Wallabies v Wales: Name Your Best XV

[fatprop]

Indeed. The problem is, players actually GETTING rewarded for showing form, something Deans has shown about as much aptitude for as the NSW Government has shown for just about anything.

The reverse situation is also just as important. Players who are deemed to be important, and of international quality, are not being told to fuck off for a (international) season, if they didn't perform at Super rugby level.

If you're a B grade Wallaby, and the form player in your position throughout all of SUper rugby, and then come international season, a player who has played a handful of games, and been average at best in those, automatically gets selected ahead of you (Palu, Horne, Barnes, Kepu, Elsom, Giteau, Brown), what incentive is there for you to train your arse off and give everything you have in every single game?

The reality is that some players are simply better than the next off the rank and will be selected if fit even if 80% fit.

 

[Langthorne]

There is always the problem with these threads that different people are working using different criteria.

Are injured players to be considered?

Is form to be considered?

Are we trying to predict what Robbie Deans will do?

Are we excluding someone like Sharpe because he won't be playing next season?


For example, I don't think Genia and Barnes are the form Aussie 9 and 10 at the moment, but we know they could potentially (with form and fitness) be a long way ahead of the other contenders.

 

[emuarse]

The thing is, the players like Ginea, Barnes,Palu etc lift their game a bar or two when they are in the test environment, whereas a lot of the Super 15 in form players are probably at their best right now looking good against other sides whose tackling, positional play, comittment et al is not as intense as test standards. Those players when placed out of their environment can wilter at the vine.
This is probably why the Wallabies with a high level of 'newbies', did so poorly against Samoa last year, and also why the Wallabies only bring in 1 or 2 new players for their significent games each year.

 

[fatprop]

Yeah if we had a 8 better than the potential of Palu or 6 better than the potential of Elsom for the squad, they would be selected. There wasn't, so you take medical advise and gamble.

 

[suckerforred]

The purpose of this thread is to come up with what you believe to be the best possible twenty-two man squad to take on Wales in the first test match of the mid-year series. Your proposed selections should take into consideration current form, past performances and everything in between. You may name currently injured or out of form players if it is reasonably foreseeable that they will return to form before the first test match.!

OK my turn, Keeping in mind the above.

1 Robinson
2 Moore
3 Slipper / Kepu
4 Sharpe / Pyle
5 Horwill
6 Higgers
7 Poey
8 Mowen
9 Genia
10 QC (Quade Cooper) (God I hope and pray he finds his feet quick)
11 Diggers
12 JOC (James O'Connor)
13 Fainga/McCabe
14 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15 Beale

16 Hanson/TPN
17 Kepu / Slipper
18 Pyle / Sharpe
19 Hodgson / Palu
20 Kingston/Foley/Shipperly
21 Barnes
22 Lucas / Harris

Where I have two (or three) in a position it is because I really can't make up my mind.

I said in a previous thread that I think Deans is going to have to concentrate on winning the Welsh series, and let the Scotland test be a run for some of the fringe players. Otherwise you will have players having 3 games in a week and that will just be asking for trouble!!!!!!.

 

[mjw]

Got to say I am disappointed that many teams have failed to pick one of Tahs best this year Dave Dennis. He wouldn't disappoint.

 

[Braveheart81]

There is a lot of competition for the 6 and backup 8 jersey between Higginbotham, Mowen, Dennis and Hodgson.

I think most people rate Dave Dennis (myself included), but he is by no means a controversial omission from anyone's team (unless you instead included Ita Vaea).

 

[mon]

Suckerforred why don't the Wallabies just wear Red. Approx 1/2 your team comes from Qld whilst the other 4 Aus teams are only good for the other 1/2. This should serve the Wallabies well

 

[Cave Dweller]

What you guys think about this team

http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/...picks-its-wallabies-squad-20120407-1wi2r.html

 

[Slim 293]

What you guys think about this team

http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/...picks-its-wallabies-squad-20120407-1wi2r.html

I believe that's the same one from the article on page 1...

 

[qwerty51]

Thought about this a bit..

1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Horwill
5. Sharpe
6. Dennis
7. Pocock
8. Palu
9. Genia
10. O'Connor
11. Ioane
12. Tapuai
13. McCabe/Fainga'a/Horne/Cummins/Inman (yes it's that unclear)
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Beale

16. TPN
17. Slipper
18. Pyle
19. Higginbotham
20. White/McCalman (4/5:3/2)
21. Barnes
22. Mogg

 

[gtjack]

1 James Slipper - I'm tired of people thinking that Benn Robinson is the choice at loosehead prop. He's an average at best scrummager and thats about the highlight of his game.
2 Stephen Moore - No better hooker in Australia.
3 Dan Palmer - I'd really like to see what he could do in the international level scrum. Wales brings a solid scrum with them and the ability to dominate ours, Palmer might be the solution here.
4 Hugh Pyle - I'd pick Pyle at first to see what he can do in the test arena, if he falters at first I'd look to Sharpe /Simmons (if he picks his game up).
5 James Horwill (C) - Horwill is by far the best captain we have. Pocock has performed admirably at the Force, but the passion for the jersey and leadership that Big Kev offers is second to none.
6 Scott Higginbotham - Has the ability to completely turn the game in our favour, if he shows up.
7 David Pocock (VC)
8 At number 8, there are three options in my humble opinion - 1. Give Beau Robinson or Liam Gill a run at test level to have another pilferer in the team to work with Pocock, shifting Higginbotham to 8, 2. Mowen, 3. Palu. I'd be inclined to give 1 a shot, then revert to 2 or 3.

9 Will Genia - Who else really? Has to really refine his kicking, as well as trim back on the amount he does kick.
10 James O'Connor
11 Digby Ioane
12 Ben Tapuai - Has anybody played better at 12 this year than Taps? Dingo would probably go with Barnes here, but in all fairness his form has been pretty ordinary.
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Dom Shipperley - with the number of injuries in the wing positions and his good form, I'd go with Shipperley here. Could easily see O'Connor being put here with other shuffling in the backline (such as Deans' desire to have Pat McCabe in the side for lord knows why).
15. Kurtley Beale

16 James Hanson - has proven himself as the best hooker at the Reds, and quite possibly the second best in the country.
17 Sekope Kepu
18 Nathan Sharpe/Rob Simmons
19 Gill/Mowen/Palu
20 Nick Phipps
21 Ben Lucas
22 Joseph Tomane/Christian Lealiifano

 

[Slim 293]

After 8 rounds it's pretty clear that LILO deserves a call up..

Ella agrees in the Australian...

On form alone he's miles ahead of Barnes...

Obviously in the test arena you don't go by form alone, ad experience counts too...

But LILO has to be in the squad...

 

[Bruce Ross]

And then we have Eddie Jones picking a team on current form:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/big-guns-struggling-to-find-form/story-fn6ck6i3-1226326188673

 

[GaffaCHinO]

And then we have Eddie Jones picking a team on current form:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/big-guns-struggling-to-find-form/story-fn6ck6i3-1226326188673

thank god he's not picking the team! I think we would be Samoaed every singe game


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Slim 293]

To be fair, Jones has probably picked a decent representation of an "in form" team, although I don't quite agree with it...

 

[Gnostic]

Really on form especially after tonight's Rebels performance from O'Connor in particular its hard to argue with Jones. I think I would prefer Tapuai to Carter but its hard to argue with the rest. Sharpe remains the best lineout technician in the country and his work away from the set peice has been at least as good as anybody else in his position. I could argue other spots but many would only be on the basis of personal preference.

 

[Paradox]

I reckon Fardy could be a shock inclusion in a Wallaby squad.

Should try to get selected in his provincial side first.

I trust you caught the game Brumbes V Rebs? Anyway, since when was being selected by your province the only way to become a Wallaby?

 

[Happy]

After last night's game, I would think that anyone who didn't have Pat McCabe, and probably Lealifano as well, in their team must surely be having a re-think.

 

[jay-c]

i for one dont wanna see the wallabies flooded with newbies
good on mogg for having a great start to the season- let him have 2 more to the point where his record is demanding selection
how often does someone in their first s15 season get a run for the all blacks?
test rugby i think, is more about experience and not making mistakes