Wallabies 2019 Thread

I doubt any Wallaby coach chooses a lesser player intentionally. If it’s touch and go they may go with one they know will do the job or one who has outstanding on the training paddock.
In Cheikas case I believe he chose the game and style he wanted to play and then selected the players to get it done. It just so happens it was the same game he had instilled at the Tahs.

Hopefully the next coach will build the Wallabies game around his core group of players.

Tomkin do you know about the camp he missed for "personal reasons" (I seem to remember hearing it was a wedding)?

I reckon Petaia will lock down one wing spot bringing pace and second fullback ability.

I'm hoping to be the case, would love to see what he brings to the wing, which I'm sure is easily a lot more pace and line-breaking abilities then the rest.

I must be the only Brumbies supporter who isn't upset about Samu not making it into the squad. I could see it happening a mile away. Hooper and Pocock if fit were also going to go and IMO with his skill-set and lack of height is rightly competing with both of them for a spot.

McCaffrey had a good season too - BUT his skill-set is around a high work-rate, and I doubt his physicality at international level. I think he would get found out. He would be one of the smallest 8's around.

Petaia actually has a pretty good vertical leap and is quite good under the highball, wouldn’t be surprised to see a cross kick tested out his way

Samu, Toomua, White, JOC and Jones were persuaded to return to Oz with the RWC coming up and squad spots on the line.
Samu and Jones missed the squad with little opportunity this year.
How was Samu going to make the squad with both Hooper and Pocock fit? You can’t carry too many shorter back rowers.
Then Cheika was trying to convince Skelton to comeback a week or so before the squad was announced. Who’s spot would be have taken? Simmons is one of our most proficient set piece locks. Coleman? No one can convince me that Skelton is anywhere near as well rounded and good as a test lock. We have a couple of locks playing in Oz not considered that I would choose ahead of Skelton.
It’s not a very good message to send.

I mean, all provincial bias aside, Coleman's played 40ish minutes of good footy this year, along with injuries and plenty of bad footy. Wouldn't have been hard to argue for his exclusion had LSL been considered a lock and given a Samu or Jones a good shot at the 6 jersey.

I guess so. On the other hand he is proven at test level and has has the runs on the board. In the case of Skelton his test career so far has been underwhelming at best.

How pathetic. Quite standard really.

Happy for you.

Fair!

Me too.

And it was back then, easily. The Waratahs were so far ahead of the other Aussie franchises there was literally no comparison. It's probably worth pointing out to Brumby Runner that Simmo was a Red in 2014, and for three more years afterwards.

I'll be the first to endorse this once proven next weekend.

I did wonder if this was the reason for the lack of a second 'strike' winger in the squad. He could fill that role with a kicking game as well.

Of course not. But he is losing, and has lost many more than he has won. That's precisely why many call him out as an incompetent coach. The fact that he appears to have little idea (information - call it what you like) about alternative players is why he calls out as an incompetent selector. Unfortunately, for all the love that goes his way from many Tahs posters here, it has been a very cruel past 4 - 5 years for the rest of us.

Water always finds its level mate.

And the Tahs made him a much better player. No question.