Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[qwerty51]

Yes, I don't see how having a clear XV is a good or bad thing. It could mean there's clear candidates for the job or there's a lot of healthy competition. There's a very clear agreement on the tight 5 so make of that what you will.

 

[barbarian]

Unfortunately not quite big enough for a starting test 6.....

He's a very effective lineout operator, I see no reason why he is 'too small' at all.
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[RugbyReg]

Any note the line outs in the Reds v Crusaders game? Sanzar stats suggesting Shatz took 10 lineouts, Horwill 3, Thomson 2 and Simmo just 1 (plus a steal).

Seems he's learning to share.

 

[Viking]

He's a very effective lineout operator, I see no reason why he is 'too small' at all.
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Was fairly ineffective last Test match. Certainly can't question his work-rate but I certainly question his physicality.

Barbarian matches don't count.

 

[qwerty51]

I'd play McMahon with Pocock, but not Hooper with McMahon.

 

[choco7]

Mcmahons physicality is extremely high! you also have to remember that mcmahon is only 20years old!!!!!!!!! How much do you think he as a 20 year old would have learnt over the past 7 months since his first test!! He is killing it and needs all the experience he can get

 

[Slim 293]

I would definitely have McMahon in the squad, possibly at the expense of someone like Higgers or Palu..........

But I probably wouldn't have him in the 23 as you'd expect Hooper and Pocock to both be there.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

You seem to be implying that Fardy and Pocock aren't a good combo for test rugby.

I don't see any issue with:

4. Skelton
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. McCalman/Palu/Higginbotham

It's got work rate, ball carrying, lineout, ball winning.

If what you say is the case KOB, then it's a little concerning for the Wallabies that there is not a clear starting XV heading into the test season of a WC year.

That's a pretty useful back five and I'd put McCalman at eight. There is plenty of grunt and line out ability among those guys. Three clear jumping options, breakdown menace and ball carrying all in the same package.

 

[barbarian]

Was fairly ineffective last Test match. Certainly can't question his work-rate but I certainly question his physicality.

Barbarian matches don't count.

Hard to be critical when he was only 20 with less than one season of Super Rugby under his belt.

He's clearly improved this season, and I expect him to keep improving over the next few seasons.
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[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think McMahon will be a terrific player in gold over the next few years. He's got heaps of go in him, I just wish he weighed about 5kg more.

 

[Viking]

Hard to be critical when he was only 20 with less than one season of Super Rugby under his belt.

He's clearly improved this season, and I expect him to keep improving over the next few seasons.
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This is an Optimal 23 players for RWC. That was exactly my point. He's too fresh to be considered a starter. His time will come after RWC.

 

[SamoanNo8]

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Skelton
5. Simmons/Fardy
6. Pocock
7. Hooper
8. Higginbotham
9. Genia
10. Cooper/Lealiifano
11. Speight
12. Kerevi/To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau
16. Hanson
17. Alexander
18. Robinson
19. Sam Carter
20. Dennis
21. Phipps
22. Beale/JOC (James O'Connor)
23. Honey Badger

 

[BDA]

If what you say is the case KOB, then it's a little concerning for the Wallabies that there is not a clear starting XV heading into the test season of a WC year.

I think posters all agree on 85% of the starting side, which is a real positive. The first choice front row is a lock. Our best locking combo is obvious. Nearly everyone has Fardy as our no.6. Nearly everyone agrees that To'omua/Kuridrani is the stand out centre pairing. Phipps, Folau and Speight are in everyone's side. That's a good chunk of the team. Also the contentious spots are only contentious because we have more than one quality/experienced player that has started in that position for the wallabies over the last 4 year.

Where things get tricky is when we start looking at 2 or 3rd choices in some of these positions. Who is your starting Hooker or TH if the first choice options go down? Who starts at 12 if To'omua is out? etc

 

[Brumbieman]

Higgers lucky to make it on the plane? Get real. He's a good in the lineout, and a genuine line-breaking backrower with leadership, mongrel, and x-factor, something the Wallabies need in spades.

Matt To'omua has more mongrel than Higgers. The most aggressive thing i've seen him do on a rugby pitch is try and knee McCaw in the face.

 

[Brumbieman]

He's a very effective lineout operator, I see no reason why he is 'too small' at all.
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It's not the lineout where you need physical size, and the higher rate of momentum that yields.

 

[Brumbieman]

I think McMahon will be a terrific player in gold over the next few years. He's got heaps of go in him, I just wish he weighed about 5kg more.

If he was Higginbothams size, he'd be as good as Reid.

Which is why I don't really rate Higgers anymore.

 

[ACT Crusader]

I think posters all agree on 85% of the starting side, which is a real positive. The first choice front row is a lock. Our best locking combo is obvious. Nearly everyone has Fardy as our no.6. Nearly everyone agrees that To'omua/Kuridrani is the stand out centre pairing. Phipps, Folau and Speight are in everyone's side. That's a good chunk of the team. Also the contentious spots are only contentious because we have more than one quality/experienced player that has started in that position for the wallabies over the last 4 year.

Where things get tricky is when we start looking at 2 or 3rd choices in some of these positions. Who is your starting Hooker or TH if the first choice options go down? Who starts at 12 if To'omua is out? etc

Posters will always disagree that is for sure. I guess my point is that it appears to be unclear what Chieka's top XV is. I'm not implying it's an easy thing given he's been in the job for 5 minutes. But a key criticism of Deans and Link was that they never really settled (for whatever reason) on a top XV giving time for combos to form and team trust to improve.

Best locking combo obvious? Is it obvious to Chieka?

Is Speight in Chieka's best side? Seems he likes Horne.

Agree that the front row does now pick itself and if fit so does the midfield. But some question marks on what is AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s role, who partners Simmons, is it Palu or McCalman. Phipps is clear number 1 but who partners him at 1st 5?

 

[choco7]

In terms of the players attitude to being selected in the starting XV, I don't think they should care.... The positives to play someone like McMahon, Skelton, higgers, hooper/poey of the bench is that they would all have that impact that could really change a game.... Kinda like cooper in the backs. If the games not going our way we may fold the current attack and change it...

I do believe taking a player like McMahon to the World Cup is necessary, at the end of the day he is going to be leading our forwards around for possible the following four world cups and the more experience the better.

I prefer poeys style to hooper as previously stated, I think at test level a player like hooper shouldn't be required to do everything on the field (like he currently does). .... I know mccaw does, but mccaw is something else.... You have other quality players around you to be able to to win.

We also need to weigh up, who you play in each game...


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[Joe Blow]

Well, with To'omua being shifted to 12 this week, and Lealiifano retaining the 10 jersey, how does this affect the Wallaby squad?

To'omua was a lock in for 12, but Lealiifano was previously only considered as a backup 12. He's been doing a really good job the last few weeks at 10, and outplayed Foley by a fair bit in their match up, in a match where Beale was also awol.

With Cooper injured all year and having hardly played, unless he has a blinding last few weeks and tears up in TRC, surely Lealiifano is now the back up flyhalf?

If Cooper doesn't make it, that also leaves room for Giteau to come in as a backup 12.

Except for the fact that they lost both games, one due to a missed conversion attempt by him from directly in front.
I would have Cooper and Giteau ahead of Lilo for the back up 10 spot right now.

 

[Joe Blow]

You seem to be implying that Fardy and Pocock aren't a good combo for test rugby.

I don't see any issue with:

4. Skelton
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. McCalman/Palu/Higginbotham

It's got work rate, ball carrying, lineout, ball winning.

If what you say is the case KOB, then it's a little concerning for the Wallabies that there is not a clear starting XV heading into the test season of a WC year.

Considering Cheika got on the plane after the pre-selected squad last year for the EOYT it is no surprise that we/he are/is not settled on a starting XV.
The inside backs pretty much select themselves but the make up of the back 5 in the forwards is interesting and will depend on what Cheika is looking for specifically.
I don't know about McMahon right now. He was great against the Baa Baas but failed to impress in any of the tests.
Both Jordy Reid and Fainga'a has been able to fill his back row spot at the Rebs without too much trouble. I doubt either of those blokes would have a huge impact at test level as a 6. Test rugby is a big step up from Super rugby.
Fardy is pretty much a lock to start at 6. In a squad of 31 its hard to see them carrying a specialist 6 as a back up when there are others who can play there as well as in other positions.... Jones and Higgers