Wallabies v France 3rd Test - 21 June Sydney

[hammertimethere]

That said, if there is experimentation to happen....
1. Slipper
2. Taf
3.Kepu
4.Simmo
5. Kev
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. McCalman
9. White
10.Foley
11. BADGE
12. To'omua
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) (though I recognise the argument of keeping kuridrani there)
14. McCabe
15. Izzy

16. Charles
17. Sio
18. Weekes
19. Skelton
20. Higgers
21. Phipps
22. Beale
23. Kuridrani

That's what I'd like to see, though if palu is deadset ready (not just able to strap his ankle and play in pain for 50 mins) then he may as well start, straight swap for McCalman who would unfortunately go out of the 23 because otherwise you need to alter the make up of the bench.

 

[Bowside]

I wouldn't mind seeing Burgess get a run off the bench to see if he can still play at this level. But I realise he probably doesn't deserve it on form.

I wonder if Link is confident enough in Higginbothams ability as a jumper to play him and Skelton as a pair (to make up for Skelton lack of jumping).

Could we possibly see Skelton running of Foley or To'omua wide in the backline?

 

[Brumbieman]

Random question lads, but I read on another forum that To'omua allegedly doesn't like the pressure of being the main playmaker, and prefers playing at 12.

As this goes against everything else i've ever heard, but was apparently confirmed by Kafer after talking to Matty, can anyone else shed some light on this?

Praying to Jeebus and Cthulu that this is in fact the case, and that Gandalf and Bernie playing him at 12 for the Brumbies and let Lealiifano reclaim 10, and then kick down the door of the Wallabies 10 jersey and make it his own!

 

[Tomikin]

Shit. Tahs and Brumbies fans have thrown their own players names in. I better get in too.

Errr, ummm, Dom Shipperly can tackle ok I guess.

Jesse Mogg ;-)

Sent from my HTC_0P6A1 using Tapatalk

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I would be keeping the core of the starting fifteen in place (well pretty much all of it actually) but give one or two blokes a taste off the bench. I thought Jones did a good job when he came on but I'd like to see Big Willy get a run for 20 or 30 on the weekend to see how mayhem he could create. Higgers the same. I don't want us chucking away a test match unnecessarily though. Targeted subs at the right time, particularly if we're looking fairly comfortable or more to the point if we're getting dusted.

It took a bit of guts for Link to sub when he did on the weekend and it played out pretty well though.

 

[Hawko]

I would be keeping the core of the starting fifteen in place (well pretty much all of it actually) but give one or two blokes a taste off the bench. I thought Jones did a good job when he came on but I'd like to see Big Willy get a run for 20 or 30 on the weekend to see how mayhem he could create. Higgers the same. I don't want us chucking away a test match unnecessarily though. Targeted subs at the right time, particularly if we're looking fairly comfortable or more to the point if we're getting dusted.

It took a bit of guts for Link to sub when he did on the weekend and it played out pretty well though.

I thought Jones was a bit overawed. Not shit-canning him, he has a lot of potential, but I think he and Fardy might end up sharing 6. He didn't make a huge impact on Saturday and that's what you need from your bench.

 

[the sabanator]

Just curious how the 3 pm kick off works in Sydney - does Premier grade have a bye or play earlier etc? No such concessions up north sadly

 

[I like to watch]

Most are playing early,the Rats are playing later & Manly is playing on Sunday.

 

[qwerty51]

Pandaram is reporting Skelton will start based on training side. Horwill was in the reserves and Palu was in the starting side too.

 

[BDA]

If that is the starting side, that's really a massive pack. I would think our 8 would weigh close to 920-925kg. If I'm not mistaken the Boks pack on the weekend was about 930 kg. I was pretty drunk at that time (1am sunday) so i might be wrong about the numbers but I remember that catching my attention. The french starting pack in the first test was only something like 845kg, at least on paper. The Wallabies pack at the moment seems to hover between just under 900 and just over 900.

For a team that is probably less effective in the scrum than other top sides, i would think pack weight is important. anything less than 900kg will probably mean added pressure on our props. A pack of 920+ should make life easier in the scrums theoretically, although might effect mobility and less flexibility and creativity in the line-outs with Skelton for sure.

 

[Slim 293]

That would actually be rough on Horwill to bench him after that game..........

I thought his career was looking dumb after a couple of dumb penalties but then he put in a pretty decent performance.............

 

[qwerty51]

I still haven't seen Horwill improve his breakdown work, most of it is lazy and ineffective.

 

[Hawko]

Pandaram is reporting Skelton will start based on training side. Horwill was in the reserves and Palu was in the starting side too.

That's step one on the Hawko changes needed this week. Are they forecasting any changes in the backs or other changes in the forwards?

For a team that is probably less effective in the scrum than other top sides, i would think pack weight is important. anything less than 900kg will probably mean added pressure on our props. A pack of 920+ should make life easier in the scrums theoretically, although might effect mobility and less flexibility and creativity in the line-outs with Skelton for sure.

Weight in a pack means stuff-all. What is required is raw power to push and the technique to make sure that the maximum power is properly directed. Skelton adds power to the scrum (reportedly; no one ever gives you any data) so it should mean we are better this week than last, which was better than our first test. But then maybe the French will improve more than us. We'll see Saturday arvo.

I still haven't seen Horwill improve his breakdown work, most of it is lazy and ineffective.

Maybe its ineffective but I don't like to think its lazy. The bloke bleeds for his team and that doesn't gel with being lazy.

 

[qwerty51]

Well it's not lazy in the sense of workrate his approach is more flop onto the ruck (like Pierre Spies in his day) than get low and drive.

That's step one on the Hawko changes needed this week. Are they forecasting any changes in the backs or other changes in the forwards?

Nope Kuridrani sat out training but apparently just a rest.

 

[kiap]

That would actually be rough on Horwill to bench him after that game....

Yeah. Maybe the thinking is to start Skelton and give him maybe half a game to see how he goes and get him capped. Not sure he's a lock-in option for 80 minutes at this stage. But with Horwill on the bench there is perhaps better cover if he has to come on early to play a full game, rather than the other way round.

 

[RugbyReg]

I still haven't seen Horwill improve his breakdown work, most of it is lazy and ineffective.

He was the most effective of the wallaby forwards at the breakdown in the last test. His physicality at clearing out was unmatched by any of his team mates.

 

[Joe Blow]

Pandaram is reporting Skelton will start based on training side. Horwill was in the reserves and Palu was in the starting side too.

Then there was this. Higgers standing in for Palu maybe to give him more time?
With Skelton starting I would go with Higgers. Speed off the back of a steady scrum and a legitimate line out option.

 

[qwerty51]

Is that not Palu between Slipper and Fardy? Who's in front of Weeks, looks like Higgers to me.

 

[Train Without a Station]

He was the most effective of the wallaby forwards at the breakdown in the last test. His physicality at clearing out was unmatched by any of his team mates.

Come on Reg. Let's not let the facts get in the way of a lynching.

While we're at it, Simmons gave away stupid penalties and did fuck all.

Hooper was seagulling.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) didn't pass.

Izzy got caught out of position at fullback.

And Beale ran sideways a lot.

Ok I kind of thought the last one myself.

 

[Train Without a Station]

And for the record I did pay particular attention to Horwill early, though beers and mates got in the way as the game wore on.

I did notice him get over the gain line twice and also hit a ruck and take a player out and put him on the ground. Seemed effective what I did see anyway.