Wallabies v England in Melbourne, 18 June

[Mr Doug]

This team will win in Melbourne.

Plenty of 'Man-Hate' here for Sam Carter, probably due to him giving away penalties in the past, offset by the copious amounts of man-love for other locks!!
Facts: 1.Carter wasn't on the field in Brisbane, when we leaked 15 penalties last week!!
2. Carter can go 80 minutes, at this level, unlike Skelton or Arnold!

I was happy to receive a 'phone call earlier tonight from Sam's Grandfather confirming the good news.
I have sent Sam a text message, conveying the support of Mrs Doug and myself.
I "held my tongue" leading up to the last test, feeling that Sam should have at least been in the 23.
He has an opportunity to prove his 'worth' in this group. Like the other 22 players .............. it's now up to him!

It's more good news on the 'other side of my family', with my cousin and his family receiving "the best winter rain since 2005" (after three and a half years of drought), on their two properties at Ilfracombe, east of Longreach in Queensland!!

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah we seem to be lacking that line bending sledgehammer in the pack, which worries me.

 

[Marcelo]

Sio out of the 23. Well done, Mario Ledesma!

 

[RoffsChoice]

Yeah we seem to be lacking that line bending sledgehammer in the pack, which worries me.

It falls to the front row, I'd guess, but that selection policy almost demands Sio.

 

[Mr Doug]

He was 'unleashed' last week against a tiring opposition with no impact at all. I'm not sure why we expect him to suddenly have more impact against fresh opposition.

McMahon is a disappointing choice for me. I expect the English to target him in contact and try and hold him up and/or go for a turnover. He runs like a madman with the right attitude but the wrong body height and his frame unfortunately doesn't match his rampaging attitude. (we need to put his mind into Palu's body).

Carter is a strange choice too, didn't think his form was too good, Horwill was solid.

Dropping Sio completely is also a big surprise, Not sure Toby Smith is a safe option - Sio offers so much more and I bet he will be pumped up to make amends. I would have kept him on the bench.

I see Cheika's choices as prioritising mobility. Carter and McMahon are fit and move around the park a lot, given the width we are playing the game he needs players who can get to rucks quick. That is only reason I can see Carter over Horwill and McMahon over Palu/McCalman.

Wow!! At last, someone who understands what is required to beat the Poms in 2016! Well done, Seb V.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

It falls to the front row, I'd guess, but that selection policy almost demands Sio.

Kepu is an excellent ball runner, so there's that at least.

 

[Marcelo]

McMahon is a disappointing choice for me. I expect the English to target him in contact and try and hold him up and/or go for a turnover. He runs like a madman with the right attitude but the wrong body height and his frame unfortunately doesn't match his rampaging attitude. (we need to put his mind into Palu's body).

If you want physically at 8, pick Lopeti Timani but he's useless at the line-out

 

[Mr Doug]

I predict, now that "Granny's 90th birthday festivities" have concluded, a certain red-haired, bearded member of the Royal Family will be sighted in the crowd on Saturday night, wearing a white jersey. If not this Saturday, then definitely the following Saturday, in Sydney.

I can't see Harry missing an opportunity to "put the boot into" the convicts!!

 

[Viking]

If you want physically at 8, pick Lopeti Timani but he's useless at the line-out

He is certainly the "style" of 8 I'd prefer. But I would never pick a player if they don't deserve it, they need to put in consistent super xv performances first to warrant selection. I'm not sure he has shown enough.

So realistically I see the only options as McCalman, Palu - as they are already test experienced players.

I would have loved to see Vaea this year, and I hope Timani can step up a level next year.

 

[Groucho]

Maybe Smith forced his way in by good performances at training?

 

[Tex]

This team will win in Melbourne.

Plenty of 'Man-Hate' here for Sam Carter, probably due to him giving away penalties in the past, offset by the copious amounts of man-love for other locks!!
Facts: 1.Carter wasn't on the field in Brisbane, when we leaked 15 penalties last week!!
2. Carter can go 80 minutes, at this level, unlike Skelton or Arnold!

I was happy to receive a 'phone call earlier tonight from Sam's Grandfather confirming the good news.
I have sent Sam a text message, conveying the support of Mrs Doug and myself.
I "held my tongue" leading up to the last test, feeling that Sam should have at least been in the 23.
He has an opportunity to prove his 'worth' in this group. Like the other 22 players ...... it's now up to him!

It's more good news on the 'other side of my family', with my cousin and his family receiving "the best winter rain since 2005" (after three and a half years of drought), on their two properties at Ilfracombe, east of Longreach in Queensland!!

Big week/end for the Doug clan! Enjoy

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[Twoilms]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

Correct me if i am wrong, but, isn't Carter the one who gave away the exact same penalty (against the highlanders i believe) three times in a row. Even after the ref explained exactly where he went wrong. Hardly the man with the rugby nous to combat a wily English pack.

Besides that a good squad selection, the lack of forward mobility was key to us losing the ball at inopportune moments in the first game and this one looks slightly lighter but quicker around the pitch. That Carter is the only 'mobile' second rower available is hardly Cheika's fault, i suppose.

Dropping Sio completely was also fairly harsh considering what he had to deal with.

 

[Joe Blow]

Kepu is an excellent ball runner, so there's that at least.

Slipper is no slouch either

 

[Brumby Runner]

Slipper is no slouch either

Seems to me that Slipper has concentrated more on being a distributor than a runner in recent times. Kepu is very good with ball in hand, but doesn't seem to do it often enough throughout a game. Hope they all do well, but I think we really are light on for hard runners in the forwards. Hooper may have to play a bit closer to the action this week. McMahon will go all night long, but has been less than impressive in his test appearances so far.

Glad to see the backline retained from Brisbane, although Horne may still have to get through some concussion protocols tomorrow before he is confirmed.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Glad to see the backline retained from Brisbane, although Horne may still have to get through some concussion protocols tomorrow before he is confirmed.

Which may explain why Morahan is in that extended team. It does seem like a 6-2 bench is on the cards. Last weekend I thought Lilo was exposed when he was forced to play out wide.

I can see the logic in the forward selections but there are risks whenever half the pack is changed from one week to another.

 

[Groucho]

Which may explain why Morahan is in that extended team. It does seem like a 6-2 bench is on the cards. Last weekend I thought Lilo was exposed when he was forced to play out wide.

I can see the logic in the forward selections but there are risks whenever half the pack is changed from one week to another.

Lilo played at 12.

 

[Ulrich]

Your 12 and 13 are playing together to build combinations. They are your future. I can see it from here because I'm impartial.

Australian coaches can coach all sorts of running lines and skills into a team and player. They'll be fine playing together over time.

Remember JdV and Jacques Fourie were not from the same franchise nor were F. Steyn and J Fourie, but thanks to playing together and Eddie Jones' influence they were a fluent combination during RWC 2007.

As Jake put it, roughly paraphrasing: "A good big player will always be better than a good smaller player."

 

[BarneySF]

Yeah we seem to be lacking that line bending sledgehammer in the pack, which worries me.

Shades of a Waugh-Smith thing

 

[fatprop]

We looked at our best last week when we could increase the pace of the game, I fail to see the logic of suggesting players who don't work within that model.

We will never beat England going up the middle, we need movement and pace to get the mismatches

 

[KOB1987]

It seems obvious that we will open with a fast, mobile game plan and then bring on the heavy artillery and slow it down later in the game.

With regards to McMahon, I was never a great fan and I agree that his test performances to date haven't been sensational, however I've been watching him this Super season and he's close to the leading back rower in the entire comp. So I've become a bit of a fan and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can offer on Saturday night.

If you look at the general playing attributes of Hooper, he's a hybrid 7/8 (in fact if he was 4-6 inches taller he'd be an ideal 8), and similarly Fardy is a hybrid 6/8. This enables Cheika to select a player in the mould of a 6/7 for the 3rd back rower, both Pocock and McMahon fit this mould. I'm hoping we don't get to find out, but I'm sure that an injury to either Hooper or Fardy would lead to a different selection at #8.