9 Rounds In, Who's your Wallabies Captain

[Brumby Runner]

Vice-captain will be an equally important selection, I'd lean towards To'omua or Fardy (unlikely, but maybe Folau or Simmons).

I am convinced that Scott Fardy is the unofficial captain of the Brumbies. He reads the game as good as anyone and as often as not seems to be the player raising issues wiyh the refs or making decisions about penalty kicks etc. He is also seen quite a bit laying down the law to his team-mates.

It won't happen, I'm sure, but he would do a very good job as captain or vc imo.

 

[dillyboy]

If starting Poey - if not Moore.

Edit: And Quade for vc

 

[Sully]

I think Stephen Moore should be captain. Vice captain should be a inside back. Phipps, Foley or To'omua.
I'm not a fan of 7s as captain and I'm still not convinced of either Hooper's or Pocock's credentials as captain. Especially Pocock's.
Having said that McCaw goes pretty well in the role.

 

[cyclopath]

I think Stephen Moore should be captain. Vice captain should be a inside back. Phipps, Foley or To'omua.
I'm not a fan of 7s as captain and I'm still not convinced of either Hooper's or Pocock's credentials as captain. Especially Pocock's.
Having said that McCaw goes pretty well in the role.

McCaw is McCaw - he'd be the captain if he played 15! He just fits the role.
I agree about Moore, and I'm not sold either on Pocock or Hooper as captain - not that either are terrible, mind you. Hooper filled the role in Moore's absence reasonably, but Moore was chosen for a reason (albeit not by Cheika), and if fit, should be first picked at 2 and for mine, captain.
Pocock is a great player, as is Hooper, but that does not automatically mean a good captain.
My only issue with an inside back as VC is having someone who is a lock in their position. I'm not sure we do, although To'omua looks likely to be somewhere there. I wouldn't automatically make him VC / C however. Does he have captaincy experience?
Fardy is an interesting prospect, as Brumby Runner suggested, the only other forward that springs to mind at the moment. Slipper maybe, but props are always going to be 50-60 min players these days, so not at the top of my list (although I suppose you can apply that to hookers too).

 

[Ruggo]

An inside back that is a solid 80 minute player. Cooper fits that bill.

 

[cyclopath]

An inside back that is a solid 80 minute player. Cooper fits that bill.

He might after he comes back from a fractured scapula. He'll have an uphill battle to be fit, match-ready and so on by the Rugby Championship, let alone being chucked the VC job. I can maybe see him being in the mix for those Tests, but I don't think he is realistically a chance for VC at this stage. To be honest, if he gets back, I'd rather see him 100% focussed on his play rather than leadership issues. I think he needs to be
"selfish" in that way to be the best chance to play a part in Tests this year. Down the track, who knows?

 

[Bobby Sands]

He might after he comes back from a fractured scapula. He'll have an uphill battle to be fit, match-ready and so on by the Rugby Championship, let alone being chucked the VC job. I can maybe see him being in the mix for those Tests, but I don't think he is realistically a chance for VC at this stage. To be honest, if he gets back, I'd rather see him 100% focussed on his play rather than leadership issues. I think he needs to be
"selfish" in that way to be the best chance to play a part in Tests this year. Down the track, who knows?

Great answer Cyclo, I think you are spot-on in logic but also in approach.

 

[Tomikin]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) could be VC , but is he a lock for a start..

 

[boyo]

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) could be VC , but is he a lock for a start..

 

[Quick Hands]

^^^I had to read it a couple of times too. I think he means that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) might not necessarily be in the team.

 

[Godfrey]

Yeah I don't see AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as being in our best XV anymore, but he's only 1 injury away from it. I think behind the scenes the ARU would definitely be pushing for Moore particularly as their was so much talk originally about him setting cultural standards that had dropped, whereas Michael "That's Rugby" Hooper might not be their man for that. There is the Cheika factor of course though.

 

[fatprop]

I like Moore as a captain, but he is only going to play 50-60 minutes usually.

So the Vice Captain is going to be finishing off every match as Captain.

I don't see a stand out leader in the rest

 

[Tomikin]

Yeah I don't see AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as being in our best XV anymore, but he's only 1 injury away from it. I think behind the scenes the ARU would definitely be pushing for Moore particularly as their was so much talk originally about him setting cultural standards that had dropped, whereas Michael "That's Rugby" Hooper might not be their man for that. There is the Cheika factor of course though.

I actually think Cheika would be on the Moore Bandwagon.. He fit's everything that Cheika stands for as a coach. No Nonsense, Physical, Straight Shooter..

 

[ACT Crusader]

I like Moore as a captain, but he is only going to play 50-60 minutes usually.

So the Vice Captain is going to be finishing off every match as Captain.

I don't see a stand out leader in the rest

That's it. The VC selection will be just as critical. I can't see it being Hooper with Pocock being fit, unless there is a plan to play both opensides at the close of test matches.

The last few AB captains have been 80 minute players - McCaw, Umaga, Thorne

 

[Teh Other Dave]

Pfitzy ate the lot then managed to type out "B-e-a-l-e" just before he passed out.

He saw the impending K-Hole and realised he didn't have the time to type out '2006 West Coast Eagles'.

 

[Floggn']

I would like a Moore and Cooper combination. I think Bernie would do awesome work with Quade. It won't happen but its what I would like.

 

[Quick Hands]

I actually think Cheika would be on the Moore Bandwagon.. He fit's everything that Cheika stands for as a coach. No Nonsense, Physical, Straight Shooter..

I think that's right. Cheika re-appointed Dave Dennis at the Waratahs despite Hooper being in the run-on side. There's no reason to think he won't pick the best man for the job at the Wallabies. As a captain Moore is just miles ahead of Hooper and I'd be surprised if Hooper was appointed to the role if Moore is in the team. (And barring injury, Moore will be in the team)

 

[Floggn']

I think that's right. Cheika re-appointed Dave Dennis at the Waratahs despite Hooper being in the run-on side. There's no reason to think he won't pick the best man for the job at the Wallabies. As a captain Moore is just miles ahead of Hooper and I'd be surprised if Hooper was appointed to the role if Moore is in the team. (And barring injury, Moore will be in the team)

I agree and I also think if Pocock plays like he did last round Hooper isn't guaranteed a starting sport. In my mind your captain has to be the first person picked in a team every time with no doubts.

Moore currently has that guarantee.

 

[Quick Hands]

^^^Perhaps not the first picked, but the captain needs to be a secure member of the team who is picked as a player first and appointed captain second.

If they are both fit, I'd expect both Hooper and Pocock to be in the match day 23, which would mean whoever starts will come off at around 60 minutes.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I would like a Moore and Cooper combination. I think Bernie would do awesome work with Quade. It won't happen but its what I would like.

Totally agree. I would be astonished if Bernie couldn't take the raw materials of QC (Quade Cooper) and co and turn them into a very good unit.