Not from me
Wallabies 2012
- Thread starter Lance Free
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Not from me
Badger
Bill McLean (32)
You're correct. The third Bledisloe Cup match will alternate between Australia and New Zealand after the Championship concludes.
Here's a link the original announcement from the ARU:
http://my.rugby.com.au/news/aru_gen...p_seri,146674.html/news/archive/section/21893
I recall reading somewhere that they do not plan to have any more Bledisloe Cup games on neutral grounds...but that could all change if the ARU and/or NZRU need or want the $$$.
Garry Owen
Chris McKivat (8)
Watching this great clip (how many hours to create?), 3 things come to mind.
1. Some big hits in D. Take another bow Phil Blake.
2. Drewster was in great form. Good luck fella, in getting back in one piece.
3. In a lot of the attacking plays featured, we saw the break created but not the dotting down of the ball. Was this to save footage, keep the flow of the clip, or was this a reflection of how many points were left on the park in 2011, due to poor basic catch/pass skills?
Schadenfreude
John Solomon (38)
Probably a good point for the people who create the highlights packages for Ch 9 at 2am. Often the best rugby doesn't result in trys.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Apart from the idiocy of Deans that we will be subjected to there are major issues with depth this year at Hooker, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 15. There are no standout performers and nobody really in form away from the incumbants. For example at Hooker Moore is without doubt the best in Oz this year. In previous years I have argued strongly for TPN but there can be no doubt at all that his game has gone seriously backwards this year especially in the area of his lineout work. If he remains fit can this glaring deficiency in his game be ignored? Trouble is who else has stood up to say I am better?
If Cooper remains injured who plays 10? Barnes, after the last few weeks I would say no thank you! Who else is there? To'omua, to many issues and now likely injured. Stannard, he is still really a 9 and is also likely injured. Hangers, sorry to his Mum but I don't really rate him as a starter for the Tahs let alone the Wallabies. I think we may well be staring down the barrell of JOC (James O'Connor) or Beale at 10 (though I know Barnes will be it) and neither really thrills me. JOC (James O'Connor) will run most things and pass well over short distances, Beale will do the odd long pass perfectly but chip kick 90% of the ball.
Do we have any fit top line wingers ATM? Kingston, Shipperly and Ioane should be considered but will they be? Cummins needs to be more involved to be considered and Vuna should have to learn some defence before the master coach makes statements regarding his future.
In any event Deans will again select his favourites like Elsom and Alexander regardless of actual form in the positions they will be playing in Super Rugby.
If Cooper remains injured who plays 10? Barnes, after the last few weeks I would say no thank you! Who else is there? To'omua, to many issues and now likely injured. Stannard, he is still really a 9 and is also likely injured. Hangers, sorry to his Mum but I don't really rate him as a starter for the Tahs let alone the Wallabies. I think we may well be staring down the barrell of JOC (James O'Connor) or Beale at 10 (though I know Barnes will be it) and neither really thrills me. JOC (James O'Connor) will run most things and pass well over short distances, Beale will do the odd long pass perfectly but chip kick 90% of the ball.
Do we have any fit top line wingers ATM? Kingston, Shipperly and Ioane should be considered but will they be? Cummins needs to be more involved to be considered and Vuna should have to learn some defence before the master coach makes statements regarding his future.
In any event Deans will again select his favourites like Elsom and Alexander regardless of actual form in the positions they will be playing in Super Rugby.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Brumbies Guy
John Solomon (38)
Jones, Pyle or Carter deserve a crack at lock too.
Brumbies Guy
John Solomon (38)
Lealiifano, the stand out back from the Aus conference so far
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
I think Charles and Pyle (in particular) must be big chances to be in the mix for Wallaby selection this year. Both have been outstanding for mine.
ChargerWA
Mark Loane (55)
Agreed TBH.
For mine, Pyle overtakes Rob Simmons easily. Simmons is always busy throwing his big frame around but he seems massively ineffective to me. A bit like the Ben McCalman of locks, always busy not doing alot.
I think Charles also deserves a chance but I do have two concerns about him. I have noticed a marked increase this year in his off the ball niggle. But biggest concern is what I consider to be his number one strength over and above the other hookers is the quality of his support play. He regularly sets up tries and has a great instinct for putting team mates into space, but in the world of intense test rugby he will get less oppourtunity to do this. I still rate Moore and TPN ahead of him for physical impact. But he is ahead of a fit S.Fainga'a IMO.
For mine, Pyle overtakes Rob Simmons easily. Simmons is always busy throwing his big frame around but he seems massively ineffective to me. A bit like the Ben McCalman of locks, always busy not doing alot.
I think Charles also deserves a chance but I do have two concerns about him. I have noticed a marked increase this year in his off the ball niggle. But biggest concern is what I consider to be his number one strength over and above the other hookers is the quality of his support play. He regularly sets up tries and has a great instinct for putting team mates into space, but in the world of intense test rugby he will get less oppourtunity to do this. I still rate Moore and TPN ahead of him for physical impact. But he is ahead of a fit S.Fainga'a IMO.
Agree about Simmons - gave Pocock a big shove in the back last night for no obvious reason. Pocock's look back at him was priceless. He has dropped off this year.
Lock is not a huge problem - Horwill, Sharpe, Pyle, Carter, Douglas are all there, Sitaleki Timani maybe if he gets fitter and more game time.
Props are going OK - both the Tahs ones, the Brumbies and the Force have been pretty solid at scrum time.
Hooker - Moore, Charles, TPN. TPN is clearly third, BUT if you plan to play Moore for 55-60mins, TPN can be useful as his first 30-40 minutes of most games this year has been pretty good.
As with Gnostic, the backs worry me.
Genia - way down on form.
10 - probably Barnes, hard not to agree that Lealiifano is the best in that position so far. Not Beale. Dunno about JOC (James O'Connor) there yet.
The rest will fall into some sort of place, JOC (James O'Connor), Beale, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will all be picked, although AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has been average for him.
If Mitchell comes back (unlikely, I know) it might be good but he'll be so far off a gallop it isn't funny.
Ioane will be a winger.
A puzzle with many possible pieces, but missing key bits.
Lock is not a huge problem - Horwill, Sharpe, Pyle, Carter, Douglas are all there, Sitaleki Timani maybe if he gets fitter and more game time.
Props are going OK - both the Tahs ones, the Brumbies and the Force have been pretty solid at scrum time.
Hooker - Moore, Charles, TPN. TPN is clearly third, BUT if you plan to play Moore for 55-60mins, TPN can be useful as his first 30-40 minutes of most games this year has been pretty good.
As with Gnostic, the backs worry me.
Genia - way down on form.
10 - probably Barnes, hard not to agree that Lealiifano is the best in that position so far. Not Beale. Dunno about JOC (James O'Connor) there yet.
The rest will fall into some sort of place, JOC (James O'Connor), Beale, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will all be picked, although AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) has been average for him.
If Mitchell comes back (unlikely, I know) it might be good but he'll be so far off a gallop it isn't funny.
Ioane will be a winger.
A puzzle with many possible pieces, but missing key bits.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Agree about the backs Cyclo. A few tricky problems to solve there. I think our strength in the pack is as good as its been for a while though.
liquor box
Peter Sullivan (51)
or just play whats in front of you
this is the key to winning a world cup
this is the key to winning a world cup
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
Surely of equal concern is the rather unusual state of our national coaching group as at 2 months before the important June Tests.
We have a Head Coach. We _apparently_ have a new defence/forwards/coaching co-ordinator coach in McGahan, but it appears he will not arrive here before early June, and he's not formally announced as yet.
To best knowledge, we have no backs/attack coach, nor a kicking coach engaged. Our one good assistant coach - Blake - looks like he'll be let go. We may have appointed a new S&C coach in Jones but this is not formally confirmed.
I always feel - just like pre RWC - we focus endlessly on players, but not enough upon the web that must be woven around and amongst them to ensure team cohesion, skills excellence and the right game plans rigorously trained in. This necessarily comes from excellence and completeness within the national coaching group.
We have a Head Coach. We _apparently_ have a new defence/forwards/coaching co-ordinator coach in McGahan, but it appears he will not arrive here before early June, and he's not formally announced as yet.
To best knowledge, we have no backs/attack coach, nor a kicking coach engaged. Our one good assistant coach - Blake - looks like he'll be let go. We may have appointed a new S&C coach in Jones but this is not formally confirmed.
I always feel - just like pre RWC - we focus endlessly on players, but not enough upon the web that must be woven around and amongst them to ensure team cohesion, skills excellence and the right game plans rigorously trained in. This necessarily comes from excellence and completeness within the national coaching group.
Probably because the byzantine operating of the ARU with respect to coaches is beyond most of us.
We can, at least, see the players doing, or not doing their stuff and so have some idea what they might offer.
But a valid point.
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