Rugby Championship 2012: Our Backline

[BPC]

At 9 you can't go past Genia at the moment (provided he doesn't repeat the Scotland debacle).

The "X-factor" players are Cooper, Beale and O'Connor. O'Connor is perhaps the most potent in broken play, Beale has developed as a fullback and can fill in at first receiver and sometimes create opportunities for his teammates while Cooper is the best at creating opportunities for other. He is also perhaps the most fragile as his poor form in NZ showed when he was under pressure. O'Connor (since his troubles at Wellington) is probably mentally the strongest of the three. Beale is the most rounded. How then to use them? Despite their individual skills, I don't think you could play all three at once against a serious opponent.

With some reluctance, I think the best two to use are Cooper and O'Connor. O'Connor offers a bit more in direct attack than Beale and was in good form throughout the RWC. I worry about Cooper being too 'mercurial' along the lines of King Carlos and his defensive problems but Cooper can set up his teammates which Beale is still mastering and O'Connor rarely does.

So,

9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Ioane
12 Barnes
13 McCabe
14 O'Connor
15 Ashley-Cooper

Without Cooper, I would go for

9 Genia
10 Barnes
11 Ioane
12 McCabe
13 Horne
14 O'Connor
15 Beale

 

[BPC]

In a lot of ways I prefer the second backline, but it is hard to ignore the fact that Cooper is currently the best player in Australia for creating opportunities for his teammates. By a long margin. Lealiifano may be an option when he returns from injury.

Barnes is better suited for test rugby than Cooper but can become overly conservative on occasion. If he attacked the line consistently I would prefer him at 10 but he needs to demonstrate that he can stand flat and run a backline throughout the whole match without falling into bad habits. This isn't likely to happen under the current Tahs regime.

 

[Woodenspoon]

The "X-factor" players are Cooper, Beale and O'Connor. O'Connor is perhaps the most potent in broken play,

As regards O'Connor, I wonder if he could play well at 12 for the Wallabies. He has covered that position several times in his teams (Force and then the Rebels) playing very well in my opinion.
But as I reckon that Superugby is a bit different from test matches, I have the doubt that in defense he could be not the best option with the green and gold jersey, being not as solid as, for example, McCabe.
But if he proved himself to be a good defender, I would consider him a good option at 12.
At the moment, it's better to have him as a winger I guess.

 

[Lee Enfield]

For mine I would go with

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Ioane
12. Barnes
13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14. JOC (James O'Connor)
15. Beale

 

[Slim 293]

I would keep the same backline we'll be playing with this weekend, and then seeing how the likes of Cooper and Tomane go when they come back from injury.

If Cooper is solid, but not spectacular than he shouldn't replace Barnes at 10.

He really needs to make a good impression if he wants to reclaim the 10 jersey, particularly with other players who aren't defensive liabilities (with brainsnaps) playing well.

Tomane could pip AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wing, but we'll just wait and see.

 

[disco]

We can't play Cooper at 10 until he can defend @ 10. We can't keep moving players around in defence to hide Cooper plus moving him to fullback stuffed our counter attack as Beale was far more dangerous on the counter & kick return.
Assuming all are fit.

9. Genia 10. JOC (James O'Connor) 11. Ioane 12. Barnes 13. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) 14. Lachie Turner 15. Beale

20. White 21. McCabe or Fainga'a 22. Tomane

A fully fit Lachie Turner will always make my Wallaby 22 because he's always performed well for the Wallabies, great kick chase, good under the high ball, great defender & has a good clearing kick I think he's the most underated player in Australia & is definitely our most complete winger with no real faults in his game at all.

 

[Slim 293]

I think a fully fit Lachie Turner would make the squad, but if all players were fit would struggle to get a start ahead of Mitchell, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Tomane and even JOC (James O'Connor) who I don't consider to be our best flyhalf or inside centre.......

 

[disco]

I really liked the 10-12 combo of JOC (James O'Connor) & Barnes.
For mine Turner is better suited to test Rugby than the others you mentioned. Mitchell is a while off getting back to his best if he'll ever get back to his best, Tomane is still raw & does stupid things like throwing a hail mary in field when he is going into touch, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) I see as a 13 at test level & JOC (James O'Connor) I prefer at 10 although anywhere in the 15 for JOC (James O'Connor) when fully fit will do me.

 

[Slim 293]

I just don't think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is our best outside centre.

He's played his better games on the wing, and when he puts on the 13 he repeats the dummy/fend which hasn't really worked since 2007.

As for flyhalf, I believe Cooper, Lilo and Barnes all possess better distribution skills than JOC (James O'Connor).

I haven't actually seen Tomane throw many of these hail mary passes you speak of? I think he threw one in the Rebels match.

Turner is solid, but not spectacular by any means. There's just way too many better players ahead of him.

 

[Slim 293]

Correction, if I had all players fit and firing Turner would miss out in a 30 man squad.......

SH: Genia, White
FH: Cooper, Lealiifano, Barnes
C: McCabe, Horne, Tapuai
W/FB: Ioane, Beale, Mitchell, Tomane, JOC (James O'Connor), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

 

[qwerty51]

Just a FYI, Mitchell and Turner are both playing Shute Shield this week

 

[TOCC]

Tomane could pip AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the wing, but we'll just wait and see.

lol I see that as been very very unlikely, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a proven performer at Test level... Tomane has had 1 game against Scotland and wasn't exactly challenged..
Bok and All Blacks backs are at a whole different level to what Scotland serve up

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I agree with those saying that Cooper must be able to defend that 10 channel. Absolutely, in my view. If he can't then JOC (James O'Connor) and Barnes would be the 10/12 combination for mine, with either being able to fill each position.

When you think about it, with a majority of our good players available we have a scary back division. If the pack can continue to improve (and I think they've been good the last couple of weeks) there will be some international coaches with migraines coming on.

 

[Paradox]

Lets see him (Tomane) roll out there for the Brumbies for a season before we throw him there for the Wobs

Agree. Henry Speight is also eligible for the Wobs next year. He has been the best attacking player in Super rugby this year (at least in the Aussie teams).

 

[Paradox]

lol I see that as been very very unlikely, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a proven performer at Test level. Tomane has had 1 game against Scotland and wasn't exactly challenged..
Bok and All Blacks backs are at a whole different level to what Scotland serve up

Form should be rewarded though.

 

[Slim 293]

lol I see that as been very very unlikely, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is a proven performer at Test level. Tomane has had 1 game against Scotland and wasn't exactly challenged..
Bok and All Blacks backs are at a whole different level to what Scotland serve up

Probably unlikely, but his form this year would justify it.

Unfortunately he might not get that chance to further prove himself if the Brumbies don't make the finals.

 

[Athilnaur]

Deans days of experimenting are coming to an end, this side is largely the RWC2011 side. Having developed some depth, we need to consolidate on every game.

 

[Braveheart81]

I would really like to see Kurtley Beale played at 10 for the Wallabies for a long period of time.

Of all the options, I think he is the man most likely to lead us to a RWC win in 2015.

 

[vidiot]

I would really like to see Kurtley Beale played at 10 for the Wallabies for a long period of time.

Of all the options, I think he is the man most likely to lead us to a RWC win in 2015.

Yeah, like in that movie. What was it?

That's right:

The Longest Yard

 

[Viking]

A fully fit Lachie Turner will always make my Wallaby 22 because he's always performed well for the Wallabies, great kick chase, good under the high ball, great defender & has a good clearing kick I think he's the most underated player in Australia & is definitely our most complete winger with no real faults in his game at all.

His faults are that he finds it difficult to find the try-line and he lacks the skill to beat a man 1v1. Everything else in his game is very solid, but a winger needs to be able to score tries. He does not.