RC - Wallabies vs Springboks, Gold Coast Sunday 12 September 8:05 PM

[Dctarget]

What’s the go with Paisami? Is he injured? I thought he missed Perth on parental duties.

to answer my own question:
- Darcy Swain injured
- Hunter not picked because if two weeks out of group, was considered for bench.
from Michael Atkinson on twitter.

 

[Froggy]

The QC (Quade Cooper) selection reminds me of the punter who has had a bad day, and puts everything on the favourite in the last at Grafton as a get-out-of-gaol!
I fully accept he is one of the most talented 10's we've had for a long, long time, but with that comes a heap of baggage, in no particular order a) he's a liability in defence, he either falls off tackles or jumps up to take the runner's head off, b) he's given to brain explosions under pressure and c) he hasn't played top level rugby for what, 3-4 years.
Having said all that, I hope the favourite in the last at Grafton gets up and has a ripper!

 

[Ignoto]

This is a bigger test for Rennie than Cooper in my view.

I reckon you could spin it as, the position Rennie finds himself in is squarely on Chieka, Daryl Gibson and Richard Graham. Chieka and Gibson never spent the time developing the next generation of players at the Tabs, resulting in Mack Mason going from promising to leaving the sport.

Graham (or was it Stiles, I've lost track at who was the HC) didn't develop McIntyre or Sam Greene.

The other two Super Rugby teams are just as liable as the other two.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

What has happened to O'Connor?

Hasn't played since the 80's mate. Try to keep up.

 

[Slim 293]

That might be true, but it further begs the question, what did Harry Wilson do to Rennie?

I'll take a stab.........

Has looked a bit underwhelming since the first French test............

Swinton provides another lineout option - our lineout has been poor, and it's an incredibly important set piece we need to have function properly against teams like the AB's and Boks............

Valetini, while not playing to his full potential, adds the necessary physicality...

Samu's flexibility and performance off the bench last week sees him retain said bench role.


Personally, I would prefer to revert back to the original backrow combination of Wilson and Valetini, but their on field positional play needed to switch around to take advantage of their respective strengths.

I'm surprised we haven't seen Naisarani again, but wonder if they've now cut that rope with him heading off soon?

 

[Froggy]

You can't develop someone if they haven't got it in the first place, and I never saw anything from Mason to suggest he had.
At least the Tahs and Reds were playing Australians, The Force, Brumbies and Rebels were all playing overseas players!

 

[Braveheart81]

I reckon you could spin it as, the position Rennie finds himself in is squarely on Chieka, Daryl Gibson and Richard Graham. Chieka and Gibson never spent the time developing the next generation of players at the Tabs, resulting in Mack Mason going from promising to leaving the sport.

Graham (or was it Stiles, I've lost track at who was the HC) didn't develop McIntyre or Sam Greene.

The other two Super Rugby teams are just as liable as the other two.

Of those players though, Sam Greene is the only one who is remotely serviceable.

McIntyre played plenty of Super Rugby then played in France for a couple of years and is still nowhere near test level.

Mack Mason wasn't up to Super Rugby level.

We finally have some decent young 10s because we finally had a very good under 20s contingent.

Mason and McIntyre played in under 20s sides that were rubbish. Thinking that those guys would now be Wallabies if only they'd been selected more often at Super Rugby level is wishful thinking.

Will Harrison and Ben Donaldson looked better in Super Rugby from day 1 in a far worse team than Mason ever did.

 

[Dctarget]

I don't think we've had a more "x-factor" pair of halves in Tate & Quade since 2011.

Also congratulations to Hooper who has now captained the Wallabies the most ever. Pretty immense.

 

[eastman]

I realised after I posted that I have a friend who's a good friend with Harry's parents, have asked the question.

He has been generally been pretty ineffective every time he has played the All Blacks - it's really not that mystifying is it?

 

[eastman]

Of those players though, Sam Greene is the only one who is remotely serviceable.

McIntyre played plenty of Super Rugby then played in France for a couple of years and is still nowhere near test level.

Mack Mason wasn't up to Super Rugby level.

We finally have some decent young 10s because we finally had a very good under 20s contingent.

Mason and McIntyre played in under 20s sides that were rubbish. Thinking that those guys would now be Wallabies if only they'd been selected more often at Super Rugby level is wishful thinking.

Will Harrison and Ben Donaldson looked better in Super Rugby from day 1 in a far worse team than Mason ever did.

Sam Greene was a legitimate talent - the guy could pass, kick, run and even had some x- factor - he was a real loss to Aussie rugby.

 

[Pfitzy]

Mason and McIntyre played in under 20s sides that were rubbish. Thinking that those guys would now be Wallabies if only they'd been selected more often at Super Rugby level is wishful thinking.

"Big kid" syndrome. I watched Mason a few times in Shute Shield and he was hardly sparkling.

 

[Adam84]

He has been generally been pretty ineffective every time he has played the All Blacks - it's really not that mystifying is it?

Theres is about 30 other players in the wallabies squad who fall into that category.. the mystifying part is why it applies to some and not others.

 

[KOB1987]

I'll take a stab...

Has looked a bit underwhelming since the first French test....

Swinton provides another lineout option - our lineout has been poor, and it's an incredibly important set piece we need to have function properly against teams like the AB's and Boks....

Valetini, while not playing to his full potential, adds the necessary physicality.

Samu's flexibility and performance off the bench last week sees him retain said bench role.


Personally, I would prefer to revert back to the original backrow combination of Wilson and Valetini, but their on field positional play needed to switch around to take advantage of their respective strengths.

I'm surprised we haven't seen Naisarani again, but wonder if they've now cut that rope with him heading off soon?

That’s a fair response if you’re a Brumbies supporter, but it doesn’t help the rest of us much!

He has been generally been pretty ineffective every time he has played the All Blacks - it's really not that mystifying is it?

Adam beat me too it.

 

[Up the Guts]

I was a big supporter of Valentini throughout Super but I'm scratching my head that he kept his spot, thought he was dire last week and completely outmuscled by Akira. Why throw him in again against a pack with even more muscle? If Rennie is happy to pick Quade at 10 then he should be happy to pick Naisarani at 8.

 

[Pfitzy]

If either Rodda or Philip go down early, we're fucked.

 

[eastman]

Theres is about 30 other players in the wallabies squad who fall into that category.. the mystifying part is why it applies to some and not others.

The obvious answer is that it’s one of the few positions where there’s a tiny bit of depth- it’s not the case at fullback, hooker etc.

 

[Derpus]

If either Rodda or Philip go down early, we're fucked.

We actually have a couple of row options. Does not compute.

What about Neville or Hosea? Shit get Simmo on a plane.

 

[Dctarget]

We actually have a couple of row options. Does not compute.

What about Neville or Hosea? Shit get Simmo on a plane.

I think they're all COVID-y.

 

[upthereds#!]

I would have made sure Timani or FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) were on the plane with Holmes just incase.

 

[Blue]

I agree he'll be physical around the park. But there could be scenario where we only have one tall on the park (Rodda or Philip) and they have 3 talls in Etzebeth, de Jager and Mostert. Could be very easy ball in the lineout for them.

Four. Vermeulen is a genuine lineout option.