Wallabies v All Blacks, Saturday 19th August, ANZ Stadium Sydney

[dru]

We can pick a defensive backline with no attacking flair and try to stop them scoring, or we can pick an exciting backline that can attack and try to outscore them.

OR even with the same selections play them somewhere closer to their position strengths:

11 Speight
12 Kerevi
13 Rona
14 Folau
15 Beale

Then we don't have to do the D barn dance.

 

[cyclopath]

OR even with the same selections play them somewhere closer to their position strengths:

11 Speight
12 Kerevi
13 Rona
14 Folau
15 Beale

Then we don't have to do the D barn dance.

You never know, they may even line up a bit like that in attack anyway. Cheika plays pretty loose with the assigned numbers. I reckon they'll move around a bit.
But yeah, that arrangement looks pretty good.

 

[TOCC]

OR even with the same selections play them somewhere closer to their position strengths:

11 Speight
12 Kerevi
13 Rona
14 Folau
15 Beale

Then we don't have to do the D barn dance.

Dru for Wallabies coach...

 

[KOB1987]

OR even with the same selections play them somewhere closer to their position strengths:

11 Speight
12 Kerevi
13 Rona
14 Folau
15 Beale

Then we don't have to do the D barn dance.

agreed

You never know, they may even line up a bit like that in attack anyway. Cheika plays pretty loose with the assigned numbers. I reckon they'll move around a bit.
But yeah, that arrangement looks pretty good.

agreed

 

[KOB1987]

KOB Crotty is the best defensive back the ABs have had since Conrad Smith. Watch him closely and he very rarely misses a tackle and his positioning is world class. That has been his strength for many years. Where he's improved since becoming an AB has been his support play and attacking game.

I will pay you all that but I was just making the point that neither 13s, and backs in general, are the best defenders in the team. He's definitely superior to Kerevi though.

 

[TSR]

Well - not the team I would like to see, but not really surpising. This will be a test of Cheika's strategy. It's definitely a team for his strategy of ball in hand/run everything. And, to be fair, if they get it right it could succeed. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. Coleman, Arnold, AAA & Sio have to stand up to give us some punch in the forwards. It would be great if Moore could wind back the clock, but he needs to at least be very accurate and efficient. I am hoping McMahon can deliver the high energy, dynamic game that he does at super level. If he does, and if Timani & TPN can really rip in, who knows.

If we can create a platform up front our backs should have points in them if we can execute. Both backlines will have a real crack. I can see why people are concerned about our centres, but in attack they have the potential to be brilliant. Rona & Speight are genuine finishers. For all his limitations, Foley's support play is first rate. Folau remains class at his best and we've finally started to tap into his aerial skills in attack.

Wallabies by 20.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

OR even with the same selections play them somewhere closer to their position strengths:



11 Speight

12 Kerevi

13 Rona

14 Folau

15 Beale



Then we don't have to do the D barn dance.

Well Rona may have played 13 for the Force but from memory he played wing for Canterbury RL side. And would be hard to see him ahead of the two K's for 13.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Too many questionable selections for my liking.



McMahon is great at Super Rugby level, but has been nowhere near as effective at test level. Remember also that he is not long back from serious injury. He is a big gamble v the ABs, and I think would much better suit a bench spot than a starting position.



Hanigan is there essentially for his lineout capabilities. His play around the ground is not yet at test standard.



Beale/Kerevi centre combination could well be a disaster in the making. Neither is reknown for their tackling abilities and defensively will likely have a detrimental impact on the team structures. SBW and Crotty will have a field day.



Phipps on the bench is a bad bet. He is sorely out of form and despite what some posters go on about, he was not back to form at the end of the Super Rugby season. Remind me how he/the Tahs went in their last outing against the Force?



Those concerns aside, most of the players selected are at least competitive with their one-on-one opponents, but the whole offered by the ABs is very likely to be far greater than that of the Wallabies. I think this match has the hallmarks of a very embarrassing outing by the Wallabies.

Yep sadly we are missing the big abrasive world class 8's of past we use to have like Toutai Kefu. No perfect answer there so can see why gone with McMahon as not any other option calling out pick me pick me.

Hanigan is talented young player but certainly not test standard 6 at this stage or anywhere near where Fardy operated at over the years. Again no stand out option here either though.

 

[dru]

Well Rona may have played 13 for the Force but from memory he played wing for Canterbury RL side. And would be hard to see him ahead of the two K's for 13.

Hey, I'm not saying that I would have chosen him in the centers for the Wallabies. But I don't think that it is just being cheeky to suggest that Cheika has. How well would Kuridrani go at 11 in attack? As you say, Rona has experience on teh wing in a different game, experience that isnt entirely irrelevant. And Kerevi is already there.

Anyway, keep an eye on the defensive positions. If I'm wrong check for backline confusion before saying it.

 

[bigmac]

Well - not the team I would like to see, but not really surpising. This will be a test of Cheika's strategy. It's definitely a team for his strategy of ball in hand/run everything. And, to be fair, if they get it right it could succeed. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. Coleman, Arnold, AAA & Sio have to stand up to give us some punch in the forwards. It would be great if Moore could wind back the clock, but he needs to at least be very accurate and efficient. I am hoping McMahon can deliver the high energy, dynamic game that he does at super level. If he does, and if Timani & TPN can really rip in, who knows.

If we can create a platform up front our backs should have points in them if we can execute. Both backlines will have a real crack. I can see why people are concerned about our centres, but in attack they have the potential to be brilliant. Rona & Speight are genuine finishers. For all his limitations, Foley's support play is first rate. Folau remains class at his best and we've finally started to tap into his aerial skills in attack.

Wallabies by 20.

Love your optimism

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[TSR]

Love your optimism

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

I am blessed/cursed with the ability to convince myself that there is a chance.

If we happen to win, I will be content we have turned the corner and it is the dawn of a new age.

Of course, if the All Blacks happen to pull off an upset I will revert to joining the angry throng.

 

[KiwiM]

Crowd is predicted to be between 50k - 55k

I believe the current lowest crowd for a Bledisloe at Homebush is 65,328.

 

[Scrubber2050]

^^^^^^
and probably more than half will be our little cousins

 

[wamberal]

Yep sadly we are missing the big abrasive world class 8's of past we use to have like Toutai Kefu. No perfect answer there so can see why gone with McMahon as not any other option calling out pick me pick me.

Hanigan is talented young player but certainly not test standard 6 at this stage or anywhere near where Fardy operated at over the years. Again no stand out option here either though.

They should have been putting a lot of effort into retraining Taqele Naiyaravoro (sp?) as a number 8.

 

[fatprop]

Simmons on the bench is probably the biggest surprise for me.

I think they went for the most reliable lineout option

 

[dru]

They should have been putting a lot of effort into retraining Taqele Naiyaravoro (sp?) as a number 8.

That's an interesting idea. Trickier and it's been laughed at before, but I would have liked to see Pocock retrained to Hooker as well.

 

[TOCC]

Simmons on the bench is probably the biggest surprise for me.

Should have been Carter

 

[RugbyReg]

Should have been Carter

he doesn't cover the backrow like Simmo does.

 

[TOCC]

Is this the highest representation of Pacific Islanders in a Wallabies team, 8 players, either born or whose parents were born in Tonga, Fiji or Samoa. Would have been 9 if Sefa Naiavaalu were fit as well

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Hey, I'm not saying that I would have chosen him in the centers for the Wallabies. But I don't think that it is just being cheeky to suggest that Cheika has. How well would Kuridrani go at 11 in attack? As you say, Rona has experience on teh wing in a different game, experience that isnt entirely irrelevant. And Kerevi is already there.



Anyway, keep an eye on the defensive positions. If I'm wrong check for backline confusion before saying it.

Pity Hunt injured as would have had otherwise 3 high profile ex league players playing for the wallabies. As I make no secret that I enjoy seeing talented league players successful in our game, as they have some fantastic athletes / footballers and more they are successful and encourage other young high profile league players into our game the better. Yes yes not ignoring grassroots but equally if they are good enough and bring bums on seats all for it.