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RWC Pool C - Australia v Wales - 5AM 25 Sep AEST

qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Slim 293 said:
I’m confused, because someone assured us Gleeson was going to play open side this year… like, it was locked in and everything?
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Show me where I said it was locked in?

This is the best the McReight truthers have? Oh well at least it ain't Gleeson!
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
rugbyAU said:
For some reason Eddie doesn't rate him, hopefully big minutes to prove himself against Portugal
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Nah but that's the thing, he does. He's made every squad, he was seemingly making the bench as soon as fit but only got 10 min stints.

I don't get it all. Either he does or he doesn't but he doesn't seem to fucking know himself.
 
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Colin Windon (37)
I think the team is fairly rational. I'd prefer Skelton be fit (didn't see much evidence of Porecki doing any captaincy).

To the extent there is any kind of plan, and if there is it appears to be loosely formed, losing to Fiji certainly wasn't part of it. Cruising through to a QF loss to either Arg or Eng would have had most followers saying that's about what they thought would happen, perhaps even under Rennie and with dad's army, given he couldn't hit a 40% win-rate. Nick a win in that match and suddenly EJ (Eddie Jones) is a genius who got The Replacements to outperform after only 8 short months (or whatever), and you're kinda sorta a top 4 team again, even if you get bummed in the semi. And all you had to do was win two tests agains meaningul opposition. It's what Cheika was able to achieve in 2015, in a way.

But getting knocked out at the pool stage after only beating two minnows is a whole other thing. It makes the whole rebuild thing much harder to swallow, even though there was no realistic prospect of a tournament victory even with Hooper and Cooper and whoever else was cast aside. It's embarrassing rather than simply poor.

So he's picking a team that he thinks is most likely to beat wales, or is most likely to be up or in the hunt with half an hour to go. That being the case i get why you might choose BD at 10 over Gordon. Gordon has more upside but is probably riskier, too. Same with Kellaway in for Vuni. Hooper over Mcreight for the first 50? *Shrug*

If they don't monumentally fuck up, theyre in with a shot. I doubt they'll kick the ball dead again multiple times. I suspect there has been plenty of clarity about that lol.
 
Tomthumb

Tomthumb

Colin Windon (37)
qwerty51 said:
Nah but that's the thing, he does. He's made every squad, he was seemingly making the bench as soon as fit but only got 10 min stints.

I don't get it all. Either he does or he doesn't but he doesn't seem to fucking know himself.
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I think it’s because he views him solely as an 8 and Valetini is well ahead of him

Same issue that Harry Wilson had
 
Wallaby Man

Wallaby Man

Trevor Allan (34)
Tomthumb said:
Really? I thought the Welsh team looked pitiful on paper
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Love slipper but he’s not a TH. Biggar and Davies better players than Donaldson and Tate, Liam Williams is a world class fullback. Our locks are athletically gifted but are a little of the cuddly pillow side of contact. Both teams hooker stocks are ordinary but think theirs shades ours. Our quality outwide isn’t overly pronounced in this game because it’s one of their strengths as well. Valetini only one I’d have if could select their backrow.
 
Tomthumb

Tomthumb

Colin Windon (37)
Wallaby Man said:
Love slipper but he’s not a TH. Biggar and Davies better players than Donaldson and Tate, Liam Williams is a world class fullback. Our locks are athletically gifted but are a little of the cuddly pillow side of contact. Both teams hooker stocks are ordinary but think theirs shades ours. Our quality outwide isn’t overly pronounced in this game because it’s one of their strengths as well. Valetini only one I’d have if could select their backrow.
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Give me our tight 5 over theirs every day and twice on Sunday
 
Sword of Justice

Sword of Justice

Bill McLean (32)
Yeah I think we are in the unusual position of hoping to play 9 man rugby all game based on our selections. Wales backs a little long in the teeth but are still pretty much all best in their position at 6N level at one point or another in their careers. Not too many world beaters in tight for them though.
 
AFL_Converted

AFL_Converted

Billy Sheehan (19)
Brumby Runner said:
BH, my impression of the game was that Donaldson didn't take any of the high balls, at least none of the contestable ones. The game plan seemed to have Gordon, Petaia and Koroibete (of all players) back for the high balls. It simply looked to me that it was intentional to keep BD away from any high kicks.

It is clear to me that we have little chance of beating Wales and therefore progressing with the backline we've been playing. The forwards were outstanding against Georgia and more than serviceable against Fiji. They will hold their own and need minimal change, injuries aside.

The backline is just about the worst functioning I've seen in a Wallabies side. Nic White is not doing the others any favours by overusing the box kick, even though we do seem to win back a fair number of them when Nawaqanitawase chases. Carter Gordon is standing way too deep and is not bringing his game management skills to bear. Both, I'm sure are working to direct instructions from Jones. Kerevi is a mere shadow of his best from a couple of years ago, but even at his best he is a very limited player, Jordan Petaia is so far outclassed in the 13 jersey it isn't funny. His only spot where he seems to make test grade is on the wing. His decision making at 13 when the team is on attack is abysmal. And there must be big questions about his ability to defend the 13 spot too. Today's game it looked like Kerevi had the job of shutting down the Fiji captain, and also seemed to take the lead in directing others in the defensive line. Vunivalu just should not be there. He doesn't offer adequate cover off the bench and we have better wingers in the squad. Ben Donaldson is there for his kicking game, that's all. Tom Wright would have done Tom Wright things, but I'm confident he, and Andrew Kellaway too had he been given a chance, would have set up more than a few attacking raids against Fiji where Donaldson's inclination is to kick it back. His goal kicking however probably keeps him in the 15 jersey for Wales.

I hope Pone is fit Wales. If so, I think he should start and be given instruction to run as hard as he can for as long as he can. James Slipper actually got the better of his opposite LHP this game but should revert to the LH side to back up Bell. Philip contested good in the lineout when he came on and I think ought to replace Arnold in the starting side. Kemeny has to be in the squad for Wales. He should either start at 7 or come off the bench but in any case give McReight a rest from this game to see if a bigger body can do the job.

Going for more attack in the backline, I'd start Fines-Leleiwasa at 9 and Tate, if fit, on the bench. IFL unleashed by Eddie has more attacking nous that Tate imo and certainly a better pass and kicking game when needed. Gordon must be retained at 10 but told to play in the line like he does at the Rebels. We need to attack at every opportunity and BD doesn't give us that option. I think Kerevi has been a disappointment but he's the best we've got at 12. Someone has to leave early this week to allow Len Ikitau to take his rightful spot at 13. Failing that, bring Kellaway into 13, but get Petaia out of there.

So, I'd like to see:

Bell, Porecki, Pone, Frost, Philip, Hooper, Kemeny, Valetini, IFL, Gordon, Koroibete, Kerevi, Ikitau (Kellaway), Nawaqanitawase, Donaldson.

Reserves : Faessler, Slipper, Nonggorr, Arnold, Gleeson, Tate, Kellaway (Petaia), Jorgenson.
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That is a very good analysis of Gorden there. I noticed how deep he was too.
Gordan has not been good at putting up contestable kicks with the rebels in and his kicking for touch isn't the best either. He could kick for space well enough but he is best whilst guiding a running attack. If you look at his time after the high ball stuff up, that is what he did and we started making metres and I really felt we would come back. Jones hooked him and it all stopped.

That highball miss was a total balls up and shows a lack of confidence of his place in the side. The biggest issue is we had no real flyhalf to replace him when he makes these inevitable rookie mistakes.
 
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