• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

Wallabies 2023

rugbyAU

Nev Cottrell (35)
Any more news on Michael Hooper's injury? He seemed so sure he'd be healthy for Bled 1 but no show and now confirmed not going to NZ for Bled 2. Not looking great.
Jones said that his injury (calf) is serious, the recovery time is not yet known and his involvement in the WC is in some doubt:

Jones also had an alarming update on Michael Hooper’s calf injury saying the co-captain would not be able to lay in next week’s return Bledisloe match in Dunedin and his World Cup is in some doubt.
“I’m saying that he’s got a serious injury,” said Jones. “And when you’ve got a serious injury there are deadlines and we need to find out the deadline. When you’ve got a calf injury, sometimes you don’t know how quickly it can recover.”
 

Marce

John Thornett (49)
Super rugby players aren't trained or coached for a smash and grab. They have a longer season and need to be able to survive many more games. I don't know how that exactly transpires but I'm pretty sure there could be different fitness requirements. Anyone have some insights to share?
The All Blacks play the Super Rugby too...
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Andrew Slack (58)
Jones said that his injury (calf) is serious, the recovery time is not yet known and his involvement in the WC is in some doubt:

Jones also had an alarming update on Michael Hooper’s calf injury saying the co-captain would not be able to lay in next week’s return Bledisloe match in Dunedin and his World Cup is in some doubt.
“I’m saying that he’s got a serious injury,” said Jones. “And when you’ve got a serious injury there are deadlines and we need to find out the deadline. When you’ve got a calf injury, sometimes you don’t know how quickly it can recover.”
Not good to hear for M.Hoopers sake. Look at Latrell for example in the NRL. He has what was described as a Calf injury but never called serious before the 2nd State of Origin which was 21st June. He only returned last weekend.

Been a very durable player but things get slower as you get older and the risk of re injury would be pretty high if it's not 100%. He needs it to be as well since he can't fall back onto size. His ability to get around the field makes him the player he can be.
 

upthereds#!

Peter Johnson (47)
Its suprising to me that our players would be unfit... didnt the changes to super rugby this year (time limits on scrums, penalty kicks etc) mean we had more time in play and a faster game. Surely our players should have seen some benefit in this?
Maybe another reason the Aussies struggled against NZ sides this year.
I think Eddies 'running out of steam' and being unfit aren't always the same thing. If you make more tackles, it is more taxing, losing scrums etc, being on the backfoot. These are more taxing physically and mentally then having the advantage in these areas.

Two teams could be equally as 'fit' but their tanks won't last the same as the outputs can vary.
 

Jimmy_Crouch

Ken Catchpole (46)
I think Eddies 'running out of steam' and being unfit aren't always the same thing. If you make more tackles, it is more taxing, losing scrums etc, being on the backfoot. These are more taxing physically and mentally then having the advantage in these areas.

Two teams could be equally as 'fit' but their tanks won't last the same as the outputs can vary.
@RugbyReg and I made the comment about training taper in the game chat. I think he is running them into the ground so the are right in Sept.
 
Last edited:

Tomthumb

Colin Windon (37)
I think Eddies 'running out of steam' and being unfit aren't always the same thing. If you make more tackles, it is more taxing, losing scrums etc, being on the backfoot. These are more taxing physically and mentally then having the advantage in these areas.

Two teams could be equally as 'fit' but their tanks won't last the same as the outputs can vary.
I can still remember the 2nd England test in 2016 where the Wallabies had 70% possession and 70% territory, England had to make 244 tackles to Australia's 71 and yet England had far more gas in the tank and won 23 - 7

Can anyone remember a team that played the Wallabies that ended up more gassed than them?
 

swingpass

Peter Sullivan (51)
so for what its worth , Eddie is not a man who is easily changed from his own ideas. the selections, imo, have shown who he believes are his best 23 , injuries aside. the loss of the two THP's will force a change, but that aside i think the same 23 from Saturday will be rolled out till the Portugal game. the starting halves may vary, so too the second row pairing and the No6 to start, but i cant see him making any more radical changes. T Hooper will be 7, Petaia will play 13 till and when Ikitau recovers, Kellaway will be fullback. i was at the game on Saturday and haven't watched a replay, but apart from some poor options (inc leaving Tupou on - FFS!!!!) it was a big improvement on the two previous games. i am skeptical about EJ (Eddie Jones)'s longevity but will wait till after the RWC to see what happens
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
You know that for certain? In any case they play 70% of the game against the Wallabies with the ball, not chasing it and having to defend.
when you are more technically proficient, it takes less effort, eg. it take less bodies at each ruck to clean out because the first one did his job accurately and ran an efficient line to be in position etc
 

Tomikin

Simon Poidevin (60)
Yeah, we are as fit, but we have to work harder to cover our short comings, and if we are under pressure because of our bad kicking / passing etc, we have to work harder to make up for that.

This we aren't fit enough isn't true. We just aren't good enough to pressure the other team and run over them with greater skill execution. Getting fitter wont help that, playing better will.
 

Joe Blow

Peter Sullivan (51)
There is no point complaining about EJ (Eddie Jones). He is there to stay for now. Despite the big scoreline I thought we saw the bones of what he is trying to do on the weekend. If they continue to improve we may go alright at the RWC, favourable draw and all.
AAA is a big loss and it means that Taniela needs to step straight into a leading tight head role, something that we are not sure if he is ready for, injury aside. I think we will see Slipper revert to bench TH with Bell starting.
 
Top