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Wallabies vs Wales - Suncorp Stadium June 9

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Scoey

Tony Shaw (54)
For all those criticising the fact that 8 out of the 15 are Tahs - Having 7 / 15 Super Rugby winning Reds didn't save us on Tuesday, and as a few others have suggested, most of these selections are from injury and scheduling.

My criticism of the team is that we are we taking two players on the bench who will arguably compete for the one spot (blind-side, as Captain Pocock will play 80), at the expense of a 3rd second rower.

Are those criticising having so many NSW players in the team suggesting that the team should be made up predominantly of "Super Rugby winning Reds"? Didn't think so.

If they aren't selecting the best XV because of injury and scheduling, then I would sooner see them lean towards trying in form players that are untested, than some of the capped players that are out of form. Hence all the support for Pyle et al. Obviously, we aren't going to run out a team of rookies but one or two can't hurt any more than carrying some of the tried and tested crew.
 

Scoey

Tony Shaw (54)
Give him Sky Blue and he'd be "World Class" within a month.
Appreciate the support Jiggles, but I didn't want to make this a QLD v NSW thing. ;)

It just irks me when people flippantly claim players aren't a test player without them being given a chance. He's going really well at 10 this year and I don't think it should be considered shocking for him to get a start at #10 over Barnes, considering the other injuries etc.
 
J

Jiggles

Guest
Appreciate the support Jiggles, but I didn't want to make this a QLD v NSW thing. ;)

It just irks me when people flippantly claim players aren't a test player without them being given a chance. He's going really well at 10 this year and I don't think it should be considered shocking for him to get a start at #10 over Barnes, considering the other injuries etc.

No, its just a NSW thing apparently...

He has been great at 10 and improved the Reds backline immensely when he was moved into there. I have been watching the kid for years and he has always been a great 10, he has just been dicked around with coaches thinking he is a 9, which is just not the case. I'd have complete faith in him doing a good for the Wallabies
 

Joe Mac

Arch Winning (36)
No, its just a NSW thing apparently.

He has been great at 10 and improved the Reds backline immensely when he was moved into there. I have been watching the kid for years and he has always been a great 10, he has just been dicked around with coaches thinking he is a 9, which is just not the case. I'd have complete faith in him doing a good for the Wallabies

Maybe you are right. But playing against Wales in this very important tour, isn't the place to trial the theory.
 
J

Jiggles

Guest
But its the pace for Barnes to rediscover his non-existant form at 10, right?
 

Bullrush

John Hipwell (52)
I really like the look of Hoper at 7 and Pocock at 6. Imagine Victor Vito with Pococks turn-over ability......mean.

The loss of KB (Kurtley Beale), JOC (James O'Connor), QC (Quade Cooper) and Horwill is massive and shouldn't be under-played. If the Wallabies can win without these guys then you would have to be pretty happy I reckon. It's like the ABs winning without DC, Dagg, Nonu and Read.

I don't like Pocock as Captain. Problem is that it's pretty slim picking I guess. If Moore was staring I would have gone with him. I reckon maybe Robinson or Genia should have been considered.
 

Joe Mac

Arch Winning (36)
But its the pace for Barnes to rediscover his non-existant form at 10, right?

As mentioned by Barbarian. Lucas has been safe at Super level at 10. He hasn't set the world on fire like Leliifano, so what makes you think he is going do anything at national level? Barnes may have made a few mistakes over the last few weeks, but he has a great track record at the Wallabies, including in the last world cup. I think there is a much higher chance of Barnes rediscoving his form than Lucas creating good form for the first time...
 

vidiot

John Solomon (38)
It's all subjective, but ... Lucas is the 6th choice 10, and maybe could have been 5th if he hadn't been injured or played behind a pack or beside a 9 that struggled through the middle of the super season. But he didn't.
 

light

Peter Fenwicke (45)
I like that team. Worry is that McCabe won't throw enough cut-out passes to Tomane. If he manages to remember Horne is outside him then we will be fine!
 

Elfster

Dave Cowper (27)
As long as we don't get players standing over the ball at a ruck or maul (though one really can't stand over the ball at a maul..), waving their arms around madly try to get players to line up for yet another forwards bash to get with-in 1 meter of the advantage line whilst Wales singularly sets their defence with passion and skill that makes the Hindenburg Line look like the sandpit from a spoilt, red frog fed 5 year old's birthday party.

As long as we have players who will kick judiciously and plauers chase those kicks. Please no experimental Garry Owen's from five meters from the Australian try line. And players who box-kick incessantly get taken off...

As long as we have players who realise that after going with Plan A with out success - like one off bashing the line with forwards - realise that it may be better to implement Plan B. Or hopefully a Plan C.

As long as we have players that though they play with a desire to win, that desire doesn't turn them into colourless robotic mannequins who freeze up with a fear of failure, rather than a adventurous spirit. Full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes and into the valley of death sort of thing. Nothing too reckless, but some spirited riskiness would be nice.

As long as we have players like that in the team I think it will not be a bad one.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
I think the only people who could be happy with this side are Tahs fans. Well, fair play to them, they deserve to be happy about something this season.

OK, Robinson and Kepu, good choices. TPN...well, I think he's been off and work rate has been too low, but you can't play Moore again for 3 games in a week, including the 80 min effort on Tuesday in awful conditions. All good and agree completely.

As for the rest...Palu, I think he hasn't been as good as people have been saying. He's been OK, really. I would've preferred, say, Dennis + Higgers, or Higgers + Mowen to start with Palu on the bench at best, but Dennis is another that needs a rest after Tuesday, and Palu is an experienced campainger. So Palu is somewhat justified.

Barnes, now, is in awful, awful form. He's been taking a lot of wrong decisions for the Tahs, and has been struggling to link with his backline. Too often you see him throw a dummy and take it to the line not because it's on, but because he has no options. Barnes at 10 now scares the crap out of me, but we have no one else. So while it's scary and he shouldn't be there, there's no other choice, for now, sadly.

Horne, on the other hand has been improving, but I would still not put him in the best couple of 13s in the country on form. He's a favourite and incumbent selection, in my book, but not deserving. I can understand it, but I wouldn't select him currently.

The final one is the worst one in my book. Why the hell is AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) selected, let alone at fullback? He stunk there for the Tahs at the start of the year, and he's been nothing but mediocre in every other position he's played. The selection of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is, for me, a bit of a joke. Hope he proves me wrong, but I suspect he won't.

The fact that we have over 1/3 of our 22 from an underperforming province scares the crap out of me. And the guy who has been their best back, Foley, isn't even included in the team, yet we are stuck with 3 others - Horne, Barnes and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).

You know what? I would be happier with Foley at fullback then AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper).
 
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