Wallabies vs Italy - 25th Nov

[tigerland12]

Reported that Moore, Higginbotham, Sheehan and Mitchell will start.
Hopefully HB doesnt get dropped.

 

[Joe Blow]

Hopefully Neville is on the bench as well if Douglas is not available. I agree with LG, we need to have our best combination on the field against Wales. Dennis did have a much better game on the weekend but Higgers offers more all around.
It's a shame about Pocock not being ready. I would now leave him out until the Super rugby starts to ensure he will be fit and ready for the Lions.
The Italy game gives us a chance to shore up a few combinations and get a look at some borderline selections while still having a full strength side available if need be with use of the bench.

 

[D-Box]

Is a "Quad Strain" only out there for Deans to have an excuse to drop Cummins for Mitchell?

 

[Richo]

Is a "Quad Strain" only out there for Deans to have an excuse to drop Cummins for Mitchell?

With no mid-week games, there aren't a lot of opportunities to give players a run. This Italy game is about it. Injuries that might otherwise have been played through could give sufficient reason to give a run to someone lower down the pecking order. If Cummins or Ioane is out this week, I'm sure they will be back for Wales.

 

[Jets]

It seems to me that Pocock should have been left at home to get ready for 2013. It's not like we are in a desperate position of needing a 7. Hooper has been great and Gill good in his involvement so far. I guess hindsight is great and the fact that it's a new injury keeping him from playing but I thought it was odd to take him on a 4 game tour when he was a good chance off missing the first 2 games and they didn't take Higgers for that reason.

I'd be disappointed for Cummins if he missed out. I'm not a huge fan of his but he deserves to maintain his spot after last weeks game.

 

[The Rant]

Higgers for Dennis
Moore for TPN
Sheehan for Phipps

Sounds like we're going to annouce our best team yet this year to play Italy. Bring it!!

 

[Richo]

It seems to me that Pocock should have been left at home to get ready for 2013. It's not like we are in a desperate position of needing a 7. Hooper has been great and Gill good in his involvement so far. I guess hindsight is great and the fact that it's a new injury keeping him from playing but I thought it was odd to take him on a 4 game tour when he was a good chance off missing the first 2 games and they didn't take Higgers for that reason.

I said this before the tour. Not very smart planning.

 

[Italophile]

My adopted mob were terrible against Tonga - gli Azzurri of old, lots of kicking and most of it poor, clumsy and hopeless behind the pack. Tonga came out of the match with more pluses. Brunel's mantra has been to improve their running game and there were better signs last week. Their default, though, is to go sideways as much as they go forward. It doesn't help that Burton plays so deep, taking the pill 20m behind the line, passing it another 20m deeper.

Scrums are going to be a different proposition from last week. That was a very inexperienced England front row. They haven't mastered the Dark Arts yet. The Italians revel in them. Castro will drive sideways from beginning to end if allowed. The ref is a Bok, van der Merwe, and I know nothing about him apart from that it will be, I think, his second international thus inexperienced. If Castro bluffs him, it could be a long day in the front row.

 

[Braveheart81]

Is a "Quad Strain" only out there for Deans to have an excuse to drop Cummins for Mitchell?

It sounds like Ioane and Cummins both have niggles. It appears that Mitchell will definitely play and it will be instead of Ioane unless Cummins fails a fitness test.

 

[scaraby]

My adopted mob were terrible against Tonga - gli Azzurri of old, lots of kicking and most of it poor, clumsy and hopeless behind the pack. Tonga came out of the match with more pluses. Brunel's mantra has been to improve their running game and there were better signs last week. Their default, though, is to go sideways as much as they go forward. It doesn't help that Burton plays so deep, taking the pill 20m behind the line, passing it another 20m deeper.

Scrums are going to be a different proposition from last week. That was a very inexperienced England front row. They haven't mastered the Dark Arts yet. The Italians revel in them. Castro will drive sideways from beginning to end if allowed. The ref is a Bok, van der Merwe, and I know nothing about him apart from that it will be, I think, his second international thus inexperienced. If Castro bluffs him, it could be a long day in the front row.

But the most experienced Aussie front row we have trotted out for a while. Couldnt be any more sideways movement than last week. Refs a Bok.....they love scrums.
I think the fact that Alexander has done an" Al Baxter" and learnt to scrum in his 50th odd test is a huge boost as it means we can bring a fresh Kepu on.....still have serious doubts about Slipper. Might have to send him to Big Al school. Two good scrumming locks and Palu will hold them tight.

 

[scaraby]

My adopted mob were terrible against Tonga - gli Azzurri of old, lots of kicking and most of it poor, clumsy and hopeless behind the pack. Tonga came out of the match with more pluses. Brunel's mantra has been to improve their running game and there were better signs last week. Their default, though, is to go sideways as much as they go forward. It doesn't help that Burton plays so deep, taking the pill 20m behind the line, passing it another 20m deeper.

Scrums are going to be a different proposition from last week. That was a very inexperienced England front row. They haven't mastered the Dark Arts yet. The Italians revel in them. Castro will drive sideways from beginning to end if allowed. The ref is a Bok, van der Merwe, and I know nothing about him apart from that it will be, I think, his second international thus inexperienced. If Castro bluffs him, it could be a long day in the front row.

But the most experienced Aussie front row we have trotted out for a while. Couldnt be any more sideways movement than last week. Refs a Bok.....they love scrums.
I think the fact that Alexander has done an" Al Baxter" and learnt to scrum in his 50th odd test is a huge boost as it means we can bring a fresh Kepu on.....still have serious doubts about Slipper. Might have to send him to Big Al school. Two good scrumming locks and Palu will hold them tight.

 

[Italophile]

I have the same doubts about Slipper.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Team Announced

15. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
14. Nick Cummins (Western Force)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
12. Ben Tapuai (Queensland Reds)
11. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)
10. Kurtley Beale (Melbourne Rebels)
9. Brett Sheehan (Western Force)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
7. Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs)
6. Scott Higginbotham (Melbourne Rebels)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force, captain)
4. Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)

Run on Reserves:

16. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)
19. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)
20. Liam Gill (Queensland Reds)
21. Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels)
22. Mike Harris (Queensland Reds)
23. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)

 

[DPK]

What a sensible side. Deans must have messy handwriting and they've printed what they think he meant.

 

[Sully]

Run on reserves?

How's pocock's European vacation going?

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[GaffaCHinO]

Run on reserves?

How's pocock's European vacation going?

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Wasnt the talk if your not avaliable for all 4 games you wont be going on tour? Should have stayed at home.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Would have liked to see Neville on the bench

 

[The Rant]

Why is Samo not on the bench?? Dennis is a solid worker who puts in the effort but he isn't an 'impact' man. I would only sub higgers for Dennis if we were getting killed at the breakdown.

Otherwise this team is mega-awesome. Best this year. I smell test meat.

 

[Bowside]

Taking Pocock on tour was a total waste of time and money.

 

[matty_k]

Sadly yes.