Wallabies 2020

[Blue]

You could count the number of players you have described that exist in the world on one hand.

Infact, you've pretty much just described PSdT - who was world player of the year. Maybe Itoje? but he certainly doesn't have the link play of an 8.

I can't think of any Kiwi's that play like that.

Fair enough. I am biased

I agree nobody can really fulfil those roles 100% but that should be the kind of ceiling you look for.

That is the blueprint. I believe the Kiwi Frizell is 95% there. He scares the living shite out of me. Has all the skills. The Pom's Curry, albeit a little light is excellent as well.

 

[Braveheart81]

One wrinkle in the backrow selection is that for the Brumbies, they play the 8 (Samu) on the edge and the 6 (Valetini) in the middle. This clearly suits those players.

For the other sides including the Reds which is most relevant given Wilson and Wright are potential starters, the 8 plays in the middle.

This will make it difficult to fit both Wright and Samu into the 6 and 8 jerseys because it lacks the guy who plays in tight in attack and makes those tough metres.

I think Wilson and Valetini could start together but I'd have Wilson on the edge because I think he's a better ball player.

I do think that one of Wilson and Valetini needs to start for the Wallabies.

 

[Derpus]

Fair enough. I am biased

I agree nobody can really fulfil those roles 100% but that should be the kind of ceiling you look for.

That is the blueprint. I believe the Kiwi Frizell is 95% there. He scares the living shite out of me. Has all the skills. The Pom's Curry, albeit a little light is excellent as well.

Is Curry a big feature in the lineout? i didn't think so.

I didn't think of Frizell, he seems close.

 

[fatprop]

Seems like I’m on my own here but there are lots of great individual options but they all have pretty big deficiencies. Wright at 6 is great for the lineout but is small and lacks impact around the park. Samu is fantastic out wide with the ball in hand but is small and is not a big hitter in close, in either rucks, defence or attack. The missing ingredient for me is a big 6 who is good in the lineout and around the park. The lack of which makes it hard to pick a balanced back row. Of course this is all just speculation. You could pick Hooper, Samu and McReight and maybe it’s a fast game and they dominate. Just not an easy decision for me.

The lineout is the best attacking tool in the game

But we have starting 2s who can't throw and questions over our locks ability at test level

IMHO we need as many back row options for the lineout that we can provide so our locks can't be focused easily

We don't have a big test 6 who can do it all so whoever we pick will be a compromise, I see Wright & Wilson as the best two options we have and they both add around the field positively

But this is the same justification for Hanigan @ 6 in the previous years we were running a dwarf backrow.

But we will continue to moan about what they don't have instead of what they contribute

 

[fatprop]

I am convinced that you will never see two open sides under Rennie.

He did at the chiefs (Cane & Messam), but I agree it is unlikely

 

[Dctarget]

Curry is terrifying, only 22 years old too. Will be tormenting us for yonks.

 

[Up the Guts]

I think a lot of these backrow combination issues could be easily settled by starting Naisarani at 8 but that's not going to happen.

Wilson at 8 and Wright/Samu at 6 is the pick based on form. If Valetini plays well this weekend though I reckon he's a chance of being selected at 6 with Samu at 8.

Edit: Valetini is not even starting this weekend so looks like he won't have much of a chance to elevate himself.

 

[Dctarget]

Edit: Valetini is not even starting this weekend so looks like he won't have much of a chance to elevate himself.

Valetini not starting, neither is White. Ikitau isn't even in the 23.

 

[Up the Guts]

Valetini not starting, neither is White. Ikitau isn't even in the 23.

No disrespect to Ikitau but this is just more evidence in my mind of what a waste of a selection he is.

 

[VassMan]

Valetini not starting in my mind makes him less likely to be the Wallabies starter at 6. And didn't Rennie say in the press release that Wilson still has some rough edges, so I don't think he'll be starting at 8.

My guess is Wright, Hooper and Samu. Even though can be opensides, Wright and Samu are pretty good in the lineout!

 

[Zero_Cool]

Wasn't I roasted a few weeks ago for saying Valetini isn't in the first choice back row for the Brumbies...

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

No disrespect to Ikitau but this is just more evidence in my mind of what a waste of a selection he is.

I don't. We know and he knows he isn't going to play but like Cheika before him Rennie wants to get blokes into the system so they know what he wants from them.

 

[Derpus]

I don't. We know and he knows he isn't going to play but like Cheika before him Rennie wants to get blokes into the system so they know what he wants from them.

The same way he wants Dempsey and Naisarani to know what he wants from them?

 

[Tex]

Wasn't I roasted a few weeks ago for saying Valetini isn't in the first choice back row for the Brumbies.

In forum world, some weeks you're the windscreen and others you're the bug

 

[Up the Guts]

I don't. We know and he knows he isn't going to play but like Cheika before him Rennie wants to get blokes into the system so they know what he wants from them.

I understand that argument for someone like Paisami, not someone who’s played a half of rugby all season.

 

[fatprop]

No disrespect to Ikitau but this is just more evidence in my mind of what a waste of a selection he is.

It is the type of stuff they do for younglings every year that they think have a future, Petia got the same treatment from memory

 

[Braveheart81]

I understand that argument for someone like Paisami, not someone who’s played a half of rugby all season.

If you see something in them that could make them elite in the years to come and you're also going to be the coach at the next RWC then I don't see an issue bringing that person in.

In a 44+ person squad it's hard to argue someone is a wasted pick. It's not like the person who would have been picked instead is close to a matchday 23.

I also don't think Valetini being on the bench for the Brumbies is going to impact his Wallabies chances. Rennie's decisions aren't going to be swayed by what Super Rugby coaches do in their selections for a single game.

 

[Dctarget]

 

[Up the Guts]

It is the type of stuff they do for younglings every year that they think have a future, Petia got the same treatment from memory

If you see something in them that could make them elite in the years to come and you're also going to be the coach at the next RWC then I don't see an issue bringing that person in.

In a 44+ person squad it's hard to argue someone is a wasted pick. It's not like the person who would have been picked instead is close to a matchday 23.

I also don't think Valetini being on the bench for the Brumbies is going to impact his Wallabies chances. Rennie's decisions aren't going to be swayed by what Super Rugby coaches do in their selections for a single game.

For me, the fact he's not even making the Brumbies' 23 signals he's at least a couple of years away from the Wallaby side. There's plenty of time to bring him into the setup in the following years.

From what I've seen of him, it looks like he'll be good enough to play a fair bit of test rugby but he's not a Petaia nor Tupou level talent where your goal is to get him into the side as quickly as possible.

 

[Blue]

T

But this is the same justification for Hanigan @ 6 in the previous years we were running a dwarf backrow.

But we will continue to moan about what they don't have instead of what they contribute

Perhaps he will experiment with Wilson at 6?

Why not?