Wallabies Trinations Squad

[darkhorse]

Looking at the bigger picture, has Deans publicly said he will use the 3N for trialling players and combos? IMO, the winner of the 3N will be the winner of the World Cup as it will show the real depth of a country's player squad.

I see two clear strategies. Send out the strongest available team in each game of the 3N in the hope of winning as much as possible and demoralising the opposition. Or select conservatively at the outset with a greater emphasis on building momentum for a run for the finals. I seem to recall de Villiers saying he will not play his strongest team for the 3N in that he wants to cotton wool his older core player squad. The ABs are tentative when under pressure (i.e. world cup final on home soil) and will want to create a winning team ethos so I expect them to come out all guns blazing in the 3N. I'd be interested in hearing what people think Deans will do and his chances of success. I reckon that Deans will play his strongest team first up then take it one game at a time.

You would think so, but none of the winners of the trinations in a RWC year have gone onto win the cup. You musn't forget that after the trination, they will have 4 pool games to get their combinations going and hit their peak form in time for the knockout stages.

Playing your best team in the Trinations won't help you when injuries hit and it is very hard to maintain top form for 10-12 games.

 

[darkhorse]

PS. where was Samo playing before the Reds last year?

 

[Bullrush]

That's what I was saying, the injured players should get game time beforehand, as should some of less experienced guys, to get a feel for international rugby. I'm not saying anyone like Pyle, Samo or Robinson will be in the 22 come Tri-Nations time, but those blokes are pushing for WC spots, they won't get many chances apart from the tests against Samoa ect

Right....sorry mate

 

[TheTruth]

What about Daley at LHP (on the bench)- is pretty good around the park but scrummaging not good - IMO thats why Reds scrum is always under pressure. Having said that the Reds have been very successful with a scrum that constantly appears under the pump.

 

[RedsHappy]

Just as a theoretical aside: no disrespect to the Samoans, but does anyone think this single game will really simulate full-on 3N rugby and be highly useful as a test bed for Aus 3N and RWC squad selections? What really came out of last year's Test v Fiji (except the revelation that our scrum and forwards looked soft)?

In preparation for building a RWC team, and the right group going into the 3N, would it not potentially have been better for the ARU to arrange two matches along 'Probables vs Possibles' lines, one in Sydney and one in Brisbane, and use these as the basis for fine tuning both a 3N and RWC squad, especially as far more players could be thus trialled? I know there is a $ income issue, but I suspect two Pr v Po games would have yielded at least the same $s as one game vs Samoa.

 

[Godfrey]

Playing Pacific Island nations is really important for growing the game - that test isn't just there as a trial for the 3N.

 

[DPK]

Yeah RH, I've gotta agree with Godfrey on this one. Playing the Samoans is more about regional rugby development responsibilities than just developing our own team.

That said, we should probably be playing Argentina. They don't have a single warm up Test before the RWC.

 

[Jnor]

PS. where was Samo playing before the Reds last year?

Brumbies from memory. I think we all know the main reason he's playing like he's in his mid twenties now is that he spent all his twenties seagulling and not doing anything so he has a lot of pent up energy :fishing

 

[Bullrush]

Yeah RH, I've gotta agree with Godfrey on this one. Playing the Samoans is more about regional rugby development responsibilities than just developing our own team.

That said, we should probably be playing Argentina. They don't have a single warm up Test before the RWC.

Honestly....that is rubbish.

But isn't it the Argentinian Union's job to find their own matches??

 

[Ruggo]

28 posts and nothing about Anthony Fainga'a. People keep trying to crap on him but he passed yet another big test last night. The bloke is a must for the tri-nations squad.

 

[Joe Mac]

Looking at the bigger picture, has Deans publicly said he will use the 3N for trialling players and combos? IMO, the winner of the 3N will be the winner of the World Cup as it will show the real depth of a country's player squad.

I don't think anyone has won the 3N's and WC in the same year however, that shouldn't change anything. I think you have to play your best team every game (bar Samoa etc) that counts toward a trophy. Winning is a habit.

 

[RedsHappy]

Yeah RH, I've gotta agree with Godfrey on this one. Playing the Samoans is more about regional rugby development responsibilities than just developing our own team. That said, we should probably be playing Argentina. They don't have a single warm up Test before the RWC.

OK DPK and Godfrey, point taken, but it is now (and has been since 2010) ARU gospel that the Deans era was 'really' all about building for an RWC win, so it's just a tad inconsistent (to me anyway) with this doctrine that 2 months before that RWC, we'd make 'regional rugby development responsibilities' a priority when there's 3 other years available for same.

DPK - it know it's all theoretical now, but I rather like your idea of a pre-RWC Test v Argentina, I suspect that would have better for not only a more demanding player trial, but also a higher $ gate take.

 

[ACT Crusader]

IMO in a WC year if there are question marks over players, you play them in the 3Ns to find out the answer.

 

[tigerland12]

PS. where was Samo playing before the Reds last year?

He was either in Japan or not contracted I think, what a turn around by the big fella.

Ruggo I agree, he has been the form outside center this season for Australian Provinces, he kept SBW quiet all game yesterday and has done to opposition all season. Yes he doesn't offer as much in attack, but when you got Ioane, Beale, O'Connor ect in your backline would he be used that much?

 

[Viking]

28 posts and nothing about Anthony Fainga'a. People keep trying to crap on him but he passed yet another big test last night. The bloke is a must for the tri-nations squad.

Yes defensively he was superb! Digby, Lucus and Fainga were great at shutting down SBW and Fruen. If you want a defensive option in the centres then A.Fainga should get first pick (over barnes who is very fragile at the moment). Fainga still lacks something in attack though.

 

[Joe Mac]

Yes defensively he was superb! Digby, Lucus and Fainga were great at shutting down SBW and Fruen. If you want a defensive option in the centres then A.Fainga should get first pick (over barnes who is very fragile at the moment). Fainga still lacks something in attack though.

After last night im inclined to agree with you

 

[barbarian]

Yeah not sure about Fainga'a. Solid defender and uninspiring attacker at Super Level, and I highly doubt he could be anything more than average at international level. If we have been hit by injury then I wouldn't mind him coming in, but I would go with guys like McCabe and Cummins before I went to Fainga'a.

 

[Ruggo]

If JOC (James O'Connor) is not playing 12, I wan't Ant playing it. Coopers skill execution and decision making has improved dramatically and when required has filled a conservative role well. This makes Barnes a bit redundant in my view not to mention his skill execution has not been up to par. I would be happy for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to be outside him but I just wish he could develop some form of a passing game. Ant has the wood over him in this regard.

 

[Scotty]

Yeah not sure about Fainga'a. Solid defender and uninspiring attacker at Super Level, and I highly doubt he could be anything more than average at international level. If we have been hit by injury then I wouldn't mind him coming in, but I would go with guys like McCabe and Cummins before I went to Fainga'a.

Maybe average is good enough? His defense yesterday was almost like having an attacking weapon, the speed at which him and Lucas cut down their big opposites, and behind the advantage line, gives your forwards a huge chance to gain more turnovers and then QC (Quade Cooper) to counter attack. It was impressive - he was almost my man of the match.

If Cooper is the flyhalf, then we don't need amazing play making centres. We need strong defense, and hard straight runners. Cooper's passing makes it more important to have the speed and creativity out wider. The centres just need to be able to provide good support, run hard and get away the odd short pass.

 

[cyclopath]

What about TPN? I would take him over Moore any day

Bench. Moore to start.