England v Australia

[qwerty51]

Horwill is injured - not that it matters, I think Skelton would've got the bench spot over him anyway.

 

[Pfitzy]

Why did you not expect it? I got it except for White which is a strange one.

Gaffa is angry because Hodgson.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Gaffa is angry because Hodgson.

No I'm angry because of Alexander Skelton and Beale

 

[Quick Hands]

No I'm angry because of Alexander Skelton and Beale

The thing with Beale is he seems far more popular with coaches than he does with supporters. The last 3 Wallaby coaches have selected him - Deans and Link both had him in the run on 15. So it's not as if it's some sort of Cheika out-of-left-field thing.

 

[Quick Hands]

Why did you not expect it? I got it except for White which is a strange one.

I can't see Genia figuring too stongly in selections until he eliminates the skip steps from his game. It just doesn't fit with the Cheika game plan - the ball reaches the 1st receiver too late.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I can't see Genia figuring too stongly in selections until he eliminates the skip steps from his game. It just doesn't fit with the Cheika game plan - the ball reaches the 1st receiver too late.

Will be interesting to see how super rugby plays out - in line with this thinking.

 

[Pfitzy]

No I'm angry because of Alexander Skelton and Beale

I would have preferred Faulkner to Alexander, who will be eaten alive by the Pommy scrum.

But if Horwill is injured, why not Skelton? He had a good run against Ireland after all. And while he SHOULD be a TH lock, if he can do the job at LH, then Simmons is doing a good job at TH so that works out. Particularly if the Poms are going to maul as much as they usually do - this appears to be one of Skelton's talents - disrupting that shit.

As for Beale, well yeah that could be a problem for people for a number of reasons. But this guy I agree with:

The thing with Beale is he seems far more popular with coaches than he does with supporters. The last 3 Wallaby coaches have selected him - Deans and Link both had him in the run on 15. So it's not as if it's some sort of Cheika out-of-left-field thing.

 

[Marcelo]

If Skelton keeps improving at the rate he has done for the past 18 months he will make himself irresistible as far as selection in the 23 goes, maybe in the starting side considering we are not exactly over endowed with lock riches right now.

edit - I mean by RWC time or shortly thereafter

Are u kidding me?? Skelton is an average player

 

[Groucho]

I think it's pretty clear now that Cheika sees Skelton as his Potgieter/Elsom in the Wallabies. There's no other reason why he would carry an unbalanced bench with only one genuine 8 in the XXIII.

Beale and Cooper are too alike to have both on the bench.

People are asking for two inconsistent things: testing out theories (as long as they're not Chieka's theories!) and a balanced side. We can't always have both.

 

[Groucho]

I can't see Genia figuring too stongly in selections until he eliminates the skip steps from his game. It just doesn't fit with the Cheika game plan - the ball reaches the 1st receiver too late.

Despite his box kicking, White has an excellent pass off the ground. There's no reason why Genia can't as well, provided Richard Graham puts it in the game plan at the Reds next year. With all the running talent in the Reds backline he should.

 

[Groucho]

Are u kidding me?? Skelton is an average player

How is a lock who is the biggest player in Super rugby, has great hands, but can't jump, "average" in any meaningful sense? Surely he's a complete outlier?

 

[FrankLind]

It'll be interesting to see how Skelton develops vs Tuipulotu in the All Blacks.
Both huge units, though Skelton is bigger, both have good ball handling skills, both not great in lineouts (though Tui' can take his own, just doesn't contest much), both don't seem great in the scrum.

A lot of similarities. The respective coaching and desire to improve will determine whether either goes on to be great players.

 

[barbarian]

Skelton showed some really nice signs against Ireland, was probably his best outing since his debut. Still takes 3 blokes to bring him down, which is more than you can say for any other Aussie forward.

 

[Mr Doug]

Horwill is injured - not that it matters, I think Skelton would've got the bench spot over him anyway.

It matters to Big Kev!!

 

[Forcefield]

Forcefield I think you are on the money here regarding Skelton and Neville. But at the brumbies, I'm not sure that apart from Carter who is already there and Fardy who is ideally a 6, there are others who are yet knocking on the door. Tom Staniforth and Rory Arnold perhaps some time after 2015. Yet to see how Blake Enever pans out but hoping for big things down the track. Also think Coleman will still be a bit green for 2015.

I was talking about them knocking on the door for the 2016 season. Thats two Super Rugby seasons on from now and I reckon at least one of Staniforth, Arnold and Enever will come good by then.

Not directed at you, but I really hate this idea that no new squad members can come into a team in 2015. Yes it would be great to have guys that are settled and familiar with each other but it isn't the be all and end all. New Zealand went down to their 4th choice fly-half in 2011. Jean-Marc Doussain made his debut for France in that final (I had to wikipedia to find someone ). So long as the majority of the squad is settled one or two new players isn't the end of the world and it may be better than persisting with someone who so far isn't proving why they should be there.

 

[qwerty51]

So despite Horwill being injured and no other locks left in the squad but Skelton (Jones a 6), people still don't want him selected? Right..

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The thing with Beale is he seems far more popular with coaches than he does with supporters. The last 3 Wallaby coaches have selected him - Deans and Link both had him in the run on 15. So it's not as if it's some sort of Cheika out-of-left-field thing.

Very good point.
But what's the winning percentage right now for those 3 coaches with the wobblies?

 

[Brumby Runner]

Not directed at you, but I really hate this idea that no new squad members can come into a team in 2015. So long as the majority of the squad is settled one or two new players isn't the end of the world and it may be better than persisting with someone who so far isn't proving why they should be there.

This I entirely agree with. For RWC 2015 I'd hope that someone like Angus Cottrill could get a run at 6 or 8. Plays with a lot of aggression and good skills. I also would have said PAE but he's now off O/S. In the backs, maybe a Kellaway but I would hope it didn't turn out like JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[Inside Shoulder]

This I entirely agree with. For RWC 2015 I'd hope that someone like Angus Cottrill could get a run at 6 or 8. Plays with a lot of aggression and good skills. I also would have said PAE but he's now off O/S. In the backs, maybe a Kellaway but I would hope it didn't turn out like JOC (James O'Connor).

Kellaway is yet to play a s 15 game........but he is a Tah

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

I'm no expert but I think Beale needs to run more direct angles off shorter passes , his sideways movement is like a blowfly looking for holes in a screen door ...(I hope the Honey badger would be proud of that one! ) seems to cramp his outside backs .