Wallabies 2023

[Merrow]

Tahs rank well in that regard too, Nadolo was a stuff up but at least he’s actually from Australia, the prop was just legit injury cover. Surprised at the number of ineligibles in the Brumbies squad, I thought NSW & Qld homebreds were their main hunting ground.

Pretty sure that Jack Wright and Ollie Sapsford are both eligible

 

[Brumby Runner]

2023 Squad depth / make up breakdown. Hopefully details are accurate around eligibility and squad makeup.

Anyway, shows Rebels looking good depth wise (disregarding some international eligibility) while real concerns laid bare around lack of quality in Reds teamView attachment 16633

Reg, are you sure about Jack Wright's ineligibility? He's apparently been with the Vikings since u15s and as far as I am aware is a born and bred Aussie.

Also, have you confirmed Ollie Sapsford's eligibility. My understanding is that he qualifies through an Australian grandparent, but there may be some issue about playing a 7s game for NZ, though apparently not an officailly sanctioned game.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Pretty sure that Jack Wright and Ollie Sapsford are both eligible

Thanks Merrow - beat me to it.

 

[stillmissit]

Nonggoor > Pone & Talakai is my head scratcher. (though I would have taken LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) over Hooper just because already a bit shakey with Leota with no form and another novice in Kemeny)

Nonggoor has got rolled multiple times this year - surely either a giant beast pone or a reliable ancher talakai would be a safer bet against SA...

Really hope Tupou plays first game...

I too thought he would take Talakai to SA. Maybe he wants a mobile prop who can affect the breakdown but we could get rolled in the scrums late in the game. I am betting there will be plenty of scrums in SA>

 

[stillmissit]

2023 Squad depth / make up breakdown. Hopefully details are accurate around eligibility and squad makeup.

Anyway, shows Rebels looking good depth wise (disregarding some international eligibility) while real concerns laid bare around lack of quality in Reds teamView attachment 16633

Not an option but just wondering why Richard Hardwick is ineligible.

 

[Dctarget]

Not an option but just wondering why Richard Hardwick is ineligible.

turned out for Namibia last year (and will do so this year for the RWC).

 

[Brumby Runner]

I too thought he would take Talakai to SA. Maybe he wants a mobile prop who can affect the breakdown but we could get rolled in the scrums late in the game. I am betting there will be plenty of scrums in SA>

Both of Allan Ala'alatoa and Taniela Tupou are included in the squad proper, not in rehab. Presumably, both are ready to go against SA. I don't think it's likely we see NonGGor in the team unless there is a pre-game injury to one of the first choice THPs. It is the LHP side that I think we are short on.

 

[Drew]

I too thought he would take Talakai to SA. Maybe he wants a mobile prop who can affect the breakdown but we could get rolled in the scrums late in the game. I am betting there will be plenty of scrums in SA>

I agree. Of those available, Talaki and Nonggoor are capable of playing long minutes if the starter goes down injured early. But as BR points out, the incumbents are both on the plane, so unless one of them gets injured between now and then, we probably won’t see Nonggoor

 

[barbarian]

I'm not generally a fan of multiple captains but I think Eddie pulled the right rein here. Both men are outstanding leaders but unlikely to start in every game this season. It gives him a bit of freedom at the selection table and I can't see too many issues if both are on the field at the same time.

 

[Highlander35]

Thought experiment:

If Eddie names this 35 man squad, explicitly for the first two games of the RC, & with Donaldson, T Hooper, Kemeny, Perese & Pietsch explicitly called out as injury replacement players, is there as much noise around the squad as there was? Hooker aside, where Eddie clearly sees something we miss in Uelese, no one from the probable best 23 is missing, and line calls are all around the travelling reserves.

Hooker: Faessler, Porecki, Uelese
Prop: Ala'alatoa, Bell, Gibbon, Nonggorr, Slipper, Tupou
Lock: Arnold, Frost, Phillip*, Skelton
Backrow: Gleeson*, Holloway, M Hooper, Leota, McReight, Samu, Valetini,
Scrum Halves: Lonergan, McDermott, White
Fly Halves: Cooper, C Gordon
Centers: Foketi, Ikitau, Kerevi*
Outside Backs: Kellaway*, Koroibete, Nawaqanitawase, Vunivalu, Wright
Utility Back: Hodge, Petaia*

 

[Brumby Runner]

It has been reported on this thread that EJ (Eddie Jones) has said that Kerevi is the only Rehab selection who will be fit for SA. That seems to mean that Bell won't be playing (he also is a Rehab selection). It looks to me that we are one LHP short in the squad to go to SA.

 

[Slim 293]

It has been reported on this thread that EJ (Eddie Jones) (Eddie Jones) has said that Kerevi is the only Rehab selection who will be fit for SA. That seems to mean that Bell won't be playing (he also is a Rehab selection). It looks to me that we are one LHP short in the squad to go to SA.

Gibbon?

 

[Highlander35]

Gibbon?

I think BR meant a travelling reserve: If Slipps or Gibbo pull something in the warm up one of the tightheads would have to swap sides with Bell unavailable, and hence the non-inclusion of Schoupp or Lambert is interesting.

For me, I think EJ (Eddie Jones) has decided that with Robertson out it's gonna be Slipps, Bell & Gibbo and there's no point in falsely flagging someone as "in the squad" (whereas I think he'll likely end up taking one of Talakai and Pone to the WC: he'll just want them both playing in the game against Tonga).

 

[NCT]

I'm not generally a fan of multiple captains but I think Eddie pulled the right rein here. Both men are outstanding leaders but unlikely to start in every game this season. It gives him a bit of freedom at the selection table and I can't see too many issues if both are on the field at the same time.

Is Hooper really an outstanding leader? Great player and I always thought he had a 'follow me' type of captaincy but didn't notice him being very effective on field in talking to players, communicating referee's instructions and changing approaches etc.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Gibbon?

Slim, it looks to me that Slipper and Gibbon are the sole two LHPs scheduled to go to SA. As Highlander35 says, I am concerned about what happens if one of those goes down with injury/illness pre-game. I don't particularly like H35's suggestion that a THP would have to change sides, especially against a hard scrumming side like the Saffas. I just reckon Eddie has fluffed his squad in this respect, and hopefully he will recognise it and include one of the "train on" LHPs to go.

 

[wamberal]

Is Hooper really an outstanding leader? Great player and I always thought he had a 'follow me' type of captaincy but didn't notice him being very effective on field in talking to players, communicating referee's instructions and changing approaches etc.

Or managing the ref, a la McCaw.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Is Hooper really an outstanding leader? Great player and I always thought he had a 'follow me' type of captaincy but didn't notice him being very effective on field in talking to players, communicating referee's instructions and changing approaches etc.

I agree with you about questioning his leadership in some ways. I don’t think he’s a rah rah type captain but was McCaw?

I think he is in the follow me type of leader and he’s all about effort which you hope should inspire others around him. He’s a quiter person in general and potentially captaincy was put on him more than he may have sought it at times and he’s proud to be the Captain but was he the best person for that…

I also think he’s captained some teams that weren’t world beaters which always reflects on the Captain.

 

[KevinO]

Is Hooper really an outstanding leader? Great player and I always thought he had a 'follow me' type of captaincy but didn't notice him being very effective on field in talking to players, communicating referee's instructions and changing approaches etc.

Well his got less then 40% win ratio as Wallabies captain. I was hoping new coach would take a new approach and let him only concentrate on playing well, especially seeing he needed time off for mental health not that long ago.

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

Well his got less then 40% win ratio as Wallabies captain. I was hoping new coach would take a new approach and let him only concentrate on playing well, especially seeing he needed time off for mental health not that long ago.

Having time off for mental health does not mean you are broken forever. The same as a broken leg.

People recover.

Mental health stigma is alive and well though - this is why no one speaks out.

 

[rodha]

Well his got less then 40% win ratio as Wallabies captain. I was hoping new coach would take a new approach and let him only concentrate on playing well, especially seeing he needed time off for mental health not that long ago.

Eddie Jones has already dug himself an enormous hole and succumbed to the same mistake of previous coaching groups by appointing two players who are lightweight for their respective positions into key leadership roles.

Slipper (117kg) and Hooper (100kg) were notably monstered by their opposites, De Groot (127kg) and Papali'i (113kg) in the 3 Bledisloe Cup tests last year. Only when Angus Bell (125kg) started have the Wallabies achieved legitimate periods of dominance against top five test opposition during Dave Rennie's tenure.

As the Wallabies most experienced (and most successful) game managers Quade Cooper & White should share the captaincy. With Quade directing the team the Wallabies have won 65% of their tests, the Brumbies have won a Championship & multiple games against NZ opposition - without even a 10 running the team (until this year) but through Nick White as their primary playmaker and game manager.

These guys know how to win against NZ opposition and are proven serial winners at the highest level of the game, Hooper and Slipper have never been...