Bledisloe 2 - Wallabies vs All Blacks, Wellington, 27 August 2016

[Lorenzo]

I almost want them to give foley one more go and if he fails again then bring in Quade for the SAF game at Suncorp.
Announce his reds signing pre match.
He's a confidence player and returning to the Wallabies at his home ground with a mostly supportive crowd could make a massive difference.
He's on a hiding to nothing playing his first game back against the ABs in NZ.

Indeed. It will just be an excuse for MC to return to Foley, who will then participate in a marginal win or defeat against SAF in Brisbane and will lock down the spot for the rest of the year as a result. And on it goes.

 

[tragic]

Hodge can kick and looks the business ie works hard and appears to have a football brain, Kerevi may be at 13

Good defender to. Tall and safe under the high ball. So why isn't he still playing at FB?
Limited kicking at 12 with the ABs midfield in your face the second you catch the ball.

 

[Lorenzo]

It's more about the fact that Kerevi has been in outstanding form in 2016 and deserves a crack. Kuridrani may get saved in Kerevi gets picked at 12 but there are a couple of selection options that would see him miss out.

Kuridrani's defence was good but his form overall has been average in 2016 and his dropped ball cost us a try.

I think the players who have been well below their best this year where there are viable replacements are the ones most likely to go.

I'm a massive advocate for Kerevi to play 12, and have been since early last year.

 

[Lorenzo]

Good defender to. Tall and safe under the high ball. So why isn't he still playing at FB?
Limited kicking at 12 with the ABs midfield in your face the second you catch the ball.

I'm tired of picking 12s that can kick only to see them get crunched before even being able to think about kicking. The 10 and the 15 need to be able to kick very well. Like, as if they are actually test rugby players. It would be good if the wings could also, at least a little but not essential.

Let's allow the centres to focus on crossing the gainline and defence.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Actually, if Kerevi and Hodge become the interim 12s then it's probably actually a 13 or 15 we're looking for. Could be Khunt?

Don't think so. Kellaway is next in line for either 15 or wing, and could probably do a good job at 12 if needed. Actually, Kellaway relly needs to be brought into the squad post haste for the good of Aus rugby.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'm a massive advocate for Kerevi to play 12, and have been since early last year.

The problem we have there at test level is that whoever is 10 gets targeted even more than usual because the play is only ever going one way and Kerevi at 12 is unlikely to step in to first receiver.

We play much better when we have a couple of options as first receiver and I don't think Kerevi is there yet.

Given the injuries though there's a very strong chance he will play 12 this Saturday though.

 

[Lorenzo]

The problem we have there at test level is that whoever is 10 gets targeted even more than usual because the play is only ever going one way and Kerevi at 12 is unlikely to step in to first receiver.

We play much better when we have a couple of options as first receiver and I don't think Kerevi is there yet.

Given the injuries though there's a very strong chance he will play 12 this Saturday though.

I don't know. The ABs didn't seem to be in two minds with Giteau or To'omua playing 12. They seemed to be able to target Foley plenty.

I suppose if Hodge looks decent he is worth a shot, at which point it might either make sense to drop TK (for Kerevi) or play him on the wing.

 

[Brumby Runner]

It's more about the fact that Kerevi has been in outstanding form in 2016 and deserves a crack. Kuridrani may get saved in Kerevi gets picked at 12 but there are a couple of selection options that would see him miss out.

Kuridrani's defence was good but his form overall has been average in 2016 and his dropped ball cost us a try.

I think the players who have been well below their best this year where there are viable replacements are the ones most likely to go.

Tevita might get dropped, but his form in test 1 was better than most, maybe all, of the remaining backs. The backline missed 18 tackles, Kuridrani missed none and made somewhere around 13 - 17. He seems to have lost a lot of top-end speed lately, and that combined with his handling (dropped 2 or 3 passes?) could be what leads to his replacement. But if the dropped pass leading to a try is critical(which it may be) then a charged-down clearing kick which also led directly to a try against us would also rate the same consequence, before even considering the rest of the sub-par performance of our No 10.

For Wellington, I'd prefer to see either Cooper, Kerevi, Kuridrani, or Cooper, Kerevi, Folau with Hodge on the wing perhaps in the latter case.

 

[Viking]

I don't know. The ABs didn't seem to be in two minds with Giteau or To'omua playing 12. They seemed to be able to target Foley plenty.

I suppose if Hodge looks decent he is worth a shot, at which point it might either make sense to drop TK (for Kerevi) or play him on the wing.

Yeh cos Foley is so predictable at what he does. First instinct is always to run himself and if he doesn't do that he'll opt to kick and do that poorly.

 

[Braveheart81]

Tevita might get dropped, but his form in test 1 was better than most, maybe all, of the remaining backs. The backline missed 18 tackles, Kuridrani missed none and made somewhere around 13 - 17. He seems to have lost a lot of top-end speed lately, and that combined with his handling (dropped 2 or 3 passes?) could be what leads to his replacement. But if the dropped pass leading to a try is critical(which it may be) then a charged-down clearing kick which also led directly to a try against us would also rate the same consequence, before even considering the rest of the sub-par performance of our No 10.

I would drop Foley too. He wasn't up to scratch either after a run of mediocre form this year.

I'm pretty sure he was attempting a cross field kick rather than a clearing kick when he got charged down. It was so pedestrian though. He telegraphed the kick so much there Kaino had plenty of time to make an attempt at the charge down.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The problem we have there at test level is that whoever is 10 gets targeted even more than usual because the play is only ever going one way and Kerevi at 12 is unlikely to step in to first receiver.

We play much better when we have a couple of options as first receiver and I don't think Kerevi is there yet.

Given the injuries though there's a very strong chance he will play 12 this Saturday though.

But if Quade plays 10, and can handle the pressure of the rush defense, then the play is likely to go in any of two or three ways beyond him (to 12, 13 or 15), and that would take a lot of pressure off the outside backs which they are currently being subjected to.

 

[Scrubber2050]

I would drop Foley too. He wasn't up to scratch either after a run of mediocre form this year.

I'm pretty sure he was attempting a cross field kick rather than a clearing kick when he got charged down. It was so pedestrian though. He telegraphed the kick so much there Kaino had plenty of time to make an attempt at the charge down.

BH agree that Foley HAS to go.

I was always reluctant in Quade because of form and lack thereof at this level for years, But he has to be better than Bernard.

I also reckon your favourite player might get to ride the pine and Poey, the best 7 in Australia finally gets to play his natural spot. Lots of pwople are for recalling Fardy at 6 but McMahon might actually get a shot.

Reckon Folau should be at 13

 

[teach]

ABs have called up Liam Coltman and James Parsons as hooker cover.
Damian McKenzie, Reiko Ioane and Seta Tamanivalu also in.

I'm still picking a backline with Barret at 10, Sopoaga or Cruden at 12.

 

[Braveheart81]

BH agree that Foley HAS to go.

I was always reluctant in Quade because of form and lack thereof at this level for years, But he has to be better than Bernard.

I also reckon your favourite player might get to ride the pine and Poey, the best 7 in Australia finally gets to play his natural spot. Lots of pwople are for recalling Fardy at 6 but McMahon might actually get a shot.

Reckon Folau should be at 13

If the primary reason for moving Hooper to the bench is that the backrow didn't work and we got punished at lineout time, it doesn't seem like a reasonable option to bring McMahon in instead.

I don't think Hooper played badly and got through the most defensive work amongst the forwards. Our forwards in general didn't cut the mustard.

It's a strange position to be in where Hooper probably has just as much chance of being dropped to the bench this week as being named captain.

 

[Scrubber2050]

If the primary reason for moving Hooper to the bench is that the backrow didn't work and we got punished at lineout time, it doesn't seem like a reasonable option to bring McMahon in instead.

I don't think Hooper played badly and got through the most defensive work amongst the forwards. Our forwards in general didn't cut the mustard.

It's a strange position to be in where Hooper probably has just as much chance of being dropped to the bench this week as being named captain.

Mate I agree the bloke is a great player - what spot I'm still not sure (might even be at 12)

Pocock deserves the spot. Hooper would be unbelievable off the bench.

I THINK McMahon would bring more aggression to the game and more aggressive running.

It will be interesting how Chek goes about this week's selections

 

[KOB1987]

If the primary reason for moving Hooper to the bench is that the backrow didn't work and we got punished at lineout time, it doesn't seem like a reasonable option to bring McMahon in instead.

I don't think Hooper played badly and got through the most defensive work amongst the forwards. Our forwards in general didn't cut the mustard.

It's a strange position to be in where Hooper probably has just as much chance of being dropped to the bench this week as being named captain.

Indeed. If I was in the position of having to pick only one of Pocock and Hooper for this weekend's game I'd probably go with Pocock. However if I was being a bit more forward looking I'd go with Hooper as Pocock won''t be here after the RC. Whichever way I went I'd make him the captain and I'd be starting TPN at 2.

 

[tragic]

Can hooper play hooker? That would solve two problems

 

[Braveheart81]

Here's the forward pack I'd pick this weekend.

Slipper
TPN
Kepu
Douglas
Coleman
Fardy
Hooper
Pocock

Res: Moore, Sio, Ala'alatoa, Mumm, Timani

 

[KOB1987]

Don't think so. Kellaway is next in line for either 15 or wing, and could probably do a good job at 12 if needed. Actually, Kellaway relly needs to be brought into the squad post haste for the good of Aus rugby.

I actually don't disagree with any of that. I'm not sure if you saw the earlier posts but the question was who will come in to the squad to replace Giteau and Horne. So we're looking for 2 names and conceivably it could be both of them. Godwin and Morahan other possibilties - and Tom Carter of course

 

[FrankLind]

ABs have called up Liam Coltman and James Parsons as hooker cover.
Damian McKenzie, Reiko Ioane and Seta Tamanivalu also in.

I'm still picking a backline with Barret at 10, Sopoaga or Cruden at 12.

Kidding right?
What about Lienert-Brown - who can actually play 12.