Wallabies v Pumas, GIO Stadium, Canberra, Sat 16th September

[Warpath]

Arnold did look injured last weekend, right now Coleman and Arnold are the Wobblies best lock pairing, The Argentina team look weak too though s who knows, they may not need Arnold this weekend.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Well I still don't think Arnold has done enough to lock down the starting spot.

No question that Coleman has.

Simmons brings great set piece stuff and works hard around the field (although until recently often failed to get over the ad line). Without another Coleman I have no problem with Simmo starting (or Arnold for that matter).

Hanigan again, Robertson again - OMG. I wish just once or twice the HC would acknowledge that one or two of his "favourites" need to be dropped.

Which Genia will we see, the usual one or the bloke who ripped up in Bled 2. Reckon KB (Kurtley Beale) will now start to be heavily marked. He is our most dangerous player and by a long way.

 

[dru]

I can't see how the personnel does anything to address the set piece. So presumably this is a training thing not a personnel thing. Hopefully they cracked in in training. Oh I guess Simmo is a change, and generally positive in the set piece.

I'm conflicted on our back row. Dont like the shape or balance, but I'm bending to the thinking that something is happening around strategy for lighter/faster. BUT we were very loose in the rucks. So like the set piece, I presume that Cheika thinks it is a training thing - though again Simmo. Quiet, lot's of work that is under-rated, but rarely a dominant beast.

Again inexperience on the bench. And the usual suspects in the backs.

Nothing to get excited about, but perhaps we have some steady combination building going on. Just not in the locks.

 

[Joe Blow]

I guess Simmons inclusion is a result of our implosion at set piece last week? Arnold off the bench would have been nice. His Bled 2 game may have been the best by a lock this RC. Good to see Uelese get another run to back up a solid debut. The back row continues to be a weak area and may cost us against the Pumas.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Simmons came back into the team for the Argie game last year after a bit of time in the NRC.

This must be his 17th or 18th comeback


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[chasmac]

I'd have
6 McMahon
7 Hooper
8 Timani

Then I would change
Hodge to 12
Beale to 15
Izzy to 14

 

[Ignoto]

Cheika is verging on Deansesque selections these days.

 

[cyclopath]

I'd have
6 McMahon
7 Hooper
8 Timani

Then I would change
Hodge to 12
Beale to 15
Izzy to 14

I kind of agree with you, but it shits me to tears that we keep talking about Timani as some sort of big bopping, grunting number 8 option when he has shown no more consistent evidence of that at Test level than anyone else. Drives me nuts, because he really should be the no-brainer option. I do suspect he would be a better set-piece (esp scrum) option, for sure, and that is no small thing. *sigh*

 

[Derpus]

View attachment 9779

Cheika is verging on Deansesque selections these days.

What by picking a fairly consistent team and rotating out one player?

You lot are being ridiculous.

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[Up the Guts]

Hope Koroibete gets a run. I was impressed with his performance against the Spirit in the first round of the NRC--showed wheels that I hadn't seen him use at Super level.

Not expecting him to make the starting team anytime soon but it would be good if he just puts a little pressure on Speight who has looked solid but not world beating thus far. Maybe a little selection pressure can kick him up a gear.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Cheika on the Arnold dropping.

“Consistency’s king."

“We’ve had good positions in both the last two games, (a loss and a draw), we’ve had good leads and we haven’t been able to be consistent in our play right throughout the game, and I want to make sure that every player knows that consistency’s important.

“Rory played at an excellent standard in the Dunedin game, he needs to maintain that standard all the time.”

Hanigan is consistently a passenger so I guess that suits Cheika's ethos.

 

[KAOPointman]

Correct... Hunt isn't there. Tom Banks has been added to the squad with DHP out for the year.

Tom Banks is a pretty exciting player for mine, he looks "switched on" at attack time! He looks as good at Super lvl as he does at NRC lvl.....a good indicator of a rugby brain at work! Helps he's FAST.......

 

[KAOPointman]

I have a feeling that's why Tui has been brought in. Not for this week but to develop him as a 4/5/6.

Funn thing is Tui didn't even have a great NRC game last week.....I think he even knocked on twice in the limited ball carrying he did....
So you may be right......previous form and future planning must be the deal there!
Edit...I do really like him tho...very dynamic!

 

[KAOPointman]

I figured they would use Marika last weekend too, shocked they named Rona on the bench instead. They needed speed last weekend to beat South Africa, Marika has that in abundance..the draw was more of a loss to australia than south Africa cause not only did australia lose ranking points in the draw but the chance for a win because of the many breaks they made, they could not finish due to the lack of speed on the outside, DHP is a big loss and i stand by my comment from last week that Hodge is slow (that break he made and got caught, yikes, (marika or DHP would have finished that ). Speight looked injured last weekend, think he caught a heavy knock, so we may see Rona start with Hodge on the wings (wow worst wing pairing ever), personally i'd rather see Kerevi on the wing than Rona, atleast if he gets the ball, he can do something with it and maybe give one of his miracle passes to Beale or Folau for a try.

My guess is that "size" for defence became the priority between Rona And Marika. Pretty sure Marika was a far better attacking player this year then Rona. More metres, tackle busts, runs and tries...amount other things. Rona is no slouch anyway tho..but defence against a big Boke team was more important.....as we saw, not a lot of issues with our individual skills on attack...rather our defence needed a buff!

 

[KAOPointman]

Cheika on the Arnold dropping.


Hanigan is consistently a passenger so I guess that suits Cheika's ethos.

Hanigan and Foley must be related then :|

 

[Wilson]

Looks like Cheika has lost his keys again, I know the aru's broke but surely there's enough money left to pick him up one of these

 

[USARugger]

I kind of agree with you, but it shits me to tears that we keep talking about Timani as some sort of big bopping, grunting number 8 option when he has shown no more consistent evidence of that at Test level than anyone else. Drives me nuts, because he really should be the no-brainer option. I do suspect he would be a better set-piece (esp scrum) option, for sure, and that is no small thing. *sigh*

If anything he's at a serious low-point in form if the NRC is any indication. If you're that big and still can't even make a physical statement in the NRC..

Looking like those handful of tests the other year where he was providing some grunt in tight were the exception and not the rule.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

What by picking a fairly consistent team and rotating out one player?

You lot are being ridiculous.

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There was enough shown on kick & chase, including things Kafer couldn't or wouldn't address, to suggest that Quite a number of players do not understand some fundamental rugby truths. All are starting this week.

 

[A mutterer]

There was enough shown on kick & chase, including things Kafer couldn't or wouldn't address, to suggest that Quite a number of players do not understand some fundamental rugby truths. All are starting this week.

are you suggesting that we have a team of gen Y players who are used to getting a medal just for turning up?

 

[hammertimethere]

There was a moment in the last game, after the siren when it was all locked up. The Wallabies turned the ball over and spread it to the R edge and found Rona in space (with hooper and Folau in support). Rather than put the foot down and try to take somebody on or create a break with the game on the line he passively dished it to Hooper (our 7, who was in his 81st minute of play running on empty) and the opportunity was lost.

I'm happy that Koroibete is in the team this week for that reason.