What I want to do is pick the Wallabies team I’d pick if I’d been around the squad for a little while – a few weeks at least. Because in some instances I’d want the players I’d select to give more than they have been giving and I’d be quite confident that in the space of a couple of weeks I’d get what I was after. I’m not saying it’s the team Ewen will pick because he might be after something different to me.
Second, I’ve always believed that good big blokes are better than good little blokes. Now, that doesn’t mean I’ll always pick the big guy over a little guy, but I will always pick the bigger good player.
The next thing is that I won’t necessarily pick the player on top of his position right now. I want to pick the player who I think at his very best will take us where we want to go. For some players they might be at their peak, but I don’t think they’ll get us there. There might be a player behind him who, when playing to their potential, can. These are the players I’ve always looked for.
I said some months ago that I think Tevita Kuridrani could be a very good player and it raised a few eyebrows. A few weeks later, with him having had the right exposure there are many now saying the same thing about him – this is what I’m talking about.
Added to that is my observation that we’re very low on ball carrying and impact both in the carry and also in defence. We need a serious lift in those areas. Sometimes a high work-rate player may not be what you’re after; you may not need quantity but rather quality. A smaller number of quality involvements from a large number of people is much better than a lots and lots of low quality ones.
So, my team
[one_half last=”no”]
Dwyer’s Wallabies XV
1. Benn Robinson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Kane Douglas
5. Sitaleki Timani
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. Ben Mowen
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Joe Tomane
12. Tevita Kuridrani
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Nick Cummins
15. Israel Folau[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Bench
James Slipper
Tatafu Polota-Nau
Paddy Ryan
Rob Simmons
Ben McCalman
Nic White
Christian Leali’ifano
Matt Toomua
Bernard Foley[/one_half]
My reasoning is that, if I remember correctly, it was Benn Robinson (certainly) and Sekope Kepu who dished up England last time. Tatafu was the hooker but I can’t see him starting. I worry about Kepu – he has real talent but no-one can get it out of him – although I’d wager I could. He’s probably the strongest back position of any of our tight heads and has real talent.
Unlike others, I don’t have any problem with Robinson’s work rate. Certainly James Slipper has a very good work rate, but I worry about his effectiveness – I’d be happier if he came on when people were more tired. I’m happier with the ball carrying ability of just about every other forward I’ve named than the ones who have started the last few Tests.
I like Kane Douglas – he’s big, strong and an honest player – makes himself available in attack and defence all the time. Sitaleki Timaini hasn’t played as well as when he came on the scene (as with a few people) – but with Timani you get quality involvements. You get just as many as with James Horwill of late, but of 10 times better quality.
I’m sorry I didn’t find a spot for Rob Simmons because he is genuinely honest and works hard, but he’s not strong enough in the ball carry and leg drive in the tackle. What you see is what you get with him for sure, which is of merit. I toyed with leaving him out and picking Liam Gill – but I thought we’d be short on size. I also toyed with the idea of using Scott Fardy as a replacement lock, but discounted it for the same reason.
With Fardy, Ben Mowen and Michael Hooper we get high work-rate all round, a good ball carry with Fardy and Hooper makes more yards after contact than any other forward in the team (a bit strange but there we are).
I know I’ve been saying that Will Genia is not doing everything to the standard I’d like, especially in the ball clearance, but I’d back myself to sort that out. I don’t think Nic White has played Super Rugby well either but I reckon we’d fix that – he’s played very well for the Brumbies.
I’m not completely happy with Cooper, but in my opinion he’s been our most effective player in the last two games even though he’s not been playing as well as he can. Nonetheless he got the nod. I think all our flyhalves are pretty good but I’ve stayed with him.
In the backs I’ve picked the guys who can run straight, have some footwook, are difficult to tackle and can carry through the tackle. I think Kuridrani and Adam Ashley-Cooper would be an extremely effective centre pairing. It’s feasible Ewen would’ve done that a few weeks ago but he’s had a few injuries at wing.
It’s hard to move Israel Folau from fullback because he’s so good under the high ball in both attack and defence; kick-offs as well.
The bench – I’d use Christian Leali’ifano as a replacement No.10, Matt Toomua as the replacement No.12 and move everyone out one if we lost a winger and use Bernard Foley as the replacement fullback.
I notice that commenters on G&GR have said that ‘we don’t need a crash ball inside centre, we need someone who can use the ball’. I can’t see that Kuridrani can’t do that at all. I don’t want someone who crashes the ball all the time, I want someone who can crash the ball. Just as I want someone who can make a break, I don’t want someone trying to make a break all the time. That’s what asks the question of the defence.
So if you’ve got Kuridrani at No.12 and he’s accelerating onto the ball and you know he can run a good unders line that leaves more space on the outside when he does catch and pass the ball, perhaps to the outside centre or the fullback or the flyhalf on a loop play. Just the fact that he’s capable of doing things gives us space for all these plays.
Our chances on this tour
I saw Ewen made the comment that we’re going there to win all our games, but it’s quite clear that if we won four and lost one it’d be satisfactory. It goes without saying that we want to win every game, but there’s a reason grand slams are thin on the ground. We’ve had one, South Africa and New Zealand have had four over a long period of time (from the 1930s or so for South Africa). It’s a bloody hard thing to do and I think that all the games are tough; neither Italy nor Scotland are pushovers.
What we’ve shown in recent weeks is we do have the capacity to score tries. We’ve thought somewhere within us was the capacity to do it – though I’m not sure it was. I think we can put a strong XV and replacements on the paddock.
The England game will be tough first-up, but it’s only been a couple of weeks since we last played and we’ve been together, which coaches like. If we had some of our injured players back, you’d question if they’d make us hugely better.
If we had Wycliff Palu back it’d reduce our lineout and workrate – would it increase our number of quality involvements by all that much?
If we had Scott Higginbotham instead of Fardy we’d have more speed and running skills, but as G&GR readers will know I want more than the occasional quality involvement you get from Higgers. So I’m not sure we’d get so much more out of who we’re missing.
England have a big strong midfield – but so would I. They have ability on the wings and some aggression – so have we. We have some real strike power in the backs though, I think we’re capable.
Ireland are in the midst of a change of the guard and we should be able to take them. It’s never easy in Dublin but if we’re any good we should be able win that one.
Wales are a handful. I’m not sure if they’ll be able to pick their overseas players like Roberts and North, but if they can watch out. Even if they don’t Davies and Williams are both playing excellently. In the last few years though we’ve been able to stop them playing their game and play ours a bit better.
The challenge from England and Ireland will be getting quick ball and clearing it. But if we can we’re a handful against anyone, including three tries against the All Blacks a week ago.
If we played well and lost, I’d be reasonably happy. If we play less than well and win, I’d be unhappy. This is because playing with quality moves us forward and that’s what we need to do in a time when we’re building depth of strength – both in the squad and those coming through.
One thing’s for certain – there’ll be plenty to watch for on this spring tour.
