Wallabies 2023

[RugbyReg]

Wonder if Pone is being looked at for a bench option.

the guy has played bugger all minutes all season. That works against him. If the starting 3 goes down early, then we are in trouble. Pone needs minutes. I'd go Rhys van Nek before Pone

 

[stillmissit]

Stop this revisionist history. Rennie picked the team, and the team he picked and coached lost

he lost 4 out of 5 tests on the EOYT, and needed an all time comeback to pip a dreadful Welsh side who fired their coach straight after. Also lost 48-17 to Argentina last year

Whether or not Eddie is successful has nothing to do with Rennie's dismal tenure

True TT BUT where was the team at? They got onto the field hardly capable of 'seeing a win' and with tactics that made assumptions about the basic skills and the teams approach to the game. Rennie like nearly every coach since McQueen has had issues getting the guys into the right frame of mind. We need some serious sports psychiatrists to analyse why we go onto the field soft and mostly finish the game very strong in the last 15 mins when all is lost.
McQueen gave them serious defence, and competitiveness in all aspects of the game. Have a look at the forward's play against NZ on Utube from about 9mins, two great teams going at it. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=McQueens+...i=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NRKdu7knyg

 

[LeCheese]

We need some serious sports psychiatrists to analyse why we go onto the field soft and mostly finish the game very strong in the last 15 mins when all is lost.

Against the Boks we were physically monstered, lacked direction, and had a game plan that was effectively countered. It's as simple as that.

Sports / performance psychologists* by the way - psychiatrists are doctors who have then specialised (and can administer drugs). Not having a go, just a minor but important distinction.

 

[stillmissit]

We need all this size to combat Deon Fourie

No we don't, we need a really good defence/ tackling skills coach. Have a look at the old footage of Tune tackling Lomu - it ain't the size of the dog....

 

[scrans21]

If it's true that a lot of the starters from Pretoria will be rested then this is the team I'd be rolling out against Argentina (assuming Kellaway and Petaia are fit):
1. Slipper (c)
2. Faesslar
3. Ala'alatoa
4. Arnold
5. Skelton
6. Holloway
7. McReight
8. Valetini
9. McDermott
10. Gordon
11. Koroibete
12. Kerevi
13. Ikitau
14. Nawaqanitawse
15. Kellaway
16. Porecki
17. Bell
18. Tupou
19. Frost
20. Kemeny
21. White
22. Cooper
23. Petaia

If Kellaway or Petaia aren't fit then Wright starts at 15, but I'd love to see how these two will go sharing time at fullback. No slight against Samu but I want to see what Kemeny has to offer. Ditto with Faesslar, I think he's got a big future ahead of him so blood him now and then bring on Porecki to close out the game. McDermott and Gordon as a 9/10 combo excites me, and with Gordon's performance off the bench I think he'll be pushing hard to start. If it goes to shit then you can bring Cooper on to steady the ship.

 

[stillmissit]

Against the Boks we were physically monstered, lacked direction, and had a game plan that was effectively countered. It's as simple as that.

Sports / performance psychologists* by the way - psychiatrists are doctors who have then specialised (and can administer drugs). Not having a go, just a minor but important distinction.

No, it aint. If you don't want to take on the size of the opposition you shouldn't be playing for your country. It's the top 2" problem, when we have guys like Skelton, Frost and Arnold all around 2m x 120kgs +.
FO when it comes to pettiness thanks!

 

[Tomthumb]

No we don't, we need a really good defence/ tackling skills coach. Have a look at the old footage of Tune tackling Lomu - it ain't the size of the dog....

I agree, was making a joke that all people on here that go on about is size and how important it is seem to be ignoring the 5 foot 9 100 kg Hooker/Flanker that South Africa had in their team

 

[Linerunner2023]

Nonguurr is was an out there and lucky selection. As mentioned if bell and tupou were fit it would have been them off the bench! But was talakai or pone would have been better bench options with tupou not available

we have no hookers

for 6 I wouldn’t mind seeing Leota getting a shot again, or even Wilson and valetini 6 and 8.
Kerevi needs to starts and hopefully kellaway and petaia are back soon

 

[Doritos Day]

Stop this revisionist history. Rennie picked the team, and the team he picked and coached lost

he lost 4 out of 5 tests on the EOYT, and needed an all time comeback to pip a dreadful Welsh side who fired their coach straight after. Also lost 48-17 to Argentina last year

Whether or not Eddie is successful has nothing to do with Rennie's dismal tenure

Yup Rennie gets a massive free bet with overseas fans/pundits who don't understand the full scenario and give benefit of the doubt because he's a nice guy.

As an individual result I don't think the Italy loss was *that* bad but justification for the selections was contingent on beating Ireland and France; neither happened so the process was a massive failure.

 

[LeCheese]

No, it aint. If you don't want to take on the size of the opposition you shouldn't be playing for your country. It's the top 2" problem, when we have guys like Skelton, Frost and Arnold all around 2m x 120kgs +.

Size doesn't equate to capability - regardless of headspace, you can simply be outplayed.

FO when it comes to pettiness thanks!

As I said, not having a go, but it's an important distinction. Never hurts to take some feedback on board occasionally...

 

[PhilClinton]

No we don't, we need a really good defence/ tackling skills coach. Have a look at the old footage of Tune tackling Lomu - it ain't the size of the dog....

We need good defence and skills coaches at the pathways and Super Rugby level.

Players at international level shouldn't need to learn how to tackle.

In the best elite sports around the world, representative teams are simply managed, not explicitly taught.

 

[Confucius Say]

We need good defence and skills coaches at the pathways and Super Rugby level.

Players at international level shouldn't need to learn how to tackle.

In the best elite sports around the world, representative teams are simply managed, not explicitly taught.

Defence is different to tackling.

Judging by the amount of missed tackles in the junior wallabies tournament, they definitely need help in the pathways.

But it’s more selection process fault. There’s seemingly no filter, so we still see very average skills like tackling and cleaning out ignored and players somehow keep getting through to higher honours.

 

[Braveheart81]

But it’s more selection process fault. There’s seemingly no filter, so we still see very average skills like tackling and cleaning out ignored and players somehow keep getting through to higher honours.

Is it ignored or is it just the case that there aren't players significantly better at these things not being selected?

 

[PhilClinton]

Is it ignored or is it just the case that there aren't players significantly better at these things not being selected?

Correct - there aren't exactly 15 superstars down at the pub waiting for a chance to get on the field.

 

[Wallaby Man]

I think a lot comes down to rugby IQ. A large portion of our players don’t even watch the game recreationally they are more NRL fans, so don’t get the holistic view required at the highest level.

Our juniors play some of the least amount of games in the world. Well the ones in the elite pathways.

Our pros play the least amount of games compared to opposition.

Trying to problem solve with half the reps must be harder than having been presented with the challenges on a more regular basis.

The u20s team is potentially the most talented at the World Cup, some of the things they do are brilliant but they are so unrefined compared to their counterparts. I think this goes to a Super Rugby level as well.

 

[Namerican]

Size doesn't equate to capability - regardless of headspace, you can simply be outplayed.

As I said, not having a go, but it's an important distinction. Never hurts to take some feedback on board occasionally...

Size also doesn't equate to athleticism. Etzebeth and Rob Simmons are roughly the same height/weight, but Etzebeth is much quicker, more powerful, stronger etc.

For all of their size I think you'd be hard pressed to say that Arnold/Skeleton are amazing athletes. If they were 6'3 it's doubtful they'd even be professional rugby players.

 

[upthereds#!]

Pocock an obvious to everyone example, as well as being our best 7 for years who rarely played there.



Christ! How many big men do we need? Skelton is huge, Richie Arnold is over 2m and weighs 127kgs, Frost also over 2m and 120kgs and T. Hooper is just 1cm short of 2m and weighs 120kgs These guys are capable enough but they must be let off the leash, and the leash is what EJ (Eddie Jones) (Eddie Jones) has placed over the breakdown and our issues with small props and hookers. Jones needs to forget the idea of staying out of the breakdown and get the boys (all of them) into the contest at the breakdown.
We also need to get our tackling, which has been an issue for a long time, aggressive, focused and effective. thus allowing the rest of the boys to compete for the ball. This letting the opposition have the ball and wait for an error was a crap tactic 20 years ago and it's crap now.

Arnold didn't start and I specifically said whilst Frost and Hooper are big, they don't play big. Hoopers coach even said he needs to develop more power. Playing big means physically owning the space. Both those 2 give it up because whilst large humans, are not powerful humans.

 

[Agent]

the guy has played bugger all minutes all season. That works against him. If the starting 3 goes down early, then we are in trouble. Pone needs minutes. I'd go Rhys van Nek before Pone

What about Sam Talakai? Got a run on the spring tour and played good minutes for the Rebels but hasn't really been mention for the Wobs.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Yeah, maybe.

To me he's just another guy like Gibbon that will do a job but we will never beat the top teams with them.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I don't think getting beaten by Italy is even close to doing 'reasonably well'. I thought Rennie deserved to take us through to the RWC this year but if Eddie was their man then I can also see why Rugby Australia needed to pounce when they did. Don't forget all Rennie's assistants had started to bail out as well, we weren't going to get results this year with Rennie in charge, and probably regardless of who is. It's all about 2025 and 2027.

I strongly doubt Eddie will be with us in 25 and 27, and if he is then it's more than a fair chance the Wallabies will have gone backwards from where they are now.