RWC Pool D: Wallabies v Fiji, Sat 21st September, 2.45pm AEST, Sapporo Dome
- Thread starter KOB1987
- Start date
I would assume it comes down to scrummaging, we were dished up Samoa when the bench front row came on, one I can live with, but there was no adaption. I would assume Kepu is there for his loads of experience
And really TT has been quite like any other THP around the field this season, his "great impact" around the field was last year
Dctarget
John Eales (66)
Who's good to watch in the Fiji side? I have little knowledge of them, would be great to have a supporter's take on it.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
27 times!
Dctarget
John Eales (66)
Right, so he's our most experienced number 8 we've got (is this his first 6?)
Question for the backrow aficionados: Does Pocock's job change with no. 6 on his back? Or are we just playing with two 7s and no 6.
Warpath
Billy Sheehan (19)
Warpath
Billy Sheehan (19)
obviously Semi Trailer but if his wing partner gets the ball .. watch out, also openside Yato and prop Ravai in the forwards, Yato is like a complete forward, can play 4-8 and inside centre lol and Ravai is a prop cum winger
..if Niko Matawalu comes on early, he can win the game for fiji o his own but mcee in the last few tests has always brought him late ..so yeah, this game is Y YOURS to lose australia Kepu ahead of Tupou seems eminently reasonable; the Wallabies should be trying to play a tight, set-piece oriented game and Kepu is a much better scrummager.
Uelese ahead of Fainga'a is the real head-scratcher, unless the latter is being kept in his wrapper for bigger games.
Uelese ahead of Fainga'a is the real head-scratcher, unless the latter is being kept in his wrapper for bigger games.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
No, played a fair bit of 6 too, eg when Timu was at 8 v Ireland
Ignoto
John Thornett (49)
This is more to do with Cheika and Co's selection policy of constantly shoving the Pooper where it doesn't fit. If you throw Dempsey instead of LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), and Isi goes down, you're down to 2.5 jumpers. But, if Isi goes down, replaced by LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), you've still got 3 jumpers. Alternatively, if Pocock doesn't like the full game, we're back to 4 jumpers.
LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) or Dempsey should have started over Pocock, with the latter on the bench to come on for the reasons you mentioned above.
Bobas
Darby Loudon (17)
The Uelese selection has thrown me, I thought he'd maybe play against Georgia or something and was mainly there for the exp. Could really cause some issues if Latu gets carded and he ends up injured like he has done in the last 3 years trying to get his 4 international caps and 4 starts in super rugby.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Yeh, the only thing we really lose with playing both is height and a line-out option. Pocock to play tight as he does, and Hooper to play a big looser as he can.
Will be interesting to see how our line-out goes but I don't see any concerns against Fiji in this department.
Warpath
Billy Sheehan (19)
expecting one of the wingers to be injured in this, and Jordie will be starting in the next game on wing.
Viking
Mark Ella (57)
Petaia can be injected against Georgia and Uruguay. I think these two games are acceptable to develop a player with his potential. If all goes well - he could start in the QF, or come off the bench for impact - just hope that's against France/Argentina and not England.
B
Bobby Sands
Guest
It negates his primary strengths of “breaking away” from the scrum to be dominant as first hit in defence and over the ball.
It makes him more accountable for clearing the ball and running the ball. A bad use of his skill set in my mind.