Wallabies: Latest Injuries and selection for Test 2

[BarneySF]

Fair to say that for the first time in a while, we have "depth" in the stocks? I mean for Jail-Bait Diggers (he has the prison tatts already) /Barnes/McCabe to be out (and with the ability to 'discard' the QCs and Toomuas), and not feel a sense of dread is a good thing right? On paper at least, to have Tomane/Badger/Mogg/Morahan available calms the nerves - even Kudrani/To'omua/Speight down the track - bodes well, but that is for another time. Forwards, maybe a different story.

Also, I know the guy can say what he wants, but should JW just stay 'mum' on the Wallabies are doomed talk at this stage, or am I being too sensitive in this tense week?

 

[Brumbieman]

Why are we talking about Beale at 10!!?!?? He was worse than O'Connor, and had even more space to work in!
Two EASY shots missed late in the game, and his option taking was very poor. Too much crabbing and going it alone and wasting unmarked wingers.

And everyone seems to think he'll be BETTER in less space? Jesus christ!


O'Connor shouldn't be 10, simple. Put him on the fucking wing where he belongs. Bring To'omua into 10 to marshal the backline, KICK well and use Folau's incredible aerial ability. I don't get why he isn't there. If AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is ok, excellent, if not, bring Badger in.

Genia
To'omua
Beiber
Lealiifano
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Folau
Beale/Mogg.

 

[BarneySF]

Also, I know the guy can say what he wants, but should JW just stay 'mum' on the Wallabies are doomed talk at this stage, or am I being too sensitive in this tense week?[/quote]



I mean as an Aussie provincial coach.

 

[Cardiffblue]

Why are we talking about Beale at 10!!?!?? He was worse then O'Connor, and had even more space to work in!
Two EASY shots missed late in the game, and his option taking was very poor. Too much crabbing and going it alone and wasting unmarked wingers.

And everyone seems to think he'll be BETTER in less space? Jesus christ!


O'Connor shouldn't be 10, simple. Put him on the fucking wing where he belongs. Bring To'omua into 10 to marshal the backline, KICK well and use Folau's incredible aerial ability. I don't get why he isn't there. If AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is ok, excellent, if not, bring Badger in.

Genia
To'omua
Beiber
Lealiifano
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Folau
Beale/Mogg.

Deans surely has to go with backline playing in their correct positions? wingers on wings, centres at centre and 10s at 10. What happened on Saturday seemed nonsensical, at least from an interested ousiders point of view

 

[Scotty]

Deans surely has to go with backline playing in their correct positions? wingers on wings, centres at centre and 10s at 10. What happened on Saturday seemed nonsensical, at least from an interested ousiders point of view

Deans has some misguided belief that a) you pick the players you want then try and find spots for them and b) it doesn't matter what position you play at provincial level because somehow there are completely different skills required at national level.

 

[fatprop]

Deans will go with the current plan of JOC (James O'Connor) & Lilo, he has spent about a month working on that combination, and we haven't seen if it will work yet.

 

[lincoln]

Deans has some misguided belief that a) you pick the players you want whether or not they are match fit or playing well, then try and find spots for them and b) it doesn't matter what position you play at provincial level because somehow there are completely different skills required at national level.

Fixed

 

[markjohnconley]

Barnes and McCabe to retire, their long-term health is paramount. Hopefully Robinson's hand? is alright. Moore, not as much defence as Youngs but better on the ball, Douglas excellent game, Palu underdone, Mowen outclassed, Genia brilliant, JOC (James O'Connor) no comment, Lilo hopefully returns, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) a big loss, Ioane underdone; Deans, nice bloke, but I'm now convinced there must be a better alternative, selections and decisions?

 

[RedsHappy]

............. I wrote somewhere else that I think the forwards were very good and set a platform from which the game could have been one. Unfortunately, the backs did not take sufficient advantage. Scott Allen's video analysis shows this very well. But I don't think the line-up I've posted is what will happen -- Deans won't move JOC (James O'Connor).

The clear progress of the Wallaby forwards is interesting. I doubt we would have said this much in 2011. It was in the 2012 home Wales series that I posted I thought that the new specialist Wallaby forwards coaches (McGahan and Blades that the ARU brought in after they sacked the other lot post RWC) were actually making some good progress (as compared to say the 2009-2011 period under Williams et al) with our scrum, breakdown accuracy and intensity, and fitness/endurance over 80.

My overall sense is that progress is continuing and that we saw such on Saturday night; not all the time, but enough.

We have absolutely made no progress whatsoever with attack/backs coaching where on Saturday's evidence we are retaining the distinctly mediocre attack capability of 2012 - please watch Scott A's main page essay yesterday to see some of the reasons why.

This is hardly surprising when we note again that no specialist and clearly designated Wallaby backs/attack coach has ever been appointed by Deans during the 2008-2013 period. To the best of my knowledge, as with the lack of a specialist kicking skills coach, we are the only Tier 1 rugby nation that has confidently assessed that no specialist backs/attack coach is needed at the Wallabies (partly as Deans assumes that role himself).

 

[Ignoto]

I can't tell if people are picking teams that they want or teams they think Deans will roll out with.

With the sheer amount of injuries, players aren't going to be moved, especially Deans' first choice 10 and 12. More importantly, shifting Izzy from 14 isn't the smartest choice unless Cummins or Tomane is going there. Remember, the Welsh Chris Ashton dons the 11 jersey. So you're going to need someone confident in the highball there (and able to take him in a 1 v 1 situation, something none our backs last week were able to do).

Deans will be shitting himself with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s fitness, if he goes, so does the backline balance. It's going to be:

9. Genia
10. O'Connor
11. Cummins/Tomane (unsure of Tomane's fitness)
12. Lilo
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (Pending fitness)
14. Izzy
15. Beale

If Deans loses this match, he's hopefully lost his job. So all of those thinking the likes of Mogg, Smith and Tapuia are going to come into the starting line up are kidding. Deans will be shitting himself, so he's not going to give a debut cap to someone unless he has to.

Having Lilo and no Barnes in the team means we actually have a ball player within the first two recievers who has the awareness to send it wide or keep it close and someone who doesn't need to crab more than Giteau. More importantly, we won't have a guy in the backline who's first chose is to kick it.

Christian and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are the linchpins for this backline, losing either of them will in my eyes, result in the series being lost.

 

[Scotty]

But rough and maybe stupid to rely on a debutant (Lilo) to be your backline linchpin and goal kicker.

He is good, but he has a long way to go in international rugby before heaping that sort of pressure on him.

 

[Ignoto]

But rough and maybe stupid to rely on a debutant (Lilo) to be your backline linchpin and goal kicker.

That's Deans for you.

 

[James O'Connor]

My mind boggles over how deans is still coaching the team.

 

[youngone]

You could justify playing JOC (James O'Connor) on a wing with Digby missing. Digby comes infield 10+ times a game looking for the ball, if JOC (James O'Connor) did that then that could well work out well.

 

[Swat]

I mean for Jail-Bait Diggers

You and I have very different understandings of the term jail-bait.

 

[Cardiffblue]

The clear progress of the Wallaby forwards is interesting. I doubt we would have said this much in 2011. It was in the 2012 home Wales series that I posted I thought that the new specialist Wallaby forwards coaches (McGahan and Blades that the ARU brought in after they sacked the other lot post RWC) were actually making some good progress (as compared to say the 2009-2011 period under Williams et al) with our scrum, breakdown accuracy and intensity, and fitness/endurance over 80.

My overall sense is that progress is continuing and that we saw such on Saturday night; not all the time, but enough.

We have absolutely made no progress whatsoever with attack/backs coaching where on Saturday's evidence we are retaining the distinctly mediocre attack capability of 2012 - please watch Scott A's main page essay yesterday to see some of the reasons why.

This is hardly surprising when we note again that no specialist and clearly designated Wallaby backs/attack coach has ever been appointed by Deans during the 2008-2013 period. To the best of my knowledge, as with the lack of a specialist kicking skills coach, we are the only Tier 1 rugby nation that has confidently assessed that no specialist backs/attack coach is needed at the Wallabies (partly as Deans assumes that role himself).

Seemed to me that the forwards were putting so much effort into competing at the breakdown that they were over-committeed and couldn't give the backs any support.

 

[Cardiffblue]

I can't tell if people are picking teams that they want or teams they think Deans will roll out with.

With the sheer amount of injuries, players aren't going to be moved, especially Deans' first choice 10 and 12. More importantly, shifting Izzy from 14 isn't the smartest choice unless Cummins or Tomane is going there. Remember, the Welsh Chris Ashton dons the 11 jersey. So you're going to need someone confident in the highball there (and able to take him in a 1 v 1 situation, something none our backs last week were able to do).

Deans will be shitting himself with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s fitness, if he goes, so does the backline balance. It's going to be:

9. Genia
10. O'Connor
11. Cummins/Tomane (unsure of Tomane's fitness)
12. Lilo
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (Pending fitness)
14. Izzy
15. Beale

If Deans loses this match, he's hopefully lost his job. So all of those thinking the likes of Mogg, Smith and Tapuia are going to come into the starting line up are kidding. Deans will be shitting himself, so he's not going to give a debut cap to someone unless he has to.

Having Lilo and no Barnes in the team means we actually have a ball player within the first two recievers who has the awareness to send it wide or keep it close and someone who doesn't need to crab more than Giteau. More importantly, we won't have a guy in the backline who's first chose is to kick it.

Christian and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) are the linchpins for this backline, losing either of them will in my eyes, result in the series being lost.

Please don't compare george with Gashton, makes me nauseous

 

[fatprop]

Seemed to me that the forwards were putting so much effort into competing at the breakdown that they were over-committeed and couldn't give the backs any support.

Yep, lots of cattle in at the breakdown means going wide is a very high risk/reward option as there are no piggies planted nearby if they get scragged. A wrong bounce and you get another "North" moment

The safer option is to keep it closer

 

[Cassius88]

Barnes and McCabe to retire, their long-term health is paramount. Hopefully Robinson's hand? is alright. Moore, not as much defence as Youngs but better on the ball, Douglas excellent game, Palu underdone, Mowen outclassed, Genia brilliant, JOC (James O'Connor) no comment, Lilo hopefully returns, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) a big loss, Ioane underdone; Deans, nice bloke, but I'm now convinced there must be a better alternative, selections and decisions?

McCabe to have further scans in Sydney this week. I imagine he'll put talks of retirement on the shelf until he's actually had a doctor properly assess the injury.

I don't know where you get that Mowen was outclassed. It seemed to me that the Wallabies had the better backrow by a country mile. If you mean outclassed by Croft then you were obviously watching a different game.

 

[Cassius88]

Yep, lots of cattle in at the breakdown means going wide is a very high risk/reward option as there are no piggies planted nearby if they get scragged. A wrong bounce and you get another "North" moment

The safer option is to keep it closer

For the life of me I just can't figure out what Barnes was thinking with that open field bomb? Was it supposed to be a clearing kick that just went wrong? I mean, if someone did that in my 3rd grade subbies team they'd be hooked instantly. I think rugby players are getting stupider, or maybe all those head knocks have just caught up with him.