• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

Wales v Australia

Status
Not open for further replies.
BDA

BDA

Peter Johnson (47)
I thought North was being talked of for centre. Replacement for Jonathan Davis possibly.
 
P

Paradox

Guest
qwerty51 said:
I'd prefer Horne opposite North than Speight for next week.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't. Speight is a good defender as is Horne but I would rate Speight much stronger over the ball than Horne. Last Wallaby winger to outplay North was Tomane ironically.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...for-tahs-defence/story-e6frg7o6-1226995415544

Larkham, who knows a thing or 2 said the following:

That’s the other aspect of his game that many people done understand. I reckon he is the world’s best defensive winger. He reads the game so well. Even before he got here he had that understanding. Some guys have it and Henry’s got it.
Click to expand...
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
matt james said:
I am still a bit unsure about what approach Australia should take to these games.
I think the coming games should be viewed in the context of the coming World cup.
That means players should not necessarily be played on form alone, but potential.
As such Speight has to start ahead of Horne; he has so much more potential. McMahon needs top be on the bench at a minimum. You cannot split To'omua and Lealifano of recent form (well maybe you can if favour of leli) so I would favour To'omua as I think he is a better long term prospect.
I also think Quade is a better player when fully fit than Foley so should be given some opportunity to play - albeit from the bench.
We need to move on from Alexander and Robinson, they don't deserve game time in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Which props should we play on the bench in these 4 Tests then? I think we're kinda stuck.
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
I'm hoping the backline play is more fluent this week, so I expect there might be a bit more ball going wide with some space and time. I think Speight will exploit that better than other wing options, and will defend well enough to dictate that he really should start. I mean, we've waited for ages to get him into the Test team, so I think that has to be seen through. His potential upside is massive.
I feel sorry for Horne if he gets benched, but them's the breaks. He certainly doesn't "deserve" to be dropped, but sometimes it just happens.
 
M

matt james

Stan Wickham (3)
@ Cyclopath

My point was more generally that neither Alexander nor Robinson should/will be in the world cup squad - injuries permitting.
I agree that in the coming tests they will have to select Robinson and Alexander on the bench.
I just hate the fact that they didn't take Alo-Emile or some other young props over instead.
 
Rugbynutter39

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Genia does not deserve to be in 23 imo....his service has been for a number of years shite....

spreight doesn't either on recent form deserve to be in 23.....he has waited many years to have his chance which if not for eligibility issues would have been sooner....

....spreight is obviously a good winger and still finding his feet after returning from injury....he will have other opportunities on tour but feel Tomane deserves bench spot more on recent comparative form with AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Horne starting wingers...
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
matt james said:
@ Cyclopath

My point was more generally that neither Alexander nor Robinson should/will be in the world cup squad - injuries permitting.
I agree that in the coming tests they will have to select Robinson and Alexander on the bench.
I just hate the fact that they didn't take Alo-Emile or some other young props over instead.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I thought you meant that, but you didna say it!! ;)
I think when Sio is fit, Robinson will drop back, although I think he's going better than Alexander, who I think is just pants at the moment. PAE could be a bolter. It would be nice if one or two others staked some sort of claim next year - the drop off in quality after Slipper and Kepu at the moment is startling, and scary.
 
BDA

BDA

Peter Johnson (47)
Alexander is a decent enough back-up test prop when in good form. Problem is his form at the moment is absolute rubbish and has been since the second half of the Super season.

I really hope he gets his mojo back next year. As it stands if Kepu goes down injured in 2015 we might as well not turn up. PAE looks like a good option but with no test experience, he's a bench option at best. To make matters worse, I worry that he'll continue to sit on the bench behind Weeks in 2015.

At loosehead we're ok. Sio looks like a good backup for Slipper and Robinson and Cowan have enough experience to be useful
 
Ash

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
We'll see what team Wales name, but with them trying to change over to some new players, I don't think they will be the hardest scrum we face on this tour.

Not sure how Wales' lineout will go, though, or if we might want Jones over McMahon for the lineout.
 
Tomikin

Tomikin

Simon Poidevin (60)
BDA said:
Alexander is a decent enough back-up test prop when in good form. Problem is his form at the moment is absolute rubbish and has been since the second half of the Super season.

I really hope he gets his mojo back next year. As it stands if Kepu goes down injured in 2015 we might as well not turn up. PAE looks like a good option but with no test experience, he's a bench option at best. To make matters worse, I worry that he'll continue to sit on the bench behind Weeks in 2015.

At loosehead we're ok. Sio looks like a good backup for Slipper and Robinson and Cowan have enough experience to be useful
Click to expand...
Since he hurt his neck, Really miss the old LHP Alexander.
 
Brumby Runner

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Braveheart81 said:
Do you select Speight as your starting winger now based on his past form or do you go on the fact that Horne has been in either the starting XV or matchday 23 for a while now and playing well and had a better game against the Barbarians?

I think Speight needed to have a blinder to go straight into the starting XV and it didn't happen.
Click to expand...

Well, I know what I'd do, but I'll just have to wait to see how Cheika reads it.
 
Biffo

Biffo

Ken Catchpole (46)
Slim 293 said:
A tale of two halves...

In the first half Speight got some crappy ball (I put much of this down to Cooper unnecessarily flinging it wide too often) but still managed to get across the gain line, and was very busy off the ball.....

He wasn't as involved in the second half, and Horne got some good touches....

But you'd have to go with Speight for next week.

That was his first proper match after an injury layoff, and I think we need to give him as much time as possible because he ultimately offers so much more than Horne, who at best is a very solid player.
Click to expand...


my post (number 70) doesn't disagree much with you here.
as i said in that post "start him".
a performance in an exhibition game should have no bearing whatsoever on selection of a bloke who has been a very high class performer at one step below test level for a long time.
start him, see what happens.

don't underestimate Rob Horne.
many blokes who have done that have fallen on, or been put heavily on, their arses.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top