Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Gillys_ghost]

I suppose il have to go back and re watch the match but to me, the Tahs entire set piece was shambles that match, but if your sure that the Tahs didn't lose at scrum time that match I'll bow out to you guys' better judgement.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Pete old mate - keep it up - Reds flogged 'em at set piece !!!!!

 

[barbarian]

Reds certainly had the better of the lineout and probably just shaded the scrum. Losing Slipper at half time levelled the playing field a bit in that regard.

I'm not arguing that the Reds weren't the best Aussie scrum of Super Rugby- they unquestionably were. But the Waratahs were solid, too, while not necessarily being dominant.

I'd go so far as to say that this year did nothing to change the established order of Aussie scrummagers, with two exceptions- the rise of Greg Holmes and the decline of Tetera Faulkner.
.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I'm not sure scrum success can be solely analysed by statistics. It's as much qualitative as it is quantitative.

You can give away no tightheads and give away no more penalties than you receive but it does not mean you scrummaged well as you may have been driven back every scrum and received scrappy ball. That's where your risk of penalties will increase too.

 

[KOB1987]

Just for interest sake, below is the form Aussie XV of the Super season as selected by SuperBru fantasy:

1. Slipper
2. Hanson
3. Holmes
4. Jones
5. Simmons
6. Hooper
7. Pocock
8. Higginbotham
9. Stirzaker
10. Foley
11. O'Connor
12. Lealiifano
13. Kerevi
14. Harris
15. Folau

If you want to be strict and pick the best 6 and the best 7 rather than the two best flankers then sub McMahon for Hooper. Ryan Louwrens was actually the best scoring 9 but he isn't eligible, Genia was the best of the three in the mix. That was also echoed in the Fox Fantasy scoring.

But again, purely quantitative, no qualitative assessment at all.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Reds certainly had the better of the lineout and probably just shaded the scrum. Losing Slipper at half time levelled the playing field a bit in that regard.

I'm not arguing that the Reds weren't the best Aussie scrum of Super Rugby- they unquestionably were. But the Waratahs were solid, too, while not necessarily being dominant.

I'd go so far as to say that this year did nothing to change the established order of Aussie scrummagers, with two exceptions- the rise of Greg Holmes and the decline of Tetera Faulkner.
.

Just goes to show that you can have a dominant scrum and line out but with shithouse backs it gets you no-where whereas the Tahs had an average set piece but great backs and did very well again this year.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I'm not arguing that the Reds weren't the best Aussie scrum of Super Rugby- they unquestionably were. But the Waratahs were solid, too, while not necessarily being dominant.

I actually just emailed a friend who I am discussing the Wallabies with. The concern is that the 3 biggest and traditionally strongest franchises all have significant strengths in their game. But none of them have been able to do it without weakening their play in the strengths of the other 2.

For the Reds their contact dominance has suffered. For the Waratahs its their set piece.

 

[Gillys_ghost]

Whilst I usual really like stats, in genias case they don't paint an accurate picture. His delivery speed is still a bit slow and his decision making is what I have the biggest issue with. The amount of times he kicked poorly and at a bad time, and the amount of times, especially at the end of the season he has gone himself only to be hammered and the ball turned over made it very frustrating to watch.

 

[fatprop]

Australia will name a 35-man Rugby Championship squad later this week including former playmaker Matt Giteau, while Waratahs scrum coach Mario Ledesma will be formally announced as the Wallabies’ set-piece coach.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/...e-eve-of-new-era/story-fndptke0-1227418988331

Not sure if this was posted elsewhere

 

[Slim 293]

Putting aside their performance on the weekend - if you look at the Tahs scrum now compared to how they were last year there's been significant improvement.............

I don't believe that the Wallabies can't produce a solid scrum, so hopefully Ledesma can get the best out of our guys.

 

[Tomikin]

Yeah, you can't judge a scrum on one game, if so then the Brumbies smashed the Red's scrum.. Twice..

 

[Braveheart81]

My guess at a 35 man squad:

Props: Slipper, Sio, Kepu, Alo-Emile, Holmes, Robinson
Hooker: Moore, TPN, Hanson
Lock: Skelton, Jones, Simmons, Horwill
Backrow: Pocock, Hooper, Palu, Higginbotham, Fardy, McCalman
Halfback: Phipps, Genia, White
Five eighth: Foley, Cooper, Giteau
Centres: To'omua, Leali'ifano, Kuridrani, Ashley-Cooper
Wing: Tomane, Horne, Mitchell, JOC (James O'Connor)
Fullback: Folau, Beale

 

[TOCC]

Yeah, you can't judge a scrum on one game, if so then the Brumbies smashed the Red's scrum.. Twice..

I think it's Important to remember this is the Wallaby 23 discussion so referring to matches where key wallabies weren't playing(especially when talking set piece) can be a little confusing.

In both Reds Vs Brumbies matches the Reds were missing Simmons and Holmes, the preferred THP and the Tight Head lock, instead they had Kotze and Talakai making Super Rugby debuts. Likewise the Brumbies were missing Moore in the first match.

 

[mudskipper]

My guess at a 35 man squad:

Props: Slipper, Sio, Kepu, Alo-Emile, Holmes, Robinson
Hooker: Moore, TPN, Hanson
Lock: Skelton, Jones, Simmons, Horwill
Backrow: Pocock, Hooper, Palu, Higginbotham, Fardy, McCalman
Halfback: Phipps, Genia, White
Five eighth: Foley, Cooper, Giteau
Centres: To'omua, Leali'ifano, Kuridrani, Ashley-Cooper
Wing: Tomane, Horne, Mitchell, JOC (James O'Connor)
Fullback: Folau, Beale

Ok at a glance selection time:

Props: Slipper, Sio, Kepu, Alo-Emile, Alexander,
Hooker: Moore, TPN, Hanson
Lock: Skelton, Jones, Simmons, Carter, Arnold
Backrow: Pocock, Hooper, Vaea, Higginbotham, Fardy, Palu
Halfback: Phipps, Genia, White
Five eighth: Foley, Cooper, Giteau
Centres: To'omua, Leali'ifano, Kuridrani, Ashley-Cooper
Wing: Tomane, Horne, Speight, JOC (James O'Connor)
Fullback: Folau, Beale, Harris

 

[Braveheart81]

Carter is injured, Speight is suspended and Harris didn't make the train on squad.

 

[Ruggo]

No no, I think Izzy is just an example of a player who's preternatural skill in the air (at least in 2013) solved the issue of opposition having an easy time getting into the Wallabies half by putting up midfield bombs.

So he and Pocock are the only two examples of players who possess a skill that they are so good at it forces tactical adjustment by the opposition. I'm mulling over the others.

Cooper's pass and footwork puts him into that list.

 

[mudskipper]

I was thinking RWC... Carter should be good Speight certainly will... pity about Harris but not many options after Folau...

 

[KOB1987]

I can't see McCalman being left out of a squad of 6 loosies.

I think Braveheart's is on the money except my inference from the article on Fox which said that Giteau would be named was that Mitchell wouldn't be. Not yet anyway. And Cheika gave a pretty strong indication that Khunt will get a run. So:

My guess at a 35 man squad:

Props: Slipper, Sio, Kepu, Alo-Emile, Holmes, Robinson
Hooker: Moore, TPN, Hanson
Lock: Skelton, Jones, Simmons, Horwill
Backrow: Pocock, Hooper, Palu, Higginbotham, Fardy, McCalman
Halfback: Phipps, Genia, White
Five eighth: Foley, Cooper, Giteau
Centres: To'omua, Leali'ifano, Kuridrani, Ashley-Cooper
Wing: Tomane, Horne, Mitchell, JOC (James O'Connor)
Fullback: Folau, Beale, Hunt

 

[Dave Beat]

As TOCC noted, the largest source of RWC tries has been the line out. To not try and have the strongest full line out possible is crazy when it's the greatest source of tries.

Does TOCC have a mystery fix to our current line out problems.
And the game plan that goes with it?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I actually think our line out will get better when the squad assembles. Simmons is an excellent jumper and Moore a good thrower at the very least. Add in Fardy and Higgers and you've got the beginnings of a pretty effective set piece. We don't often get dusted in that department at test level.