Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Tomikin]

So I think we all got what we were looking for in the next 4 to 6 weeks. Lealiifano at 10... If he gets some 2012 form going there it maybe hard for Matty T to get the 10 jersey back.

I hate seeing To'omua injured but you gotta look for silver linings.

 

[Brumbieman]

Agreed, it'll be interesting to see how he goes.

Here's hoping 2012 was the standard, not the aberration.

 

[BigSteve]

I would be absolutely stoked to have this team run out for the wallabies come the world cup. Granted depending on form some selections are questionable, but FFS if these guys could get some team chemistry it would be cracking footy to watch! And i think we could win a fair few games with this team.

1. James Slipper
2. Steven Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Rob Simmons
5. Will Skelton
6. Scott Fardy
7. David Pocock
8. Palu
9. Nick Phipps
10.Quade Cooper
11.Nick Cummins
12.Matt To'omua
13.Tevita Kuridrani
14.Henry Speight
15.Israel Folau

16.TPN
17.Scott Sio
18.Holmes
19.Rory Arnold / Adam coleman
20.Michael Hooper
21.Lopeti Timani / Scott Higginbotham
22.Will Genia
23. Bernard Foley/ James O’Connor / Mike Harris

 

[BDA]

I like your team BS. Big, physical, ball runners galore. I'd go with something similar, although I'd replace Cummins with JOC (James O'Connor) and put Horne on the bench, rather than Foley.

 

[Ruggo]

That is a bloody good starting 15.

 

[Slim 293]

I'd have something similar for a starting XV, but might need an AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or JOC (James O'Connor) type on the left wing instead of Cummins for a bit of balance.............

I'm not sure about that lock pair though.

 

[Quick Hands]

I'd have JOC (James O'Connor) as a starting winger, White instead of Genia and I'm not going to get into the Hooper/Pocock thing other than to say that they'll both be in the starting 23.

A 6/2 bench means the final back needs to balance whoever is on the field and also means that you have to factor in what you are going to do if 2 or more backs are injured. Foley can cover more positions that Harris or Cummins.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I would be absolutely stoked to have this team run out for the wallabies come the world cup. Granted depending on form some selections are questionable, but FFS if these guys could get some team chemistry it would be cracking footy to watch! And i think we could win a fair few games with this team.

1.James Slipper
2.Steven Moore
3.Sekope Kepu
4.Rob Simmons
5.Will Skelton
6.Scott Fardy
7.David Pocock
8.Palu
9.Nick Phipps
10.Quade Cooper
11.Nick Cummins
12.Matt To'omua
13.Tevita Kuridrani
14.Henry Speight
15.Israel Folau

16.TPN
17.Scott Sio
18.Holmes
19.Rory Arnold / Adam coleman
20.Michael Hooper
21.Lopeti Timani / Scott Higginbotham
22.Will Genia
23. Bernard Foley/ James O’Connor / Mike Harris

That would be my starting XV too at this stage of the season. It's got a good balance of grunt/impact, work rate, hurt on D and ball running options. Like it.

 

[light]

Love that team BigSteve!

Horne and McMahon perhaps a little unlucky.

 

[cyclopath]

I would be absolutely stoked to have this team run out for the wallabies come the world cup. Granted depending on form some selections are questionable, but FFS if these guys could get some team chemistry it would be cracking footy to watch! And i think we could win a fair few games with this team.

1.James Slipper
2.Steven Moore
3.Sekope Kepu
4.Rob Simmons
5.Will Skelton
6.Scott Fardy
7.David Pocock
8.Palu
9.Nick Phipps
10.Quade Cooper
11.Nick Cummins
12.Matt To'omua
13.Tevita Kuridrani
14.Henry Speight
15.Israel Folau

16.TPN
17.Scott Sio
18.Holmes
19.Rory Arnold / Adam coleman
20.Michael Hooper
21.Lopeti Timani / Scott Higginbotham
22.Will Genia
23. Bernard Foley/ James O’Connor / Mike Harris

Be nice if we have all those fit, firing and in form come the Test season (esp the starting XV). A solid core of players. Maybe a few tweaks in the reserves (and even starters) depending on second half of the season form etc, but it would be nice to be able to select such a 23.

 

[TOCC]

Samu Kerevi... The 2015 RWC will probably be a year too soon for him but his form in the poor Reds back-line has been pretty amazing. He is leading the Reds stats in line breaks/tackle busts, having achieved 14 tackle busts in the last 3 games alone and averaging 70 run meters per game in 2015.

 

[BDA]

I'd have JOC (James O'Connor) as a starting winger, White instead of Genia and I'm not going to get into the Hooper/Pocock thing other than to say that they'll both be in the starting 23.

A 6/2 bench means the final back needs to balance whoever is on the field and also means that you have to factor in what you are going to do if 2 or more backs are injured. Foley can cover more positions that Harris or Cummins.

I think if you play a 6/2 bench the two most obvious options for the 23rd man are Horne and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). Both are very versatile. I don't think we need to carry an extra 10 on the bench. In my opinion we are better off carrying a centre/wing. We'll most likely have To'omua already on the field, so I'd have him act as reserve 10 if needed. I personally like Horne, because he can play 11,12,13,14. With AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) he's not really a 12 so it would require more changes. Never use to be a fan of Horne but he's tough as a $2 steak.

If 2 backs are injured I'd move Phipps to wing or Hooper to centre

 

[Brumbieman]

I would be absolutely stoked to have this team run out for the wallabies come the world cup. Granted depending on form some selections are questionable, but FFS if these guys could get some team chemistry it would be cracking footy to watch! And i think we could win a fair few games with this team.

1.James Slipper
2.Steven Moore
3.Sekope Kepu
4.Rob Simmons
5.Will Skelton
6.Scott Fardy
7.David Pocock
8.Palu
9.Nick Phipps
10.Quade Cooper
11.Nick Cummins
12.Matt To'omua
13.Tevita Kuridrani
14.Henry Speight
15.Israel Folau

16.TPN
17.Scott Sio
18.Holmes
19.Rory Arnold / Adam coleman
20.Michael Hooper
21.Lopeti Timani / Scott Higginbotham
22.Will Genia
23. Bernard Foley/ James O’Connor / Mike Harris

Carter in for Simmons (about as much use around the field, but seems to have more than one brain cell).

Possibly Vaea in the 21 jersey, better ball runner for impact to help us finish strongly, but other than that, spot on mate.

 

[qwerty51]

What is so good about Nick Cummins? He runs into contact, not space. I'd take Speight, Horne, JOC (James O'Connor), Tomane, Turner, Naiyaravoro, Betham and Kuridrani over him.

 

[BDA]

i think it's fair to say Tomane has well and truly played himself out of contention over the last 2 weeks.

Things that people like about cummins:-

- attitude
- toughness
- loves the collision
- plays with real passion for the jersey - which nearly always translates into a good performance.

Whilst I would certainly have Speight, JOC (James O'Connor) and Horne ahead of Cummins, I do like him. He has the unfortunate disadvantage of playing in a team that hardly ever gets the ball to its wingers.

 

[qwerty51]

Those are some superficial attributes. What about rugby ability? Pretty poor defender that gets caught out a lot. Struggles to beat defenders, just runs into contact with admittedly a lot of intent and force but that doesn't' get you very far at Test level.

 

[Bairdy]

What is so good about Nick Cummins?

15 caps. 6 tries. Not a bad strike rate at international level compared to Speight, Horne and Tomane.

He runs into contact, not space. I'd take Speight, Horne, JOC (James O'Connor), Tomane, Turner, Naiyaravoro, Betham and Kuridrani over him.

And that's a bad thing, why? It is not all his fault if he gets the ball with no space. Better he runs over people than crab across field.

You're taking the piss if you rank most of those guys, bar Horne, Turner, and an in-form JOC (James O'Connor), over one of our more reliable finishers at test level in recent time.

 

[nathan]

Let's just say that Lilo does recapture that 2012 form in which he had two direct centres rather than a 2nd five scenario. Who would fill that role currently?

1.James Slipper
2.Steven Moore
3.Sekope Kepu
4.Rob Simmons
5.Will Skelton
6.Scott Fardy
7.David Pocock
8.Ben McCalman
9.Nick Phipps
10. Christian Lealifano
11. Adam Ashley Cooper
12. Samu Kerevi
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Henry Speight
15. Israel Folau

16. TPN
17. Sio
18. PAE
19. Rory Arnold
20. Michael Hooper
21. Ita Vaea
22. Will Genia
23. Matt To'omua

 

[Brumby Runner]

Bit Harsh on White. Didn't he only play like 2 Test matches?
Phipps starting a heap of tests and was very average for a couple of test seasons before he lifted his game last season.

I certainly would be starting with Phipps but I wouldn't ride off a player as fresh and young as Nic White.

Nic was undisputed second No 9 to Genia and was selected for a number of tests under Deans but sat the whole time on the bench (remember Deans' absolute mismanagement of the bench?). He opted to undergo shoulder surgery because he wasn't getting a run and then Will got injured. Had Deans been a better coach, or had Nic stayed around instead of going under the knife, he would have established himself at that time as the test half back.

He eventually played a couple of tests and critics will never let go of the last kick against the ABs which led to the loss of that test match. That despite the fact that the ABs would not have scored on the phase play they did if Foley had made the critical tackle that allowed them to go in for the try. But that's all water under the bridge. It is fact that Will has not come back as good as he was from his injury, and Phipps has had a very ordinary start to the 2015 season. I just don't see how any student of the game could suggest that White hasn't been the standout No 9 so far this year.

Nick Stirzaker has been mentioned. His inability to manage the attack for the Rebels week in and week out has him a very distant prospect atm.

 

[Brumby Runner]

What is so good about Nick Cummins? He runs into contact, not space. I'd take Speight, Horne, JOC (James O'Connor), Tomane, Turner, Naiyaravoro, Betham and Kuridrani over him.

HB hasn't been in good form since his return from Japan, but neither has JOC (James O'Connor) shown any form at all since coming back from Europe. In HB's favour is that he has a whole lot more recent good form at Super rugby than JOC (James O'Connor) has.

It really is up to JOC (James O'Connor) to prove he is worthy of a spot before he should be considered in anyone's deliberations.