Bledisloe #1 - AUS v NZL, ANZ Stadium, Sydney, August 8th

[Moono75]

I had a dream last night that saw Higgers start at 8 and put a Tongan sidestep on one of the ABs before running 70m to score under the posts.

So I guess we can put that conundrum to rest.

In a dream is about the only place Higgers would do that International form has been patchy at best.

 

[Viking]

I had a dream last night that saw Higgers start at 8 and put a Tongan sidestep on one of the ABs before running 70m to score under the posts.

So I guess we can put that conundrum to rest.

Can't be this weekend as Higgers isn't even named.

Must a vision for the RWC final

 

[Hawko]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Higgers wasn't named in the 31 man squad for the two Bledisloes.

My mistake. Probably has to be Dennis or McCalman. Dennis maybe so its like for like.

 

[Pfitzy]

Agree with most of your thinking, but I'd twist a couple of things. We need to be exploring a few things in preparation for the RWC without seriously weakening the team and I'd give To'omua another week's rest. I'd go with a 6:2 bench,

Problem there is To'omua will knock his own silly arse out at some point.

 

[Hawko]

Problem there is To'omua will knock his own silly arse out at some point.

This week I'm resting him so no problem. Next week probably has to be 5:3.

 

[Tex]

Can't be this weekend as Higgers isn't even named.

Must a vision for the RWC final

Must've been the copious amounts of warm milk and aniseed I consumed before bed.

 

[teach]

Getting your excuses in early? It's always an A team when we win...as far as I remember

Not quite sure how you read anything about excuses into my post. A number of All Blacks have said that they don't want to be the ones to lose the Bledisloe, so there will be no complacency, despite the last 12 years of results. I think it was Retallick I was listening to on the radio discussing it.

They will be doing everything they can to win it. I fully expect them to.
We are fielding established combinations, Wallabies are not.
We don't have any significant injuries, they do.
Both teams needing a win. Its going to be a cracker. I just hope nothing spoils it, like dodgy yellows/reds.

 

[the sabanator]

I'd be going all in this week with our absolute best XV. There'll be no confidence boost going into the RWC like getting some runs on the board against the ABs. So I'm picking:

1. Slipper
2. Moore (C)
3. Kepu
4. Horwill (Simmons if fit)
5. Skelton
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. McCalman (by all means it looks like Palu will be starting)
9. Phipps
10. Cooper (if he plays with some confidence we'll be hard to beat, but I envision Foley starting for fairly obvious reasons)
11. Speight
12. To'omua (if he's medically cleared, he's medically cleared)
13. Kuridrani
14. Ashley-Cooper (VC) - I don't think he's one of our two best wingers, but I think he's one of our best backs. Experience will prove invaluable at the RWC and against the ABs
15. Folau
16. Polota-Nau
17. Sio
18. Holmes
19. Mumm - bring on early if Horwill reverts to Reds form
20. Hooper
21. White
22. Foley
23. Mitchell

I'd be tempted to pick Mumm starting because I think this game will be there for the taking if we can out-physical the Kiwis. Opted for Pocock since he's a better lineout option, that means we'd line up 1 - Horwill, 2 - Fardy, 3 - Po, which could be an issue against a Retallick-Whitelock lineout.
Hopefully scrum practice has been a priority this week because I think we might actually have an advantage over the Kiwi scrum. It didn't look particularly flash against the Boks and the Sio-Holmes combo might be able to snare a penalty later in the game.
Either way, I'm looking forward to this one immensely. Come on Wallabies

 

[ForceFan]

My side for Saturday, with explanations
Skelton - Offers something different that we need to build on. He still has a way to go, but won't do it watching on TV

But he may get it by playing in the NRC and with an ongoing/focused training program.

Silly me! I thought National Sporting Teams were usually a compilation of the Best of the Best. The reason why we have qualification competitions and National Championships etc. The Olympics specify a minimum or qualifying standard which MUST be reached before even being considered for selection.

Have no problems with low cost options of development/work-in-progress players being part of a broader development squad.

However, out of a sense of fairness, still have issues with some players seemingly being an automatic inclusion, taking the same match payments as seasoned, reliable contributors and gaining the benefit of an ARU top-up when others are not treated in a similar manner.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

i heard of a side step, the goose step, the jink, and the Maori two step, but never the tongan step, what is a tongan step?

 

[Highlander35]

Straight over the top.

 

[Highlander35]

i heard of a side step, the goose step, the jink, and the Maori two step, but never the tongan step, what is a tongan step?

Straight over the top.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

ohhh so its just another name for the Maori two-step then.

 

[Froggy]

I take your point Forcefan, however I would argue that Skelton is already clearly our number one option at Super level so, to use your analogy, he's already reached the qualifying standard.
What he hasn't done sufficiently in my mind is make that next step to test level, but I beleive to do it he must play. Certainly a step I never made, but it's a big one!

 

[jollyswagman]

i heard of a side step, the goose step, the jink, and the Maori two step, but never the tongan step, what is a tongan step?

See one old player by the name of J.Lomu......probably the best proponent of the tongan sidestep there has been.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

yeah it turns out i was familiar with the step, i just thought it was called the maori two-step.

 

[fatprop]

I take your point Forcefan, however I would argue that Skelton is already clearly our number one option at Super level so, to use your analogy, he's already reached the qualifying standard.
What he hasn't done sufficiently in my mind is make that next step to test level, but I beleive to do it he must play. Certainly a step I never made, but it's a big one!

Skelton will be a key for the game, so much of our play comes from front foot ball that he supplies.

The Boks double teamed him all night and we (and he) struggled to get go forward, the Argies allowed it and we rolled over the top of them

 

[Groucho]

Not quite sure how you read anything about excuses into my post. A number of All Blacks have said that they don't want to be the ones to lose the Bledisloe, so there will be no complacency, despite the last 12 years of results. I think it was Retallick I was listening to on the radio discussing it.

They will be doing everything they can to win it. I fully expect them to.
We are fielding established combinations, Wallabies are not.
We don't have any significant injuries, they do.
Both teams needing a win. Its going to be a cracker. I just hope nothing spoils it, like dodgy yellows/reds.

Complacent people always say they're not. Really complacent people cite their own mental state as the reason they're not, rather than the opposition.

 

[teach]

Complacent people always say they're not. Really complacent people cite their own mental state as the reason they're not, rather than the opposition.

Thats a bit of a stretch. Complacent? In a the 2nd to last game before the RWC? A chance to sew up the Rugby Championship and retain the Bledisloe? There is so much riding on this game, for both teams, complacency is the last thing I would expect.

 

[qwerty51]

Skelton will be a key for the game, so much of our play comes from front foot ball that he supplies.

The Boks double teamed him all night and we (and he) struggled to get go forward, the Argies allowed it and we rolled over the top of them

More important the support runners have to get their timing right this time, that will come back with experience knowing which tackles he will break or not.