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Wallabies v England, Sat 11th June, 8.00pm, Suncorp Brisbane

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Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
WTH you pick a 3th openside on the bench if you have 2 at the starting XV? I think is just to keep happy the Melburnians for the tickets sale

We view him as a 7 at test level but he's really 6/8 more than a 7. Not the biggest in size but he has a heart like a horse. Hope he can convert that into something special at the highest level soon.
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
WTH you pick a 3th openside on the bench if you have 2 at the starting XV? I think is just to keep happy the Melburnians for the tickets sale

I think that the game plan is heavily reliant on the Pooper so he's there in case of an injury. Also the 6:2 split and the personnel on the bench imply a high intensity game from the forwards, both locks may need to be subbed. Plus there's enough tall timber on the bench to cover for the absence of McCalman.
 

Froggy

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Very impressed with this team. I probably would have gone the conservative route with Lilo at 12, but you never know if you don't have a go, and I'm excited by the idea of the two big Fijians in the centres.

Like many here, I would have gone for McCalman over Mumm, but think he's just there for the Tah haters, After all, with know Skelton or Palu, how are they going to get their outrage! ;)
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
I think that the game plan is heavily reliant on the Pooper so he's there in case of an injury. Also the 6:2 split and the personnel on the bench imply a high intensity game from the forwards, both locks may need to be subbed. Plus there's enough tall timber on the bench to cover for the absence of McCalman.


I think the game plan will be about speed to clear at the breakdown and playing with the ball at pace in attack

The Pooper will be really about giving our defense the time to re-set and stay aligned
 

Viking

Mark Ella (57)
I'm picking a big year from McMahon.

The guy has been in the set-up for a couple years now with a few solid games under his belt. Can't argue the guy doesn't play with heart - one of the hardest workers in the team. I think he will be hitting his straps at Test level soon as his body naturally gets stronger and he becomes even stronger in contact.
 

Scrubber2050

Mark Ella (57)
I'm picking a big year from McMahon.

The guy has been in the set-up for a couple years now with a few solid games under his belt. Can't argue the guy doesn't play with heart - one of the hardest workers in the team. I think he will be hitting his straps at Test level soon as his body naturally gets stronger and he becomes even stronger in contact.


Agree with a lot of that.

Which one goes for him - Hooper or Pocock ????

I don't think so.
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
I'm picking a big year from McMahon.

The guy has been in the set-up for a couple years now with a few solid games under his belt. Can't argue the guy doesn't play with heart - one of the hardest workers in the team. I think he will be hitting his straps at Test level soon as his body naturally gets stronger and he becomes even stronger in contact.


I just wonder who he replaces and what that does to the lineout balance. I would expect Fardy to be replaced and having lineout options Horwill, Mumm & McMahon to "finish"
 

emuarse

Chilla Wilson (44)
Clearly this series is considered the most difficult/important since it has been given the top three refs. Argentina, SA and NZ get the leftovers.


Nope.
Its because England are playing. They are the NH leaders at present, so the game gets the attention. If England were playing the AB's, then these refs would probably be strutting their stuff there.
 

emuarse

Chilla Wilson (44)
Frisby will be wing cover. I doubt they are planning on giving him many minutes at 9 if they don't have to.

Can't agree with you there. With 3 tests to be played, I'd think Cheika would want to get Pickles on for game time experience should Phipps get an injury problem during the series. Also to see how he performs, remembering that Phipps in the lead up to the RWC fell apart somewhat.
Admittedly he's playing like a 'House on Fire' for the Waratahs this season.
 

Viking

Mark Ella (57)
I just wonder who he replaces and what that does to the lineout balance. I would expect Fardy to be replaced and having lineout options Horwill, Mumm & McMahon to "finish"


Agree with a lot of that.

Which one goes for him - Hooper or Pocock ????


I don't think so.


I think a lot will be based around 2 or 3 factors:
1. How effective is Pocock - he can potentially be ref'd out of the game with strict breakdown interpretations - in that case McMahon will straight swap.
2. How our line-out is operating - If we are losing the ball every second line-out that could mean Mumm comes on for either Hooper or Poey, keeping McMahon on bench. (worst case scenario - hope this doesn't happen)
3. Straight swap for Hooper if Poey is killing it.
 

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
I'm picking a big year from McMahon.

The guy has been in the set-up for a couple years now with a few solid games under his belt. Can't argue the guy doesn't play with heart - one of the hardest workers in the team. I think he will be hitting his straps at Test level soon as his body naturally gets stronger and he becomes even stronger in contact.

But it just seems a little crazy trying to squeeze him into a 23 with Hooper and Pocock. He will not let anyone down but I can't help thinking a more traditional 8 would be the ticket to balance out the bench. He is not really an on the baller but more of a up the middle runner who tackles like a madman and really gets stuck in. It will be a big test for him on Saturday against a big robust English pack.
 

Viking

Mark Ella (57)
But it just seems a little crazy trying to squeeze him into a 23 with Hooper and Pocock. He will not let anyone down but I can't help thinking a more traditional 8 would be the ticket to balance out the bench. He is not really an on the baller but more of a up the middle runner who tackles like a madman and really gets stuck in. It will be a big test for him on Saturday against a big robust English pack.


As an impact player I think he adds more. He will up the intensity when he comes on. McCalman is really the only other option you have in an 8, he isn't exactly renowned for his intensity. As a starter McCalman certainly has a strong claim but as a finisher I'd go with McMahon - we like madman finishing games.

Although then you wonder why Mumm is there, and I guess as I mentioned already he's a back-up extra jumper if our line-out is getting destroyed.
 

BDA

Jim Lenehan (48)
A few thoughts on the teams named:-

1. Really like the look of the Wallabies side from top to bottom. Particularly interested to see how the centre combination performs. Kerevi will have some holes in his game at 12, but I think the Poms will have a hard time containing him.
2. One look at the benches reveals all about the intention of the teams. Both teams are clearly playing to their strengths. England are going to try to out-muscle us and dominate the set piece (nothing new there) and the Wallabies will look to dominate the breakdown and speed up the pace of the game. I gotta say I really think Eddy is playing with fire. On paper, England get mauled at the breakdown. Say what you want about the Wallabies, but this back-row is arguably (with NZ) the best in world rugby and I think you need a genuine 7 against them, particularly when the Wallabies plan to play quick ball in hand rugby for the full 80. If they're losing the battle at the breakdown there's really no respite on the bench. In fact the selection of McMahon could just compound the problem in the second half. Of course England can still win without winning the breakdown, but it's going to be a tough ask. They'll need to have a staunch defensive line and they'll need to dominate the set piece.
3. I expect we'll see England spread it wide early just to make the Wallabies second guess their tactics, then after that they'll kick the ball all night long.
4. Interesting to see the 6/2 split on the bench. If memory serves me correct the last time we saw that from the Wallabies at Suncorp was the Lions test in 2013 and we know how that turned out (touch wood).

PUMPED!
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
looking at the bench - I think the plan is to sub off the entire tight 5, Hooper & Fardy play 80, and McMahon comes on for Poey. Succession planning.
 

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
Can't agree with you there. With 3 tests to be played, I'd think Cheika would want to get Pickles on for game time experience should Phipps get an injury problem during the series. Also to see how he performs, remembering that Phipps in the lead up to the RWC fell apart somewhat.
Admittedly he's playing like a 'House on Fire' for the Waratahs this season.
A lot of that 'falling apart' was imaginary, like Michael Hooper repeatedly getting the lowest player ranking on the G&GR front page.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Can't agree with you there. With 3 tests to be played, I'd think Cheika would want to get Pickles on for game time experience should Phipps get an injury problem during the series. Also to see how he performs, remembering that Phipps in the lead up to the RWC fell apart somewhat.
Admittedly he's playing like a 'House on Fire' for the Waratahs this season.


With a 6:2 bench one of the back reserves will presumably only get a few minutes unless we're smashing them.
 

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
If the bash option at 12 of Kerevi isn't working, particularly off the ball, then Lilo will be on at halftime, and Frisby will bide his time pending an injury.
 
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