T
TOCC
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Fardy for the bench
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Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC
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Pedrolicus
Dick Tooth (41)
With Skelton in the lineout I think we could be creative and throw some flat ones that he doesn't get lifted for. I think variety is key and if you line him up next to nearly any other player he'll snatch the ball. I'm actually surprised the tahs don't do it more it could turn a small deficiency into a point of difference.
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Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Nah..........
If we demote players on Super form (or rather raw stats) alone we'll be dropping half the team.........
You always reward test class.
BDA
Peter Johnson (47)
What those stats don't shown are pocock's most crucial stats. Turnovers Forced / Pilferers. I've struggled at times this season with the idea of leaving Hooper out of the starting 15. I imagine Cheika will play a running game, and Hooper is the perfect backrower for the game plan.
However, I still can't go past Pocock. The strength of his defensive game and his ability to force turnovers is the best in the world. He'll be the best no.7 at the world cup. In my view you start with Poe and build the backrow around him. It's no coincidence that probably the best game of Pocock's career was at a world cup. The type of rugby we'll see at the world cup suits pocock.
If you have both Skelton and Higgers in the starting side you have two of the game's best ball running forward. We can still have a strong attacking pack without Hooper. If your choosing between 6.Higgers 7.Pocock or 6.Fardy 7.Hooper at the moment you'd have to go with the former.
However, I still can't go past Pocock. The strength of his defensive game and his ability to force turnovers is the best in the world. He'll be the best no.7 at the world cup. In my view you start with Poe and build the backrow around him. It's no coincidence that probably the best game of Pocock's career was at a world cup. The type of rugby we'll see at the world cup suits pocock.
If you have both Skelton and Higgers in the starting side you have two of the game's best ball running forward. We can still have a strong attacking pack without Hooper. If your choosing between 6.Higgers 7.Pocock or 6.Fardy 7.Hooper at the moment you'd have to go with the former.
T
Train Without a Station
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BDA you can't say "it's no coincidence". That's exactly what it was. A referee favourable to his style of play and the fact that their similar style player suited to that referee got injured early is exactly what I would call a coincidence.
T
Train Without a Station
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But clearly Pocock's game has developed and he's the front runner based on form.
BDA
Peter Johnson (47)
I might add it's no coincidence that Pocock didn't play in the one pool game we lost in 2011
Sword of Justice
Bill McLean (32)
He still made something like 28 tackles with none missed. Nothing coincidental about that.
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
It would be even more impressive if he make a Wallaby squad when it is inconceivable that he should.
Haha indeed.
USARugger
John Thornett (49)
I think there's been far too much credence given to the stats presented so far without consideration of the enormous mitigating factor of how their Super Rugby team approaches the game and by extension, uses them as a player - just in general.
It's a difficult thing to quantify as a variable but it has to be taken in account when comparing on a one-to-one basis. In rugby there are a ton of mitigating factors with any given metric or variable (line outs alone are a complete cluster if you really try to present statistics without breaking the entire thing down to the constituent parts).
It's not to say Higgers hasn't had some great tight runs this year (scored a big try right off the back of a ruck after blasting a few blokes with the bump/fend not even a few weeks ago) but without a doubt McCalman is doing far more running in one-offs hitting straight up at the A/B gap - which is why he has so many more carries but comparable meters made.
The same thing happened with Matt's recent article on the front page comparing the stats of the potential Wallaby openside candidates - just looking at the first section about run meters/tackle busts/line breaks for example.. Presented without data on where those runs were being made on the pitch relative to the opposing defensive line.
Not knocking on Matt, it was a good article and his points were well constructed - just a poignant and recent example of how many things need to be taken into account when it comes to drawing some kind of "real truth" from statistics in rugby, even with something as simple as run meters/match.
Then you have the whole conundrum of what kind of game plan the Wallaby coach may or may not be using, and how that player's statistics + mitigating factors play into their chances of fulfilling that specific role adequately. It's a bit of a shame we don't have some guys on full-time who could afford to break down those metrics which aren't generally presented in stats sheets available to the public.
The Fardy for the Ponies plays pretty close to the ruck and they don't go in for that dynamic ball running stuff, for the Wobs he plays wider where there are more opportunities to beat defenders.
This is why I don't get too hung up on players' stats at Super level without qualification. I mean lineout effectiveness, tackles made and missed are pretty standard, but running stats, offloads etc... could easily differ. Many of these players would be quite able to play a different style under a different coach; for example look at Hooper at the Brumbies, where he played tighter and got more pilfers. Clearly the Brumbies and Tahs, for example, play very different styles.
Beautifully crafted riposte, USAR. It reminds me of the apt comment on the strategies of British WWI generals: they were far too intent on fighting the last war rather than the conflict in front of them. Forgive me for sounding trite but rugby's a lot like battle, of course without the casualties: tactics against the opposition are everything. This is where the ABs have been so bloody good these last then years.
Cheika's coaching record to date would indicate he puts a lot of thought into winning the next game/campaign/tournament. Albeit with an overlay of the physical Randwick running game but adjusted for the contest to be won with the players on hand. Some suggest Fardy/Pocock/Higginbotham for the Wallabies back row; it'd be an excellent back row, and should/would win far more games than it loses. Others suggest starting with Hooper to wear England, or whomever, out and finish off with a glut of possession as Pocock steals turnover ball at will against tired opponents. I suspect the TGC has plans whirring around in his head for every opponent whom we might meet.
On the matter of Hooper, Pocock et al, this continual urging from posters for the champion from their home states really shits me. I, as a dyed-in-the-wool-Tahs-supporter, would be perfectly happy for Pocock to start in matches where his skills are appropriate to wear the 7 jumper. Unfortunately for Gill and Hodgson there's only space for two first-choice openside breakaways in the RWC squad, and the coach has indicated his preferences. AND HE SHOULD STICK BY THEM! Hooper and Pocock, thankfully, have complementary skills allowing TGC some wonderful choices when sizing up our potential opponents.
Cheika's coaching record to date would indicate he puts a lot of thought into winning the next game/campaign/tournament. Albeit with an overlay of the physical Randwick running game but adjusted for the contest to be won with the players on hand. Some suggest Fardy/Pocock/Higginbotham for the Wallabies back row; it'd be an excellent back row, and should/would win far more games than it loses. Others suggest starting with Hooper to wear England, or whomever, out and finish off with a glut of possession as Pocock steals turnover ball at will against tired opponents. I suspect the TGC has plans whirring around in his head for every opponent whom we might meet.
On the matter of Hooper, Pocock et al, this continual urging from posters for the champion from their home states really shits me. I, as a dyed-in-the-wool-Tahs-supporter, would be perfectly happy for Pocock to start in matches where his skills are appropriate to wear the 7 jumper. Unfortunately for Gill and Hodgson there's only space for two first-choice openside breakaways in the RWC squad, and the coach has indicated his preferences. AND HE SHOULD STICK BY THEM! Hooper and Pocock, thankfully, have complementary skills allowing TGC some wonderful choices when sizing up our potential opponents.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
I said this yonks ago. In my day (!) all it took to win at the front of the lineout was a bit of timing, jump early and reach forward.
Skelton should be able to outreach anybody, just needs to get the timing right.
Mooooper
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