Wallabies 2020

[Derpus]

Attacking the ball at every opportunity isn't really the go-to strategy for most teams these days. It's more about quickly reorganizing the defensive line to allow for the so called 'rush defense'.

Works a treat against teams like Aus who struggle to get over the gain-line and then turn the ball over in dangerous positions.

 

[Brumbieman]

Hooper and Pocock were so far ahead of other backrow options that it made the discussion about balance invalid.

Not really - it worked very well in 2015 when Fardy was on the flank, as he provided that 3rd lineout option, did the grunt work at rucks and tackled like a demon, but could also run it well enough to cover for Pocock's limitations.

It was a superb backrow and then Cheika fucked it by cutting Fardy loose. Hanigan could have really used those few years to just be impact off the bench in small doses of high energy while he filled out but noooooo.....

 

[Up the Guts]

The ubiquity of the 7 as the chief fetcher has really declined since they started requiring the tackler to go back through the gate. The law change nullified a lot of the advantages that someone like Pocock had in being able to make a tackle and quickly bounce to his feet to get his hands on the ball and create a turnover. Now, there is a lot more onus on getting the bigger guys up front, particularly hookers, to leap in once a tackle has been made and use their size and low centre of gravity to nullify clean out attempts. This is especially the case given that refs basically never police supporting your own body weight. This is a skill the Argentinian front row do really well, led by Creevy, and we should look to coach our own front rowers to do it as well (although, I have seen guys like Thor, amongst others, doing this more often of late).

 

[Derpus]

The ubiquity of the 7 as the chief fetcher has really declined since they started requiring the tackler to go back through the gate. The law change nullified a lot of the advantages that someone like Pocock had in being able to make a tackle and quickly bounce to his feet to get his hands on the ball and create a turnover. Now, there is a lot more onus on getting the bigger guys up front, particularly hookers, to leap in once a tackle has been made and use their size and low centre of gravity to nullify clean out attempts. This is especially the case given that refs basically never police supporting your own body weight. This is a skill the Argentinian front row do really well, led by Creevy, and we should look to coach our own front rowers to do it as well (although, I have seen guys like Thor, amongst others, doing this more often of late).

Marx also excels at this. That guy never supports his own weight and is never pinged.

 

[Brumbieman]

RE Hooper - he'll play for a few more years but I just don't see him still being better than McReight by the next WC.

 

[Brumbieman]

Apologies, I totally misread that......

But yes, very promising player whose form was really taking off before he had to retire.

That kid was a monster, the only thing he couldn't do was jump in the lineout.

I reckon the Wallabies could have used a 55min backrow replacement like this -

25mins of rampaging ball running by a bloke with soft hands and great playmaking skills. Fark, haven't we all been pining for that for a while!

Has another quality impact off the bench against the Bulls same year -

The power of the first play and offload, then the pace and support play to throw a ridiculous link pass right onto the chest of the support runner in Hooper.



FUCK!

Edit: cant get the second one to embed at the right moment, but it's worth watching the whole thing - looking at that team its remarkable how aside from the front row, they were virtually a team of unknown rookies at the time.

 

[Derpus]

Lol at that 'try' to the Bulls off the knock-on when everyone stopped. That's some classic hometown reffing from the Saffas.

 

[Brumbieman]

Was the winning margin too.

It's fine, i've forgotten about it.

 

[Slim 293]

No players survives at test rugby just on physical dominance, kiwis would never select on that criteria alone either. They choose players who offer balance to the team, and the right level of skill, fitness, technique and rugby smarts.

Valetini is a good player with a lot of potential, I don’t see him in the category of ‘must start’ though.. still a long road ahead for him yet

That was mainly just a summation of his strengths (no pun intended) - dominant tackling, dominant clear outs, gets over the advantage line with the ball and generally has a high workrate......... and he's in excellent form.

Watching him manhandle Springbok forwards in Super Rugby last year was a thing of beauty..........

I think he provides a point of difference that we require in the backrow that none of the other options provide, and that physicality, particularly around the tackle is something we've been lacking in recent years against the top nations, which they possess (including the Kiwis).

The only thing working against him is that he doesn't jump in the lineout, but I think the other attributes of his game outweigh that.

Personally, I'd start him......... but as I said, lots of good options coming playing well this year, and any combination of him and/or Hooper, Wright, Naisarani, Samu or Wilson could be pretty good.

And we shouldn't rule out Dempsey either.........

I'm still of the firm opinion that LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) is needed at lock.

 

[Derpus]

If there is no Philip then LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) must be played at lock. Who else would we play, Simmons?

 

[KOB1987]

If there is no Philip then LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) must be played at lock. Who else would we play, Simmons?

yes. Or one of the young Queenslanders, but they look too light for test rugby at this stage. As stated though we can't have a lineout relying on Rodda/LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)/Valetini/Naisarani, not as jumpers anyway. You could potentially get away with it by using Hooper as a jumper and skylabbing him though. Rugby is a game where innovation can win.

 

[Derpus]

yes. Or one of the young Queenslanders, but they look too light for test rugby at this stage. As stated though we can't have a lineout relying on Rodda/LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)/Valetini/Naisarani, not as jumpers anyway. You could potentially get away with it by using Hooper as a jumper and skylabbing him though. Rugby is a game where innovation can win.

Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Naisarani are all good jumpers. Why do you need more?

 

[KOB1987]

Rodda, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Naisarani are all good jumpers. Why do you need more?

Naisarani isn't a renowned jumper. He's in the 'can jump but don't rely on him' category. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) is Ok but someone like Retallick will eat him. Rodda is only just too, he's no Eales.

 

[Slim 293]

Rodda lead the competition for lineout steals last year.........

He's the best lineout operator in Australia right now.

It's a shame Matt Philip is leaving because he's the next best option after Rodda.

 

[Braveheart81]

This is potentially our problem trying to include two of Valetini/Naisarani/Wilson in our backrow. All three of them are the guy who stands out of the lineout when it isn't a full lineout in their team to crash the ball up.

If both our locks are top shelf lineout options then it is probably worth pursuing it anyway.

 

[KOB1987]

Rodda lead the competition for lineout steals last year...

He's the best lineout operator in Australia right now.

It's a shame Matt Philip is leaving because he's the next best option after Rodda.

Yes it was probably bit unfair to even comment on him, and I nearly didn’t. The point I was trying to make was that even our best lineout option isn’t spectacular so there isn’t a lot of room to move with the others. But he’s certainly good, and our best, so kudos to him. Agreed re Phillip.

 

[Adam84]

like Kob mentioned, Naisarni isn't a renowned jumper.. He is really quite poor given his height and athletic ability

 

[dru]

like Kob mentioned, Naisarni isn't a renowned jumper.. He is really quite poor given his height and athletic ability

We do NOT want to enter another 4 year cycle with an unbalanced back row. We have good jumpers in the row, we need preferably two more in the back row.

Those guys ALSO need to be balanced around the field. We can not take a new period following a balanced 7 in LFG must leave as two specialists sit in front who can not be balanced by the rest of the row.

 

[Up the Guts]

We do NOT want to enter another 4 year cycle with an unbalanced back row. We have good jumpers in the row, we need preferably two more in the back row.

Those guys ALSO need to be balanced around the field. We can not take a new period following a balanced 7 in LFG must leave as two specialists sit in front who can not be balanced by the rest of the row.

Is your thinking Wright at 7 is the way to improve the lineout and allow us to play the most balanced backrow around the park?

 

[Slim 293]

Is your thinking Wright at 7 is the way to improve the lineout and allow us to play the most balanced backrow around the park?

I'd say Hooper is more deserving, but it's certainly a tempting proposition to have Wright at 7 to give us four jumpers.