Aussie Baa Baa's Vs Canada

[Hawko]

Looks like the national selectors are in love with Pat McCutcheon too. Although I'm a Tah supporter, this is one selection that baffles me. He played, I think, in four Super games and in one of those he was pretty good. In one other he was average and in two he was poor to invisible (not in the McCaw sense, in the sense that you'd swear he wasn't on the field that day).

Mowen and Vaea played at 8 all season with distinction. If they moved Dennis to 8 they could have trialled Saffy at 6. If Mumm was selected at 6 then Dennis could have started at 8. The best option would have been Beau to 7, Hodgson to 6 and Dennis to 8. If you listed all the better options you could find at least 10. I'm dumbfounded.

Still I doubt that we will perform well at all. Nucifora's coaching record with Auckland and the U-20's is that of a coach who cannot take good raw talent and mould it into an effective team. His job was identifying talent for the national squads and he might be good at that, but good squad coach he is not. Now he has morphed into senior assistant coach and national coach in waiting. Scary thought.

 

[Joe Blow]

Horses for courses I guess.
Sharpies lineout skills were needed to counter Victor and co.
Deans feels that someone more physical is needed against the Blacks. Mind you, Simmons didn't quite match up physically last time against the Blackness.
He may well go with Vicks and have Simmons on the bench alongside McCalman and Samo or Higgers.
I thought that Sharpie did man-up against the Boks pretty well.

 

[Sully]

While I am surprised that Sharpe is in the Baa Baa team I can see the reasoning. Vickerman needs big match game time and Simmons needs the experience. I think they have their eye on the main prize and the Tri Nations win would be a bonus.

 

[Skippy]

Yeah I don't think it's a case of Sharpy being dropped. More a case of giving Vickers game time prior to the WC and bringing a more physical presence in tight. This supports the theory that Deans believes the WC will be won by counter rucking not by pilfering due to the interpretation of the laws at present by referees.
I'm a Sharpy fan but I've always thought he struggled against NZ. They appear to have his measure in defence whne he runs the ball and he just doesn't seem as effective a ball runner against NZ as he is against other countries. No doubt the standard of the NZ defence is one factor but I sometimes think the pace of a Aus v NZ game is a little more than other tests and that catches Sharpy out. I've no doubt he will play a lot of WC games and Deans is just rotating at present.
Vickers needs a good 60 minutes against NZ to continue to develop his match fitness. He will bring a physicality to the pack this weekend with Samo/Higgers at 8 and can blow out for 60 minutes then bring on Simmons as the game opens up.

As for the Baa Baas.. I'm pleased to see Gits get a run out at 12. I've been wondering lately... whether he was going to get a shock call up for the NZ game as they need a goal kicker and I thought... I wonder if he could handle the wing? Never seen him play there but he's a similar build and pace to JOC (James O'Connor). And I'm sure he could play a similar role.

Don't know why Pat Much got a start. Strange.

 

[Joe Mac]

I am dumbfounded that Beau Robinson again misses out on selection. This guy has been shafted at every corner.

Very excited for the return of the great TPN to the paddock. Hopefully he can get through injury free!

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

Looks like the national selectors are in love with Pat McCutcheon too. Although I'm a Tah supporter, this is one selection that baffles me. He played, I think, in four Super games and in one of those he was pretty good. In one other he was average and in two he was poor to invisible (not in the McCaw sense, in the sense that you'd swear he wasn't on the field that day).

Mowen and Vaea played at 8 all season with distinction. If they moved Dennis to 8 they could have trialled Saffy at 6. If Mumm was selected at 6 then Dennis could have started at 8. The best option would have been Beau to 7, Hodgson to 6 and Dennis to 8. If you listed all the better options you could find at least 10. I'm dumbfounded.

Still I doubt that we will perform well at all. Nucifora's coaching record with Auckland and the U-20's is that of a coach who cannot take good raw talent and mould it into an effective team. His job was identifying talent for the national squads and he might be good at that, but good squad coach he is not. Now he has morphed into senior assistant coach and national coach in waiting. Scary thought.

Maybe it's due to tradition of the Baa Baa's. I believe there is a bit of a thing in picking somone who hasn't played for Australia. Correct me if im wrong, has he played for Aus?

As for Sharpe, i think giving him some good game time as well as giving Vickerman a good opportunity given the amount of Rugby he has played is a good thing. Plus a nice touch having him as captian.

We have a lot of depth in 2row. Keep them all guessing and firing. I am a massive fan of having Sharpe in the 22 somewhere however.

 

[What2040]

good to see Daley get a crack

 

[Scarfman]

I am dumbfounded that Beau Robinson again misses out on selection. This guy has been shafted at every corner.

Very excited for the return of the great TPN to the paddock. Hopefully he can get through injury free!

I've said it all along - he's just not a Robbie kind of player.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

I've said it all along - he's just not a Robbie kind of player.

Yeah i was discussing in another thread that i started regarding who would be the back up Number 7. There was a lot of good discussion about how the game is played thesedays and the need for fetchers are being reduced. He didn't have a great game against Samoa but i think he does have a future in the Wallabies, maybe just not now. I am a fan personally because he makes up with his lack of size with the size of his ticker.

BTW does he bleach his hair. He seems to be a bit of a 'Ranga' in which case he should be selected to ensure that the Rang quota is kept up in the Wallabies.

 

[Jets]

I guess Higgers covers the "Ranga" quota or maybe that is why Digby has bleached his hair so he can be counted too.

 

[BarneySF]

Is Palu unfit? Can't get any intel on that. Posters have said Robbie stated he wasn't going to be picked, but can't find anything on this. Apologies if already discussed.

 

[Richo]

He passed a fitness test for the RWC but Deans has said he was not considered this week. I'm reading that as him being the most injured of the injured players chosen for the RWC.

 

[qwerty51]

This is hilarious. People still can't get their heads around that Sharpe has been dropped. There is no resting, rotation, alternate motives.. He's dropped, not good enough. Accept it.

 

[08umema]

It's great to see Drew Mitchell make a return from injury. I was at the Reds v Tahs game when it happened and it was a pretty horrifying injury.
Best of luck to the boys Friday night!

 

[BarneySF]

That'll be interesting - so he then plays in all lead up games to try and get up to speed/risk burning out or does he get 'injured' to be replaced?

He passed a fitness test for the RWC but Deans has said he was not considered this week. I'm reading that as him being the most injured of the injured players chosen for the RWC.

 

[barbarian]

This is hilarious. People still can't get their heads around that Sharpe has been dropped. There is no resting, rotation, alternate motives.. He's dropped, not good enough. Accept it.

Ahh, Sharpe is back on the scrap heap and here is Qwerty! Didn't hear much from you after he was elevated to the Wallabies and played a good game. Because that wouldn't suit your pre-formed opinion of Sharpe, wouldn't it?

 

[qwerty51]

Ahh, Sharpe is back on the scrap heap and here is Qwerty! Didn't hear much from you after he was elevated to the Wallabies and played a good game. Because that wouldn't suit your pre-formed opinion of Sharpe, wouldn't it?

I did comment on it and I thought it was clear why Sharpe was there, Simmons was injured and therefore it was only between him and Vicks who was going to start. Vickerman needed the game time and therefore got 80 with Uni again. It actually made sense and was pretty clear.

But he here we have another game where we are playing our full strength side and some people still like to think Sharpe is being rested (for what fucking reason... he's the only one that's being treated like this if that's the case!) It's clear Robbie wants Vickerman and Horwill to start, I still think Sharpe could be valuable off the bench but it looks like he prefers Simmons.

If I were to point out the Wallabies 3 biggest weaknesses they would be the scrum, winning physical collisions and the breakdown. Now if I were to point out Sharpe's 3 biggest weaknesses they would be exactly the same imo - likewise I think those are Vickerman's 3 biggest strengths. Nothing against Sharpie as a person, great guy but I don't think he's good enough to be our Test lock any more.

If someone would like to comment on why they think Sharpe isn't being dropped, I'd love to hear it, I don't see how you can make a case for that when we're trying to win the TNs here. Sharpe is fit and surely you'd play your best side!

 

[Athilnaur]

Is it as simple as Simmons is the preferred player and isn't carrying an injury anymore? I also wonder if we aren't more effective in lineouts with Simmons in, but hell, hard to judge when Sharpe was competing against Matfield and co. I certainly think Horwill likes having him there.

edit: re injuries - Qwerty beat me to the post

 

[Scarfman]

If you were ranking them on lineouts you would have Vickerman 1st, then Sharpie 2nd then Simmons, whose still finding his feet.

In general play, Horwill 1st then Sharpie 2nd.

Scrum - I don't really know for sure, so let's put Sharpe 4th.

Based on recent form, Simmons is clearly the 4th lock, but I guess you and Mad Rob don't see it that way.

 

[qwerty51]

I think Sharpe is our best lineout jumper, also he's the 2nd best ball carrying lock. However we don't really need improvement in those areas, especially if we've got better ball carriers coming back into the side (Higgers, TPN, Palu etc.). We need physical players that will win collisions in the tackle and breakdown areas.