Scotland v Australia - Sunday 26 November 1:30am AEDT

[Lindommer]

......scrum seemed to go alright this morning WITHOUT your mate.

Scrubber, do you honestly think Australia's improved scrummaging performances "this morning" (and over the past year) came about after a coupla training sessions on tour? The upwards direction of our scrums has a lot in common with a bloody big ship, difficult and very slow to turn around.

 

[Ruggo]

If Scotland played the way they did against NZ, they will stuff us up big time. The way they play these days is both physical and smart. They had Fifita and Read in playing tight which is a good indicator NZ is being put under serious pressure. They will frustrate us up front and strangle our backs with a rush defense, cutting time and space for our big units out wide. Cheika doesn't impress me as a tactician so it will be interesting how we handle them.

 

[barbarian]

This really is a huge game now.

Is it? I'm not sure.

To be honest I've seen enough from the Wallabies this season to leave me feeling positive about where we are at. Yes it would be nice to beat Scotland at home, but I don't think it's make or break.

Which is why I'd be more than happy to see a few players get a rest - Kepu and TPN especially.

 

[drewprint]

Assuming Tui is fit, can we afford to drop Simmons, start Phillip with Enever, and have Tui off the bench?

 

[KOB1987]

I'm in the other camp. I agree that they've done enough to leave me feeling positive about the next couple of years, but I also think it's important that they go out on a high. They are all going to get a big rest after this game anyway, so what's the point of sitting them out? Maybe a meet in the middle approach of some key players like Kepu and TPN sitting on the bench and limiting their game time that way, but I wouldn't be leaving them out totally.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think it's an important game. A win here leaves us with a season we could fairly claim was a success.

We'd finish the season with 8 wins, 4 losses and 2 draws from our 14 tests and finish the year in 3rd place in the rankings.

A loss and we almost certainly drop out of third place and would have lost to Scotland twice in a season.

 

[Up the Guts]

Is it? I'm not sure.

To be honest I've seen enough from the Wallabies this season to leave me feeling positive about where we are at. Yes it would be nice to beat Scotland at home, but I don't think it's make or break.

Which is why I'd be more than happy to see a few players get a rest - Kepu and TPN especially.

Perhaps you are right for close followers of the Wallabies but for those who don't follow as closely I can see that if all they've read is that Australia lost 30-6 against England, without knowing how the game actually panned out, and then they wake up on Sunday morning finding we've lost against Scotland (not appreciating how good the Scottish team are these days) it may really dampen their perspective of some of the improvements the Wallabies have made. I think the win against NZ really sparked broader interest from the wider public and don't want to see it derailed by a loss against Scotland.

That said I do agree about introducing a few younger players whether it be off the bench or starting with the old heads ready to come on if necessary. It's been a long season and I don't reckon there's much to lose from setting a few youngsters loose who will be hungry to get stuck in.

 

[RugbyReg]

we are unfortunately at that stage of the tour where it would be good to give a couple of new faces ago, but at the same time most have played bugger all footy for a month or so, so is it fair to select them and expect them to perform against a very impressive Scottish outfit who pushed the ABs and beat us last match?

Players who haven't played this tour:

Tetera Faulkner
Lukhan Tui
Jordan Uelese
Taniela Tupou (late addition, last played NRC GF)
Billy Meakes
Izaia Perese

Both Joe Powell and Curtis Rona got some time off the bench v Japan.

Then of course there are the development players Liam Wright and Jack Maddocks.

10 players with bugger all time this tour. Valuable experience? Expensive waste of money?

 

[fatprop]

I would be playing the best available, we aren't good enough to f*ck around

 

[RugbyReg]

I would be playing the best available, we aren't good enough to f*ck around

the shame being do we know what our best available is?

 

[fatprop]

the shame being do we know what our best available is?

Yeah, the side pretty well picks itself, all the arguments come down what fit locks we have, who plays 6 and who plays 12 The rest are pretty well locked in The issue to me are those units good enough, despite being our best available for this week

 

[Scrubber2050]

Scrubber, do you honestly think Australia's improved scrummaging performances "this morning" (and over the past year) came about after a coupla training sessions on tour? The upwards direction of our scrums has a lot in common with a bloody big ship, difficult and very slow to turn around.

Personally I think our "improved scrummaging performances" have a hell of a lot more with Taf (at Hooker) and Sio and Keps playing well over the past 12 months, particularly TPN. Good old Mario should have moved Moore on a year or 2 ago if he was the scrum guru. He didn't. So I give fuckall to our Argentinian friend so I'm not shit scared that he will make the Argentinian scrum unbeatable.

 

[Braveheart81]

Personally I think our "improved scrummaging performances" have a hell of a lot more with Taf (at Hooker) and Sio and Keps playing well over the past 12 months, particularly TPN. Good old Mario should have moved Moore on a year or 2 ago if he was the scrum guru. He didn't. So I give fuckall to our Argentinian friend so I'm not shit scared that he will make the Argentinian scrum unbeatable.

Yes, I am sure it is entirely normal for the scrum coach to have the first and final say on when the national captain gets dropped.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Yes, I am sure it is entirely normal for the scrum coach to have the first and final say on when the national captain gets dropped.

You probably think that BH but I do not. But he can say that Moore is a shit scrummager and the other bloke is probably the best scrummaging hooker in the world. And if we want to have a competitive scrum you (Chek) should pick Taf. Seems fairly simple

 

[Joe Blow]

There is no point in giving anyone a rest if fit. This is the last game they will play until Super Rugby starts next year.
Send out the strongest side and hopefully finish off the year with a good win.............then all can take a breather.

 

[Brumby Runner]

If Scotland played the way they did against NZ, they will stuff us up big time. The way they play these days is both physical and smart. They had Fifita and Read in playing tight which is a good indicator NZ is being put under serious pressure. They will frustrate us up front and strangle our backs with a rush defense, cutting time and space for our big units out wide. Cheika doesn't impress me as a tactician so it will be interesting how we handle them.

The main concern is the flat backline attack we adopt against good, rushing defenses. It was seen again against England - forward passes one off the ruck or otherwise the ball receiver being hit in a hospital tackle the instant he gets the ball. Usually ending up in a dropped ball and turnover of possession. We need a whole lot more creativity in the No 10 spot, whether that be Foley, Hodge or Beale, but I am inclined to the view that we'll not see it with Cheika in charge.

 

[Dan54]

This got the makings of interesting test, Scots picked up a couple of injuries against the ABs, but geez they played so bloody well. Only question may be is if they can get up again this week? good way to finish the year I think!

 

[Brumby Runner]

Personally I think our "improved scrummaging performances" have a hell of a lot more with Taf (at Hooker) and Sio and Keps playing well over the past 12 months, particularly TPN. Good old Mario should have moved Moore on a year or 2 ago if he was the scrum guru. He didn't. So I give fuckall to our Argentinian friend so I'm not shit scared that he will make the Argentinian scrum unbeatable.

A lot of improvement seems to have coincided with Scott Sio finally overcoming his leg injury. He has now played the last two or three tests without support bandaging on his leg, so I take that as an indication he is finally getting back to full strength. His performance on the weekend against Cole would indicate that's the case.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Should be an interesting match for Sio.

Heard he was conceived by his parents on a tour to Scotland (when his Dad was playing rugby) and subsequently named Scot. (I might be totally wrong but don't think so).

I'm glad his old man wasn't playing Georgia at the time.

 

[TSR]

Should be an interesting match for Sio.

Heard he was conceived by his parents on a tour to Scotland (when his Dad was playing rugby) and subsequently named Scot. (I might be totally wrong but don't think so).

I'm glad his old man wasn't playing Georgia at the time.

Imagine how tough he would have been then