Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Train Without a Station]

I'd say he must be doing something right. Look at the improvement in the Tahs/ Walabies scrummaging since he's been involved.

One could say players not being injured may have helped too.

 

[kiap]

Ok, you know more than Mario Ledesma (4 World Cups)

Four-time loser.

But personally, I think it is a side show, having a third hooker in the squad is unlikely to win us the RWC or even win us a game;

How many RWC games does that extra winger win?


Having only the two hookers is a risk that wasn't needed but was chosen. The decision has been made and we move on. Hopefully Sio won't need to be used there.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'd say he must be doing something right. Look at the improvement in the Tahs/ Walabies scrummaging since he's been involved.

It's great to see the focus is on the improvement in the scrum. And that has been very welcome

The more interesting phase at the moment is the lineout I reckon. Looking at the NSW semi, and the Bledisloe games it's clearly a potential weakness to be targeted by opposition teams, especially when Simmons isn't on the field, and especially given our historically poor kicking game (though Izzy seems to have improved and Mitchell helps too).

When was the last time our scrum was better than our lineout?

 

[Marcelo]

Four-time loser.

So George Smith, David Pocock, Serge Blanco, Tana Umaga, Jonah Lomu and Andrew Mehrtens are losers hahahahahaha

 

[Groucho]

Four-time loser.



How many RWC games does that extra winger win?


Having only the two hookers is a risk that wasn't needed but was chosen. The decision has been made and we move on. Hopefully Sio won't need to be used there.

I think moving on is a forlorn hope, kiap. There'll be hundreds of posts about it in every Internet forum, until we win or lose the World Cup, then after. Some people have made it their mission all across the Internet.

 

[BDA]

Our best team has firmed in my mind:-

1. Sio
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Simo (packing down at TH)
5. Douglas
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Pocock
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. Giteau
13. Kuridrani
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Folau

16. TPN
17. Slipper
18. Holmes
19. Mumm
20. Skelton or Palu
21. Genia
22. To'omua
23. Mitchell

- The only difficult decision for me is whether to select Skelton on the bench. Personally I think the world cup has probably come a year or two too early. Over time I'm sure his set piece would will become much better (Simo is an example of a guy that went from one of our worst scrummaging locks to our best). But against the likes of England we can't afford to weaken our set piece. With Pooper on the field, Skelton's selection just complicates things. If you want a big ball runner, perhaps Palu is the better choice.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think that will end up being very close to the mark. I'd pick Beale at 23 instead of Mitchell and I expect Cheika will do that too. Mitchell may start ahead of Horne purely for his kicking game against England.

 

[qwerty51]

I'm 99% sure Mumm or Skelton start over Douglas with the other being the reserve lock. Douglas is the 4th lock. #20 will be either Palu or McCalman. Agree with BH81, Mitchell to start over Horne and Beale @ 23.

 

[BDA]

Yes I do expect Cheika will select Beale, but you'll need to explain to me why because I really do not get it...at all.

I'm yet to see him have a stand out game this season for the wallabies. His ball retention continues to have question marks. His ruck work is poor. Along with Quade, he appears to have been smashed and driven back in contact more than any other wallaby backs. He (again like quade) has made little in the way of line-breaks coming in off the bench. I just don't really rate Beale as a test player (certainly not in current form) and actually while I rate QC (Quade Cooper), on his current form I'd put him in the same category. Too risky, not consistent enough, and really haven't shown enough in attack to suggest we should take that risk.

Either Giteau or To'omua will be on the bench covering 10/12, so the other outside back will cover the back three. Beale is not really a seasoned test winger, nor do I want to see Folau taken off the field for Beale.


Yeh i just don't get it

 

[BDA]

I'm 99% sure Mumm or Skelton start over Douglas with the other being the reserve lock. Douglas is the 4th lock. #20 will be either Palu or McCalman. Agree with BH81, Mitchell to start over Horne and Beale @ 23.

I think Mumm is clearly our 6/lock cover. Whilst he's been selected as a lock, he mostly played 6 off the bench.

Do you think Cheika will try to play Pooper and Skelton in the same 15?

 

[Braveheart81]

I thought Beale had a perfectly solid game today. He made maybe one mistake but otherwise did what was required. He scored a try and the attack looked quite good in that last 10-15 minutes when he was standing at 12.

His performances off the bench this season have been good. He's had limited opportunities and generally made a positive impact on the match.

His ball security and defence are clearly the two issues with his game. Both were fine tonight.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I can accept that Cheika has made his bed with the selection of two hookers only, and I hope that it turns out ok in the long run.

My concern is that in the event we do have one hooker out for a match, we will be weakening the front row by having one of the best two LH props sitting on the bench as reserve hooker. That, to me, would be a mistake. IMO they should have been tutoring Toby Smith as the potential third hooker leaving both Slipper and Sio to own the No 1 spot against all comers.

 

[KOB1987]

Yes I do expect Cheika will select Beale, but you'll need to explain to me why because I really do not get it.at all.

I'm yet to see him have a stand out game this season for the wallabies. His ball retention continues to have question marks. His ruck work is poor. Along with Quade, he appears to have been smashed and driven back in contact more than any other wallaby backs. He (again like quade) has made little in the way of line-breaks coming in off the bench. I just don't really rate Beale as a test player (certainly not in current form) and actually while I rate QC (Quade Cooper), on his current form I'd put him in the same category. Too risky, not consistent enough, and really haven't shown enough in attack to suggest we should take that risk.

Either Giteau or To'omua will be on the bench covering 10/12, so the other outside back will cover the back three. Beale is not really a seasoned test winger, nor do I want to see Folau taken off the field for Beale.


Yeh i just don't get it

That's because by the sounds of it the player you are wanting to select in his place is Tevita Kuridrani. We all know that running into the defence head on isn't beale's strength, that's not what he gets selected for. He gets picked because of his creativity and the space he makes for those around him.

He has been solid under the high ball for the past 2 test seasons but some people keep bagging him for it. Also, I think the only turnover of his this test season was in bled #1 when he lost control of the pill. Something everyone else has done too., but he constantly gets bagged for it.

Let me ask you this - given that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Mitchell are likely to already be out there, if Folau goes down who would you like to come on?


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[BDA]

I thought Beale had a perfectly solid game today. He made maybe one mistake but otherwise did what was required. He scored a try and the attack looked quite good in that last 10-15 minutes when he was standing at 12.

His performances off the bench this season have been good. He's had limited opportunities and generally made a positive impact on the match.

His ball security and defence are clearly the two issues with his game. Both were fine tonight.

Beale made a few telling mistakes in this game. He kicked the ball out on the full in the first half, when he was under very little pressure. He also missed an important tackle which lead to the only US try (both he and Tomane made a meal of it).

Was he generally good in this game? Yes. But to be honest, there was nothing in this game that should or would change my opinion in terms of his position in the team. It's these types of games, mismatches against minnows, where the Beales and Coopers of this world usually shine, because they are required to do very little defending, they get plenty of time and space to counter and there are plenty tries on offer. So I don't think we should be looking at this game as fair gauge as to whether he should be in the team against the likes of England.

This is just my personal opinion based on the last 18 months of test rugby I've watched. I've come to the same conclusion with Quade. 18 months ago I thought that his attacking abilities should mean that he should be our first choice 10. To me, over the 5 tests this year Foley has looked more consistent. Quade looks the more risky choice and on current form his (arguably better) attacking game isn't so good that I can ignore the deficiencies in his game. Same goes for Beale. If he was tearing up defences like 2011, then I'd select him. But on current form I don't really think he's an essential selection. His ball security and defence (two things that will be very important in the tight world cup grinds) outweigh his attacking effectiveness at present.

Also I think its moot point talking about how he looked good standing in at 10/12. The Wallabies will be selecting a 10/12 on the bench. If you're going to have back three cover on the bench, they should be measure on their ability to cover the back three.

 

[BDA]

Let me ask you this - given that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Mitchell are likely to already be out there, if Folau goes down who would you like to come on?

Ok, well lets ignore for a second that (touch wood) Folau hasn't, as far as im aware, gone off injured once in his whole test career. But if that were to occur I'd select AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at the back. His ability under the high ball is second to none. Mitchell is also an option.

Again this is a very subjective matter, and I realise other people will have different views to me on certain players. Still I don't think we should play Beale simply because "if Folau somehow gets injured he's the most like for like replacement".

Perhaps I can give you an alternative - What if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) goes down injured in the first 10 minutes. Word you prefer to play Mitchell/Horne on the wing, or Beale?

 

[qwerty51]

Third Lions test Folau went off for a hammy within 20 mins

 

[KOB1987]

If it's an out and out wing replacement I'd pick horne but he is unlikely to be on the bench, he would either start or be in the stands. So assuming he starts it's a choice between Mitchell and Beale for the bench. Again as a pure wing replacement you'd pick Mitchell, although Beale would be faster. It's a moot point though because your benchies are selected on their versatility, hence I'd pick Beale.


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[BDA]

So he went off injured 2 years ago. once in 33 tests. my point remains a valid one.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I thought Beale had a perfectly solid game today. He made maybe one mistake but otherwise did what was required. He scored a try and the attack looked quite good in that last 10-15 minutes when he was standing at 12.

His performances off the bench this season have been good. He's had limited opportunities and generally made a positive impact on the match.

His ball security and defence are clearly the two issues with his game. Both were fine tonight.

He scored a try yes. A decent team and he would have cost a try. His passive carry was turned over on the break. Because of the quality of the opposition we were able to get the ball back and run the length.

If that was the all blacks the break from the turnover would have been a try.

 

[BDA]

It's a moot point though because your benchies are selected on their versatility, hence I'd pick Beale.

How is Beale more versatile than Horne?? or even Mitchell for that matter? That's a myth IMO. He can play 15 well. He's not an 11 or a 14. he's not a 13, and he won't be selected to cover 10 or 12.

Sure Horne can't play 15, but he can play 11, 13 and 14. If you have AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in the side you already have 15 cover. I'd actually argue that Mitchell is better placed to cover the back 3. Haven't seen him play 15 for quite some time though so I'm not sure how he'd go there.

The one thing I do like about Beale is his kicking game. He can get some decent purchase from the back