France v Australia

[hammertimethere]

It's a nice thought but the we seem to have putting our eggs in basket of putting ball players at 10 and 12 and stacking the rest of the back line with strike runners

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Speight
12. To'omua or Lilo
13.TK
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Izzy

21. Phipps
22. Foley
23. Bieber

That is the back line that I think can win us the RWC

 

[Brumby Runner]

It's a nice thought but the we seem to have putting our eggs in basket of putting ball players at 10 and 12 and stacking the rest of the back line with strike runners

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Speight
12. To'omua or Lilo
13.TK
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Izzy

21. Phipps
22. Foley
23. Bieber

That is the back line that I think can win us the RWC

Not bad. But both AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Henry favour the right wing. Maybe better to have a left winger in place of say AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) who would go to the bench.

Whether JOC (James O'Connor) makes the 23 will depend entirely on his form and discipline during the Super season. ATM he has no credit so far as the Wallabies are concerned in my view and he is starting from scratch to try to win a spot.

And let me say that if he has a get out clause in his Reds' contract that allows him to return to Toulon after the RWC, that will be the biggest spit in the ARU's eye we've ever seen.

 

[formerflanker]

9. Genia
10. Cooper
That is the back line that I think can win us the RWC

Phipps deserves the 9 spot right now and will be hard to shift. Foley is running the back line well and kicking goals so he too should hang on to his spot.
If Genia and Cooper get significant game time we will be in a better position to judge their relative merits.

 

[matt james]

My dream backline
9. Genia
10. Quade
11.Speight
12. To'omua
13. TK
14. Izzy
15. Hunt.

Obviously nothing more than a pipe dream but then again one can always dream. Haven't seen anything from Hunt but he has a ton of potential in my mind.

Back to the current tour, I don't think Quade or Speight will see any game time this tour unless we have a big loss this weekend.

 

[Marcelo]

My team:

1 Slipper
2 Hanson
3 Kepu
4 Carter
5 Horwill
6 McMahon
7 Hooper
8 McCalman
9 Phipps
10 Cooper
11 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12 Leali'ifano
13 Kuridrani
14 Speight
15 Folau

16 Fainga'a
17 Robinson
18 Alexander
19 Skelton
20 Jones
21 Genia
22 Foley
23 Horne

 

[fatprop]

I would be amazed if Cooper starts any of these 3 tests, if there was a game vs Scotland - maybe, but not, with no game time, and the incumbent playing well against France, Ireland or England.

The bench will be his spot

 

[qwerty51]

Mann-Rea is surely in the 23. Lots of articles on him recently.

 

[Braveheart81]

Mann-Rea is surely in the 23. Lots of articles on him recently.

Yeah, certainly seems that way.

I hope so on the basis that it would presumably mean Cheika is going to give all the squad a run at some point this tour.

 

[BDA]

9. Genia
10. Cooper
11. Speight
12. To'omua or Lilo
13.TK
14. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15. Izzy

21. Phipps
22. Foley
23. Bieber

That is the back line that I think can win us the RWC

probably a bit early to be picking a back line because the big decision of the halves (cooper/genia v Phipps/Foley) will rest a lot on how they perform in Super rugby next year.

At the moment I see something like this

9.Phipps
10. Foley / Cooper (both a good choices, whoever is in better form)
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight
15. Folau
22. Genia
23. JOC (James O'Connor) (can cover 10 through 15).

 

[Blue]

The only way Cooper should start in a test is if Foley has an absolute mare.

I would think it is simple logic that applies no matter what position.

Next year is a different story. Consistent Super Rugby performance will be the deciding factor but right now there is no way Cheika will just hoof Foley unless it's a minnow game or he really feels he needs rest.

 

[Viking]

Is the squad announced today? Any updates?

 

[Viking]

The only way Cooper should start in a test is if Foley has an absolute mare.

I would think it is simple logic that applies no matter what position.

Next year is a different story. Consistent Super Rugby performance will be the deciding factor but right now there is no way Cheika will just hoof Foley unless it's a minnow game or he really feels he needs rest.

I got a feeling the Brumbies backline is going to absolutely carve it up next year. To'omua fighting hard, Lilo peaking in form, Kuridrani continuing to kill it, Speight and Tomane better after international exposure..... not sure their will be any room for the other provinces in the wallabies backline

 

[RugbyReg]

Is the squad announced today? Any updates?

no change from yesterday. Will still be announced today. In approx 3 hours time.

 

[I like to watch]

I got a feeling the Brumbies backline is going to absolutely carve it up next year. To'omua fighting hard, Lilo peaking in form, Kuridrani continuing to kill it, Speight and Tomane better after international exposure... not sure their will be any room for the other provinces in the wallabies backline

I s'pose that's a reasonable group to chase box kicks all day.........

 

[Viking]

I s'pose that's a reasonable group to chase box kicks all day...

No Nic White, so no box kicks.

 

[chasmac]

I'm starting to see the QC (Quade Cooper) / Foley debate evolve as follows;
Foley is currently playing closer to the gain line on attack. This suits Cheika's gameplan ( and EM's previous gameplan ).
The unknown is; Can Cooper play consistently closer to the gain line?
This is hard to answer because his opportunities have come (Baa Baa's game) when he has partnered with Genia who has slower service than Phipps.
As a coach, do you change what aint broke by trying Cooper with Phipps?
I say no as there doesn't seem to be much upside but there is potential downside.
However, Cooper and Genia would be getting huge benefits out of being on the tour which is good for RWC planning.
Similarly, the Brumbies 9 10 and 12 are getting the exposure to Cheika that all the team will need for a successful RWC campaign next year.
Throw in Kyle Godwin and we have a good group of inside backs getting great rugby experience before the big show next year.

 

[Phil]

No Nic White, so no box kicks.

So who's the new Brumbies signing for half next year?

 

[WTF?]

Is it just me, or does there seem like an incredible amount of support for Hunt to be in the Wallaby back line for the RWC without having him seen any play at test level, let alone Super 15 level or even NRC level for the last few years.

I get the whole, "he is our saviour" at the Reds and I hope he helps them go really well in 2015 along with some gun signings of JOC (James O'Connor) and Thomspson (I personally am looking forward to the Jacpot V AT battle) - but to see the number (and it is collectively quite large now) of people who are already putting him in their Wallaby run-on back line is amazing.

That is quite apart from the fact that we meant to be discussing who will be in the team for Saturday night I might add before the Mods castigate me for going OT.

 

[Dctarget]

1. James Slipper (Queensland Reds- 60 Tests)
2. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds – 33 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs – 49 Tests)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds – 57 Tests)
5. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds – 47 Tests)
6. Sean McMahon (Melbourne Rebels – 1 Test)
7. Michael Hooper (c - NSW Waratahs – 39 Tests)
8. Ben McCalman (Western Force – 35 Tests)
9. Nick Phipps (NSW Waratahs – 25 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs – 15 Tests)
11. Joe Tomane (ACT Brumbies – 13 Tests)
12. Christian Leali’ifano (ACT Brumbies – 15 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (ACT Brumbies – 18 Tests)
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs – 101 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs – 26 Tests)

Reserves TBC.

 

[Braveheart81]

Carter dropped for Horwill but otherwise no changes. Bench still TBA.