Wallaby watch
Ewen McKenzie would have been watching his Wallabies on the weekend but he wouldn’t have liked everything he saw.
Players are victims of the form of their team, and no Aussie side has looked great in South Africa this year; but some of the performances of individual Brumbies were tepid at best in both Bloemfontein and Pretoria.
Their best performer at Loftus was Henry Speight, but the natural successor to Digby Ioane is not eligible for the Wallabies yet. Leali’fano and To’omua won’t have much to put in their scrapbook after that game and nor will Kuridrani. White lost ground to Phipps, but McCabe was sterling as usual.
Henry Speight – best Brumby is not eligible yet
Sam Carter looked decent at lock but some of the other Wallaby forwards looked like scrubbers. Moore and Fardy who used to get away with a lot of crap have been noticed by referees lately, and the props are not impressive at scrum time.
There was better viewing for Link in Melbourne as his Tahs’ Wallabies shone in the reflected brilliance of the team (provided he averted his eyes when they were kicking at goal).
Perhaps McKenzie regretted his decision to pigeon-hole players after seeing some Tahs in action. His policy will mean that the form outside centre in the country this season, Ashley-Cooper, will play on the wing. Nor will Beale and Foley be able to duplicate in test matches the advantageous synergy they have in Super Rugby, if one is a reserve.
He will be pleased with Phipps, the best Aussie scrumhalf of the last few weeks, confirmation of the good form of Palu, and Horne’s consistency in the wingers role which should make him a must for the bench.
Rob Horne – a must for the bench now
If McCabe was sterling for the Brumbies in Johannesburg, Hodgson was gold standard in Perth, which is more than you could say about the crap standard of the Honey Badger’s clearing kick. Mind you, Cummins is entitled to a smelly moment in a season of roses.
It would have been just so-so viewing by McKenzie and it’s probably just as well the Reds didn’t play on the weekend.
