Wallabies v Lions Game 2 MCG 26 July

[Running_rugby_1954]

Weather is cold and wet this week in Melbourne, with the forecast looking gross for Saturday.

Hope all you northern visitors brought your ponchos!

May impact team selections? I thought the field last weekend was very wet under foot so not much of a difference.

 

[Slim 293]

Paisami is in the squad...

But the potential issues he brings to inside centre likely offsets any benefit of shifting Ikitau and JAS one position wider.

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

Paisami is in the squad...

But the potential issues he brings to inside centre likely offsets any benefit of shifting Ikitau and JAS one position wider.

Yeah no easy solution really.

I suppose we have to weigh what is worth most. Paisamis issues or combating the tactic we know they are going to run by making that change? Not my decision.

 

[Backintheolddays]

You’re debating ad nauseum back selection. We lost the first test in the first half due to our forwards getting rolled.

 

[Sword of Justice]

I think Donaldsons courage and toughness would help him as well. He is willing to take risks and has that attacking flair.

this really makes me think that you have not watched much of Lynagh. His trademark is his toughness. He defends in the line at the Reds better than any 10 other than I can think of. Tackle stats back that up.

I was obviously one of the biggest proponents of selecting Lynagh so I haven’t really entered this chat post match because my views would obviously be tainted by that post history; something that a couple of other posters would do well to consider given their clear allegiance to the one other 10 remaining after our first choice ten severely injured his neck.

Do I think Lynagh played great? No. Do I think he played terrible? No. Do I think he was the reason we lost? No. Do I think he should be held blameless? No.

More importantly, do I think selecting Donaldson would have won us that game? No and that seems very obvious to me. Lynagh was one of a dozen guys who needs to do better this week.

I was asked why I was bringing so much ‘hate’ to the forum when I contributed to the discussion pre match and I’d ask that same poster to ask themselves the same.

 

[dru]

Maybe, just maybe - it's time to move on?

Yeah it is, but given I missed all the "fun" I just wanted to say thank you for holding up common sense and rugby thinking.

 

[Yoda]

One thing is certain on Lynagh though. The bloke that took him out in the air should have come under plenty of push and shoving! I know there are no fisty cuffs now but the lack of protecting your team mate and sticking up for him was soft with a capital S. Agree with Matt Burke on that definitely!

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

this really makes me think that you have not watched much of Lynagh. His trademark is his toughness.

My commentary was not a blight against anyone else. My whole comment works together as a piece about Donaldsons toughness for that last 20 and the usefulness of that and us needing a solution to the kicking strategy to support the team this weekend.

 

[michaelhoops]

Why is no one talking about JOC (James O'Connor)

 

[Braveheart81]

Why is no one talking about JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor)

Because it doesn't seem likely that a player not in the initial squad is suddenly going to be the starting 10.

For that to happen Schmidt would need to decide he got it completely wrong and go back to the drawing board with a few days to prepare. He may have got it completely wrong but I don't think he's going to take that view.

 

[Yoda]

Why is no one talking about JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor)

He was brought in on injury cover. Unless Tom or Donno gets injured he wont get a start is my bet. As to starting at 10? No chance.

 

[Joe Blow]

Honestly Schmidt has really done Lynagh a disservice here. Throwing him in the deep end after barely using him last year and not even taking him on the end of year tour

If Eddie did this we would all be rightly ropeable, It's an illogical decision and I hope it doesn't stunt the kids growth. Schmidt did butcher 2 world cups with Ireland so maybe prepping for big events is a big weak point for him

Jones did the same with Australia in the RWC taking Gordon and Donaldson when he had the likes of Lolesio,Cooper and Foley available. We all know how that turned out.

 

[michaelhoops]

Because it doesn't seem likely that a player not in the initial squad is suddenly going to be the starting 10.

For that to happen Schmidt would need to decide he got it completely wrong and go back to the drawing board with a few days to prepare. He may have got it completely wrong but I don't think he's going to take that view.

Never said anything about starting

 

[michaelhoops]

He was brought in on injury cover. Unless Tom or Donno gets injured he wont get a start is my bet. As to starting at 10? No chance.

Who has told you this? Simply not true

 

[Khun Phil]

this really makes me think that you have not watched much of Lynagh. His trademark is his toughness. He defends in the line at the Reds better than any 10 other than I can think of. Tackle stats back that up.

I was obviously one of the biggest proponents of selecting Lynagh so I haven’t really entered this chat post match because my views would obviously be tainted by that post history; something that a couple of other posters would do well to consider given their clear allegiance to the one other 10 remaining after our first choice ten severely injured his neck.

Do I think Lynagh played great? No. Do I think he played terrible? No. Do I think he was the reason we lost? No. Do I think he should be held blameless? No.

More importantly, do I think selecting Donaldson would have won us that game? No and that seems very obvious to me. Lynagh was one of a dozen guys who needs to do better this week.

I was asked why I was bringing so much ‘hate’ to the forum when I contributed to the discussion pre match and I’d ask that same poster to ask themselves the same.

As you say,Lynagh defends well in the line for the Reds,so perhaps that's what he should be doing for the Wallabies?He wouldn't get taken out in the air by Curry then!

 

[Spamnoodle]

This is just getting embarrassing...

It was embarrassing 10 threads ago.

 

[Beattie]

If you watch the game none of those skills you highlight were executed on the weekend.

He missed a kick for touch.
He missed a kick for goal.
He missed the mark for a chip kick.
He missed the mark for a cross field kick.
He missed the mark for his mid field bomb.

He can’t pass left to right.

And his toughness, do people say this because he gets his head in terrible positions while tackling and doesn’t break something each time he goes into contact? Because other than that I don’t see how he gets the toughness moniker. Even his team mates are over the fact he barely trains because he always has a niggle.

What did he show in the weekend? He isn’t up to the standard we require. At least Donaldson came on and showed how to pass kick and run. Praying we see some sense.

The reason Tom plays more off his right boot is because of his limited passing game and you are right, he only passes in one direction. Some good players only kick with one foot and pass in one direction. Great players can use both boots effectively and pass either direction without realising. Look for this in your flyhalf.

 

[Derpus]

Unsure why you think this is Joe's fault.

He's had what, 12 - 18 months with this squad, trying to see who can do what while at the same time trying to win every single game as there's no luxury of rebuilding.

The complaints you're making stem from 5+ years ago where there was no development of a "world class 10".

AI tells me in the last 5 years, these are the blokes who've been named at 10;

Player	Number of Starts at Fly-Half	Age
Noah Lolesio	19	25
Quade Cooper	7	37
Bernard Foley	7	35
Carter Gordon	4	24
James O'Connor	4	35
Reece Hodge	3	30
Ben Donaldson	1	26
Tom Lynagh	1	22

3 geriatrics, 1 utility back (Hodge), 1 discarded and 3 "juniors.

Hamish fucked us by appointing Eddie and then we having to scramble to find a HC that could only give us 2 years which obviously is way too short for what he needed.

Oof had forgotten about that Hodge experiment. Wasn't one of those a miracle win against the All Blacks?

 

[Spamnoodle]

Michael Hooper for coach.

Or at least a selector

 

[Joe Blow]

It appears as though Schmidt and co feel Lynagh has a better game for the Wallaby game plan. I agree. Losing Lolesio at the last post was a big blow to his plans for this series. He had a couple of choices but not many. Cooper is out of the game. JOC (James O'Connor) and Foley were options and there are some even more inexperienced 10s than Lynagh coming through.
There were a lot of people here not happy with persisting with Lolesio. Now he is actually not available the landscape looks a little different, no?
Schmidt has worked with Lynagh and Donaldson for a couple of years. He knows which of them is best suited to start.