The Rugby Championship 2016

[Highlander35]

I understand why people are putting Robertson into their 23s, given he's the only out and out Tighthead apart from Kepu, but given Toby played Tighthead against Uruguay, played Tighthead in about 6 Super games this season, and is seemingly one of Chieks boys (including playing the 2nd test ahead of Sio), surely he'll get the first crack at Holmes vacant spot?

 

[Viking]

Absolutely, I bet Cheika will go with Toby. When blooding new props at Test level it's probably better to do it a little late then a little too early. Unless they are just freaks at scrummaging - which none are.

 

[Scrubber2050]

You'd think Slipper would certainly have the edge over Sio this year then given Sio had those scrummaging issues in the England Test. So I'd say Slipper is slightly more consisitant in the scrummaging department.

Either way they are both good. Happy with both of them.

Lock however.. someone needs to step up!

Douglas had the form prior to his injury and his 2/3 games for the Reds showed a good recovery I think. Reckon he will really rip in.

Simmo had the wake up call and knows he must be more aggressive in running the ball, trying to stay on his feet and offloading as well. His set piece work has always been great.

I think the lock issues will be solved.

Chek will have some great selection dilemmas in the back line. Forwards look pretty settled.

 

[The torpedo]

I understand why people are putting Robertson into their 23s, given he's the only out and out Tighthead apart from Kepu, but given Toby played Tighthead against Uruguay, played Tighthead in about 6 Super games this season, and is seemingly one of Chieks boys (including playing the 2nd test ahead of Sio), surely he'll get the first crack at Holmes vacant spot?

Why not draft in Sam Talakai and Laurie Weeks? Tongan Thor is also another possibility for the future (went okay scrummaging and can only get better considering he's 20)

 

[dru]

Why not draft in Sam Talakai and Laurie Weeks? Tongan Thor is also another possibility for the future (went okay scrummaging and can only get better considering he's 20)

Ah, lets give them a chance to find their feet, eh?

 

[Hawko]

The 2 games vs New Zealand, the refs are Jaco Peyper and Romain Poite.

Going on his semi-final game for Peyper it'll be anything goes at the breakdown and forward passes are just as legal as backwards ones. Poite will be a nightmare because he doesn't care how you scrum if you are going forward you get the penalty and if you are going backward you get the yellow card.

Like you BJ I wasn't all that hopeful before, but now I think we are no chance.

 

[Viking]

Douglas had the form prior to his injury and his 2/3 games for the Reds showed a good recovery I think. Reckon he will really rip in.

Simmo had the wake up call and knows he must be more aggressive in running the ball, trying to stay on his feet and offloading as well. His set piece work has always been great.

I think the lock issues will be solved.

Chek will have some great selection dilemmas in the back line. Forwards look pretty settled.

I think so too. But not in the short term as I think both are returning from injury. But by the end of the test season i think Douglas and Simmons will come good. I also like the look of Coleman, they are all just a pace behind where we want them to be. Someones got to step up surely.

 

[Simon.]

Yeah for the Poite game we will need pure scrum power. Put the strongest front row on.

For the Peyper game, if anything goes at the breakdown, maybe Fardy will have a good game at last.

If he brings his England game to Poite's match, we'll get whistled off the park. Blindside is my biggest area of concern for us, closely followed by lock. Fardy just isn't showing any sign he'll be able to match the physicality of the All Black back rowers. But who else could we even play there? Mumm is our backup 6 fer god's sake. Personally I'd be looking at perhaps McCalman.

We really need to develop and blood some of these promising young backrowers like Lolo.

 

[Viking]

Yeah for the Poite game we will need pure scrum power. Put the strongest front row on.

For the Peyper game, if anything goes at the breakdown, maybe Fardy will have a good game at last.

If he brings his England game to Poite's match, we'll get whistled off the park. Blindside is my biggest area of concern for us, closely followed by lock. Fardy just isn't showing any sign he'll be able to match the physicality of the All Black back rowers. But who else could we even play there? Mumm is our backup 6 fer god's sake. Personally I'd be looking at perhaps McCalman.

We really need to develop and blood some of these promising young backrowers like Lolo.

Timani could play 6 and I like the idea of McCalman there too.

 

[KOB1987]

We have this Fardy discussion at the start of every test season (cue Slim) and ultimately he always gets picked on incumbency and then comes good during the tests anyway. However, this is probably a bit different as we've had 3 tests and the most concern with him is around his discipline. McCalman isn't as good a pest as Fardy, but he's a better ball runner and with Hooper and Pocock there you could argue he offers a better balance. But if you are going to pick McCalman wouldn't we be better having him at 8 and moving Poey to 6? In attack at least, possibly Pocock is better at 8 in defence to cover the open side with Hooper. It's good to have options anyway!

 

[ACT Crusader]

Going on his semi-final game for Peyper it'll be anything goes at the breakdown and forward passes are just as legal as backwards ones. Poite will be a nightmare because he doesn't care how you scrum if you are going forward you get the penalty and if you are going backward you get the yellow card.

Like you BJ I wasn't all that hopeful before, but now I think we are no chance.

Is your confidence in the coaches, analysts and players within the Wallabies camp so low that you think they can't come up with strategies to manage the ref?

That has nothing to do with the refs assigned the games then, because they all have their own way of seeing things, but everything to do with the team.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Is your confidence in the coaches, analysts and players within the Wallabies camp so low that you think they can't come up with strategies to manage the ref?

That has nothing to do with the refs assigned the games then, because they all have their own way of seeing things, but everything to do with the team.

The way to manage the Ref is to tell Moore to be quiet and Fardy to stop sniping at him all the time.

 

[upthereds#!]

I think Moore should be used more as a Club captain for leadership and cultural purposes...but they need an on field captain because we must admit the key job of the captain during the game is to talk to the ref, intelligently and clearly addressing areas of concern with controlled dialogue. Moore is unable to do this. Who can?

 

[Scrubber2050]

I think Moore should be used more as a Club captain for leadership and cultural purposes.but they need an on field captain because we must admit the key job of the captain during the game is to talk to the ref, intelligently and clearly addressing areas of concern with controlled dialogue. Moore is unable to do this. Who can?

Nah

One job, One man

Couple of VC's can substantially assist with "culture"

 

[upthereds#!]

Well then he should be VC. Because he cannot perform the key function of an captain during the game.

He has been told off twice by refs now, told to show leadership. He now either has to change the perception of him by the reds (all front rowers know this is not ideal) or he needs to step down as captain, do his thing as a player and a source of influence, and leave the talking to someone else.

 

[Simon.]

Pocock could do it. Hooper is a bit firey but could do it, but I prefer him to focus on the game.

Of the backs, Giteau seems to me the only one with the combination of being close enough to the ref to be effective, and experienced enough for the job.

Is your confidence in the coaches, analysts and players within the Wallabies camp so low that you think they can't come up with strategies to manage the ref?

Well, I thought they could come up with strategies to deal with both the refs and the weather in the England series, and they couldn't do that. Bleating in the media "but we play running rugby!" is not a strategy.

In all the time Cheika has been at the helm, can anybody honestly say they've seen a single test where the Wallabies have mixed it up in their game plan? Or changed strategies at half-time when it's obvious things aren't working?

I can't really think of any.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Well then he should be VC. Because he cannot perform the key function of an captain during the game.

He has been told off twice by refs now, told to show leadership. He now either has to change the perception of him by the reds (all front rowers know this is not ideal) or he needs to step down as captain, do his thing as a player and a source of influence, and leave the talking to someone else.

Agree but in reality it would be difficult for the Captain to be "demoted" and accept a lesser role. Dunno if that would be fair to the player.

Would rather see him go back as a player, hand the job over to another anointed one , and get back to his best rugby without the distractions that Captaincy often brings.

I really don't think Chek will change the status quo for a while yet but suspect he (Chek or maybe Larkham) would have a chat about this referee communication issue that seems to be looming

 

[upthereds#!]

Yeh stepping back would be the best way.

Don't get me started on Larkham. The guy has been coaching for a total of 3s season and seemingly just because of his name, has already been touted as the next Wallabies coach. I'm sure he has some great advice and insight to give but would really like him to prove himself as an actual coach. I would love to see the Brumbies actually have a high quality attack as a starting point...

 

[dru]

Temperament for talking to the ref:
Slipper
Hooper in 3 years time
To'omua
Folau
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

 

[KOB1987]

I'm pretty sure the talk of changing captains is academic, the resolution would have already been to try to change Squeak's demeanour..