Wallabies Trinations Squad

[ACT Crusader]

If we are all reading into Deans comments that JOC (James O'Connor) is not the 12 and the Wallabies need a good hard straight runner, decent distributor, can kick, and most importantly can defend, then I still believe that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is that guy. Has good test experience and head on his shoulders. I wouldn't be too concerned about his Brumby form because he's been a regular Wallaby and knows what to expect come test time. He's a midfielder that was played at FB because the other options were either crook or left (Shep, Gerrard, Latham). Now that FB is sorted with Falcon, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) can solidify that midfield.

Deans can then play Digby at centre where I believe he wanted to play him last year but he got injured.

 

[Ruggo]

Yeah not sure about Fainga'a. Solid defender and uninspiring attacker at Super Level, and I highly doubt he could be anything more than average at international level. If we have been hit by injury then I wouldn't mind him coming in, but I would go with guys like McCabe and Cummins before I went to Fainga'a.

he doesn't need to be inspiring in attack. He just needs to be Solid in which he is. We run the risk of having too many chiefs and not enough indians if we have too many inspiring attackers. He will compliment the likes of Quade, JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale in that Wallaby backline.

 

[vidiot]

I did think a couple of times yesterday that true sparks like O'Connor or Giteau (well maybe) and Horne and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) could have and would have done much more with some of the attacking opportunities that Taps and Fainga'a had.....

Still, Taps had a solid game and it's still early in his career, while Fainga'a A was massive in defense with Lucas. They were playing a backline that could easily be picked for the ABs, and were effective in a way that few other teams have been in defense and attack.

 

[farva]

For a 30 man squad for the 3N Id go with:

Props: Robinson, Kepu, Slipper, Palmer
Hookers: TPN, Moore, Charles
Locks: Sharpe, Horwill, Simmons, Samo (can cover 6/8 as well)
Flankers: Pocock, Hodgson / Robinson (we want a backup fetcher for Pocock), Elsom, McCalman, Higgenbotham, Palu
Scum Half: Genia, Burgess
Inside Backs: Giteau, Barnes, OConnor, Cooper (can cover 11/14 as well), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Outside Backs: Beale, Ioane, Morahan, Turner, Shepherd

Starting team of:

Robinson
TPN
Slipper
Horwill
Sharpe
Elsom
Pocock
McCalman
Genia
Cooper
Ioane
OConnor
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
Morahan/Shepherd/Cummins/McCabe/Turner - whoever stands up I guess.
Beale

Moore
Kepu
Simmons
Higgenbotham
Burgess
Giteau
Shepherd

Id go for a full strength team for the 3N. I want my best team to get as much game time as they can before the world cup. Plus I want to win the 3N. And I want the Beldisloe Cup back. And I want the Mandela Plate.

For the earlier games Id give Robinson and Hodgson a run at 7 (half a game each), Samo a crack at lock, Palu a crack at 8 to put his case forward for reselection in the A team and Fa'ainga a shot at 12. Plus I would trial a new wing combo - maybe Cummins or Shepherd or Morahan out there.

 

[DPK]

OK DPK and Godfrey, point taken, but it is now (and has been since 2010) ARU gospel that the Deans era was 'really' all about building for an RWC win, so it's just a tad inconsistent (to me anyway) with this doctrine that 2 months before that RWC, we'd make 'regional rugby development responsibilities' a priority when there's 3 other years available for same.

Playing 1 Test against Samoa is not making a concept that I (DPK) theorised a priority. Also, the Test can serve for both purposes (Regional rugby/RWC Dev.).

Playing the Argies could also be a taster for their addition to the Tri Nations.

 

[DPK]

he doesn't need to be inspiring in attack. He just needs to be Solid in which he is. We run the risk of having too many chiefs and not enough indians if we have too many inspiring attackers. He will compliment the likes of Quade, JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale in that Wallaby backline.

I was impressed that he seemed to have the same effectiveness at 13 that he has at 12, show's that he's developing utility value.

With regards to A. Fainga'a, I'm on the fence now. He could be a stabilising influence, a badly needed straightener in the Wallaby backline. He could also get found out in defence again, or hold back the attack for the Wallabies.

Glad I don't have to make the call.

 

[barbarian]

he doesn't need to be inspiring in attack. He just needs to be Solid in which he is. We run the risk of having too many chiefs and not enough indians if we have too many inspiring attackers. He will compliment the likes of Quade, JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale in that Wallaby backline.

If you want a solid runner and tackler in at 12 or 13 I would rather have a guy like AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Cummins. In my eyes Ant Fainga'a is one small rung above Tom Carter- both are good defenders and hard straight runners that play valuable roles in their Super team but would struggle with anything higher IMO. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Cummins offer that extra line-break potential, as I think Fainga'a never looked dangerous with ball in hand on Sunday despite having plenty of opportunities in space.

 

[Richo]

If you want a solid runner and tackler in at 12 or 13 I would rather have a guy like AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) or Cummins. In my eyes Ant Fainga'a is one small rung above Tom Carter- both are good defenders and hard straight runners that play valuable roles in their Super team but would struggle with anything higher IMO. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Cummins offer that extra line-break potential, as I think Fainga'a never looked dangerous with ball in hand on Sunday despite having plenty of opportunities in space.

I think this is a fair assessment, but if JOC (James O'Connor) isn't moving in to 12, Mortlock is still old and Barnes is broken, that really only leaves Giteau and A. Finger as options at IC (I know he's been playing OC lately, but I think he's more a 12 than a 13).

 

[TheNextBigThing]

Fainga'a is dead hard and most importantly for a big center, he's got a good sense of when to move the ball and when to truck it. I watch Reds games and wish that Carter or especially Cross had that kind of insight. He's not bursting forth with mercurial brilliance but the fantastic thing about this Wallabies squad is that we've got plenty of those sort of players already in other positions.

You'd be daft to take Dean's comments about JOC (James O'Connor) at face value. Deans is not stupid enough to rule out trying a cooper/O'connor combination.

 

[Zinzan]

Ant Fainga'a is a 1 trick pony.

Ma'a Nonu & Co showed last year how his rugby league style rush defence opens holes for others. Nonu toyed with him & put C.Smith away then picked his times to run.

M.Giteau 12.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

If Nonu is run on for the ABs then they are in trouble.

 

[DPK]

If Nonu is run on for the ABs then they are in trouble.

Force fans may beg to differ.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

Don't get me wrong Nonu is better than average, but I would have thought there were much better options for the ABs. Did I hear right that Nonu scored his first tries for the year on the weekend against the Force? I am probably wrong, but thought I heard that. Also, his miss tackle on Stannard was atrocious.

 

[waratahjesus]

are we really in a place as wallaby fans where we can criticise nonu or any member of the all blacks backline or forward pack?

 

[Sully]

Ant Fainga'a is a 1 trick pony.

Ma'a Nonu & Co showed last year how his rugby league style rush defence opens holes for others. Nonu toyed with him & put C.Smith away then picked his times to run.

M.Giteau 12.

The problem with comments like this and the similar ones about Tom Carter is that they assume that a player doesn't get any better or worse. And before WJ and co go ballistic, I know I have been critical of Tom Carter in the past. I watched the game on Saturday and I can see an improvement in his running with the ball. He is still a Knob Jockey but he is playing better. And so is Anthony Fainga'a and bringing up games from the past where the premier test centre pairing of the time ripped him a new one is not really an argument at all. The fact that others in this thread are saying ?Nonu shouldn't make the All Black side now proves my point.

 

[qwerty51]

Can't believe any Wallaby fan would criticse Nonu. He's literally 3x better than whoever we've got 12.

 

[waratahjesus]

The problem with comments like this and the similar ones about Tom Carter is that they assume that a player doesn't get any better or worse. And before WJ and co go ballistic, I know I have been critical of Tom Carter in the past. I watched the game on Saturday and I can see an improvement in his running with the ball. He is still a Knob Jockey but he is playing better. And so is Anthony Fainga'a and bringing up games from the past where the premier test centre pairing of the time ripped him a new one is not really an argument at all. The fact that others in this thread are saying ?Nonu shouldn't make the All Black side now proves my point.

ant finger is to qld what tom carter is to the waratahs, he is a clubman, nothing more nothing less, outside the comfort of those around them there purpose no longer exists. they both play there part well, but neither is an international player.

even with nonu on the way down, even as a wallaby fan, i would much rather have nonu in the wallabies than playing against them.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

Can't believe any Wallaby fan would criticse Nonu. He's literally 3x better than whoever we've got 12.

He isn't though. If Rocoko plays (on the wing) they are in even more trouble.

 

[waratahjesus]

He isn't though. If Rocoko plays (on the wing) they are in even more trouble.

yes, he is. he would be a walk up start in the wallabies team.

 

[Bowside]

I would rather have O'Connor at 12 than Nonu.