Wallabies v Barbarians - 1/11/14 (Twickenham)

[RugbyReg]

Always love a Baabaas fixture. Beginning of the tour is odd, but hope it allows Link to run a few newbies (Godwin, etc) and release the shackles a bit.

Baabaas have done some recruiting. Nothing too scary. Will be good to see the Honey Badger and Adam Thomson.


Potential team:

15 Tim Nanai-Williams
14 Frank Halai
13 Francis Saili
12
11 Nick Cummins
10
9
8 Adam Thomson
7 Heinrich Brussow
6 Jacques Botes
5 Michael Rhodes
4
3 CJ Van der Linde
2 Mo Schwalger
1 Coenie Oosthuizen

16 James Parsons
17 Matt Stevens
18 Thomas du Toir
19
20
21
22
23 Patrick Osborne

 

[Wilson]

What are the chances of the Toulon Aussies playing?

 

[Braveheart81]

release the shackles a bit.

For the ARU, this fixture is all about releasing a few more shekels.

 

[BDA]

decent Backrow.

 

[#1 Tah]

Would love to see Gits and Drew play too. Any word on when the full BaaBaas squad is announced?

Which socks will the Badge wear?

 

[Forcefield]

Who would we love to see in for the Wallabies in this one?

For mine:
Definitely would love to see: Godwin, Luke Jones.
Maybe: PAE, Tom English, Kerevi. Would love to see Hodgson get a start and I think Hooper needs a rest. Maybe also Auelua? Has Tala Grey been good enough to get a chance? Or is Stephen Hoiles still worth a look in?

 

[Bairdy]

How about Jed Hollaway, Andrew Kellaway, Nick Frisby, and JJ Taulagi?

In all seriousness, I don't want to see the Wobblies take this game lightly. We haven't lost to the Barbarians since 1976; let's not break that record too.

There is an argument for playing the second choice options if our first-choicers need a rest - Slipper, Kepu, Phipps; maybe Hooper, Fardy and Horwill. A lot of players in this team need to acquire as much game time as they can, and we need to shore up some positions of weakness (tighthead, blindside flanker, openside wing, fullback [?])

Going through players like a conveyor belt is counter-productive at this stage. Even if means someone like a Godwin has to wait a little longer

 

[Forcefield]

We play six games in six weeks and not long after the RC finished. The player workloads will have to be managed. Godwin and Luke Jones are excellent players who deserve a chance (or another chance in Jones' case) to show what they are capable of. We don't really have a back up 12 to To'omua (I don't rate Lealiifano at all) and we need to build depth. Likewise we would be well served with more options at 4/6.

I'm not suggesting that we make wholesale changes, but we need to keep the team fresh and we need some depth for the RWC in case of injury next year.

 

[qwerty51]

Not a very good Barbarians side. Slipper, Kepu, Hooper, Simmons, Carter, Phipps, Foley, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) ,Folau can all piss off.

1. Benn Robinson
2. Josh Mann-Rea
3. Ben Alexander
4. James Horwill (c)
5. Will Skelton
6. Scott Fardy
7. Matt Hodgson
8. Scott Higginbotham
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Rob Horne
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Henry Speight
15. Christian Lealiifano

16. James Hanson
17. Pek Cowan
18. Tetera Faulkner
19. Luke Jones
20. Jake Schatz
21. Nic White
22. Matt To'omua
23. Joe Tomane

Potentially Palu if for Fardy too.

 

[Forcefield]

Like it all except- Gill in for Schatz and no Mann-Rea if it can be helped. Fainga'a and Hanson still have a future with the Wallabies. Mann-Rea is old and would be about 8th in line if we had no injuries. There is no point taking him on tour.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Like it all except- Gill in for Schatz and no Mann-Rea if it can be helped. Fainga'a and Hanson still have a future with the Wallabies. Mann-Rea is old and would be about 8th in line if we had no injuries. There is no point taking him on tour.

I would also have Gill in for Schatz, but I might even go further and have Lopeti Timani in the squad, and start him at 8 with Higgers at 6 for the Baa Baas.

I do like Christian Lealiifano at 15. At the moment, there is really no stand out back up to Izzy at 15. Christian had games there in the ITM a few years ago, and has most of the skills required. May have to sharpen up high ball takes. Otherwise, maybe AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) after Henry joins the team.

If TPN is fit to tour, expect the No 2s will be TPN, Fainga'a and Hanson. TPN to start the Baa Baas game to get some game time into him.

 

[Forcefield]

It would be great if Timani continues his form on from the NRC. But I think it is crazy talk to consider him for the Wallabies on the basis of his NRC form. The Rebels have been a dominant side. There is a big difference between looking good and working hard in a dominant side and what he would likely face in the EOYT. Consider him for the RWC by all means, but wait until after he has put together a string of Super rugby games.

 

[Jagman]

The Rebels have been a dominant side.

Innocent mistake but still a little bit funny

The Wallabies play 6 matches in 7 weeks, there's a break between the 3rd Bled and Baba game.

I wonder when players might start being recruited to Wallabies on NRC form. It's a long wait to June (or in a RWC year, August) if you want to see their Super Rugby performance first and are not those in the NRC the next best players in Australia anyway?

 

[Highlander35]

My question is when will the NRC start next year? Soup will finish 3 or so weeks earlier due the lack of June Internationals. Is there 6 or 7 weeks of club rugby left now rather than the 3 or 4 of this year?

 

[qwerty51]

probably copy whatever the ITM and Currie do. Club rugby should react to that

 

[Hammeroid]

Is this game on Fox sports, they didn't advertise it with the other games on the spring tour after the Game tonight. Worried

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Barbarians squad:

11 NZ, 8 SAF, 3 ARG, 1 AUS, 1 JAP, 1 SCO, 1 ENG, 1 SAM

Backs: Tim Nanai-Williams (NZ), Joaquin Tuculet (Argentina), Patrick Osborne (NZ), Frank Halai (NZ), Nick Cummins (Australia), Juan de Jongh (South Africa), Francis Saili (NZ), Colin Slade (NZ), Marnitz Boshoff (South Africa), Tomas Cubelli (Argentina), Sarel Pretorius (South Africa), Fumiaki Tanaka (Japan)
Forwards: Adam Thomson (NZ), Matt Todd (NZ), Heinrich Brussow (South Africa), Jacques Botes (South Africa), Steven Luatua (NZ), Michael Rhodes (South Africa), Al Kellock (Scotland), Dominic Bird (NZ), Matias Alemanno (Argentina), Coenie Oosthuizen (South Africa), Matt Stevens (England), Thomas Du Toit (South Africa), Angus Ta'avao (NZ), James Parsons (NZ), Mahonri Schwalger (Samoa)

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...abies-spring-tour-opener-20141021-119nta.html

 

[Brumby Runner]

Barbarians squad:

11 NZ, 8 SAF, 3 ARG, 1 AUS, 1 JAP, 1 SCO, 1 ENG, 1 SAM

Backs: Tim Nanai-Williams (NZ), Joaquin Tuculet (Argentina), Patrick Osborne (NZ), Frank Halai (NZ), Nick Cummins (Australia), Juan de Jongh (South Africa), Francis Saili (NZ), Colin Slade (NZ), Marnitz Boshoff (South Africa), Tomas Cubelli (Argentina), Sarel Pretorius (South Africa), Fumiaki Tanaka (Japan)
Forwards: Adam Thomson (NZ), Matt Todd (NZ), Heinrich Brussow (South Africa), Jacques Botes (South Africa), Steven Luatua (NZ), Michael Rhodes (South Africa), Al Kellock (Scotland), Dominic Bird (NZ), Matias Alemanno (Argentina), Coenie Oosthuizen (South Africa), Matt Stevens (England), Thomas Du Toit (South Africa), Angus Ta'avao (NZ), James Parsons (NZ), Mahonri Schwalger (Samoa)

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...abies-spring-tour-opener-20141021-119nta.html

That would be about the strongest Baa Baas squad I've seen put together. Will certainly be a good, hard hitout for the Wallabies whether the first 15 or mainly reserve options.

 

[qwerty51]

1. Benn Robinson
2. James Hanson
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. James Horwill (c)
5. Will Skelton
6. Luke Jones
7. Matt Hodgson
8. Scott Higginbotham
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Henry Speight
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Rob Horne
14. Tom English
15. Christian Lealiifano

16. Josh Mann-Rea
17. James Slipper
18. Ben Alexander
19. Sean McMahon
20. Ben McCalman
21. Nic White
22. Matt To'omua
23. Joe Tomane

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Carter, Fainga'a, Folau, Foley, Hooper, Kepu, Kuridrani, Phipps, Simmons can all piss off.

Ok couple of changes. McCalman replaces Skelton and McMahon replaces Higgers. Jones goes to lock, McCalman to #8 and McMahon to #6.

 

[disco]

I would love to see these names in starting 15 for the Baa baas match.
Genia, Cooper, McMahon, Godwin, Skelton & Speight.

I wouldn't mind seeing a backrow of Higgers, Hooper & McMahon at some stage on this tour now that Fardy is out.