Ireland v Australia

[vidiot]

Not the workrate but effectiveness. I'd rather Skelton's scrum weakness than have Horwill slipping off tackles again.

I should start this diatribe with the qualification that Cheika has few options, Horwill was clearly struggling with fitness even in the first 30mins when he was getting his left knee restrapped.

Skelton has 20 minutes in him at test match pace.

We went from winning penalties and applying pressure with our scrum to struggling with him on.

Skelton also coughed up the pill in contact.

Horwill missed Lopez, but that was a systemic fuckup in defence. 6 players in the defensive line - Fainga'a , Kepu, Slipper, Lilo, Hooper and Kuridrani had rushed up to defend 3 attackers, leaving Horwill dodging 3 attackers in front of the ball carrier as he trailed to fall beside him.

Horwill missed Teddy Thomas, he has the excuse of obstruction from a french jersey. No one else did.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

I'm wondering whether a chance was missed to bring a development player over instead of Shatz? I'll admit I saw little of the NRC, but how did someone like Lopeti Timani go at no. 8?

Timani looked good in the NRC and more importantly stayed healthy through the whole season. However he still has tits for hands and goes missing at times, he needs more time starting for the Rebels first. Tala Grey seemed to be the better all round player at 8, not as big impacts but had a more rounded game.

That said, Schatz was very impressive in the NRC so it's hard to tell if Timani or Grey would have more impact than he will.

 

[emuarse]

i am concerned that the board's collective opinion (the GAGGED consensus?) seems to have far too many Tahs in what should be the team.

perhaps the time has come for the ARU to impose ceilings on the numbers of Tahs in the run-on 15, on the bench and in total?

Catch anything yet?

 

[Joe Blow]

I'm wondering whether a chance was missed to bring a development player over instead of Shatz? I'll admit I saw little of the NRC, but how did someone like Lopeti Timani go at no. 8?

If you think about it there was not too many fit people to bring. We have our 3rd, 5th and 6th string hookers. We have a couple of backrowers that are way down the pecking order in McMahon and Schatz. Many tag Skelton as a potential starter and Jones is borderline. Godwin and English are there for experience. Faulkner is a smokie if there ever was one.
These blokes are all getting valuable exposure to the setup. You cannot carry too many newbies on a test tour.

 

[fatprop]

I'm wondering whether a chance was missed to bring a development player over instead of Shatz? I'll admit I saw little of the NRC, but how did someone like Lopeti Timani go at no. 8?

Lopeti Timani hasn't demonstrated the consistency to deserve a call up he is a two steps forward, three steps back unit with hands like feet at the moment

 

[Wilson]

I'm wondering whether a chance was missed to bring a development player over instead of Shatz? I'll admit I saw little of the NRC, but how did someone like Lopeti Timani go at no. 8?

Lopeti is along way from test rugby, but tala grey might have been an option. The reality is schatz was amongst the best in the nrc and is experienced at the back of the scrum, something we need with our problems with the replacement pack. The guy whose really missed out this year was Cottrell, hopefully he comes back from the broken leg without losing too much.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Lopeti Timani hasn't demonstrated the consistency to deserve a call up he is a two steps forward, three steps back unit with hands like feet at the moment

Spot on.

Timani looked good in the NRC and more importantly stayed healthy through the whole season. However he still has tits for hands and goes missing at times, he needs more time starting for the Rebels first. Tala Grey seemed to be the better all round player at 8, not as big impacts but had a more rounded game.

That said, Schatz was very impressive in the NRC so it's hard to tell if Timani or Grey would have more impact than he will.

Timani is also apparently pretty allergic to hard work unless pushed.

Considering Grey (Whom I rate higher than Schatz) and Timani probably won't play Super Rugby without injury to others in 2015, I'd say they made the right call with Schatz.

 

[Scrubber2050]

I'm in full agreement that Skelton was poor last week but how was he worse than Horwill??? He dropped a crucial pill early in the game 5m out and then missed two critical tackles. All within the first 20 minutes.

--

How is this for a stat? Ireland haven't scored a try against us in their last 3 matches! All 3 matches they finished on 15 with 5 penalty goals.

Have to go back to 1999 to find the last time they've scored more than 2 tries against us.

Mate I have not been" game" to criticise big Kev. Would hate TrWAS to have a heart attack or at least increase the blood pressure to an unacceptable level

 

[Train Without a Station]

Mate I have not been" game" to criticise big Kev. Would hate TrWAS to have a heart attack or at least increase the blood pressure to an unacceptable level

Haha piss off Scrubber. I (and many agreed) disagreed with your statement that the Reds should move Horwill on despite having no better option to replace him.

 

[Viking]

Balance does seem better with either Foley/Lilo or Cooper/To'omua.

Not that Foley and Lilo did much last game.

Disagree completely. Cooper/To'omua has a lot of balance. You got one elusive runner in Cooper and one hard direct runner in To'omua. Cooper specialising in long balls and all round ball skills. To'omua usually great at short balls. Cooper makes unpredictable decisions at times, To'omua makes calm collective and somewhat predictable ones.

Foley and To'omua are both predictable. Both average long ball skills. Both are fairly direct runners.

Lilo is fairly elusive when firing and is also a good long ball player so that adds balance too.

 

[tragic]

I've been impressed by Skelton's tackling.

Most flies are fucked if they land on a venus fly trap but 90% of em just fly around it.
Just sayin..

 

[fatprop]

Balance does seem better with either Foley/Lilo or Cooper/To'omua.

Not that Foley and Lilo did much last game.

True, but with a pack not getting over the advantage line and defenders then being allowed to fall all over the place, I reckon no 10/12 would have faired better

 

[Viking]

If we can teach Fardy how to scrum he could be shifted to lock. Would certainly solves some issue. Then we could have a backrow of Higgers, Palu, Hooper and that is pretty damn aggressive. Perfect for Chieka-ball.

Also if Jones goes well this weekend I don't see why he shouldn't be played at lock if his set-piece work is up to par.

 

[Dumbledore]

I'm wondering whether a chance was missed to bring a development player over instead of Shatz? I'll admit I saw little of the NRC, but how did someone like Lopeti Timani go at no. 8?

He was great, but he's also nowhere near ready for Test rugby. I'd be nervous watching him in the Soup to be honest. If you were going to take a development player it'd be Tala Gray I reckon.

 

[Beer Baron]

Disagree completely. Cooper/To'omua has a lot of balance. You got one elusive runner in Cooper and one hard direct runner in To'omua. Cooper specialising in long balls and all round ball skills. To'omua usually great at short balls. Cooper makes unpredictable decisions at times, To'omua makes calm collective and somewhat predictable ones.

Foley and To'omua are both predictable. Both average long ball skills. Both are fairly direct runners.

Lilo is fairly elusive when firing and is also a good long ball player so that adds balance too.

I believe that was exactly Scotty's point - at least how i read it.

 

[Viking]

I believe that was exactly Scotty's point - at least how i read it.

yes at first I read it as "Balance doesn't seem better with either Foley/Lilo or Cooper/To'omua."

Sorry @Scotty!

 

[Braveheart81]

This game is at the worst timeslot. Do I wake up at 3:30am to watch it and then hope I get a couple of hours sleep afterwards or do I just watch it first thing in the morning?

What are people's plans?

 

[qwerty51]

Most flies are fucked if they land on a venus fly trap but 90% of em just fly around it.
Just sayin..

Yeah and my point was people aren't getting around Skelton, he's catching them.

 

[Tangawizi]

This game is at the worst timeslot. Do I wake up at 3:30am to watch it and then hope I get a couple of hours sleep afterwards or do I just watch it first thing in the morning?

What are people's plans?

Going to wake up for it, then since it will be finishing around dawn head out for a run before it gets too hot. Then sleep until lunchtime.

 

[BDA]

When did we start giving away wallabies jerseys based on future potential?
There are deficiencies in his game that may be fixed with good coaching and improved fitness - which will likely take a season or more. Thats what super rugby is for. Its not going to happen on a 6 week tour.

Just who do you propose should be there instead of Skelton? The reality is that we had only 2 locks with test experience available at the start of this season. Carter and Skelton were chosen to be blooded. Both have struggled at times but I'd argue that both have also shown that they can be effective when playing well. They are worth persisting with. They'll undoubtedly be much better next year having had a year of test rugby under their belt. Guys like Neville and Coleman are worth looking at next year, but the reality is it takes time to develop test forwards. We should persevere with Carter and Skelton and see where they are at next year.

If come the RWC Skelton hasn't improved further, I wouldn't want him in the 23, but for now I'm happy to let him play a role in the team, in circumstances where he KNOW that he will get us going forward, when our pack desperately needs some punch.

I probably wouldn't play him against the English next week as they will try to win the game through their set piece. But the Irish aren't quite as intimidating in that area.