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Wallabies v USA Eagles, 5th September, Soldier Field, Chicago

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BDA

BDA

Peter Johnson (47)
-Like the look of this team. actually, and I know others have already pointed this out ad nauseam, but it really showcases the depth of our squad at the moment is at an all time high. Anyone with a decent memory will remember years past when even our first choice bench options were a major fall in quality from our starting 15. good time to be a wallabies fan.

I think there's enough here to see that Cheika has probably settled on his side/combinations now. I believe moving forward we'll see the Phipps/Foley combo (first choice) and the genia/cooper combo (second choice) used in different matches, with To'omua and Giteau both in the 23 (either starting or bench).

The naiyaravoro selection I really don't mind. Marto was on Rugby HQ complaining about how Cheika should be using this time to be preparing our wingers who are playing at the world cup. The Reality is that who ever is coming off the wing in the final 10 minutes of this game is hardly going to get a stern test. No disrespect to the US, who I actually believe could hang with the Wallabies for a good 50 minute, but the wallabies will eventually run away with it and it'll likely be a game of touch footy in the final 10 minutes. I can't imagine a guy like Drew Mitchell will benefit much from that kind of cameo.
 
mudskipper

mudskipper

Colin Windon (37)
Brumby Jack said:
Wallabies team vs USA

1. James Slipper - C - (67 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (53 Tests)
3. Greg Holmes (17 Tests)
4. Kane Douglas (15 Tests)
5. Rob Simmons (52 Tests)
6. Ben McCalman - VC - (40 Tests)
7. Sean McMahon (3 Tests)
8. Wycliff Palu (55 Tests)
9. Nick Phipps (31 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (17 Tests)
11. Rob Horne (26 Tests)
12. Matt Giteau - VC - (95 Tests)
13. Henry Speight (3 Tests)
14. Joe Tomane (15 Tests)
15. Kurtley Beale (52 Tests)
16. James Hanson (9 Tests)
17. Scott Sio (9 Tests)
18. Toby Smith (uncapped)
19. Dean Mumm (36 Tests)
20. Sam Carter (11 Tests)
21. Quade Cooper (56 Tests)
22. Will Genia (59 Tests)
23. Taqele Naiyaravoro (Uncapped)
Click to expand...



Congrats to all the lads getting to play in a historical match at soldiers field against the USA Eagles... enjoy, should be a massive crowd... Go the Wallabies...
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Looks like Chris Malone is on tour with the Wallabies, good that we've finally got a kicking coach in-person.
 
Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Northfleet said:
Are you talking about the ABs or Wobs game? I would love to see what they call 'local'. It was a bit of hyperbole on my part. By casual, I meant your average American. Most of the people at the match in Nov were those of us lucky enough to have played the game. Everyone was in their club gear, which means they are/were players.
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Northfleet, I've been trying to find where I read that but I can't. I might be mistaken - sorry.
 
Tomikin

Tomikin

Simon Poidevin (60)
swingpass said:
so who is the reserve LHP Sio or Smith ?
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I do remember them Chekia and Larkham talk about having Sio on the THP, because of his build. But his probably up there battling as the best LHP in the country so not sure. Don't know if Smith has played THP either
 
Joe Blow

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
The only comment I would make regarding the 23 is that McMahon is the only true fetcher/openside, and he is really a 6 in disguise as a 7.
If I was the USA I would target the breakdown big time. If he goes down we could struggle
This will be a good test for McMahon to see if he can influence the game in a similar way to Pocock and/or Hooper.
 
RedsHappy

RedsHappy

Tony Shaw (54)
qwerty51 said:
Looks like Chris Malone is on tour with the Wallabies, good that we've finally got a kicking coach in-person.
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Certainly a better alternative than the hapless Deans' choice of Bram van S tutoring Wallaby kicking largely via Skype. That was beyond laughable, as were the results in general.

Though I am pretty sure that, whilst Malone was a 10, he is not a specialist kicking coach in any guise, rather he's a generalist HC (as he was at Syd Uni). I do agree 'better than nothing' but far from optimal and the best kickers typically use specialists (e.g. Wilkinson and Alred) whom have truly studied the bio-mechanics of the task, mental aspects, etc. As is so often the case as a more general principle, good kickers do not necessarily or automatically make good kicking coaches.

We are going to a RWC with no specialist forwards coach, no line-out coach (who could be forwards coach as one person), no true specialist kicking coach, and no elite mental skills coach or sports psychologist.

Only time will tell if this unusually thinly resourced coaching team is or is not adequate to get to the very top, or close enough to be applauded still.
 
Dumbledore

Dumbledore

Dick Tooth (41)
Joe Blow said:
The only comment I would make regarding the 23 is that McMahon is the only true fetcher/openside, and he is really a 6 in disguise as a 7.
If I was the USA I would target the breakdown big time. If he goes down we could struggle
This will be a good test for McMahon to see if he can influence the game in a similar way to Pocock and/or Hooper.
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Isn't that what everyone's been saying about Hooper for the last three years? It's nonsense. There's no one true way to play openside, look at how McCaw's style of play has evolved over the years.

Palu puts in huge graft at the ruck - especially compared to our other 8s. Similarly Douglas and Simmons have excellent involvement rates. Slipper puts in serious work, when not injured anyway. McCalman will put in work from 6 as well. The breakdown is going to be an absolute non-issue.
 
Highlander35

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
Lavalla is gone for the states. Fractured elbow. Gone from Rugby too, retiring to join the marines I believe. Big blow for them on the eve of the World cup.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Our problems at the breakdown recently generally come when our cleanouts are slow or more likely inaccurate. In my view they've been in the middle of the field more often where we've got less of our loose forwards close to the ball runner and are reliant on our locks and props to make the cleanout.

We need a strong breakdown presence from Palu, Simmons and Douglas in the centre of the field to make sure we control our own ball and give ourselves opportunities for front foot ball to attack.
 
kiap

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Not sure if already posted. Scully to fullback and Captain Wyles to the wing.

USA v Australia:

1. Eric Fry
2. Zach Fenoglio
3. Titi Lamositele
4. Cameron Dolan
5. Greg Peterson
6. Al McFarland
7. Andrew Durutalo
8. Samu Manoa
9. Mike Petri
10. AJ MacGinty
11. Chris Wyles (C)
12. Thretton Palamo
13. Seamus Kelly
14. Takudzwa Ngwenya
15. Blaine Scully

Reserves
16. Phil Thiel
17. Olive Kilifi
18. Chris Baumann
19. Louis Stanfill
20. John Quill
21. Danny Barrett
22. Shalom Suniula
23. Folau Niua
 
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