Scotland v Australia, Murrayfield, 5am 24 Nov 2013

[TOCC]

This is only taking the Scots lightly if you think we have got 20 or so reasonable players and the other ten are rubbish. You can hold that opinion if you like but I don't think its supported by the facts.

You mean these facts, last two test between these countries:

Australia 6-9 Scotland(2012)
Scotland 9-8 Australia(2009)

 

[ChargerWA]

If Kurdirani goes then AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to 13. Tomane to the wing.

Be happy to start with the same team as this week but clear the bench at 40 minutes if everything is going well.

 

[Ruggo]

The match against Wales will be a huge step up from Ireland and if we want to win that then a number of strategic players should be given a week off to freshen up. The squad has large numbers of players who have learnt nothing but how to cheer and carry tackle bags. When given a chance so far, players like Ryan, Foley, Lilo and Douglas have not looked out of place.

I think on Thursday the first thing to look at is the weather forecast. If we are not looking at playing in the rain or on a bog then we should look to rest some key forwards for the Wales game to come:

Robinson TPN Kepu
Douglas Simmons
Fardy Dennis (c) Gill
White Foley
Tomane To'omua AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) Cummins
Folau

Fainga'a Slipper Ryan
Timani McCalman
Phipps Lilo CFS

If we can get well ahead by oranges, then change Simmons, Kepu, Folau (Lilo to 10, Foley to 15) and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (Cummins to 13, CFS to 14) before 50 minutes.

This is only taking the Scots lightly if you think we have got 20 or so reasonable players and the other ten are rubbish. You can hold that opinion if you like but I don't think its supported by the facts.

That's one way to view my post but the angle I am coming from is one of consistency. I think certain players should have been rested by now but the horse has already bolted. Now we seem to be finding our way, we should be not making changes. We should be taking one game at a time and that is Scotland next. Forget about Wales until we have played Scotland. The same Scotland that have beaten us the last two times we have played them. That is where our attention should lie.

 

[BDA]

The match against Wales will be a huge step up from Ireland and if we want to win that then a number of strategic players should be given a week off to freshen up. The squad has large numbers of players who have learnt nothing but how to cheer and carry tackle bags. When given a chance so far, players like Ryan, Foley, Lilo and Douglas have not looked out of place.

I think on Thursday the first thing to look at is the weather forecast. If we are not looking at playing in the rain or on a bog then we should look to rest some key forwards for the Wales game to come:

Robinson TPN Kepu
Douglas Simmons
Fardy Dennis (c) Gill
White Foley
Tomane To'omua AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) Cummins
Folau

Fainga'a Slipper Ryan
Timani McCalman
Phipps Lilo CFS

If we can get well ahead by oranges, then change Simmons, Kepu, Folau (Lilo to 10, Foley to 15) and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (Cummins to 13, CFS to 14) before 50 minutes.

This is only taking the Scots lightly if you think we have got 20 or so reasonable players and the other ten are rubbish. You can hold that opinion if you like but I don't think its supported by the facts.

I agree with others in that we shouldn't look to change the whole team simply because of the perceived strength/weakness of the scots. we should try to maintain combinations and keep the performing players on the field.

I also agree with you comments that we should be confident in the players in the greater squad (which I am). I think we have strong reinforcements for some of the positions like hooker and no.7. But two of the changes you're suggesting i think should be avoided.
Firstly, dropping the captain and replacing him with a new rookie captain in Dennis, I don't understand and I think that will weaken our side.
Secondly dropping our vice captain and the form player in our team atm.
Those changes seem to be more about giving Dennis and Foley a run than actually thinking it will make our team better. I think both changes would weaken us and possibly make us vulnerable

 

[Quick Hands]

Forget what's happening in 2 weeks, forget how good the opposition may or may not be, forget the weather forecast, let's just pick our best team, which at the moment is the squad who played last night (subject to injury or suspension).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I don't think that we have the luxury of being able to rest players for TEST matches. Put the best available team on the field to start. Enough with the experimentation.

We have taken the Scots and Samoans easy in the past and look at what was the result of that.

 

[BDA]

Forget what's happening in 2 weeks, forget how good the opposition may or may not be, forget the weather forecast, let's just pick our best team, which at the moment is the squad who played last night (subject to injury or suspension).

Ive suggested resting Moore and Hooper but I think TPN and Gill are very strong replacements, arguably better on their day.

 

[TOCC]

I reckon we should go for our best team and really put Scotland to the sword... The wallabies as a team need all the confidence and belief they can get after a dismal 12 months, try and finish the season with 4 consecutive wins and set ourselves up for a better 2014...

Introducing new players into key/pivotal positions just for the sake of giving them a runs risk disrupting the tiny momentum they have built.

 

[Paradox]

I really don't think TPN is fit enough to start and our lineout needs to function. I'd play the same side as last week possibly resting AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

 

[A mutterer]

I agree. While we have looked good against the least 2 teams on their off days, and put on some tries, we are still vastly lacking in some key areas like consistency and passing in front of the man.

we lack that clinical approach and a desire to just absolutely smash and demolish (physically and mentally). i want to see more improvement next week, with cleaner hands and a strong intent to smash the scots.

and most of all we need to avoid the trap of overestimating where we are as a team, and underestimate the scots.

 

[cyclopath]

If we were going for a Grand Slam would we be resting players? No.
Personally, I don't see that this next game assumes any less importance because we lost to England.
Maybe use the bench sooner if we have the luxury, but keep the momentum going. Fucked if I want to see us give Scotland a chance if we can avoid it.

 

[FilthRugby]

Scotland can be dangerous, the only thing that could damage the Wallabies would be falling into the trap of playing boring, conservative rugby like Scotland do. I agree with TOCC, we shouldn't be resting too many players, we have a real go to beat the Scots convincingly, to boost confidence.

 

[FilthRugby]

With that being said, I cannot wait for the scrums!!

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I reckon we should go for our best team and really put Scotland to the sword. The wallabies as a team need all the confidence and belief they can get after a dismal 12 months, try and finish the season with 4 consecutive wins and set ourselves up for a better 2014.

Introducing new players into key/pivotal positions just for the sake of giving them a runs risk disrupting the tiny momentum they have built.

I agree except these are the games when we let ourselves down so I'd just settle for picking the best team and having a comprehensive victory.

 

[Richo]

Last night I was chatting with a mate about the Wallabies and we were talking about how they keep losing these "big" matches that just deflate interest -- the latest being England, which killed any non-tragic interest in the EOYT. We must win the remaining games. We can't have another embarrassing front page.

 

[Quick Hands]

I reckon we should go for our best team and really put Scotland to the sword. The wallabies as a team need all the confidence and belief they can get after a dismal 12 months, try and finish the season with 4 consecutive wins and set ourselves up for a better 2014.

Introducing new players into key/pivotal positions just for the sake of giving them a runs risk disrupting the tiny momentum they have built.

Completely agree.

They continual shuffling of players in and out of the starting side and different positions within the starting side was one of the key problems of the Deans era. McKenzie needs to avoid any hint of that. Tinkering with the team and either losing or having a scrappy win puts him and the players under increased pressure.

 

[Richo]

Completely agree.

They continual shuffling of players in and out of the starting side and different positions within the starting side was one of the key problems of the Deans era. McKenzie needs to avoid any hint of that. Tinkering with the team and either losing or having a scrappy win puts him and the players under increased pressure.

I wonder if we take our cues from the All Blacks too much. They rotate players against lesser opponents, but they're the best team in the world by some margin and their depth is incredible. They don't lose much when they go to their second or even third option. We are not close to that level. We really can't view that many teams as easy beats, especially at the moment. Once we're winning 70% of our matches, sure, rest blokes against Scotland. But we're not even remotely close to that.

 

[Zander]

Resting players puts you in with the best chance of beating Wales.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

My team to play the molts

1 Robinson
2 TPN
3 Kepu
4 Simmons
5 Douglas
6 Fardy
7 Gill
8 Mowan

9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Cummins/CFS
12 Tomua
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Cummins
14 Tomane
15 Izzy

16 Moore
17 Slipper
18 Ryan
19 Sita
20 Hooper
21 White
22 Foley
23 Lilo

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[ChargerWA]

Reports AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) could be out with a shoulder injury next week. If that's the case I reckon Cummins to 13 and Tomane to wing with F Sautia to the bench.