Australia v Argentina - 21 November, Newcastle

[Braveheart81]

The plan (in my opinion) would be for Philip to play 80 minutes as he has most matches, Hanigan to play 80 minutes and switch to lock when Simmons comes off.

Whoever gets replaced first out of Simmons and Wilson is replaced by Valetini. Wright replaces whoever is replaced last.

 

[BDA]

Not a fan of the selections. Don't rate Hanigan, he's not a test 6. Nor is he a genuine lock option - I predict scrum goes to shit when he moves to lock. McDermott offers more against a tiring defence than Gordon. Sio hasn't scrummaged well all year and will be under the pump from minute one (i realize options are limited at LH).

Also, did Pete Samu sleep with Rennie's daughter or something?

@ $2.65/1 I'm getting on the Argies.

 

[Tomikin]

Not a fan of the selections. Don't rate Hanigan, he's not a test 6. Nor is he a genuine lock option - I predict scrum goes to shit when he moves to lock. McDermott offers more against a tiring defence than Gordon. Sio hasn't scrummaged well all year and will be under the pump from minute one (i realize options are limited at LH).

Also, did Pete Samu sleep with Rennie's daughter or something?

@ $2.65/1 I'm getting on the Argies.

Sio will do a job, I think he needed a kick in the pants but by no means is he finished, and its the right call for him to start in front of Bell.

Gordan for Tate is strange but maybe its a kick first option from 9 and that's where Rennie thinks Gordan's better. Pretty sure Hanigan played some Lock against the All Blacks and was fine. On the bench I would have gone Samu over Wright, but it seems now too coaches dont think he does the goods at test level. Strange.

 

[Dctarget]

I would've carried 6 forwards on the bench. At the moment you'll have for the final 20:

Philip, tired Hanigan
fresh Valetini, Hooper, fresh Wright

I would've put Hosea on the bench and for the final 20 you can have:

Philip, fresh Hosea
fresh Valetini, Hooper, fresh Wright

Does mean you have to drop Daugunu for a supersub like DHP.

 

[Dctarget]

Also, did Pete Samu sleep with Rennie's daughter or something?

Busy man, clearly slept with Cheika's too.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Not a fan of the selections. Don't rate Hanigan, he's not a test 6. Nor is he a genuine lock option - I predict scrum goes to shit when he moves to lock. McDermott offers more against a tiring defence than Gordon. Sio hasn't scrummaged well all year and will be under the pump from minute one (i realize options are limited at LH).

Also, did Pete Samu sleep with Rennie's daughter or something?

@ $2.65/1 I'm getting on the Argies.

Along with Maddocks I think. I would prefer Jack on the bench to Daugunu.

 

[Joe Blow]

Busy man, clearly slept with Cheika's too.

TBF he was anonymous in the first test. I prefer to see Valentini and Wright in there.
Sio should be chomping at the bit after being dissed so far this year. TT and BPA will hold him up in the scrum and he is also very good around the park.

 

[Derpus]

Not a fan of the selections. Don't rate Hanigan, he's not a test 6. Nor is he a genuine lock option - I predict scrum goes to shit when he moves to lock. McDermott offers more against a tiring defence than Gordon. Sio hasn't scrummaged well all year and will be under the pump from minute one (i realize options are limited at LH).

Also, did Pete Samu sleep with Rennie's daughter or something?

@ $2.65/1 I'm getting on the Argies.

Re McDermott. Argies won the territory battle last week, so its not a surprise. There will be a big emphasis on box kicking effectively.

 

[Dctarget]

Scrum battle should be immense. The Argies towelled up the Darkness. Cheika should be able to g up the Argies to another level, man's got a point to prove.

Ignoring OS players, Aus are missing four of our starting XV.

 

[Braveheart81]

Pretty sure Hanigan played some Lock against the All Blacks and was fine.

The last 27 minutes.

 

[barbarian]

I like the continuity in this side, and barring Hanigan at 6 I can't really argue with any of the picks. And even Hanigan I'm not going to argue hard, he's a safe option who will do OK.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

I would've carried 6 forwards on the bench. At the moment you'll have for the final 20:

Philip, tired Hanigan
fresh Valetini, Hooper, fresh Wright

I would've put Hosea on the bench and for the final 20 you can have:

Philip, fresh Hosea
fresh Valetini, Hooper, fresh Wright

Does mean you have to drop Daugunu for a supersub like DHP.

I agree a 6/2 bench might be more useful. With Lolosio on the bench Hodge can still provide cover for 11-15.

 

[dru]

Scrum battle should be immense. The Argies towelled up the Darkness. Cheika should be able to g up the Argies to another level, man's got a point to prove.

Ignoring OS players, Aus are missing four of our starting XV.

Look, I’m happy to credit Cheika but right now preparing for the Pumas - Fuck Cheika. We’ve got Rennie. We’ve got the better bargain by far. Our blokes should have a point to prove.

Scrum is ours boys, we’ve got everything, just take it.

 

[dru]

Interesting that there has been nil conversation at BPA, maybe he has his hands on that #2 and is not intending letting go.

I like it.

 

[rodha]

LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) still injured, surely?

 

[Froggy]

It always seems there are a couple of players that coaches seem to see differently to us armchair critics. Samu is a case in point, I really rate the guy, yet neither Cheika nor Rennie seem impressed. Whether it's how he trains, or he is given specific instructions in a game and just doesn't follow them, I don't know. Opposite to that is Hanigan, who I think is a good Super player, but has only very occasionally reached test standard, however both Cheika and Rennie seem to rate him. Again, possibly they give him a very specific role to play in the game plan, and he fulfils it. Any ideas?

 

[Viking]

Not a fan of the selections. Don't rate Hanigan, he's not a test 6. Nor is he a genuine lock option - I predict scrum goes to shit when he moves to lock. McDermott offers more against a tiring defence than Gordon. Sio hasn't scrummaged well all year and will be under the pump from minute one (i realize options are limited at LH).

Also, did Pete Samu sleep with Rennie's daughter or something?

@ $2.65/1 I'm getting on the Argies.

The scrum was more then fine when Hanigan was at lock last time. In fact I think Tupou won a scrum penalty when Hanigan was at lock. So no evidence of issue there.

Although I do agree that he does not offer much around the park and although improved, is still way off what we are looking for (Swinton's 30mins).

Gordon for Tate is easy to justify, Rennie is obviously looking at kicking for territory more this game and Gordon has a far better kicking game.

But again, I do agree Tate is lethal off the bench and brings a lot of energy and temp to his game. Which he proved last match. I'm surprise he didn't hold his bench spot.

Samu i still can't see any reasoning around that decision but we don't see what goes on in training I guess. I really hope he gets another shot next game.

 

[BDA]

Pretty sure Hanigan played some Lock against the All Blacks and was fine.

I'm a big proponent of the idea that you can't use a versatile 6/lock hybrid player at lock against strong test packs. The scrum ends up going backwards. Chieka and Deans both learned that lesson. It works fine against an average scrum, but against the best packs it doesn't. Hanigan worked ok against the All Blacks because our front row had the wood on them. This pumas scrum will be a different kettle of fish

 

[Viking]

TBF he was anonymous in the first test. I prefer to see Valentini and Wright in there.
Sio should be chomping at the bit after being dissed so far this year. TT and BPA will hold him up in the scrum and he is also very good around the park.

He was average the first test but certainly wasn't poor. Wright was very poor on his first bench start but still managed to earn another shot - where he was solid the next.

Valentini was also poor on his first start from the bench.

I think Samu's first game was better then both Valentini and Wrights first cameo's from the bench.

 

[BDA]

Would love to see some footage of Hanigan at training. The guy must look like Ritchie McCaw.