Wallabies 2023

[Dismal Pillock]

You can't just select multiple guys that have never played a test match AND don't even appear all that good in the first place. If they are knocking the door down, sure, but they are not.

From the outside it seems like Eddie has got shot of more senior players - and whatever off-field "baggage" or agendas they may have - and picked the younger more malleable players who he hopes to convince to run through walls for him. He is quite good at that come RWC time. Did it for Aus before, then Japan, then even England.....

 

[Pfitzy]

Last one out, pull the breakers from the switch board.

There won't be anything left to steal.

 

[qwerty51]

From the outside it seems like Eddie has got shot of more senior players - and whatever off-field "baggage" or agendas they may have - and picked the younger more malleable players who he hopes to convince to run through walls for him. He is quite good at that come RWC time. Did it for Aus before, then Japan, then even England.....

I know he hasn't won one as a head coach but there isn't a better RWC coaching resume out there.

2003 - massively overperformed. If he wins that final he becomes Sir Eddie
2007 - wins it in some backroom role we really have NFI idea how much he contributed with
2015 - manufactured the biggest upset of all time
2019 - destroyed Aus in the quarters, produced arguably the best performance against NZ ever (scoreline even flattered NZ somehow) in the semi and yeah got fucked in the final but was always going to be tough backing up that and SA had only played Japan and Wales beforehand ffs.

 

[cyclopath]

Just checked, Foley went 0-6 v England whilst Eddie was their coach (1 match he played 12, To'omua @ 10)
Eddie wouldn't have forgotten that or played a big part in why he went 6-0 exploiting Foley.

Somewhat of a stretch to attribute 6 losses to one player, which is kind of what you're doing. I reckon the wider squad for all those tests was as much an issue as 1 player. They got done badly.
Given he did not pick Cooper, I am bemused as to why he would think he'll get more from Donaldson than, say, Foley.
I'd have picked Cooper, by the way, or Lolesio rather than Donaldson, even though people keep qualifying Donaldson as the "utility". By definition a utility has multiple purposes...
Anyway, I suspect Eddie will have a short tenure. I think this campaign will go tits up. It's a bizarre squad.

 

[Mr Arie]

The teams a bit wonky but its about time the Wallabies looked at the big picture and get behind some young players. I could imagine this would have some residual effects on potential league converts weighing up options in the future.

 

[cyclopath]

The teams a bit wonky but its about time the Wallabies looked at the big picture and get behind some young players. I could imagine this would have some residual effects on potential league converts weighing up options in the future.

"Hey, manager, can you get a gig for me in that dysfunctional shit-show that is Rugby Australia?"

 

[qwerty51]

Somewhat of a stretch to attribute 6 losses to one player, which is kind of what you're doing. I reckon the wider squad for all those tests was as much an issue as 1 player. They got done badly.

Not me, I'm trying to see it from Eddie's perspective, we've got to remember he's coached against a lot of our players recently.

Foley at 10 would've stood out as a loser to him.

 

[Mr Arie]

"Hey, manager, can you get a gig for me in that dysfunctional shit-show that is Rugby Australia?"

Or "Hey maybe i wont have to wait 10 years for so and so to retire for me to get a gig"

 

[cyclopath]

Not me, I'm trying to see it from Eddie's perspective, we've got to remember he's coached against a lot of our players recently.

Foley at 10 would've stood out as a loser to him.

I'm sure Wales are quivering at the prospect of facing Ben Donaldson...

 

[qwerty51]

I'm sure Wales are quivering at the prospect of facing Ben Donaldson...

From what I can tell, the scoreline was 13-34 when Donaldson left the field last November.

Eddie signalled out (positively) Donaldson, Schoupp, Uelese and Vunivalu as early as March? this year. It's actually fucking crazy how stubborn he is. Feels like these guys couldn't have done anything to lose their place.

 

[KevinO]

Skelton looks as though he could play until he is 40.

Yes, he does now. But how much pre existing damage did he do to his body in his younger years carrying around that massive wight for so long.

 

[fatprop]

meh, the side is picked, some choices are head scratches but the contentious picks were all pretty well coin flips

and those coins flips seem to have come down on picking the youthful option rather than going back to what hasn't worked previously

Getting to the semis looks to me the best we can expect

 

[Bullrush]

Rarely has their been a New Zealand supporter so angry at a wallaby squad.

Rarely does a coach treat fans with such contempt

 

[Braveheart81]

Hypothetically … if I’m rugby Australia and I want to protect wallabies going offshore for big money you maintain the 3 maximum giteau law players for World Cup but you expand those giteau law players maximum allocation for the TRC just before the World Cup.

Use TRC as the preseason. Trial combination of players who are based overseas and see how they integrate with the wallabies super rugby players but come World Cup squad selection night. You pick 3 and no more.

I think this TRC we did have 4 names (Cooper, Korobiete, Arnold and Skelton) glad we only taking the 3.

Sorry if someone else has corrected this over the last 10 pages. I haven't read them all.

We've got four foreign players in the RWC squad. Skelton, Kerevi, Koroibete and Arnold. We've just dropped from 5 in the previous squad down to 4.

 

[Slim 293]

I am excited to see what this squad can do, and I don't mind that Eddie took the scorched earth approach with many of the out of form players, some of whom they've identified as being past it...

There's certainly some inconsistencies in there though...

I was always resigned to the fact that Vunivalu, Uelese and Donaldson would be there... despite that whole process of dumping out of form players.

But in saying that, after dumping Quade and Foley having a mare in Tonga I'm not as upset as others of Donaldson being included.

I'm surprised Eddie didn't go further and dump Nic White for Ryan Lonergan.

I can't help but feel a bit aggrieved for Ikitau missing out... obviously one of our few world class players, and the explanation of leaving him out doesn't hold up when there's other players included in the same situation.

I would've thought Petaia would be more than capable of starting in the first couple of tests and then easing Ikitau back via the final two pool games.

I don't think it's a 4D chess move by Eddie planning for future injuries, but rather he sees the position adequately covered by Petaia and Perese and he can add in more players where there's more uncertainty.

 

[Highlander35]

For literally all the other chatter going on, seeing Arnold selected in a very 2025 & 2027 forward looking squad is somewhat perplexing.

 

[Dan54]

Can you find verification of this because it sounds like you’ve just made it up.

Well don't have rules , but James Parson was talking about it on something I was watching, re ABs and if they needed injury replacements. I got no reason to make it up, wasn't really taking in all details. Just remember him talking about the 48 hrs etc. pretty sure you need independant Dr's cert etc, but as you thinking I BSing , I will let you find it.
I no reason to make it up, and I guess proper details are somewhere.

 

[Bullrush]

Well don't have rules , but James Parson was talking about it on something I was watching, re ABs and if they needed injury replacements. I got no reason to make it up, wasn't really taking in all details. Just remember him talking about the 48 hrs etc.
I no reason to make it up, and I guess proper details are somewhere.

There is definitely a 48hr stand down period.

 

[qwerty51]

Well don't have rules , but James Parson was talking about it on something I was watching, re ABs and id they needed injury replacements. I got no reason to make it up, wasn't really taking in all details. Just remember him talking about the 48 hrs etc.
I no reason to make it up, and I guess proper details are somewhere.

48 hours standdown is a thing for a replacement coming in, I've never heard of 48 hour period before you can initiate a replacement - that makes no sense to me.

You've surely made up the "can't replace for an injury brought into the tournament" though - what does that even mean? Let's say Hooper gets picked, we all know he currently has a calf strain, now he plays 1 game and completely tears the calf and you're saying we can't replace him? Nah.

 

[barbarian]

I assume Barb that you are a keen supoorter of Pete Samu to take the last backrow spot off Langi Gleeson?

100%. He'd be on my team sheet. No idea why he's been discarded.