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The Wallabies Thread

drewprint

John Solomon (38)
Is Higgers injured? I'd have him starting over Hanigan, but at the very least he should be on the bench ahead of Dempsey.

Yeah yeah he didn't set the world alight in the mid year tests but who did.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Is Higgers injured? I'd have him starting over Hanigan, but at the very least he should be on the bench ahead of Dempsey.

Yeah yeah he didn't set the world alight in the mid year tests but who did.


I thought he was in Japan. He also may be injured because I haven't seen him listed for the NEC Green Rockets.
 

Ignoto

Greg Davis (50)
Higgers has had six years of opportunities...


I thought the last game we saw Higgers start (Fiji) there was a general consensus he played quite well? He may not have taken the opportunity with both hands, but you can't say any Australian forward has/did this year.
 

Scrubber2050

Mark Ella (57)
Higgers has had six years of opportunities...

Well he and Fardy would have been the form players this year in super rugby.

Fardy decided to abandon ship and not considered (quite unfairly IMO).

Chek should pick on Super form but obviously Slim you just disagree with that, probably because he is a Red.
 

drewprint

John Solomon (38)
All I'm saying is that at this point he'd offer much more than Hanigan and Dempsey.

But hey. Let's keep flogging that poor young blonde kid senseless before he's ready.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Well he and Fardy would have been the form players this year in super rugby.

Fardy decided to abandon ship and not considered (quite unfairly IMO).

Chek should pick on Super form but obviously Slim you just disagree with that, probably because he is a Red.

No, don't be a child - it's because after all of these years he still struggles to transform his Super rugby form into test rugby............ and for that reason I can understand Cheika going in the direction of developing a younger player, although I don't think Hanigan is good enough yet for test rugby either.
 

drewprint

John Solomon (38)
No, don't be a child - it's because after all of these years he still struggles to transform his Super rugby form into test rugby.... and for that reason I can understand Cheika going in the direction of developing a younger player, although I don't think Hanigan is good enough yet for test rugby either.

Garbage. Who offers the most to the team right now? I'll take an experienced, abrasive, but hot and cold 6 in Higgers over a player who has potential but is another season or two away from being ready. I don't think it's too much to ask for someone who's not going to get folded in contact at every tackle and ruck.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Garbage. Who offers the most to the team right now? I'll take an experienced, abrasive, but hot and cold 6 in Higgers over a player who has potential but is another season or two away from being ready. I don't think it's too much to ask for someone who's not going to get folded in contact at every tackle and ruck.


And if we persist with a 31 year old who has never shown consistent form at test level and then work out that he's never going to be much better in that environment and goes backwards before the next RWC, where are we then?

Both options are compromises. I think Higginbotham is a bigger compromise when you consider the RWC in two years and the fact he has had a substantial amount of test experience over a number of years and never excelled.

Regardless, if Higginbotham is in Australia, he must be injured because he isn't playing NRC.

I think it would have been great if Ross Haylett-Petty was in the squad because I think he has plenty of potential to play 6 at test level and has the right style of play for it (although seemingly he is also injured now).

Maybe Matt Phillip has another strong year next year and we can look at him as a 6/lock option.
 

upthereds#!

Ken Catchpole (46)
I think Higgers played a hell of a lot better in June then people give him credit for, he actively assisted in try scoring situations where few loose forwards could. Cheika forced a round peg into a square hole and got the shits when it didn't work out. His lack of impact at the breakdown was only easy to spotlight as Hooper and Hanigan were also absent. He played a hell of a lot better then Hanigan and has a lot more to offer then Dempsey and Korzyck....just like Moore has more to offer then Latu, Kepu has more to offer then Ainsley etc.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
It seems like people are still holding out the same hope that Higginbotham becomes a dynamic test backrower now at age 31 as when he was 26.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
No, people just want players selected who will improve the Wallabies chances of winning test matches..
previously that was Fardy, since then the gap hasn't been filled..


I would have selected Fardy this year too because his Super Rugby form was great and he's a proven performer at test level but I think Higginbotham is a different situation.

He was given two tests and showed that even after a season of very good Super Rugby form he was the same mediocre test player he always has been. Except this time he's 31.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
I would have selected Fardy this year too because his Super Rugby form was great and he's a proven performer at test level but I think Higginbotham is a different situation.

He was given two tests and showed that even after a season of very good Super Rugby form he was the same mediocre test player he always has been. Except this time he's 31.

I really don't agree his performances were mediocre..

And who gives a crap how old players are, first priority is to win test matches now, second priority should be to transition for the future..

Another reason releasing Fardy early and not selecting Fardy during the June test series was a mistake
 
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