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Wallabies 2020

Micheal

Micheal

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Slim 293 said:
Strongly disagree - Samu is the same size as McMahon (and similar in size to Savea), and is just as strong in contact....
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Ardie Savea is 3 inches -- or a quarter of a foot -- taller than Samu and waaaaay more explosive. As is McMahon, as is Hooper.

Don't get me wrong, I want to see Samu given more chances at test level, but let's not state incorrect facts here.

I also think Samu will get his opportunities off the bench.
 
Up the Guts

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
I rate Samu very highly but looking back at the WC final England had one of the best performing backrows in the tournament and they were absolutely beasted by SA’s monster backrow. I’m not sure carrying a smaller 6 is the way to go for us and would rather see him off the bench (or at 7 but hard to argue with Hooper’s stats on the weekend).
 
Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Micheal said:
Ardie Savea is 3 inches -- or a quarter of a foot -- taller than Samu and waaaaay more explosive. As is McMahon, as is Hooper.
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Hooper and McMahon more explosive than Samu?

I'm not sure about that....... Samu's ball carrying stats were up there with Naisarani's last year.

Savea is about 3cm taller than Samu and McMahon though, definitely the best of the lot though.

Anyways, it all depends on the makeup of the backrow.

I probably wouldn't start with Samu either - he's ideal off the bench, but it's laughable to suggest he's too small for test rugby.
 
Wilson

Wilson

David Codey (61)
Would very much like to see Samu in gold this year, bench back row is probably the spot for him but if he keeps up his form from last year he's probably earned a chance to start. Also seems like a good bloke to have in the squad. Questions of size can probably only be answered by actually playing him, given he is in no way too small for super rugby.
 
Derpus

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
Up the Guts said:
I rate Samu very highly but looking back at the WC final England had one of the best performing backrows in the tournament and they were absolutely beasted by SA’s monster backrow. I’m not sure carrying a smaller 6 is the way to go for us and would rather see him off the bench (or at 7 but hard to argue with Hooper’s stats on the weekend).
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Horses for courses. A small, mobile back row might not be your best bet against SA but it might be against NZ etc.

Edit: id add that leaving Samu at home last year (and the ostensible reason for doing so) was another of Cheiks less commendable decisions.
 
RoffsChoice

RoffsChoice

Jim Lenehan (48)
We rarely see coaches who know how to pick horses for courses, so here's hoping that Rennie knows when he'd like a Dempsey-Hooper-Samu backrow, and when he'd like a Valetini-Hooper-Naisarani backrow.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
Wilson said:
Would very much like to see Samu in gold this year, bench back row is probably the spot for him but if he keeps up his form from last year he's probably earned a chance to start. Also seems like a good bloke to have in the squad. Questions of size can probably only be answered by actually playing him, given he is in no way too small for super rugby.
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Cheika is a moron, Samu is a gun.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Samu probably has to do better than be ahead of a guy who didn't play a test last year. Also, Hanigan and Samu are hardly like for like.

Samu looks like a great bench option to me because he can cover the whole backrow well (and arguably better than any of the other likely contenders for that job).

What is his preferred position if he was to start? 6 is probably the most open position in the backrow but would a Samu/Hooper/Naisarani backrow be well enough balanced?
 
Up the Guts

Up the Guts

Steve Williams (59)
Who are the contenders for 6? Dempsey, Valetini, Samu, Jones, anyone else? I suppose Liam Wright isn’t too bad a shout at 192cm.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
cyclopath said:
Isn't he an 8?
And on Wilson, not having watched any Super Rugby last weekend or really seen much of him, what's he like in the lineout? Sounds like the prototype 8 we've been looking for from what I read.
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Very good. He played two years of Oz schools as a lock, and played 6 at the U20s.

Interchangeable between 6/8.

He was an incredible cricketer, so he has exceptional hands.
 
Zero_Cool

Zero_Cool

Arch Winning (36)
Any of Fraser McReigh, Harry Wilson, and Liam Wright could genuinely contest for Wallabies back row spots this year.

McReight and Wilson can probably play 6, 7, 8. All three are more than serviceable lineout option. Wilson looked very good about the Brumbies but a lot of people are expecting McReight to be even better than Wilson (who was very impressive against the Brumbies). And Wright is the Reds captain over Rodda who is one of the first few you'd put down on the team sheet.

And then there is Seru Uru who in a few years could be the Number 8 the Wallabies have been looking for.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
Zero_Cool said:
Any of Fraser McReigh, Harry Wilson, and Liam Wright could genuinely contest for Wallabies back row spots this year.

McReight and Wilson can probably play 6, 7, 8. All three are more than serviceable lineout option. Wilson looked very good about the Brumbies but a lot of people are expecting McReight to be even better than Wilson (who was very impressive against the Brumbies). And Wright is the Reds captain over Rodda who is one of the first few you'd put down on the team sheet.

And then there is Seru Uru who in a few years could be the Number 8 the Wallabies have been looking for.
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I love Wright, and hope he stays at the Reds forever - but I think McReight will be better and could even be as soon as this year.

Its bloody exciting.
 
Silverado

Silverado

Dick Tooth (41)
Zero_Cool said:
Any of Fraser McReigh, Harry Wilson, and Liam Wright could genuinely contest for Wallabies back row spots this year.

McReight and Wilson can probably play 6, 7, 8. All three are more than serviceable lineout option. Wilson looked very good about the Brumbies but a lot of people are expecting McReight to be even better than Wilson (who was very impressive against the Brumbies). And Wright is the Reds captain over Rodda who is one of the first few you'd put down on the team sheet.

And then there is Seru Uru who in a few years could be the Number 8 the Wallabies have been looking for.
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What about Hamish Stewart?
 
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