Digby Ioane with suspected broken hand

[Roundawhile]

Straight swap Drew. Now is the time to test his fitness/stamina/resolve. Although Ireland are going to be another decent challenge he needs game time. JOC (James O'Connor) off the bench if and when D has had enough but i would love to see him in a big game where he is under pressure rather than a soft game. Hopefully Diggers will be alright for the finals (please please please)

 

[cyclopath]

Media seems to be pretty consistently reporting it's his thumb since the first reports, so hopefully it is 'just' something undisplaced, proximal 1st metacarpal.

To be honest, most of the media wouldn't know their thumb from their arse-hole. The scaphoid is near the base of the thumb.

 

[jimmymac]

Rob Horne is the best like-for-like replacement on the left wing. He is fast, aggressive in contact, and would defend just as powerfully in the ten channel.

He's also played a lot more rugby than Drew Mitchell in the last couple of months.

like for like, centre for winger as opposed to winger for winger????
horne on the wing would be at best the fourth best option in my eyes. as far as i can see;
1) drew straight swap
2) JOC (James O'Connor) on wing, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) the other with same starting centres
3) JOC (James O'Connor) and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) starting wingers, mccabe / horne centres
4) horne replacement for digby

drew was the best winger in the world last year, start him and see how he goes, if he need to be replaced mid second half bring on JOC (James O'Connor)/Ant/Horne/Barnes depending on how Robbie plays it. worst case scenario is that we know drew wont be fit for the finals, best case we have digby and drew as our starting wingers in the semi finals onwards

 

[REDinCPT]

how about mccabe on the wing? i thought he was originally an outside back...

9 - genia
10 - cooper
11 - mccabe
12 - afinger
13 - AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 - oconner
15 - beale

21 - burgess
22 - mitchell

while he is no digby, mccabe would give plenty of metres in the tough stuff and would be a rock at 10. just not sure who you would sub for mitchell when the time comes.

edit - last 20/30 mins bring mitchell on for afinger and stick oconner in at 12.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Bring on Shmoo !!! Then he and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) can do paper scissors rock over who gets the 11 or 14 jersey.

Uh, if it was broken why didn't he come off?

That was my first thought too but then it occurred to me it probably happened after the bench had been cleared. Although I guess they could have used the blood bin ala Harlequins and put Ant Finger back on.

 

[Joe Blow]

This is the time for Shmoo to stand up. He was in scintillating form prior to his injury and the Wallabies will not lose anything with him as Diggers replacement.
If Ioane is back for the quarters then it really is not a big deal.
Anyone who watched the Ireland-USA match will not be too worried about the result this weekend.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

More surgery, bet this will make him think again about resigning with the Reds to take up the Japan offer, not a timely injury in a lot of ways.

 

[TheNextBigThing]

It really highlights the embarrassment of riches we have in the backs at the moment. The rooster was probably the form player in the southern hemisphere until the second he did his ankle. Watching that first phase try against Italy again I'm reminded of the kind of damage Mitchell was doing to teams all year running inside lines off first phase ball. If he regains form he'll be a more than able replacement. It's not a bad position to be in where you have to replace one of your best attacking players with one who (at full fitness) is even better.

 

[Skippy]

For this week, I'm pretty sure Deans will put JOC (James O'Connor) onto the wing. Although Quade has kicked reasonably well, JOC (James O'Connor) will still be the preferred goal kicker as far as Deans is concerned. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will slot into 13. McCade stays at 12.
Obviously the loss of Ioane affects the defence in the 10 channel. I believe Deans will ask JOC (James O'Connor) too defend at 10. Deans will persevere with him for two reasons - on turn over ball the Wallabies now have the option to attack through JOC (James O'Connor) rather than Ioane just crashing it up (or Genia box kicking it or holding up the play to give Quade time to move up from 15).

Secondly, JOC (James O'Connor) is not a bad tackler and will be ok in the 10 channel. And JOC (James O'Connor) wants to be closer to the action also so he will be up for it.

Ioane is a massive loss as his work off the wing and combination with Quade is outstanding. The yards he makes on every run is brilliant for the teams go forward.

Horne won't be on the wing... and whilst heavily favoured by Deans, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will need a shocker against Ireland and Horne to be magnificent against USA and Russia to force his way in.

Mitchell will be on the bench and get maybe 30, 50 and 70 against Ireland, USA and Russia to build him up for the QF's. He may not even get this....

I can honestly see the backline for the knock out rounds shaping up as - Beale, JOC (James O'Connor), Horne at 13, McCabe at 12, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on wing with Quade and Genia. Bench cover from Burgess and Barnes on a 5/2 split. If 5/3 then maybe Mitchell/Ioane squeeze in.

Why no winger on bench perhaps? McCabe can always move to wing to bring on Barnes at 12.

Fainga'a sadly may lose his starting spot and bench spot now to Barnes due to versatility (10/12/15).

If Ioane makes it back so be it... like Horne, Mitchell, Barnes etc they are all an embarassment of riches for Australia in the backline at present.

Should Ioane be ruled out of the WC... I see potentially a specialist 7 coming into the side just as insurance. Assuming you can replace with any player.

 

[nicobinho]

The Wallabies will be anxious to have strike weapon Ioane on deck for Saturday's big Pool C match against fellow heavyweights Ireland at Auckland's Eden Park.

Damnnnnn we need Ioane!!

I know there's this shot that they give to players when they get injured, it's basically like an adrenaline shot, I forgot the name. But I don't think the wallabies will do that to risk his hand even more. Although it will be nice to see him play..

http://www.bigpondsport.com/wait-on-scans-for-injured-ioane/tabid/91/newsid/77125/default.aspx

 

[Bowside]

It really highlights the embarrassment of riches we have in the backs at the moment. The rooster was probably the form player in the southern hemisphere until the second he did his ankle. Watching that first phase try against Italy again I'm reminded of the kind of damage Mitchell was doing to teams all year running inside lines off first phase ball. If he regains form he'll be a more than able replacement. It's not a bad position to be in where you have to replace one of your best attacking players with one who (at full fitness) is even better.

Shmoo is a great player, but I doubt he would have scored that try digby did on the weekend. He has other strengths to his game that digby doesn't, but from 20/30 metres out with a bit of front foot ball from quade, digby is most useful player you could ever ask for.

 

[Nelse]

Not too worried. Diggers is a gun player for sure. Can get go forward from no space at all, shown with his try against the Azzurri. But we have O'Connor on the bench, pushing hard for his starting wing spot. He is probably talanted enough to play on either wing. If not we have Drew Mitchell, the form winger of the Super Rugby until his injury and was still among the top try scorers by the end of the season. Shown plenty of form against the Canadians.

It is a blow, but we'll gain different strengths by having Mitchell in the team

 

[fatprop]

I stuck this in another thread but it may be more relevant here

I think they may go a bit differently

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12. McCabe
13. Faainga
14. O'Connor
15. Beale

reasoning, covering Digby's defensive work at 10 will be difficult, I think they may have Faainga or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) there with Mitchell on the bench and getting plenty of game time in the following two games

 

[Braveheart81]

I will be highly surprised if Shmoo isn't given the run on spot for Diggers this weekend.

I think Deans will have every confidence that he is ready to go.

 

[jay-c]

100% fatprop>
with ioane out id like australia to consider playing a openside and blindside winger more than a left and right winger>> being ashleycooper and oconner
mainly for ashley cooper to defend at 10
predominantly i like ashley cooper on the left wing cause he carries with his left hand to utilise his right fend and he steps off his right foot
also robbie made the point a few months back that oconners body isnt developed enough to handle the defensive responsibilities of defending at 12 and while he could handle it i recon there is simply no point in having him belted defending at 10> AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is better defending from there and oconner is better attacking away from there > id rather have him fresh

 

[Running Rugby]

On analysis of the Ireland side I think the best option will be to do a straight swap of Digby for JOC (James O'Connor) (assuming JOC (James O'Connor) can play left wing). The major attacking threat in the Irish backline is still the option runners off BOD. Lets leave our best defender Faainga there to nullify the threats then test Mitchell's and Horne's match fitness against USA and Russia.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

They've been saying Ioane is a very good chance to be back by the knockout stages, would actually be perfect timing in my opinion anyway. Mitchell's a worthy replacement nonetheless.

 

[jay-c]

tommy bowe is a very good winger and the one thing that worries me about drews return is his defense which hasnt been tested recently and has been questionable in the past
he would surely be targeted against ireland
the last thig we need is drew to have his confidence knocked about coming up against bowe, id want him on the bench to come on once the sting has been taken out of the game
we have to recognise that digby has an injury which could in all likelyhood rob us of our most dominant attacking player for the rest of the tournament> drew is the only one in the squad capable of having a similar impact in the position and its a stetch considering hes played 1.25 games in the last 4 months>
if drew cant perform and digbys out we are gunna have to pull something outa the bag

 

[Braveheart81]

Since when has Shmoo's defence been questionable?

 

[fatprop]

Since when has Shmoo's defence been questionable?

More his match fitness to me, I would give him 30 minutes in the second half - as a "shock troop" like JOC (James O'Connor).

Let the big defenders take the sting out of the Irish and put some fresh speed on as they tire.