Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[hammertimethere]

Yeah but the question who Flog? Who's consistently kicked 85-90%?

Foley no, JOC (James O'Connor) no, Lilo no, White no, Burton no, To'omua haha, Quade very well might be but he's not playing so let's go with no.

This is a very large problem I agree

 

[Floggn']

Maybe the waterboy? Mike Harris but even he isn't kicking that well.

 

[barbarian]

But we don't have that dead-eye bloke out there. In the past we had Harris or Lealiifano, but both are well off the boil this year. Foley may well be the best we've got.

 

[Floggn']

Why haven't the ARU hired a full time kicking coach for this year to be with every possible goal kicker the Wallabies have. We all know how important 1 point can be in a test why can' they?

 

[cyclopath]

Why haven't the ARU hired a full time kicking coach for this year to be with every possible goal kicker the Wallabies have. We all know how important 1 point can be in a test why can' they?

Indeed. Or the past several years.

 

[wamberal]

It's important to kick goals in Sevens, for crying out aloud, let alone in the long form of the game.


We do not want to return to the days when a reliable goal-kicker was usually the first player chosen, almost irrespective of his other abilities.

But it is bizarre that we just do not seem to understand the absolute importance of kicking, from the hand or the ground.


Why, oh, why, are we so farking stupid?

 

[barbarian]

Just because you have a specialist coach for something, doesn't mean you will therefore become great at that thing.

Also just because you don't have a specialist coach for something, it doesn't mean you don't care about it.

Foley is in line with most world international kickers at the moment, around 80%. He was pretty decent last year. I'd love to see him get better, but simply 'having a coach' is not necessarily the answer.
.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Foley is kicking at 66℅ this year, lowest percentage of anyone who's had more than 20 kicks at goal.

http://rugby.statbunker.com/competitions/KickingStrikeRate?comp_id=477

 

[barbarian]

Fair enough.

I agree our kicking is below par, and could hurt us come World Cup time. I just don't think the answer is as easy as coaching, though I acknowledge that it wouldn't hurt.
.

 

[Floggn']

Like all things in my business if we take a focus off a particular area it doesn't perform but when we focus on an area with specialised coaching/training (which costs plenty) we do improve. I can't see how this wouldn't be applicable in this area. Didn't Foley have Mehrtens last year as a kicking coach?

 

[cyclopath]

Like all things in my business if we take a focus off a particular area it doesn't perform but when we focus on an area with specialised coaching/training (which costs plenty) we do improve. I can't see how this wouldn't be applicable in this area. Didn't Foley have Mehrtens last year as a kicking coach?

He was helping out, but I'm not sure that he spent a lot of time coaching. Occasional consultant role I think.

 

[BDA]

kicking is a concern, but only because none of our kickers are currently in good form. That doesn't mean the guys that'll be in the squad aren't capable of finding some kicking form during the tests. Cooper and Foley are both decent when they're on song. I expect whoever is chosen at flyhalf will be kicking. We've also got O'Connor (who kicked well at the last WC) and potentially Lilo, Beale and/or Giteau. Plenty of capable options all of whom have won games for the wallabies with their boot. Bringing a specialist kicking coach into the squad would certainly help those guys find their rhythm. I would be surprised if Cheika hasn't already thought about this.

I couldn't justify having Harris on the field just for his kicking, although I'd be happy to see him take Beale's place in the squad.

 

[Gnostic]

Not having a coach for a specialist skill Australia has performed relatively poorly at for an extended time is not treating the problem with the gravity it deserves. Place kicking can and does win and lose matches.

I would add kicking from hand. When he burst onto the scene Savea was a very average kicker. He has worked very hard (I would guess) to improve on that aspect of his play. I would be astounded if he did it all on his own and didn't have a technical expert to critique his training in that facet. Far too many AUstralian players are known as either good or bad or average kickers from hand and that seems to be a largely static point. I will say that Foley has improved both length and accuracy in this skill this year.

 

[Derick Slater]

Since this thread is about the pulverisation of australian rugby, would anyone like to comment on this team prediction I'v made? Criticise it all you like I just thought that with the introduction of overseas based players the team might be a little more mature than previous seasons.

Wallabies 2015

1.James Slipper
2.Tatafu Polota-Nau
3.Sekope Kepu
4.Rob Simmons
5.James Horwill
6.Peter Kimlin *
7.David Pocock
8.Scott Higginbotham
9.Matt Giteau *
10.Bernard Foley
11.Drew Mitchell *
12.Kurtley Beale
13.Tevita Kuridrani
14.Digby Loane *
15.Israel Folau

16.Stephen Moore H
17.Scott Sio LHP
18.Ben Alexander THP
19.Will Skelton L
20.Michael Hooper LF
21.Will Genia (9)
22.Matt To'omua (10,12)
23.Adam Ashley-Cooper (11,14,15)

* is an overseas player

 

[Chris McCracken]

Since this thread is about the pulverisation of australian rugby, would anyone like to comment on this team prediction I'v made? Criticise it all you like I just thought that with the introduction of overseas based players the team might be a little more mature than previous seasons.

Wallabies 2015

1.James Slipper
2.Tatafu Polota-Nau
3.Sekope Kepu
4.Rob Simmons
5.James Horwill
6.Peter Kimlin *
7.David Pocock
8.Scott Higginbotham
9.Matt Giteau *
10.Bernard Foley
11.Drew Mitchell *
12.Kurtley Beale
13.Tevita Kuridrani
14.Digby Loane *
15.Israel Folau

16.Stephen Moore H
17.Scott Sio LHP
18.Ben Alexander THP
19.Will Skelton L
20.Michael Hooper LF
21.Will Genia (9)
22.Matt To'omua (10,12)
23.Adam Ashley-Cooper (11,14,15)

* is an overseas player

Ioane and Kimlin aren't eligible. I doubt Mitchell would make the team. Why you'd have Giteau out of position at 9 and Beale in his spot at 12, I don't know.

Anyway, you've gone part-way to proving Cunningham's Law.

 

[KOB1987]

I wouldn't like to play against that team but New Zealand probably would..

In all seriousness, the only flaws are those outlined above and I think Higgers is 3rd in the pecking order at 8 behind Palu and big dog
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Dancin_Digby]

My ideal 23:

1. Slipper
2. Moore (c)
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Fardy
7. Pocock (vc)
8. Palu
9. Phipps
10. Cooper
11. JOC (James O'Connor)
12. To'omua
13. Kurindrani
14. Beale
15. Folau

16. Hanson
17. Sio
18. Holmes
19. Dennis
20. Hooper
21. Genia
22. Giteau
23. Ashley-Cooper

My rationale:
Front row picks itself. Subs of Hanson, Sio and Holmes are all rock solid in the set piece and in-form, TPN too injury prone at the moment. 2nd row in simmons for lineout calling and skelton for size and impact around the park to combat the bigger packs we will come up against. Dennis gets the nod over horwill at the moment as he provides cover for lock and 6. Back row of fardy, pocock and palu has good balance, while hooper's speed will be a huge impact off the bench. Phipps has done enough to keep his spot and genia is just ahead of white form wise at the moment. toss up between cooper and foley, but i feel cooper's game has matured enough that with him running this backline he will be able to make magic happen. To'omua and kurindrani were outstanding for the wallabies last year are are consistent performers in attack and defence, while giteau gives cover for 10 and 12 and is experienced coming off the bench. have gone for kicking ability in the back 3, essentially picking 3 fullbacks rather than finishers. I think our return and kicking game at the back needs to be strong, and these 3 provide that plus plenty of speed and x-factor. ashley coopers versatility gets him the nod on the bench ahead of one dimensional players such as sleight, tomane, cummins and horne.

 

[qwerty51]

You know, naming #1-5 and #13/#15 has become redundant. 95% of people have selected those players. Really strange that our tight 5 are the most obvious selections - or it could explain a lot (no competition).

--

Drew Mitchell has just played himself into a RWC spot!

 

[Marcelo]

Did you see the try of Drew Mitchell at the European Final??? Was incredible!!!! He dodged to 6 players!

Mitchell starting winger for the WC!

 

[qwerty51]

Yeah he's a certain starter now. He's going to get MoM.