Ireland v Australia

[fatprop]

He hardly blew it. From returning from a hamstring injury it was actually a pretty solid performance. Not outstanding, what I would call an average game, but not poor.

Plus it's not like our current wingers are setting the world alight at the moment. They have been far from outstanding the last 2 games too.

His problem was that against the Ba Ba's the other winger (Horne) was markedly better so he got the next start

 

[Tomikin]

ATM Chek is running about average with Deans and Mckenzie - 1 outa 2 -

by my reckoning and I checked with my accountant, thats a 50% win ratio. For those argumentaive pricks out there it probably means a 50% losing ratio as well..

LOL but both Deans and McKenzie started against the All Blacks not the Welsh. Let's be serious here winning against the All Blacks and Springbok is harder then against the NH teams. Also, winning games when you first come into coach is harder. McKenzie smashed the NH tour and then the french, went draw hammered lose, then close lose against the AB's beat the springboks once. His worst effort was losing to the argies..

Chekia is a good coach but he doesn't have a lot of time before next world cup. So for Oz rugby lets hope he beats the poms and irish then has a got RC and comes into the world cup firing.. Does he have enough time.. I don;t know..

 

[Tomikin]

I think Speight is going to be named in the team announced today, but it's a leap to suggest he demands selection right now.

He was average against the Barbarians in a game where both incumbent test wingers were rested and the other winger outplayed him. Of course he's only just returning from injury but that doesn't give him a free pass.

Contrast it to say Sean McMahon who had a blinder and benefited also from having the two players ahead of him (Fardy and Higginbotham) injured.

I think everyone wants him in the team sooner rather than later but there's no point rushing a guy in who was clearly short of a run when there needs to be a solid reason to drop the players ahead of him.

Risk vs Reward, he may not play well this week or next week, but Henry is clearly.. CLEARLY the most talented winger we have. sitting him out aint going to get him back to form.

When the Brumbies played the Chiefs and the Tah's towards the end of last season the only player they talked about was Speight. sometimes you just gotta trust your gut.

 

[Braveheart81]

Risk vs Reward, he may not play well this week or next week, but Henry is clearly.. CLEARLY the most talented winger we have. sitting him out aint going to get him back to form.

When the Brumbies played the Chiefs and the Tah's towards the end of last season the only player they talked about was Speight. sometimes you just gotta trust your gut.

Yes, it's risk vs reward. The risk is that picking a player who is short of a run will backfire because you've left out a player who has been doing reasonably well. I'm pretty sure if I look I'll find a post from you suggesting Tomane was pretty good against France (which I'm happy to agree with).

It's test rugby and we're not desperate for players. If we'd had several injuries and the choice was between Speight short on match practice and Tom English I would have absolutely picked Speight.

You roll the dice on key players more in Super Rugby because invariably the replacement player is substantially worse than the other option(s) you have at test level.

Look at it another way. The form of a player now is unlikely to have much or any impact on their form when we next play a test in July.

No one in Australian rugby doubts how good Henry Speight is or how consistently good he's been over the last three years. That doesn't help him play any better here and now though. He has to be in the right condition now.

Again, I think he'll be picked for this game and I'm sure an extra three weeks of being fit and healthy and training with the team has made a big difference to how he'll play.

 

[Viking]

I guess it doesn't matter much if Speight gets a start anyway. It's not like we have a pack who can create front-foot ball and a flyhalf who can get the ball out wide quickly. I predict another game where our back 3 have very little space which means very little impact.

Apologise for the negativity but im a realist!

 

[Tomikin]

Yes, it's risk vs reward. The risk is that picking a player who is short of a run will backfire because you've left out a player who has been doing reasonably well. I'm pretty sure if I look I'll find a post from you suggesting Tomane was pretty good against France (which I'm happy to agree with).

It's test rugby and we're not desperate for players. If we'd had several injuries and the choice was between Speight short on match practice and Tom English I would have absolutely picked Speight.

You roll the dice on key players more in Super Rugby because invariably the replacement player is substantially worse than the other option(s) you have at test level.

Look at it another way. The form of a player now is unlikely to have much or any impact on their form when we next play a test in July.

No one in Australian rugby doubts how good Henry Speight is or how consistently good he's been over the last three years. That doesn't help him play any better here and now though. He has to be in the right condition now.

Again, I think he'll be picked for this game and I'm sure an extra three weeks of being fit and healthy and training with the team has made a big difference to how he'll play.

I'd pick him over Tomane as well and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne.

 

[Tomikin]

Yes, it's risk vs reward. The risk is that picking a player who is short of a run will backfire because you've left out a player who has been doing reasonably well. I'm pretty sure if I look I'll find a post from you suggesting Tomane was pretty good against France (which I'm happy to agree with).

It's test rugby and we're not desperate for players. If we'd had several injuries and the choice was between Speight short on match practice and Tom English I would have absolutely picked Speight.

You roll the dice on key players more in Super Rugby because invariably the replacement player is substantially worse than the other option(s) you have at test level.

Look at it another way. The form of a player now is unlikely to have much or any impact on their form when we next play a test in July.

No one in Australian rugby doubts how good Henry Speight is or how consistently good he's been over the last three years. That doesn't help him play any better here and now though. He has to be in the right condition now.

Again, I think he'll be picked for this game and I'm sure an extra three weeks of being fit and healthy and training with the team has made a big difference to how he'll play.

I suppose the only reason I wouldn't select him is because his still injured and I guess maybe he didn't pick up the new defence as expected.

I agree Im just excited. No need to rush him.. I suppose. Speight vs Bowe.. Game on

 

[fatprop]

It is interesting, I see this as the most difficult game on tour

Does Cheika experiment or play it safe?

So far he has a close win and a close loss, "if" we lose the next two (which is highly likely IMHO) it will make everything wtf

 

[Troy]

Team announcement

 

[Braveheart81]

Congratulations on Henry Speight becoming the 888th Wallaby. A Chinese person would pay a fortune for that number!

Our 11 man bench should really get us home in the 2nd half.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Onya Speightrain

 

[#1 Tah]

This forum will become a ton of fun should Quade be overlooked for Kurtley

 

[Tex]

Good team.

I wonder if Cheika will go for a 6-2 bench?

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Interesting not to see Matt Hodgson on the bench. This can only signal intent to play Hooper for the full eighty minutes and an attempt to look for a little more impact with ball in hand as opposed to impact on the breakdown.

Will be interesting to see how that plays out with the Irish defence.

 

[hammertimethere]

Good selections given the circumstances

 

[Lee Grant]

Well done for Luke Jones to earn a start in a big match.

 

[Wilson]

Dump Alexander, Skelton and Beale and that should be about right.

 

[Tomikin]

Congratulations on Henry Speight becoming the 888th Wallaby. A Chinese person would pay a fortune for that number!

Our 11 man bench should really get us home in the 2nd half.

Yeah when Kepu comes off we are sending on Faulker and Alexander at THP and as Carter comes off both Skelton and Horwill will pack in the second row..

 

[Braveheart81]

Weight in the scrum isn't everything, but I reckon a 250kg+ weight advantage late in the game will really help our scrum out.

 

[Tomikin]

Dump Alexander, Skelton and Beale and that should be about right.

I understand the dump Alexander thoughts, but seriously Alexander would take Faulkner to the cleaners on both sides of the scrum any day of the week. Unless his still injured.. but then still I would back him over Faulkner..