RWC QF 4 AUS v SCO (Twickenham) 19th Oct 0200 AEDT

[chasmac]

I'd be resting Folau and possibly Pocock + returning Hooper
Beale to 15.
McCalman to 8.
Hooper to 7.
McMahon to 20.
Speight to 23.

 

[ACT Crusader]

"Resting" players in a knock out test match? mmm.... sounds like a recipe for disaster/egg on your face.

Start your best XV barring injuries and if you are leading well then sub earlier than normal.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Absolutely no way we should be resting anyone unless they're not fit.

 

[Groucho]

Haha resting players in a RWC QF? You're lucky the coaching staff will have more sense than you.

"Rest" as in "they're injured and need recovery time to make it deeper into the event". Not even the most sensible coaches send key players out with injuries when there are quality replacements.

Interesting that the people arguing for them to play are Saffers and Kiwis.

 

[Groucho]

Someone should ask Doug Howlett how saving starters for the semis works out oh shit yeah great idea

Howlett wasn't injured. He was just a bit of a jerk.

 

[galumay]

I will once again defer to the coach and assume that Cheika will select the team he believes best for this match. No doubt the couch-coaches will know better than the actual coaching staff, but surely the results at this RWC are starting to suggest they might just know better than us, who are the right players to select?!!

I think the Wobblies should get past Scotland with relative ease, this is a very different side to the ones which lost to Scotland, but its knock out rugby and anything can happen on the day.

I suspect the combination of our defence and the creativity of our attack will overwhelm the Scots, and hopefully it will be a slick and confident game from the men in gold.

 

[Groucho]

Possibly already mentioned but each QF will be NH v SH & I reckon we've a good chance of a clean sweep....

Also re the possible/ notional Wobblies Grand Slam, AB's did it in '95: Ireland & Wales in the Pool, Scotland QF & England SF.

Final random thought/ question: in order to "Bring Back Bill" you'll need to beat five top-10 sides in consecutive matches: when did you last achieve that? Not saying it can't be done but you're going to need a charmed run in all respects, not least injury-wise.

2013-14, against Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France.

We finished up winning seven on the trot, with the run being ended by a draw with New Zealand.

 

[Groucho]

I get that the Wallabies are coming off a run of success, and that this is fuelling optimism and confidence. But some comments seem to suggest beating Scotland is a fate accompli. It's a two horse race against another tier one nation in conditions they are more used to then us. And we are coming of two taxing games with injury concerns to two of our best players.
Talk is cheap - if we do win, there was/is no need to talk ourselves up. If we lose, we just look like arrogant schmucks. I am confident it is only the supporters, not the players, but gee I'd much prefer if we all took a softly, softly approach here.

Meh, this is a discussion board. If people think we'll win then they should say so, rather than pretend otherwise to appease imaginary forum readers in the event we should lose.

 

[Groucho]

I am fairly convinced Folau will start. In my experience ankle injuries don't get worse for being used. If he was likely to be rested it should have been against Wales. If it's getting better which it seems to be, then he will play.
Cheika has plainly shown that he wants him on the field.

The type of ankle injury that gets worse from being used is a ligament strain. I have no ATFLs to prove it.

 

[chasmac]

IMHO the issue of resting players comes down to the nature and depth of injuries to the A Team.
If they are not injured then they play. Pick the best team available.

However, being available is where the issue gets murky. Should Izzy have played last weekend? Only the players and management will ever really know.
Players declaring themselves fit is - in all probability - the normal action for this team.

The check and balance needs to come from the medical team.

It would be a massive letdown for any player to be ruled out through injury, but it would be worse if he played injured and couldn't do his job.

Finally, the coach must have to weigh things up like "is a 75% Pocock better than a 100% McCalman" If not; For the bench, Is a 75% Pocock better than a 100% McMahon. Talk about horse trading.

 

[chasmac]

I'm backing Wallabies by 20 points.
Tight first half followed by some good backline finishing in the second.

 

[Tahtrajic]

I just saw Nathen Grey on Ch9 news (yes rugby actually made Ch9 news) saying they have to play all their guns at this stage of the tournament. So thats it for all our speculation.
Not sure what we are all going to write about for the rest of the week now.
looks like im going to log off and watch me recording of the France V Ireland game now.

 

[Groucho]

I just saw Nathen Grey on Ch9 news (yes rugby actually made Ch9 news) saying they have to play all their guns at this stage of the tournament. So thats it for all our speculation.
Not sure what we are all going to write about for the rest of the week now.
looks like im going to log off and watch me recording of the France V Ireland game now.

All their guns who are fit. No matter what Gray says to the media, they won't pick injured players, even if those injured players are Pocock or Folau. The question is whether they're injured.

 

[Mr Doug]

The type of ankle injury that gets worse from being used is a ligament strain. I have no ATFLs to prove it.

My left ankle still gets sore, after my Rugby career ended when I tore ligaments when I landed awkwardly in a line out .............. 37 years ago!!

 

[Pedrolicus]

The type of ankle injury that gets worse from being used is a ligament strain. I have no ATFLs to prove it.

Hardcore. But my point is that if the injury is no worse than it was for Wales I would assume he'll play.

 

[The Snout]

If Pocock is out, we'll 100% go with McCalman and not McMahon with Hooper.

Agreed, my bad.

 

[matty_k]

 

[barbarian]

Re Folau, though he was suspect under the high ball, he was still our most threatening back with ball in hand.

He's a gun, even on one leg. If he's anywhere close to fit he plays.



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[Bairdy]

Despite Shiggins' best sabotaging efforts, sense has prevailed

 

[BRIKZ]

View attachment 7037

Despite Shiggins' best sabotaging efforts, sense has prevailed

I would like to dedicate my 1st post to Shiggins. Cheers