Australian Rugby / RA

[Braveheart81]

Michael O'Connor confirmed as the third Wallabies selector.

 

[Derpus]

One of Hansen's great strengths is that he is a great selector, made easier by the depth of talent. Cheika's selections make no sense half the time so maybe someone asking him why he changes his locks every week and is there any chance we can see someone else at 10 will help.

Because that was the key to our success last season?

Hopefully we have a little more depth there this year.

 

[Bandar]

I think he is a good option - was worried that we would end up with one of the fox commentators like Kafer & Co

 

[KOB1987]

One of Hansen's great strengths is that he is a great selector, made easier by the depth of talent. Cheika's selections make no sense half the time so maybe someone asking him why he changes his locks every week and is there any chance we can see someone else at 10 will help.

So you think the continued selection of DMac is 'great'? What I've read from a lot of ABs supporters is analogous to the views on here of Hanigan's selection..

Agree with the depth of talent comment though, a poor selection is much more easily camouflaged in their world..

 

[Derpus]

So you think the continued selection of DMac is 'great'? What I've read from a lot of ABs supporters is analogous to the views on here of Hanigan's selection..

Agree with the depth of talent comment though, a poor selection is much more easily camouflaged in their world..

Dmac is not as good at 10 as Mo'unga or Barrett and not as good at fullback as a number of players.

He's a 23 or nothing.

 

[Braveheart81]

The best part is we will get to here all the same complaints about the next coach and his selections after a period of time because it always happens once they've been in the job for a while.

It will probably be slightly different people complaining because the group that is least unhappy about selections will have changed a bit but the arguments will still be the same.

 

[Derpus]

The best part is we will get to here all the same complaints about the next coach and his selections after a period of time because it always happens once they've been in the job for a while.

It will probably be slightly different people complaining because the group that is least unhappy about selections will have changed a bit but the arguments will still be the same.

Having a whinge is, apparently, half the fun.

 

[dru]

The best part is we will get to here all the same complaints about the next coach and his selections after a period of time because it always happens once they've been in the job for a while.

It will probably be slightly different people complaining because the group that is least unhappy about selections will have changed a bit but the arguments will still be the same.

You may be right BH. But Cheikas coaching and selection issues have been quite unique. OK if he keeps winning but not with this w/l ration. Any coach matching can rightly anticipate appropriation.

 

[Braveheart81]

You may be right BH. But Cheikas coaching and selection issues have been quite unique. OK if he keeps winning but not with this w/l ration. Any coach matching can rightly anticipate appropriation.

We went through all this with Deans for several years.

We didn't really have it with McKenzie because he only lasted a year.

Connolly was in the job for less than two years but lots of people had issues with who he opted with at the RWC (our worst ever result).

 

[dru]

We went through all this with Deans for several years.

We didn't really have it with McKenzie because he only lasted a year.

Connolly was in the job for less than two years but lots of people had issues with who he opted with at the RWC (our worst ever result).

Again yes. And no. Did any of them match Cheikas “performance” these last 12 months?

I agree the job is tough and will come with a risk of fan displeasure, but I also think Cheika is something of a stand out.

 

[Slim 293]

Connolly was in the job for less than two years but lots of people had issues with who he opted with at the RWC (our worst ever result).

I don't actually recall there being any contentious issues with the personnel selected going into RWC 2007?

Most of the squad picked itself.............

And although our prop stocks were weak, we went into the competition with the best we had at the time.

Having said that, some of the decisions he made prior to the RWC were no always great.......... eg. the first Wales test that year, Phil Waugh as captain, Giteau at 9.

 

[KOB1987]

We went through all this with Deans for several years.

We didn't really have it with McKenzie because he only lasted a year.

Connolly was in the job for less than two years but lots of people had issues with who he opted with at the RWC (our worst ever result).

Incorrect. We got it straight away with Link because one of his first ever non-incumbent selections was Beale at 10.

 

[Braveheart81]

Again yes. And no. Did any of them match Cheikas “performance” these last 12 months?

I agree the job is tough and will come with a risk of fan displeasure, but I also think Cheika is something of a stand out.

No, last year was our worst year since rugby went professional.

I just don't think the calls regarding selections has really changed that much over the last couple of years.

Anyway, if the same arguments aren't happening by mid 2021 to whoever the new coach is, I'll be very surprised.

 

[Slim 293]

Incorrect. We got it straight away with Link because one of his first ever non-incumbent selections was Beale at 10.

Not his first-ever......... Foley started at flyhalf in the French series.

 

[KOB1987]

Not his first-ever... Foley started at flyhalf in the French series.

That's true. I think his selection of Will Skelton in that series was mocked as well until he played out of his skin on debut.

 

[RugbyReg]

Incorrect. We got it straight away with Link because one of his first ever non-incumbent selections was Beale at 10.

in fact the first test Link coaches he debuted Matt To'omua at 10. He also had Sio, Fardy, Nick White and Kuridrani off the bench. That's a pretty handy bunch of rookies.

The biggest selection call Link made in that first year at least was ditching his former Reds leader, Horwill, as skipper in favour of Ben Mowen. Talk about contentious (that worked out ok, except in Ben not staying around).

Beale only played 2 tests under Link at 10. A 12-all draw v NZ in Sydney and the 51-20 drubbing the next week in Auckland.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Again yes. And no. Did any of them match Cheikas “performance” these last 12 months?

I agree the job is tough and will come with a risk of fan displeasure, but I also think Cheika is something of a stand out.

Most definitely so.

 

[Derpus]

Again yes. And no. Did any of them match Cheikas “performance” these last 12 months?

I agree the job is tough and will come with a risk of fan displeasure, but I also think Cheika is something of a stand out.

I strongly suspect Cheik's successor will struggle to improve results dramatically with the dearth of playing talent available.

It will be a lot easier to judge Cheika's tenure in comparison to how his successor fares. Just as Deans results don't seem so bad considering our results (2015 aside) since.

 

[Slim 293]

in fact the first test Link coaches he debuted Matt To'omua at 10. He also had Sio, Fardy, Nick White and Kuridrani off the bench. That's a pretty handy bunch of rookies.

The biggest selection call Link made in that first year at least was ditching his former Reds leader, Horwill, as skipper in favour of Ben Mowen. Talk about contentious (that worked out ok, except in Ben not staying around).

Beale only played 2 tests under Link at 10. A 12-all draw v NZ in Sydney and the 51-20 drubbing the next week in Auckland.

He made a number of big calls in that first year, and there were a lot of test debutantes that came from the Brumbies rise........

To'omua at 10 for the opening Bledisloe matches in 2013...........

Ditched Horwill as skipper for Genia...........

Then ditched Genia for White, and made Mowen skipper.........

He brought Fardy and Kuridrani into the starting lineup..........

Dropped Genia completely for the French series, and made Moore skipper.........

Gave Beale a shot at 10 for the first two Bledisloe matches in 2014.

 

['Tattsy'TaylorFan1]

There are a tonne of problems with rugby in Australia but I can't go past number one being the fact that we have four super rugby teams that each have totally different styles/game plans. Reds: hard bastard forwards that want to hurt people + give it to Samu to run at three defenders. Tahs: fast beats slow attack, get the ball out to the wide channels. Brumbies: in no mans land between trying to be like the Tahs' fast beats slow and lineout drive to win at all costs. Rebels: a cross between the Reds and South African rugby. How can we ever be aligned and not, "operating as silos" as Robbie Deans describes it?