Wallabies vs Scotland - 5 June 2012

[Sluggy]

Cheers mate, good reading on a rainy Sunday.

 

[ChargerWA]

Not a bad team, but Robbie still has made some shit choices once again.

Pyle>Timani
White>Phipps

Mowen should have played to rest Dennis for Wales and Palu should sit on the bench V Wales. Or Palu only plays 50 minutes and Higgers to play 80 mins swapping between 6 and 8 when Dennis comes on.

I would prefer to see Barnes at 12, but if Cooper is as raw as they are making out injuries dictate Barnes has to play 10 and then they need a creative player like Harris outside him. McCabe is too one dimensional to play outside Barnes, though I suspect that is how it will be for the Wales game.

 

[qwerty51]

Hold on, I think people should hold off criticising selections until Wales game #2 when there's no excuses such as managing workload. Robbie himself would tell you this isn't the best side possible.

 

[Jiggles]

I have thought that QC (Quade Cooper) speaking in that forthright fashion regarding the obviously poorly conceived RWC tactics would come back and bite him.

I was about to say I think QC (Quade Cooper) is being burned here.

 

[Jiggles]

Harris is barely a super player let alone a test player.

 

[Richo]

Or maybe we're not privy to certain details of Quade's recovery.

Some very very idle speculation going on here.

 

[Gnostic]

Hold on, I think people should hold off criticising selections until Wales game #2 when there's no excuses such as managing workload. Robbie himself would tell you this isn't the best side possible.

You aren't excusing poor selection and management until then I hope.

If Timani is selected to rest Simmons for Wales fair enough but valid argument can be made for Pyle over him on the same premise. The only reason for Timani to be prefered is that Deans has already selected him previously.

Denis V Mowen - well if one plays the Scotish test the other should have been in the frame for Wales. I do not however think that Mowen will get a look in, barring injury. Denis will be called on to play both games unless Elsom is selected over the top of him or McCalman is declared fit next week. Mowen really should have played this game just to manage the workload.

This Scottish test really is shit house timing and stretches the players in regards to playing load given Deans propensity and statements about picking people who have been in the "system". Too many player like Moore will be required to back up.

I dread the excuses that will see these players made the scapegoats for Robbie Deans in the event of a failure in the coming weeks.

 

[Jiggles]

Timani is pants. I dont get what he has done to justify his selection. He shouldn't have been picked last year, which was on the back of 3 good games for NSW. Those 3 good games where justification for ignoring his 4 to 5 years of rubbish at other teams and it showed in the Samoa game.

 

[Scotty]

This was surely the right game to use a 5/2 split to help rest the forwards. I can only assume that Deans will be playing higgers 80 minutes in both games and Palu will probably start vs Wales with him.

Maybe Dennis and Timani are fighting it out with each other for the wales bench spot? or we play a 5/2 bench vs Wales?

Expect then that Sharpe and Simmons will play 40 each vs Scotland?

Maybe Hooper or Pocock are seen as adequate back ups for blindside?

So many questions!

 

[vidiot]

Cooper has tweeted a little on leaving the squad, less conspiracy theory than just too soon:

Quade Cooper ‏@QuadeCooper
Even though I'm confident & feel 110% the risk is to high..this gives me more time to "TRAIN" which = more time to "IMPROVE" gota work

2h​

Quade Cooper ‏@QuadeCooper
Sux that I cant play in the next few test matches but sometimes in life ya got to listening to the people & statistics "Physio/surgeon"

 

[Paradox]

Would anyone else had Fardy or Carter over Timani on form? I know Timani is a big bloke but the locks for the Brumbies have been work horses all year doing the hard yards, clean outs, competing all the time etc. Seems unfair that the Brumbies have no representation from the engine room. I suspect age went against Fardy but Carter is a good young prospect. In any event, once the squad is culled you'd expect Timani to be let go.

 

[emuarse]

The only Oz backrower who could run over people regularly was Willie O and then it was the last resort. He used wonderful lines and explosive power that only Daniel Manu and Illie Tabua have shown since IMO. Kefu was different in his pace off the mark and footwork as Scotty says set him apart from other Oz backrowers. I always thought Kefu played similarly to Zinzan Brooke.

The criticism of Lyons is a bit unwarranted, he was a very good 8 but never really recovered from his knee injury and IMO this was exacerbated by excess bulk.

Obviously Marl Loane was before your time - he was the best of the 8's for scattering the field with his charges.

 

[Paradox]

I DO like Ioane and Tomane on the wings with Morahan at 15. Big blokes with pace. One would expect that'll be running the ball with those two wingers? Not noted kickers.

What is Harris defense like QLDers?

 

[RedsHappy]

Or maybe we're not privy to certain details of Quade's recovery....Some very very idle speculation going on here.

Maybe, time will tell. But being able to play 80 mins of a very tough game v Brums in cold Canberra conditions but yet somehow not up to at least some bench time in one or two Tests...doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Jiggles]

His defense is great. its the fact that he cannot pass, neither left or right, short or long, which is concerning.

 

[RedsHappy]

Cooper has tweeted a little on leaving the squad, less conspiracy theory than just too soon:....

Delighted you're convinced that players' public tweets re their exclusions from key squads are just simply the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

 

[Paradox]

His defense is great. its the fact that he cannot pass, neither left or right, short or long, which is concerning.

Our backline will be stunted

 

[troxler]

Maybe KB (Kurtley Beale) injury is better than they are letting on and will be starting at 10 on Sat against Wales!, so QC (Quade Cooper) was not needed...

 

[Gnostic]

Harris hasn't looked good since his injury but is starting to show some form. He was very good last year before injury, good enough that I was thought he was a certainty for the 10 jersey this year. His does lack an accurate long pasing game but he was regularly setting up people last year on short balls and angled runs before the knee went. To say he is a bad passer is incorrect.

 

[RedsHappy]

KB (Kurtley Beale) is returning to the squad post Test 1, as per the ARU media release...to continue rehab...