaps be pushing to start ahead of Lolesio if he wasn't hamstrung by how bad the Waratahs have been. At this point Lolesio is the guy though and someone else will really need to stand up tall in 2022 to push for that change. It's not likely to happen this season as there are clearly at least 3 10 options ahead of someone not in the squad (JOC (James O'Connor), Lolesio, Hodge). It could be 4 with To'omua.

 

[Derpus]

Ideally our options at RWC23 would be Lolesio and Harrison but Harrison is pushing shit up hill. JOC (James O'Connor) will be ancient and injury prone - hardly the kind of player you want to be banking on in a tournament.

 

[Marbig]

game day!
View attachment 12463

Couldn’t have had everyone in the front row put their socks up?

 

[Braveheart81]

Couldn’t have had everyone in the front row put their socks up?

That's a shocker from Lonergan!

 

[Tex]

I'm legitimately mad at socks down boy in the front row.

 

[dru]

I'm feeling strangely less anxious with the game day complaints regressing to sock-dress.

Car'n Wallabies!

 

[Tex]

dru these are important standards! A failure to adhere to the minimum standard could be an indicator of a future failure in larger, more game-critical areas!

I've spent 10 years following the Rebels and will be bringing my usual demeanour to this game. Expectations of tits-for-hands fumbles on the goal line, crooked lineouts and inexplicable kicks for touch.

 

[Hookerbytrade]

Interesting one to watch tonight will be the set piece performance, plenty has been written about the dismal wallabies conversion record to scoring tries within the red zone in 2020. If the lineout (Maul included) and scrum can set a very solid platform in the attacking zone under Dan Mckellar's watchful eye, I think this will provide a lot more confidence to start the series well with a dominant performance in this part of the game. We know Slipper and AAA are excellent scrummagers, Nela (particularly) and Bell from the bench will prove a handful. Its now up to the other 5 to be in sync w the front row and work as a unit for the entire 80. Lineout run by Phillips (I Hope) will be strong, BPA throwing is critical to the overall performance and result of this outcome, key area of the game to watch tonight!. Carn the men in Gold!

 

[dru]

dru these are important standards! A failure to adhere to the minimum standard could be an indicator of a future failure in larger, more game-critical areas!

I've spent 10 years following the Rebels and will be bringing my usual demeanour to this game. Expectations of tits-for-hands fumbles on the goal line, crooked lineouts and inexplicable kicks for touch.

 

[Longreach Jumbucks]

Little bit out of Bowral but the Burrawang Hotel is a cracking pub that loves Rugby, otherwise maybe the Royal in town. Enjoy!

Thanks mate appreciate the tip, looks like a great pub. We actually got onto geneo in the end or yabbi as he goes by around these parts and he's gonna get in the mix and give us a tour of the local circuit. We'll let you know how we get on. Here's cheers