Wallabies v. Springboks, 18th July 2015, Suncorp, Brisbane

[KOB1987]

Due to popular demand, here it is!

I'd like to see Cheika test out Hooper & Pocock starting together, but it's more likely will see that at the end of the game. I think by and large we'll field a side similar to where we left off last year and develop from that base.

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Skelton
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. McCalman
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight
15. Folau

16. TPN/Latu
17. Sio
18. Holmes
19. Jones
20. Pocock
21. Genia
22. Cooper
23. Beale/JOC (James O'Connor)/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

 

[Sully]

Due to popular demand, here it is!

Wow

 

[cyclopath]

And there I'll be!!!
Year wouldn't be complete without an annual sojourn to Suncorp! And places thereabouts.........

 

[PaarlBok]

To many Reds in that team. Bokke by 50.

 

[Tomikin]

Slipper
Moore
Kepu
Simmons
Skelton
Fardy
Poey
Mccalmen
Phipps
Foley
Tomane
To'omua
Kirindrani
Speight
Izzy

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[qwerty51]

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Holmes
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Pocock
7. Hooper
8. Higginbotham
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Speight
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Mitchell
15. Folau

16. Polota-Nau
17. Sio
18. Kepu
19. Jones
20. Fardy
21. Palu
22. Giteau
23. Cooper

and then for Argentina I would play this team regardless of performances at Suncorp

1. Sio
2. Polota-Nau
3. Alexander
4. Simmons
5. Jones
6. Higginbotham
7. Gill
8. McCalman
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Horne
12. Giteau
13. Kerevi
14. O'Connor
15. Ashley-Cooper

16. Hanson
17. Smith
18. Holmes
19. Coleman
20. Pocock
21. White
22. To'omua
23. Beale

 

[KOB1987]

Looking at @Qwerty's team reminded me that if Hooper and Pocock are in the same 23 it will require a 6:2 bench. No dramas, I'll have another go closer to the game!

 

[TOCC]

Jeez I hope Cheika doesn't play two open side flankers on the scrum.


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[dru]

Cheika needs to try other lock options, and he needs to test half options. They won't get many opportunities, but I suspect he's thinking beyond the last EOYT.

 

[qwerty51]

Jeez I hope Cheika doesn't play two open side flankers on the scrum.

Where should he put them, at lock?

 

[Brumby Runner]

ATM I'd go with the following for the first test:
Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Skelton, Simmons, Fardy, Hooper, Palu, Phipps, Foley, Horne, To'omua, Kuridrani, Speight, Folau with TPN, Sio, Alexander, Jones, Higgers, White, Cooper, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the bench.

Second test I'd have:
Sio, Moore, Holmes, Skelton, Jones, Fardy, Pocock, Higgers, White, Cooper, Tomane, To'omua, Kuridrani, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Folau and a bench of Hanson, Smith, Alo-Emile, Arnold/Coleman, Hooper, Genia, Lealiifano, Foley.

First test side close to incumbents in form with a balanced back row of two tighter players at 6 and 8 and one wider runner at 7, and more jumping options on the bench if needed.

Second side mainly gives the next in line for spots a decent go while keeping some of the more definite selections in where they might need extra game time. Injuries and suspensions will probably cause me to revise some of my thinking before we get under way.

 

[ChargerWA]

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Holmes
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Pocock
7. Hooper
8. Higginbotham
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Speight
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Mitchell
15. Folau

16. Polota-Nau
17. Sio
18. Kepu
19. Jones
20. Fardy
21. Palu
22. Giteau
23. Cooper

and then for Argentina I would play this team regardless of performances at Suncorp

1. Sio
2. Polota-Nau
3. Alexander
4. Simmons
5. Jones
6. Higginbotham
7. Gill
8. McCalman
9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Horne
12. Giteau
13. Kerevi
14. O'Connor
15. Ashley-Cooper

16. Hanson
17. Smith
18. Holmes
19. Coleman
20. Pocock
21. White
22. To'omua
23. Beale

Are your thoughts Kepu is such a rusted on starter to give him a rest?

The rest I quite like except Beale in the 23.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

My team for the first test, subject to injuries, form and suspensions:

Starting XV: Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Simmons, Skelton, Fardy, Pocock, McCalman, Phipps, Cooper, Horne, To'omua, Kuridrani, Speight, Folau
Reserves: TPN(*), Sio, Holmes, Jones, Hooper, Genia, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Foley

 

[qwerty51]

Are your thoughts Kepu is such a rusted on starter to give him a rest?

The rest I quite like except Beale in the 23.

Yes, he's our most important player for the RWC and needs to be managed very well.

 

[Ulrich]

Cheika's success speaks for itself.

1st and 2nd seasons for new national coaches often shows their capability. Cheika had a shortened 1st "season" in charge so I think the Wallabies will start hitting their straps sometime this year.

Even our own Heyneke has said it's not necessarily the best team in the world that wins the cup...

So; the Wallabies need only hit their straps at the right time.

Still think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is class. Still believe Australia can scrum competitively in legal fashion if they want to. Still believe that's about as far as Aussie scrum strength goes.

I suspect the English forwards will once again have a field day up front. The Welsh are no pushovers and will fancy their chances in this area as well. If they fail, trouble to them both!

As for the Aus v Bokke game, we won't have it that easy this year. Cheika has had some time with the Wallabies now and they are a better side. Still, we must continue on our good work and improve on it. Just a little better than what we are expected to be.

 

[TOCC]

Where should he put them, at lock?

Funny....

I sill remember the failed experiment from a decade ago of starting both Waugh and Smith, and that was with law interpretations arguably more favourable to open side flankers then they are now...playing two two open-sides is fools gold..


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[Train Without a Station]

Yes, he's our most important player for the RWC and needs to be managed very well.

I think the emergence of Holmes will change that. He's shown how much of an impact he makes to scrums when you compare the Reds scrum vs the Lions when he came on after half time and the Reds immediately gained ascendency.

Obviously Kepu is still number 1. But now things are less dire every second he is off the park.

 

[fatprop]

Are your thoughts Kepu is such a rusted on starter to give him a rest?

The rest I quite like except Beale in the 23.

Cheika doesn't seem to rest players for games. He seems to manage them through reducing training load. There were stories from last year of Tahs units sitting out most of the week to freshen up

Typos by SwiftKey, errors in tone by me

 

[Joeleee]

Funny..

I sill remember the failed experiment from a decade ago of starting both Waugh and Smith, and that was with law interpretations arguably more favourable to open side flankers then they are now.playing two two open-sides is fools gold..


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You mean the failure that involved us being a bees dick away from winning a RWC that we had no business being anywhere near?

 

[Braveheart81]

Funny..

I sill remember the failed experiment from a decade ago of starting both Waugh and Smith, and that was with law interpretations arguably more favourable to open side flankers then they are now.playing two two open-sides is fools gold..


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I went back through those results and for the first year or two it was done it was very successful and then for the last year or so it was quite unsuccessful.

Hard to say what other factors influenced the changing fortunes of the Smith and Waugh partnership.

Certainly Pocock and Hooper have more complimentary styles than Waugh and Smith did.