Ireland v Australia, Dublin, 16 Nov 2013

[No4918]

There is no way Timani has been better than Horwill in their two games together. He did look good off the bench earlier in the year but the sooner he goes to France the better.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Oh and you've dropped one of our top performers in Cooper to move To'omua to 10 even though he has looked much better at 12! Did you not see the difference in the backline structure when Cooper went off?

Yeah, I would drop Cooper for this game after seeing how Ireland played against Samoa and having a plan for how to beat them.

Apart from you obvious bias and self confessed hate for Genia?

My bias - I like the Wallabies. Hate - no. Wish he played as well for Australia as he did the Reds - yes.

Calling a rule 10 here mate. We disagree.

 

[No4918]

Cooper has been consistently in the top 5 players for the last four games and some are happy to drop him. Really??

 

[Zander]

There is no way Timani has been better than Horwill in their two games together. He did look good off the bench earlier in the year but the sooner he goes to France the better.

Missing the point, Ewen (and Robbie) clearly value Timani's shove at scrum time. Horwill packs on the LH side even with Simmons.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Yes I am happy to drop him for THIS game, I'm not kicking the guy from the damn team. I'm saying we pick forwards who win penalties, Lealiifano to kick those penalties when we're in range and To'omua to put it on their 5m line when we aren't.

This is the plan to beat Ireland - not the team I want every game.

 

[No4918]

Yes I am happy to drop him for THIS game, I'm not kicking the guy from the damn team. I'm saying we pick forwards who win penalties, Lealiifano to kick those penalties when we're in range and To'omua to put it on their 5m line when we aren't.

This is the plan to beat Ireland - not the team I want every game.

I just think there are enough problems that need worrying about before dropping one of the best. We can barely get one gameplan right two weeks in a row that I see mixing things up at this stage as a recipe for disaster.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I just think there are enough problems that need worrying about before dropping one of the best. We can barely get one gameplan right two weeks in a row that I see mixing things up at this stage as a recipe for disaster.

Fair enough, and tbh I'd be happy to see the same team named so long as we execute better than we did against Italy. We won't score as many tries and we will leak more than we did against Italy if we make the same mistakes.

 

[No4918]

Missing the point, Ewen (and Robbie) clearly value Timani's shove at scrum time. Horwill packs on the LH side even with Simmons.

Nope, must need to go watch the Pom test again to see this mythical impact.

 

[Zander]

Nope, must need to go watch the Pom test again to see this mythical impact.

Nope? I'm fairly sure I've seen Timani start the last two Tests.

 

[No4918]

Nope? I'm fairly sure I've seen Timani start the last two Tests.

Sorry, you missed the point. The scrum was destroyed verse England then satisfactory against Italy. The flankers staying attached had more impact than Timanis shove. He is not the scrum saviour, just a very lazy boy.

 

[Zander]

Sorry, you missed the point. The scrum was destroyed verse England then satisfactory against Italy. The flankers staying attached had more impact than Timanis shove. He is not the scrum saviour, just a very lazy boy.

No you've missed the point. Ewen and Robbie value Timani's shove at scrum time, why else is he there?

 

[gel]

Although a number of the guys look tired, I really don't think we should be making wholesale changes. We need for consistency.

Anyone that thinks the scrums haven't improved seriously needs to go and watch rounds 1 & 2 of the RC and see just how absolutely useless our scrum was. On a scale of 0-10, well there are not enough significant digits in the universe to adequately represent just how close our scrum was to a 0.

The gents that are on there now know what to do, because they have experienced the lows and the absolutely lows.

I just don't see the positives in frigging around with something that actually won.

 

[Gnostic]

I will not be surprised at all to see the Wallabies penalised off the park again at scrum time V Ireland (who is the ref by the way?). The Italian LHP was a real surprise to me, I was astounded that he was picked firstly, and secondly he was retained when he was the obvious weak link in the set piece the Italians would have been targeting. I don't think that anything can be taken from the Italian game regarding scrum performance/ perceptions of improvement. Yes the scrum has improved over the balance of 2013, but when it wasn't even super standard at the start that isn't saying much.

I do not see what Timani does to warrant selection. I do not see the supposed impact in the scrum, though that can be effectively hidden in the pack and general shiteness that has been the Wallaby scrum. What is really telling is the total lack of impact he has with ball in hand, and the rare times he actually connects with a tackle. It is very few tackles that he actually dominates and he is stopped on nearly all occasions well short of the advantage line. I would be astounded if he has made 1 run that has made more than 2 metres this year.

Judging from what the Irish put on against the Samoans they will be a huge step up next week, and offer far more than either the English or the Italians did.

 

[lpd]

Kane Douglas is ~ the same height, size as Timani, why not give him a run. From his cameo against England he looked to be in better form than he was earlier in the year.

 

[Paradox]

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Alexander (or Kepu although I'm not convinced he's better given he hasn't impressed as a starting tighthead)
4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Mowen (c)
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Cummins
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

Anyone noticed how much fitter Robinson looks?

 

[lewisr]

Fair enough, and tbh I'd be happy to see the same team named so long as we execute better than we did against Italy. We won't score as many tries and we will leak more than we did against Italy if we make the same mistakes.

Usually agree with you RC but i'd stick with Quade. I just can't bring myself to drop one of the most dangerous and consistently dangerous players in the team at this stage. I like your idea though and think this can still be achieved by putting white at 9 and bringing lilo back into 12 for kicking. But I cannot see this happening. Maybe White will be brought back but I doubt it.

I think we will see Simmons move to the second row for either Horwill or Timani and Fardy straight to 6.

My Heart says:


1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Fardy
7. Gill
8. Mowen (c)
9. White
10. Cooper
11. Cummins
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

I personally would keep To'omua there. If we go into our shells and just go for the points it won't work IN MY OPINION. We need to keep pushing this flat attack with Cooper and combined with Gill at the breakdown this will be successful and we wont need to struggle for penalties to win the match.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I like your idea though and think this can still be achieved by putting white at 9 and bringing lilo back into 12 for kicking. But I cannot see this happening. Maybe White will be brought back but I doubt it.
####
I personally would keep To'omua there. We need to keep pushing this flat attack with Cooper and combined with Gill at the breakdown this will be successful and we wont need to struggle for penalties to win the match.

I think if we are picking Cooper you can't drop To'omua. Plus, if Cooper has a good night his goalkicking is better than Lealiifano.
If Gill isn't selected at 7, you see the Irish secure their ball 99/100 times and give away next to no penalties and it doesn't matter if we pick the backline I suggested.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think the more we get into this EOYT the more consistent the Wallabies' efforts in the RC and so far on tour appear to be. Clearly, we are behind both NZ and SA and the results show that. We are a rung above Argentina and have the results accordingly. England are rightly ranked one spot above us, and beat us narrowly (if the officiating gaffs are taken into account). We are ranked well above Italy, and beat them quite handsomely.

Next week, we have Ireland who are below us and probably below Argentina (or closely ranked). I expect that we will beat Ireland if we play our best team. We need for this game to keep changes to a minimum imo. Fardy back at 6 and Simmons to the second row. Timani out of the squad and Douglas on the bench. I would like to see Will get a rest, but for Ireland I'd still start with him and bring Nic White on if he starts having brain farts again, or at about 20 minutes to go if the result is fairly clear. I think we could also give Robbo a starting spot with Slipper on the bench.

Scotland are further back, so some players like Will, Moore and Hooper especially should then get a rest.

Much as I'd also like to see Christian get a run, I think it is imperative now that we just keep Quade, Matt and Tevita at 10, 12 and 13 to build on the combinations they are putting together.

 

[FingalRaven]

I will not be surprised at all to see the Wallabies penalised off the park again at scrum time V Ireland (who is the ref by the way?). The Italian LHP was a real surprise to me, I was astounded that he was picked firstly, and secondly he was retained when he was the obvious weak link in the set piece the Italians would have been targeting. I don't think that anything can be taken from the Italian game regarding scrum performance/ perceptions of improvement. Yes the scrum has improved over the balance of 2013, but when it wasn't even super standard at the start that isn't saying much.

I do not see what Timani does to warrant selection. I do not see the supposed impact in the scrum, though that can be effectively hidden in the pack and general shiteness that has been the Wallaby scrum. What is really telling is the total lack of impact he has with ball in hand, and the rare times he actually connects with a tackle. It is very few tackles that he actually dominates and he is stopped on nearly all occasions well short of the advantage line. I would be astounded if he has made 1 run that has made more than 2 metres this year.

Judging from what the Irish put on against the Samoans they will be a huge step up next week, and offer far more than either the English or the Italians did.

Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Television match official: Geoff Warren (England)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)

 

[ChargerWA]

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Slipper
4. Simmons
5. Douglas
6. Fardy
7. Gill
8. Mowen (c)
9. White
10. Cooper
11. Cummins
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

Anyone noticed how much fitter Robinson looks?

I actually thought he looked like he had been on the pies.