World XV 2008 - Backrow Nominations

[Aussie D]

On Thursday Morning Oz plays the Baa Baas. Imagine for the moment that instead we were playing a world XV, who would be in the world XV. In this imaginative world cloning is possible (Oz players eligible for the world XV). Only rule is the player has to have played test rugby this year.

My Backrow nominees:
6. Martin Williams
7. Richie McCaw
8. Parisse (Italian 8 )

Please nominate anyone else who you think should be in the backrow below. On Wednesday I will (hopefully, if I have time) start a poll to select the World XV.

 

[disco]

6. Spies
7. George Smith
8.Andy Powell

 

[Cutter]

Martin Williams is a 7. Are you going the double flier technique Aussie D?

6. Thierry Dusautoir
7. McCaw
8. Parisse

 

[PaarlBok]

6 Schalk
7 McCaw
8 Powell

 

[Aussie D]

Martin Williams is a 7. Are you going the double flier technique Aussie D?

6. Thierry Dusautoir
7. McCaw
8. Parisse

Sorry, I sometimes get confused with the NH flanker numbering. Maybe it is time Oz, NZ and the PI's change the flanker numbering to match the rest of the world.

 

[Ash]

Martin Williams is a 7. Are you going the double flier technique Aussie D?

6. Thierry Dusautoir
7. McCaw
8. Parisse

Sorry, I sometimes get confused with the NH flanker numbering. Maybe it is time Oz, NZ and the PI's change the flanker numbering to match the rest of the world.

It's just the Saffas who are different, I think. Openside is, generally, 7.

However, France historically has played left and right flankers, so I am not sure if they have a concept of open and blind much either. Who can forget Magne and Betsen playing right and left flanker? Awesome combination, perhaps the best combo when they were switched on. I thought France this year were doing something similar with Dusautoir (who really impressed me), but I am not sure. Lee?!?!

 

[Thomond78]

France play open and blind, and the only place that has a different numbering system, SA, is in the SH.

3/10, Aussie D; must try harder on your fishing...

My take; 6 Wallace
7 McCaw
8 Parisse.

McCaw is a must. The others are a lot closer, with a lot of other players in the mix. The reasoning is, I want all my back-row to be genuine line-out options if possible, and they have to be good ball-carriers as well as link-men and foragers.

On that basis, for the 6 slot, Nugget, who's an out-and-out openside, is a great forager, but loses out on the lineout bit. Ryan Jones is playing shit at the moment. Leamy had an excellent first half of the year, but is injured. Schalk has had a good year, and his link play has improved, but I couldn't help feeling he was off the boil a bit. David Wallace is currently on brilliant form, has been taking the ball up better than anyone in the NH of late, had good games against NZ - and one stunning one, where it was only one of McCaw's greatest ever performances that stopped him being MOTM - and I feel he's in there.

Schalk benching, narrowly ahead of Juan Smith. Neither Waugh nor Smith get a look in, as, after five minutes on here, I always end up convinced that they're both shit and should never wear a Wobbly jersey again. :

Parisse's in because not only is he farking brilliant, he's got a great kicking game, and if his bird is anything to go by, there'll be plenty of talent to go around in the stands. On which basis, the Kiwi contingent failed to make it past the first hurdle. ;D
Powell for Wales is a lazy fucker, albeit a great carrier.

 

[Ash]

Thomo; did the French stop playing left and right after Magne and Betsen? Or is my memory failing me?

 

[Aussie D]

3/10, Aussie D; must try harder on your fishing...

Okay then, never was a good fisherman, not enough patience to sit in the sun waiting for a bite...

 

[Thomond78]

Thomo; did the French stop playing left and right after Magne and Betsen? Or is my memory failing me?

Think so, but the problem at the moment in deciphering what the French do is that Lievremont has acheived the Olympian pinnacle of lunacy in being madder than Bernie le Dingue...

 

[RugbyReg]

8 Rodney So'iola
7 Juan Smith
6 Rocky Elsom

 

[Aussie D]

Nominations have now closed.

 

[Aussie D]

Voting has been close in a 2 of these positions (I'll let you guess which one hasn't been close) with less than 24 hours of voting to go. Naza's boy Palu didn't even get nominated so I'm not sure what's happening there :nta: