Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[TOCC]

And the real issue is the work rate lock should be Simmons if he is an automatic pick. He just isn't effective enough to be our enforcer. I think this is the crux of why our locking pairs are so unbalanced.

BH asked me this question earlier, but this Is why I don't think Carter will partner Simmons in the starting XV, it's one or the other but not both...


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[Lindommer]

Having watched the Tahs/Force and the Rebels/Tahs matches live the last two weeks to my eye the second rower with the most upside is Coleman. A stern talking to from Cheika about what's required from a test lock could, hopefully should, motivate this young fella to develop his game this year. He's got one huge advantage over other contenders: size. Comparing Coleman to Timani, they're the same weight, 122kg and 123kg, but Adam's 9cm taller, 204 and 193. We simply cannot go into tests against the Bokke, ABs and England with pipsqueak locks. If our RWC second row comes from Simmons, Carter, Skelton and Coleman with Fardy and Timani in the wider squad I'd be reasonably happy.

 

[Braveheart81]

BH asked me this question earlier, but this Is why I don't think Carter will partner Simmons in the starting XV, it's one or the other but not both.


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I do agree with that synopsis. Simmons and Carter are good at set piece time but get dominated around the park by the better teams.

Assuming his injury issues come right, I think Simmons is a lock (pun intended) and we need to find another starter to balance that. Simmons has become a very reliable scrummager and is our best lineout caller at test level. I think you look at playing him and mix him with a guy who plays a really physical game and gets amongst the rucks.

Sam Carter works really hard but he won't be the guy that helps lift that physicality at test level. Realistically I think we need at least half the forward pack who can really lead with that physical edge because you can't take it to the best teams with only one guy smashing blokes.

Timani could well be that guy. With his scrummaging and fitness looking like it's coming on significantly this season, Skelton could be a much better bench option than he was on the EOYT.

If everyone was healthy (and they won't be, but it's nice to dream), this would look pretty good to me.

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Timani
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Hooper/Pocock
8. Palu/McCalman

16. TPN
17. Sio
18. Alexander/Faulkner
19. Skelton
20. Palu/McCalman

If you want to include whoever out of Hooper and Pocock misses out you probably need to play a 6 forward bench which isn't ideal.

If you played the other openside on the bench instead of Palu/McCalman, you'd be planning on putting Timani to number 8 or 6 in the case that either of those players got injured.

You could also go without a replacement lock and plan that it is Fardy if required but that seems the most risky option of the lot.

 

[Scrubber2050]

BH

Who do you think will really get the 7 spot.

Personally I think Pocock - not necessarily the right choice but the bloke seems to be in the forfront

 

[Brumby Runner]

If everyone was healthy (and they won't be, but it's nice to dream), this would look pretty good to me.

1. Slipper
2. Moore
3. Kepu
4. Timani
5. Simmons
6. Fardy
7. Hooper/Pocock
8. Palu/McCalman

16. TPN
17. Sio
18. Alexander/Faulkner
19. Skelton
20. Palu/McCalman

If you want to include whoever out of Hooper and Pocock misses out you probably need to play a 6 forward bench which isn't ideal.

If you played the other openside on the bench instead of Palu/McCalman, you'd be planning on putting Timani to number 8 or 6 in the case that either of those players got injured.

You could also go without a replacement lock and plan that it is Fardy if required but that seems the most risky option of the lot.

I'd also have Higgers in the mix for No 8. He's really looking good again this year and brings a mix of the skills provided by both Palu and McCalman.

 

[Tomikin]

It's early season, but at the moment, on form I'd have Sio in front of Slipper, his put a pasting on the Reds, and the Chiefs. If he keeps this form to test season it be hard not to give him the gig.. and personally if his injury free he'll do it..

 

[Braveheart81]

BH

Who do you think will really get the 7 spot.

Personally I think Pocock - not necessarily the right choice but the bloke seems to be in the forfront

I really don't know yet. I haven't seen nearly enough of Pocock to get a good read. He was quite good in the first round but he wasn't exceptional. His performances are going to get a fair bit of exxageration in my opinion until people are used to him being back and start rating him more objectively. He was also part of a forward pack that obliterated a terrible opposition.

I think Hooper is a clear frontrunner heading into this season. He's the current Wallaby captain and I don't think he's going to lose his spot easily. Pocock needs to do more than just have a solid season. He needs to be exceptional.

It's early season, but at the moment, on form I'd have Sio in front of Slipper, his put a pasting on the Reds, and the Chiefs. If he keeps this form to test season it be hard not to give him the gig.. and personally if his injury free he'll do it..

It is very early in the season but again, Slipper is the current vice captain of the Wallabies and was one of our best players in 2014. No coach is going to toss him out of the starting XV unless there is an absolutely compelling reason to do so.

Cheika's available build up for the RWC is very limited. He'll want to build on the 6 weeks or whatever it was he got to spend with the team on the EOYT so for that reason, I don't expect he'll want to shake things up too much because it means relearning certain things in a limited amount of time.

It's quite apparent though that Slipper and Sio are our two best LHP so hopefully they're both healthy throughout 2015.

 

[Marcelo]

Another thought: does Steve Mafi qualify? I know he's played for Tonga, so does that preclude him? He could be a smoky for the RWC if his NH form is anything to go by.

Could Taqele play for Fiji this WC? I'm not saying he should be on the RWC squad, but after the exodus, he could be an option in 2016. He has the size and is a good finisher, some size never hurts.

 

[BDA]

What about THP? Anyone on the radar ATM, besides Kepu and Alexander?

Laurie Weeks looked decent in round 1. I didn't really carefully critique his performance against the tahs.

That seems to be about it at the moment. On the plus side, Alexander looks like he's got his mojo back.

 

[Braveheart81]

What about THP? Anyone on the radar ATM, besides Kepu and Alexander?

Laurie Weeks looked decent in round 1. I didn't really carefully critique his performance against the tahs.

That seems to be about it at the moment. On the plus side, Alexander looks like he's got his mojo back.

Weeks has gone well in both games. The Tahs scrum was depleted against the Rebels with Robbo and TPN missing most of the game, particularly for the periods when Kepu was also on the bench.

In both games the Rebels scrum has actually been stronger with Weeks at THP compared to when PAE came on which is interesting.

Alexander, Faulkner, Weeks, PAE, Holmes and maybe even Talakai seem to be the options.

 

[Sully]

If Talkai keeps progressing like he has he could be a dark horse for the rwc squad.

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[Braveheart81]

If Talkai keeps progressing like he has he could be a dark horse for the rwc squad.

It's hard to fault his work so far.

 

[Sully]

Resonable involements around the ground too.

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[Scrubber2050]

If Talkai keeps progressing like he has he could be a dark horse for the rwc squad.

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Sully, surely a pun, that is, a dark horse, Maybe in this politically correct climate we should just say, horse

 

[Tomikin]

I really don't know yet. I haven't seen nearly enough of Pocock to get a good read. He was quite good in the first round but he wasn't exceptional. His performances are going to get a fair bit of exxageration in my opinion until people are used to him being back and start rating him more objectively. He was also part of a forward pack that obliterated a terrible opposition.

I think Hooper is a clear frontrunner heading into this season. He's the current Wallaby captain and I don't think he's going to lose his spot easily. Pocock needs to do more than just have a solid season. He needs to be exceptional.



It is very early in the season but again, Slipper is the current vice captain of the Wallabies and was one of our best players in 2014. No coach is going to toss him out of the starting XV unless there is an absolutely compelling reason to do so.

Cheika's available build up for the RWC is very limited. He'll want to build on the 6 weeks or whatever it was he got to spend with the team on the EOYT so for that reason, I don't expect he'll want to shake things up too much because it means relearning certain things in a limited amount of time.

It's quite apparent though that Slipper and Sio are our two best LHP so hopefully they're both healthy throughout 2015.

You mean the Red's pack who smacked the Force a week later ? Maybe the Red's weren't that bad, and the Brumbies were that good.. time will tell

 

[Tomikin]

What about THP? Anyone on the radar ATM, besides Kepu and Alexander?

Laurie Weeks looked decent in round 1. I didn't really carefully critique his performance against the tahs.

That seems to be about it at the moment. On the plus side, Alexander looks like he's got his mojo back.

Probably not having a neck injury has helped. But we have seen this before with Alexander.. I love the bloke, but he doesn't always carry his super form to test level..

 

[Braveheart81]

You mean the Red's pack who smacked the Force a week later ? Maybe the Red's weren't that bad, and the Brumbies were that good.. time will tell

The Reds certainly improved greatly against the Force, but the Force were vastly inferior compared to how they played against the Waratahs. If you watched all those games I don't know how you could reach a different conclusion.

The Brumbies have played very well in both games but the Reds, Force and Waratahs were dramatically different from rounds one to two (the Force in the opposite direction to the Reds and Tahs).

 

[Tomikin]

The Reds certainly improved greatly against the Force, but the Force were vastly inferior compared to how they played against the Waratahs. If you watched all those games I don't know how you could reach a different conclusion.

The Brumbies have played very well in both games but the Reds, Force and Waratahs were dramatically different from rounds one to two (the Force in the opposite direction to the Reds and Tahs).

I didnt watch them so I really shouldnt comment. But it's like the Brumbies don't get the credit for pasting the Reds.. at everything. Scott Sio Bongo and Alexander took apart the Reds with two walliabies in the front row..Then over the ditch took apart the Chiefs front row, 3 TH's while Sio was on.. best thing was all 8 were engaged pushing and you could hear white yelling 2nd push.. for the penalties/TH's

 

[Braveheart81]

I didnt watch them so I really shouldnt comment. But it's like the Brumbies don't get the credit for pasting the Reds.. at everything. Scott Sio Bongo and Alexander took apart the Reds with two walliabies in the front row..Then over the ditch took apart the Chiefs front row, 3 TH's while Sio was on.. best thing was all 8 were engaged pushing and you could hear white yelling 2nd push.. for the penalties/TH's

The Brumbies have been given heaps of credit for their record win over the Reds in round 1. Their scrum has been excellent in both games.

The Reds were absolutely dismal in that game though.

You don't win 47 - 3 against a team playing decent rugby.

 

[RugbyReg]

I didnt watch them so I really shouldnt comment. But it's like the Brumbies don't get the credit for pasting the Reds.. at everything. Scott Sio Bongo and Alexander took apart the Reds with two walliabies in the front row..Then over the ditch took apart the Chiefs front row, 3 TH's while Sio was on.. best thing was all 8 were engaged pushing and you could hear white yelling 2nd push.. for the penalties/TH's

you had three in yours. Surely to be expected...