Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Viking]

Who will be the third hooker selected, behind Moore and TPN?

I'd imagine it would be

Hanson - set-peice is top notch this year.
or
Fainga - if he can prove fitness and form similar to last years.

I'm guessing 3rd Hooker will ultimately be decided by what Chieka sees in the training squad.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

thats the exact pack i would have TWAS but we cant have it because of the restrictions it would cause with the lineouts, maybe:

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Fardy
7. Pocock
8. Higgabotham

or

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Skelton
6. Higganbotham
7. Pocock
8. McCalman

 

[Viking]

Pocock like so many other players that have a big impact is used as an uncontested option. You can only have one uncontested option but in a pack of Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Simmons, Skelton, Fardy, Pocock, Palu you would have 3.

3 being Pocock, Skelton, Palu?

Is Palu really that bad at jumping? Sure he's no Simmons but isn't he at least a decent option?

Correct me if I am wrong but I'd imagine he could scrap through as being adequate.

 

[Train Without a Station]

He's not terrible. But how often does he take contested line outs? In order to do so you need to be quick into the air, strong in the air and safe in the hands. It's a skill that not all have, and not competing in the air regularly does not help develop it.

At Super Rugby level there's fewer strong competing jumpers so if they mark up on your best jumpers, you can go to a Skelton, a Palu or a Pocock knowing they won't contest, or if they do the lifter or jumper would need to move by which time you are already up taking the ball.

Get to international level and come up against SA where you have potentially Etzebeth (9), Van Der Merwe (6), Vermeulan (3), Whitely (6) or something similar who have all stolen ball this year, they can line up and rotate as jumpers or lifters marking up all your options. Then your only option is to go to the very back, which is the highest risk throw for not straight.

 

[Viking]

Well lets breakdown our line-out options.

Great at contesting and winning ball:
Simmons
Horwill
Fardy
Higgers

Okay at contesting, solid at winning own throws:
McCalman
Jones
Dennis

Can't contest, but can be used as an option:
Palu

Last choice, Uncontested line-outs only:
Pocock
Skelton

I think we can do with 2 great at contesting plus 2 okay or 3 great at contesting. Anything less won't cut it for international level.

Accurate?

 

[Train Without a Station]

I'd say Dennis is in the contesting and winning group. Jones too.

 

[A mutterer]

Carter's total persona, not just his ugly face, was what most of us would have liked to thump.


Say what you like about Barnes, he had talent, and he was not petulant, unlike Tummy Carthorse.

i think you misplaced the u and a, and mistakenly added an r for an n

 

[qwerty51]

This comment from the stats article at the Roar really has me worried about our Test season.

Is Michael Cheika worried? Christian Lealifano (1353 minutes), Joe Tomane (1336), Henry Speight (1323), Scott Fardy (1310), Folau (1280), Foley (1280), and Hooper (1268) are all in the top ten minutes played. And Beale, Phipps, and Higginbotham are in the top twenty. The most-played South African and New Zealand players aren’t really national stalwarts.

I didn't give much thought to it during the season but it just occurred to me that we didn't rest at all whilst NZ and SA did. Surely this is going to come back to bite us.

 

[Viking]

This comment from the stats article at the Roar really has me worried about our Test season.



I didn't give much thought to it during the season but it just occurred to me that we didn't rest at all whilst NZ and SA did. Surely this is going to come back to bite us.

There's an article going round where Hooper comments saying at the moment he feel's like he's 40.

He is one of the younger fitter guys as well, so for a player of his calibre to comment about his workload like that is a certainly a worry.

 

[Viking]

Here's the article:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rug...-rip-against-highlanders-20150624-ghwf2i.html

 

[ACT Crusader]

Folau and Foley have played every minute of every single game. Sheesh two front line Wallabies that have a big test year ahead.

 

[Viking]

Folau and Foley have played every minute of every single game. Sheesh two front line Wallabies that have a big test year ahead.

Foley can have a break when Cooper is playing

 

[Scrubber2050]

Foley can have a break when Cooper is playing

 

[KOB1987]

Quite an interesting article on Beale's defensive frailties

http://www.theroar.com.au/2015/06/26/is-kurtley-beale-a-bad-defender-a-statistical-analysis/

Basically he misses one tackle more per game than most; and what is truly bizarre, for the Tahs, when he doesn't miss tackles, they are more likely to lose

That statistical analysis doesn't support the view that KB (Kurtley Beale)'s poor defence leaks points and costs games so is therefore erroneous and should be completely ignored. The simple stat that he misses about one in 3 tackles is much more reliable in establishing that.

 

[Brumby Runner]

On 2015 Super Rugby form alone JOC (James O'Connor), KB (Kurtley Beale) and QC (Quade Cooper) (QC (Quade Cooper) mostly due to playing so few games) would only make the my initial 45+ man squad but wouldn't go any further.

One of the benefits those players get by having 40+ tests of experience behind them is that they get to be part of that initial squad anyway and all three have done enough to get to that stage. From there they would have to convince me they are needed in the reduced squad. QC (Quade Cooper) would really just need to prove fitness to make my RWC squad because he's clearly in our top two 10s and we need him there.

KB (Kurtley Beale) and JOC (James O'Connor) would need to show that their form is on an upwards trajectory and I'm not sure I could find a space for both in them in the final 31. I'd almost certainly find a place for one of them though.

There seems to be a school of thought from many commentors (often on the front page of the website only) that players like Dom Shipperly, Kyle Godwin, Mitch Inman, Dane Haylett-Petty etc. were painfully unlucky to miss out on the initial squad. What I don't understand is why any coach would select these players in the initial squad if they could not foresee or have no intention of including them in the final squad. That to me would be a pointless use of selections.

There's no room for sentimentality to include players in a Wallaby squad just to say well done on a good season if you don't think they're going to be selected to play test matches. The goal has to be to put the best squad together for the RWC, not to use the Wallaby squad just to announce who the form Super Rugby players were and then by omission, who underperformed relative to expectations.

Thanks BH. I have fairly much the same opinion of the recent form of KB (Kurtley Beale) and JOC (James O'Connor), and QC (Quade Cooper) given his limited game time this year. If I was a selector, I'd be inclined to take the view that recent form is more important than experience gained in past years especially if the main squad, ie the likely starting team, has a fair whack of experience otherwise. So, in my world, I wouldn't have either of KB (Kurtley Beale) or JOC (James O'Connor) in the match day 23 and only one at best in the squad of 31 (though atm I wouldn't even go that far).

I also think QC (Quade Cooper) is looking less and less likely to be part of the RWC also given his injuries problems. No way anyone carrying injury should be considered. To satisfy me, he would have to prove his fitness and then if he was training the house down, show in the Rc that he has the form to warrant selection in the RWC squad.

Players like Giteau, Mitchell and George Smith would also have to prove to me in the RC (assuming they even get a chance) that their current form warrants selection for the RWC before they would be considered. I can see the benefit of having each of them in the squad if they prove their form, but atm they would be behind all players in their spots who have played Super rugby this year.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Albert's take
1. Slipper
2 Moore
3 Kepu
4 Simmons
5 Skelton
6 Fardy
7 Pocock/ Hooper - cannot decide - the one not chosen not in 23
8 Palu
9 Phipps
10 Foley
11 Horne (until Henry returns)r
12 To'omua
13 Kurindraini
14 Tomane
15 Folau
16 Polotau Nau
17 Sio
18 Holmes
19 Carter
20 Higgers
21 White
22 Lealilifano
23 Horne

Albert E could hardly do better @Scrubber.

 

[Braveheart81]

Surely Berrick 'sook-face' Barnes had the most punchable face.

What are you talking about?

Berrick is the guy your mother (and everyone else's) is dreaming about their daughter bringing home to meet the parents.

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[Brumby Runner]

He was our dickhead though.

And the hatred thrown at him from supporters from every other team more than compensated for that.

Which has now been channeled at Nic White.

 

[Braveheart81]

Which has now been channeled at Nic White.

People need to accept that Nic White is just better at one of the core aspects of being a halfback than the other halfbacks.

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[The_Brown_Hornet]

People need to accept that Nic White is just better at one of the core aspects of being a halfback than the other halfbacks.

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Speaking quietly and patiently with referees?