Australia v England

[fatprop]

More concerned about Tupou not being included than Foley at 12.

Tupou may have been running out of juice, he is a kid whose form has been a bit up and down -turning up to a test standard each week mentally & physically is a challenge for the best of them.

I have to think that because Ainsley is on the bench

 

[Rebels3]

Whats frustrating me is the lack of information about who is sick and who isn't. Much of the anger and finger pointing could be solved if they come out and say such and such is unavailable due to the bug going through the team, it'd also reduce the pressure on Cheika and the team as people wouldn't be expecting the highest of high standards when play commences

 

[Derpus]

Gotta feel for Beale. He should have been dropped ages ago, but they finally do it and a) replace him with fucking Foley and b) do it for the one match they wear the indigenous jersey.

Couldn't organize a pissup in a brewery.

 

[Rebels3]

If we get dusted by 15+ i think its the end of the road for at a minimum the assistants

 

[barbarian]

That bench is worrying. Best part of our World Cup team was the quality blokes we were bringing off the pine in the last 20, especially in the front row. This is a far, far cry from that.

Also, I was weirdly disappointed not to see AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s name on the team sheet as well.

Surely it's last chance saloon for Tolu Latu as well. His entire 2019 rests on this game IMO.
.

 

[Derpus]

That bench is worrying. Best part of our World Cup team was the quality blokes we were bringing off the pine in the last 20, especially in the front row. This is a far, far cry from that.

Also, I was weirdly disappointed not to see AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s name on the team sheet as well.

Surely it's last chance saloon for Tolu Latu as well. His entire 2019 rests on this game IMO.
.

What was the point in bringing AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). They use the Italy game to experiment and completely ignore the results. Tupou played well, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) played well, Foley at 12 was a disaster.

So what do we do?

 

[wamberal]

Whats frustrating me is the lack of information about who is sick and who isn't. Much of the anger and finger pointing could be solved if they come out and say such and such is unavailable due to the bug going through the team, it'd also reduce the pressure on Cheika and the team as people wouldn't be expecting the highest of high standards when play commences

Have you thought that this might be even more frustrating for Eddie Eyebrows? If you were the national coach, would you tell the whole world what the exact state of health of your whole squad is? Or the reasons for selections, or non-selections?

 

[Brumby Runner]

Maybe Foley will suffer from a relapse of the alleged virus from last week and have to withdraw?

Almost every Wallaby side selected so far this year has had a late withdrawal. I'm tipping this week's withdrawal will be Pocock.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Ainsley should never have been in the squad. James Slipper was dying to be included.
Naisarani was also a waste of a ticket. There should have been another legit 6/8 option who was actually available. Pocock is carrying an injury and we have Hanigan and Samu on the bench. EJ (Eddie Jones) will be wondering why Christmas came early.
I’m sorry, but Cheika has really lost the plot.

I think you are far too kind JB. It is becoming clearer to many, as it was to a few of us from the very beginning of his tenure, that Cheika never had a plot.

 

[wamberal]

Almost every Wallaby side selected so far this year has had a late withdrawal. I'm tipping this week's withdrawal will be Pocock.

Oh dear. That would not be good, would it?

 

[KOB1987]

Almost every Wallaby side selected so far this year has had a late withdrawal. I'm tipping this week's withdrawal will be Pocock.

I was going to post the same thing - Samu in and back to a 5:3 split with Beale into #22

 

[wamberal]

I think you are far too kind JB. It is becoming clearer to many, as it was to a few of us from the very beginning of his tenure, that Cheika never had a plot.

Even when he coached the Tahs to the title? Really?

 

[gel]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[vidiot]

Tupou may have been running out of juice, he is a kid whose form has been a bit up and down -turning up to a test standard each week mentally & physically is a challenge for the best of them.

I have to think that because Ainsley is on the bench

Tupou looked 10kg heavier coming back from the buffet breakfasts of SA/Argentina.

 

[TSR]

I get the criticism of Ainsley - but to be fair to the bloke Robertson is injured, Smith not available & Slipper was left out most of Super rugby and was hardly killing them last time he played in Gold.

That’s as far as I will go to defend any of the selections. I am otherwise completely stumped as to the rational by which we are trying to select squads or teams. Clearly numbers on jerseys are largely meaningless to Cheika - and I can live with that - but tactically/selection wise the team is all over the place.

Honestly - I am trying here - but if any of the tactical brains on the site here can explain to me what Cheika is trying to do I’d love to hear it.

I get why people don’t see any point in changing coaches before the World Cup and, to some point you would only be handing some other bloke a lump of coal, but surely any cost in paying Cheika out is now able to be justified on the basis that we can’t afford to continue down this path.

 

[Derpus]

I get the criticism of Ainsley - but to be fair to the bloke Robertson is injured, Smith not available & Slipper was left out most of Super rugby and was hardly killing them last time he played in Gold.

That’s as far as I will go to defend any of the selections. I am otherwise completely stumped as to the rational by which we are trying to select squads or teams. Clearly numbers on jerseys are largely meaningless to Cheika - and I can live with that - but tactically/selection wise the team is all over the place.

Honestly - I am trying here - but if any of the tactical brains on the site here can explain to me what Cheika is trying to do I’d love to hear it.

I get why people don’t see any point in changing coaches before the World Cup and, to some point you would only be handing some other bloke a lump of coal, but surely any cost in paying Cheika out is now able to be justified on the basis that we can’t afford to continue down this path.

I don't think anyone wants Cheika to stay on until the RWC. Including Raelene.

I just think we are dead broke.

 

[A mutterer]

I get the criticism of Ainsley - but to be fair to the bloke Robertson is injured, Smith not available & Slipper was left out most of Super rugby and was hardly killing them last time he played in Gold.

That’s as far as I will go to defend any of the selections. I am otherwise completely stumped as to the rational by which we are trying to select squads or teams. Clearly numbers on jerseys are largely meaningless to Cheika - and I can live with that - but tactically/selection wise the team is all over the place.

Honestly - I am trying here - but if any of the tactical brains on the site here can explain to me what Cheika is trying to do I’d love to hear it.

I get why people don’t see any point in changing coaches before the World Cup and, to some point you would only be handing some other bloke a lump of coal, but surely any cost in paying Cheika out is now able to be justified on the basis that we can’t afford to continue down this path.

there's a fairly large semantic difference between rational and rationale.

although for all intense and porpoises i suspect chieka has neither

 

[kiap]

Look. We don’t have a full picture of how different players are training or how impacted anyone is by this sickness, but that is an uninspiring team on the face of it.

I’m a Beale fan, as a player, but support him being dumped. Foley at 12 is pretty damn close to unjustifiable. The bench looks incredibly average. Perhaps the weakest I’ve seen in gold.

Yeah

That bench is worrying. Best part of our World Cup team was the quality blokes we were bringing off the pine in the last 20, especially in the front row. This is a far, far cry from that.

Also, I was weirdly disappointed not to see AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s name on the team sheet as well.

Surely it's last chance saloon for Tolu Latu as well. His entire 2019 rests on this game IMO.
.

Indeed.

I'm not so cocky about my margin containment call now, lads.

Even with a "mind games" selection followed by a possible late change, the whole vibe is out of whack.

 

[The Honey Badger]

Of the starting XV, Foley at 12 is the weirdest. Almost unfathomable in fact.

Phipps ahead of Gordon isn't far behind.

Don't think Ainsley is up to international standard.

And what has Phipps done wrong in the 4 minutes he has been given in the last 10 tests to deserve demotion?

 

[Derpus]

And what has Phipps done wrong in the 4 minutes he has been given in the last 10 tests to deserve demotion?

The only match hes played for more than 10 minutes was against Ireland and he was pretty damn good in that test.