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France v Wallabies (RWC Warm-up), 28/8 1.45AM AEST

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Wallabies team to play France at Stade de France, Paris on Sunday 27 August, 5:45pm CET/1:45am AEST

1 Angus Bell (23 Tests)

2. David Porecki (14 Tests)

3. Taniela Tupou (48 Tests)

4. Richie Arnold (4 Tests)

5. Will Skelton (c) (28 Tests)

6. Tom Hooper (3 Tests)

7. Fraser McReight (12 Tests)

8. Rob Valetini (34 Tests)

9. Tate McDermott (vc) (25 Tests)

10. Carter Gordon (4 Tests)

11. Suliasi Vunivalu (2 Tests)

12. Lalakai Foketi (5 Tests)

13. Jordan Petaia (27 Tests)

14. Mark Nawaqanitawase (6 Tests)

15. Andrew Kellaway (23 Tests)

Finishers

16. Matt Faessler (1 Test)

17. Blake Schoupp*

18. Zane Nonggorr (3 Tests)

19. Matt Philip (28 Tests)

20. Rob Leota (16 Tests)

21. Langi Gleeson (3 Tests)

22. Issak Fines-Leleiwasa*

23. Ben Donaldson (2 Tests)

*denotes uncapped
That bench will have some teams really quaking in their boots.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
You're telling me you would rather have Issak on the bench as opposed to White for the world cup games? We can afford to have an 'inexperienced' 9/10 combo for some of the pool stage matches but we can't for the Quarters or Semi's
Huh? This isn't a RWC match and Fines hasn't debuted yet so of course I'd prefer him to White.

Does White need experience?
 

dusk

Vay Wilson (31)
Huh? This isn't a RWC match and Fines hasn't debuted yet so of course I'd prefer him to White.

Does White need experience?
Are you purposefully misreading what I said? White + Donaldson need experience as a World Cup 9/10 combo off the bench. You haven't even seen Issak play a minute of test rugby and you're insinuating that he's the next best 9 after McDermott. Not sure how you explain that.
 

John S

Chilla Wilson (44)
Are you purposefully misreading what I said? White + Donaldson need experience as a World Cup 9/10 combo off the bench. You haven't even seen Issak play a minute of test rugby and you're insinuating that he's the next best 9 after McDermott. Not sure how you explain that.
Hang on, you said Dondaldson and Fines haven't played together - why not try them playing together for a warm up? We know what White can do,. I'm sure we've seen White/Donaldson before too.
 

dusk

Vay Wilson (31)
Hang on, you said Dondaldson and Fines haven't played together - why not try them playing together for a warm up? We know what White can do,. I'm sure we've seen White/Donaldson before too.
Because I would rather them play against a lower-tier nation like Portugal. Even if Issak has a decent game (with 20 minutes off the bench) do you honestly think he's gonna be the bench 9 over White - after the pool stage? I can't see a scenario where that is even considered, and that's why I think White and Donaldson should work on their combinations. (It's a warm-up match after all - to warm up for the World Cup).

This isn't even considering the possibility that Issak (god forbid) doesn't have a great game, which then means his debut against France (the favorites) was essentially for nothing. - Hopefully, he has a great game and proves me wrong, but who knows?
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Are you purposefully misreading what I said? White + Donaldson need experience as a World Cup 9/10 combo off the bench. You haven't even seen Issak play a minute of test rugby and you're insinuating that he's the next best 9 after McDermott. Not sure how you explain that.
You’re being ridiculous, White doesn’t need combo experience with anyone, he could play with Gordon for all we know. I’d rather Fines get minutes in case either ahead of him go down.
 

stillmissit

Peter Johnson (47)
Looking forward to the game but worried about how many injuries we will get. A weird and unexplainable injury history that I am hoping has been evaluated and some sort of solution put in place..
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
The bench looks clearly structured to give some minutes to those who haven't had many/any minutes. The starting XV is pretty much the strongest available (with a big ? over Vunivalu but I guess Eddie sees him as the most like Koroibete). I'm guessing the fitness overload during the RC has these blokes super fit and maybe the bench largely are only penciled in for a 20 minute burst at the end.
 

Brumby Runner

Jason Little (69)
I think I understand why Eddie put this team together and in his position I would do something very similar. It does seem to mark a changing of the guard and I think he wanted players who will offer a bit different whom he can instruct to just do their own things without him needing to construct a comprehensive game plan when there wasn't enough time to do so.

But, even so, it is one of the least experienced Wallaby sides ever, and I fear that will be obvious in the final score against France. Probably will be still in the game with 20 to go, perhaps down by 12 - 14, but I expect it to blow out to a 50 scoreline against us by the end.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
IMG_8628.jpeg
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I don't think you could call anything a gamble in a warm-up match.

But both NZ and SA did 6-2 and SA ended up doing 7-1. Worked well for both sides.

NZ lost a lock to a red and immediately replaced a backrower with a lock. It could've been worse for them.
 
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