Tomthumb
Colin Windon (37)
Maybe they should put their frustrations into winning games of rugby so they don't have to buy players
Wallabies 2023
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
emuarse
Desmond Connor (43)
IMHO, Hodge will be an overall backs utility player. I think they will take 3 flyhalves in the RWC squad.
As the Super season goes on, this will sort itself out.
He's the starting 10 for the Kubota Spears who are leading one of the two Top League conferences in Japan. They're 11-1-1 for the season so far.
I don't think he'll ultimately make the RWC squad but I think there's a pretty good chance he gets brought back for one of the camps so Jones can see where he is at.
You would think, if we are being realistic, Jones will want Cooper and either JOC (James O'Connor) or Foley in the RWC squad with a third option from the Kids
If Cooper goes down, you don't want to rely on a kid to start a RWC major game. But post RWC, they will all be up for consideration and we can complain about whoever is chosen
If Cooper goes down, you don't want to rely on a kid to start a RWC major game. But post RWC, they will all be up for consideration and we can complain about whoever is chosen
like Berrick Barnes in 2007
Rugby Head
Watty Friend (18)
Quade will be our number 1 option at the RWC, I don't think he will be available for the 5 tests in the lead up. Carton Gordon should get a crack for all 5.
Options for the RWC (In this order) Quade, Gordon Foley.
Rugby Head
Watty Friend (18)
Yeah and I'm pretty sure we won all four? If he's healthy, he's our starting 10.
whitefalcon
Bob Loudon (25)
A substantial amount of that team is suffering long term injuries and will have little to no rugby before the RWC
Doritos Day
Johnnie Wallace (23)
Yup I think you can put a line through Leota, Rodda and if he's not back soon Kelleway, because their value above the next best option is not enough to justify selection in a team already gambling on Bell, Tupou, Kerevi and Cooper.
Brumby Runner
David Wilson (68)
My take FP for what it's worth is that the situation we're likely to be facing this RWC is slightly different to earlier. We have three experienced No 10s in Cooper, JOC (James O'Connor) and Foley. The record with two of them (JOC (James O'Connor) and Foley) is that we lose more often than we win in big test matches. Hence our slip to 7, 8 and 9 in world rankings while they were leading us around the park.
OTOH, our two "kids" are somewhat different also to previously. Noah is not a "kid" anymore at Super Rugby nor test level, and he has actually a not too bad record at test level. Carter Gordon is just a prodigious talent and most likely will rise to the very top level of No 10s internationally. He is the most promising prospect at 10 since Bernie Larkham played, and streets, nah highways, ahead of any of the recent "kids" coming through the ranks.
Cooper, if fit (or JOC (James O'Connor)), with Gordon and Lolesio is a much more successful looking combination than anything involving two of the three senior players imo.
I think Noah is the most likely to go, just because of his time in the seat, rather than his ability to boss a test match
rodha
Dave Cowper (27)
O'Connor has been Australia's best 10 in Super Rugby 2020-2022, he draws defenders before passing, fixes the defence & takes the ball to the line better than anyone else, he has a lot of underrated value, low error-rate, calm & composed influence on the team, extremely effective leading the backline when given ownership to take charge of the gameplan (Rennie should've taken note..)
It's just that he plays for a headless poorly coached Red's team with a flakey, ill-disciplined & lightweight pack, if he had been playing as the Brumbies at 10 for the last 3 years he would be thriving & would be getting a lot more opportunities handed to him.
The fact is the Reds have such little continuity because of how error-prone, structureless & poor disciplined their forwards are under Thorn's abysmal coaching, JOC (James O'Connor)'s leadership and composed presence keeps them in games, if it weren't for his influence as a leader this Reds team would be a headless rabble and would be losing by a lot more...
This is exactly what occurred when he got injured in 2021 and 2022, the Reds had structure, composure and looked effective on attack, then O'Connor got injured and the Red's had absolutely nothing.
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qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Just saying but there really hasn't been a RWC winner with an inexperienced #10
- 2019 Pollard
- 2015 Carter
- 2011 Donald/Cruden (Donald especially was experienced but in any case, they almost lost due to a lack of quality 10!)
- 2007 Butch James
- 2003 Jonny
- 1999 Larkham
He might make the squad as the 3rd 10 but I'd say Eddie is going to pick 2 in front him from JOC (James O'Connor), Quade, Foley.
Doritos Day
Johnnie Wallace (23)
What does J.O.C's Super form have to do with a comment on his test performances?
Realrugby63
Stan Wickham (3)
Well I heard it from a parent of a player so it is a fact. So I pick both.
Realrugby63
Stan Wickham (3)
Is that on the players, because as I see it it’s more on the coaches and Rugby Australia. By the comments on Facebook and general outrage I’m hearing chatting to people you blokes seem to have the minority opinion on this $1.6 million deal.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Whoa, one player's mum...
That's pretty conclusive.
It wasn't Mrs Ashley-Cooper by chance?
Realrugby63
Stan Wickham (3)
It was a father, and people can laugh all they want but they obviously don’t know anything from the inside and how this deal has made the players feel. Also the public clearly disagrees with this thread, so it will be interesting to see if we will actually get bigger crowds and viewing numbers like we were supposed to with Vunivalu.