Wallabies world cup squad selection

[Scotty]

If QC (Quade Cooper) could defend like WIlkinson or Carter, do you reckon we would still see him at the back so much in defense?

No, but I would point out that Carter is also at the back a fair bit, and that QC (Quade Cooper) is a much much better counter attacker than both those you mentioned.

 

[Scotty]

You don't see Sivivatu or Gear or Jane or Mils coming in from the wing or FB to defend the 10 channel as a deliberate, planned strategy.

Let's put it like this.....is the Wallaby defensive strategy designed first and formost to give QC (Quade Cooper) a platform to launch his counter-attacking or to cover his defense?

I reckon the whole counter-attack from the back strategy was discovered almost completely by accident....

Of course it is for the defensive issue first, but the counter would get the strategy over the line.

He wasn't discovered as accident, it is pretty obvious that he is good in broken play and he also moved to FB a few times for the Reds before he was being hidden in defense there (covering for Hynes being injured).

 

[Groucho]

Everyone is forgetting that Ioane MUST BE IN THE TEAM in order to defend to 10 channel. I do agree Mitchell was in better form before he got injured, but his defence is not as good as Ioanes and I highly doubt he would have the same success in the 10 channel Ioane has, in fact he even expressed in G&GR's podcast that he did not agree with the Idea.

If Mitchell is to be in the starting squad it will mean ANOTHER shift in positions. JOC (James O'Connor) to 12 maybe, or possibly Ioane to 13. But I highly doubt there will be a change this late. Unfortunately Deans will probably put Mitchell on the bench.

The good thing is we'll suddenly have a world class bench, e.g.:

Slipper
Nau
Vickerman or Simmons
Samo
Burgess
Barnes or Horne
Mitchell

 

[Scotty]

No, and quite plainly that is not what I said. But he is allowed to avoid his "normal" defensive duties, that just about any other international 10 would have to fulfill. This forms part of the overall strategy. If that mitigates who might be selected on the wing, because the winger has to defend the 10 channel, then I think it represents a weakness in the strategy.

It read that way, particularly this:

It does no-one any favours for a player to be indulged this way.

 

[antipodean]

No, but I would point out that Carter is also at the back a fair bit

I'd direct you to this post.

The good thing is we'll suddenly have a world class bench, e.g.:

Slipper
Nau
Vickerman or Simmons
Samo
Burgess
Barnes or Horne
Mitchell

Mitchell is definitely world class. Vickerman used to be and may well become so again. Barnes is a talented and smart football player. Samo seems to have a second wind...

 

[Bullrush]

Of course it is for the defensive issue first, but the counter would get the strategy over the line.

He wasn't discovered as accident, it is pretty obvious that he is good in broken play and he also moved to FB a few times for the Reds before he was being hidden in defense there (covering for Hynes being injured).

I don't know if it would. When you have Beale, JOC (James O'Connor) and Ioane as a back 3 (and Mitchell coming back) do you really shuffle your defense around THAT much to get QC (Quade Cooper) back there?

 

[cyclopath]

It read that way, particularly this:

Well, if you read it that way, there is not much I can say. I fail to see how my last quoted sentence equates to the whole strategy being just about Quade's poor defence.

 

[Scotty]

I don't know if it would. When you have Beale, JOC (James O'Connor) and Ioane as a back 3 (and Mitchell coming back) do you really shuffle your defense around THAT much to get QC (Quade Cooper) back there?

The point was if he was shit at counter attack, then he would have to learn how to tackle in the front line.

 

[Groucho]

I'd direct you to this post.


Mitchell is definitely world class. Vickerman used to be and may well become so again. Barnes is a talented and smart football player. Samo seems to have a second wind...

I'm not sure a world class bench has to consist of world class players. What I mean is it will be one of the strongest benches in the comp, for a change.

 

[Ruggo]

You sometimes have to laugh at all the crapping on about individials in what actually is the greatest team sport of all.

 

[Scotty]

I'm not sure a world class bench has to consist of world class players. What I mean is it will be one of the strongest benches in the comp, for a change.

Are you going for a thread record with the term 'world class'?

 

[HodgoBerro]

I'm just curious with the Matt Giteau saga, him tweeting that he's been dropped before the official announcement, he can get into a lot of hot water for it right?! Like take Cory Jane for instance who got fined for tweeting his non selections well before the official announcement or Digby who vented his own opinions on a certain referee....

 

[Groucho]

Are you going for a thread record with the term 'world class'?

I call it how I see it.

 

[Tireless Backrower]

No, but I would point out that Carter is also at the back a fair bit, and that QC (Quade Cooper) is a much much better counter attacker than both those you mentioned.

You underestimate Carter's all round football ability at your peril. He's a bit like Wally Lewis - he doesn't look fast enough but when it counts he's fast enough and he controls a game from wherever he happens to be.

 

[Swarley]

You don't see Sivivatu or Gear or Jane or Mils coming in from the wing or FB to defend the 10 channel as a deliberate, planned strategy.

Let's put it like this.....is the Wallaby defensive strategy designed first and formost to give QC (Quade Cooper) a platform to launch his counter-attacking or to cover his defense?

I reckon the whole counter-attack from the back strategy was discovered almost completely by accident....

I don't think it really matters how QC (Quade Cooper)'s counter-attacking prowess was "discovered". Not all great things are planned, they are quite often serendipitous. Having Digby defend at #10 and Quade move to #15 seems to work at the moment, so who cares? As long as they perform it's a trivial issue.

 

[vikingbrad]

see JOC (James O'Connor) thread

 

[Lee Grant]

Don't want to get into the QC (Quade Cooper) on defence debate, but this .....

Live by the Quade, die by the Quade.

... has to be one of the best lines of the year.

 

[Athilnaur]

Don't want to get into the QC (Quade Cooper) on defence debate, but this .....



... has to be one of the best lines of the year.

Gotta give Deans and Link credit really, how many coaches could have him on the field without ending up with blood pressure problems?

 

[high tower]

Watched Rob Horne go around for Southern Districts today at Manly Oval, made some tackles, hit some rucks, did not see him touch the ball, ran as a "wood duck" every time Southerns back line ran the ball. Serious case of self imposed cotton wool, often was 5 m in front of the 12 before the halfback had fired the ball to the 10.
Be lucky(Faainga and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would need to be broken) to be on the bench by the world cup quarters on todays showing IMO.

 

[Lee Grant]

Pity you weren't at Forshaw last week.