Wallabies 2021

[Brumby Runner]

Because he can still be lazy at times and lineout are important.

But none of the other 6s are better at this point.

I know you repeat claims about Valetini's laziness, but I just don't see it. Otoh he certainly has improved his fitness and workrate this year, probably in response to Rennie's demands. Right now he is the type of player required to pit against the top packs in world rugby. His lineout work has also improved this year and he seems to be the target for three or four throws each game.

I reckon Valetini is the ideal starting No 6 with McReight and Wilson, with Samu on at 8 and Wilson to 6 after 60 minutes. FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) is also well and truly in the mix if injuries occur or form drops off.

 

[Derpus]

It's nice to not be involved in the 'my bloke is better than your bloke' argument for once...... although i wish it wasn't because my team is the worst in living memory.

 

[RugbyReg]

I know you repeat claims about Valetini's laziness, but I just don't see it. Otoh he certainly has improved his fitness and workrate this year, probably in response to Rennie's demands. Right now he is the type of player required to pit against the top packs in world rugby. His lineout work has also improved this year and he seems to be the target for three or four throws each game.

I reckon Valetini is the ideal starting No 6 with McReight and Wilson, with Samu on at 8 and Wilson to 6 after 60 minutes. FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) is also well and truly in the mix if injuries occur or form drops off.

check out the Vunivalu try last week..

 

[Ignoto]

I know you repeat claims about Valetini's laziness, but I just don't see it. Otoh he certainly has improved his fitness and workrate this year, probably in response to Rennie's demands.

First impressions always matter and you could be right that Valetini's work rate has improved, but for the past couple of years he's had question marks over his involvement in a game which will take time to shake.

 

[Adam84]

I find this comment bizarre.... Valetini has been smashing it, and is head and shoulders the form 6 so far- why is that worrying?

Don’t we want to be winning the physical battles against the top test teams?

He’s making easy metres with every carry (mostly in tight), he’s making a tonne of dominant tackles, had his opposite numbers in Swinton and ASY (Angus Scott-Young) literally bouncing off him in recent weeks.

The only negative is that he’s not a first choice lineout target, although he has been taking the occasional throw.

I’d say another negative is his tendency to go missing, or take the lazy option from time to time throughout the match, whatever you want to call it. Vunivalus try against the Brumbies was an example of this, Valetini never broke out of a jog, players who started behind him followed through and played a part in the final try, he gave up.

 

[Braveheart81]

Valetini was the closest Brumbies player aside from the 3 who were close enough to have any involvement in the play. He was never going to be able to influence the play though. Not a single other Brumby sprinted back either though so it seems a bit unreasonable to highlight Valetini.

None of the Reds players aside from the 4 who were involved in the try sprinted to catch up either.

I guess if you've got a bit of a reputation (whether deserved or not) for being lazy, you're going to be picked out for doing it whether entirely deserved or not whereas another player doing the same thing would be glossed over.

 

[Adam84]

Valetini was the closest Brumbies player aside from the 3 who were close enough to have any involvement in the play. He was never going to be able to influence the play though. Not a single other Brumby sprinted back either though so it seems a bit unreasonable to highlight Valetini.

None of the Reds players aside from the 4 who were involved in the try sprinted to catch up either.

I guess if you've got a bit of a reputation (whether deserved or not) for being lazy, you're going to be picked out for doing it whether entirely deserved or not whereas another player doing the same thing would be glossed over.

Besides the 2 Brumbies which fell over in the initial play, who else was there to chase besides Valetini?

Mcreight and Wilson started from same spot or behind Valetini, however chased through which created the 4 v 3 overlap. I mention them because they’re also backrower and it’s a fair comparison, the only other brumbies players there were locks and props.

Disagree if you like, however I think a backrower should be chasing there, and believe it’s lazy not too.

Break starts:

4v3 overlap:

 

[eastman]

I think the real reluctance from a lot of posters to fully endorse Valentini is that, despite being a pretty impressive physical specimen, he rarely obviously bends the line as a ball carrier.

Brumbies fans will argue that he dominates contact in attack/ defence in the tight channels (which he may to an extent), he's not the bulldozer that people expect and want him to be. If you're not getting that ball-running threat from your no. 8, which realistically you are not getting from Wilson on the international stage, you'd like it somewhere else in the backrow.

 

[drewprint]

I think the issue is less him chasing the break, but more what he was doing at the ruck prior to the break.

 

[Derpus]

Besides the 2 Brumbies which fell over in the initial play, who else was there to chase besides Valetini?

Mcreight and Wilson started from same spot or behind Valetini, however chased through which created the 4 v 3 overlap. I mention them because they’re also backrower and it’s a fair comparison, the only other brumbies players there were locks and props.

Disagree if you like, however I think a backrower should be chasing there, and believe it’s lazy not too.

Break starts:
View attachment 12135

4v3 overlap:
View attachment 12136

That's a pretty fair point. It was that kind of play that got Isi dropped - and he's our best ball carrier, easily.

 

[Braveheart81]

Besides the 2 Brumbies which fell over in the initial play, who else was there to chase besides Valetini?

Mcreight and Wilson started from same spot or behind Valetini, however chased through which created the 4 v 3 which lead to the overlap. I mention them because they’re also backrower and it’s a fair comparison, the only other brumbies players there were locks and props.

Disagree if you like, however I think a backrower should be chasing there, and believe it’s lazy not too.

Wilson is already sprinting in support of JOC (James O'Connor).

It's great heads up play from McReight. He's realised that a break is about to be made and he's just started bolting down field even though he's ahead of the play.

Valetini is initially trying to get across to tackle JOC (James O'Connor) but gets impeded by Hansen tackling McDermott. After that he's no chance. He's flat footed as he was trying to move laterally whereas everyone else still involved in the play is sprinting.

He probably should chase. It's just almost certainly in vain though. I reckon the bit where you could potentially question his workrate and potential laziness is a few seconds earlier. After Daugunu gets tackled, Valetini needed to push out past Petaia to add another defender on the short side.

JOC (James O'Connor) has already seen the opportunity and comes round. McDermott picks up the ball and goes around the corner drawing in Hansen so it's already a 4 on 2 at that point.

Valentini already needed to be on the other side of Petaia to bulk up their defence on the short side and cover McDermott. In that space even if the Reds had 4 on 3 it would have been hard to get through.

I daresay that in review it would be that bit that would be highlighted that his workrate needed to be better on rather than chasing the break in vain.

Apologies for no screen shot. I am getting a black screen when print-screening on this computer and while I can find a solution, I haven't got it working so far.

 

[Derpus]

Try the snipping tool BH

 

[Zero_Cool]

I think To'omua if he want's to play for the Wallabies he really ought to move to 12 for the Rebs, I think it's pretty clear the pecking order for 10's is JOC (James O'Connor) then Lol'o and then To'omua, but To'omua could get a start at 12. Otherwise he'll be relegated to inside back on the bench.

And we really need Hodge or Petaia to play 15. Campbell is decent but I just feel like he's not that top shelf test fullback, having said that if he were a top shelf goal kicker he'd be that European kicking fullback like a Leigh Halfpenny. But he's just a bit average at Test Level.

 

[Braveheart81]

Try the snipping tool BH

Stan also went black as soon as I opened it to start a snip. I'll work it out!

 

[Braveheart81]

I think To'omua if he want's to play for the Wallabies he really ought to move to 12 for the Rebs, I think it's pretty clear the pecking order for 10's is JOC (James O'Connor) then Lol'o and then To'omua, but To'omua could get a start at 12. Otherwise he'll be relegated to inside back on the bench.

Rennie picked him at 12 for the first two tests last year despite playing much of the Super Rugby season at 10.

I can't imagine Rennie will exclude him from his calculations at 12 this year if he's playing 10 in Super Rugby.

 

[Joe Blow]

I know you repeat claims about Valetini's laziness, but I just don't see it. Otoh he certainly has improved his fitness and workrate this year, probably in response to Rennie's demands. Right now he is the type of player required to pit against the top packs in world rugby. His lineout work has also improved this year and he seems to be the target for three or four throws each game.

I reckon Valetini is the ideal starting No 6 with McReight and Wilson, with Samu on at 8 and Wilson to 6 after 60 minutes. FLW (Fergus Lee-Warner) is also well and truly in the mix if injuries occur or form drops off.

Thats very sweet and all but we know that Hooper will start at 7 and most likely be captain. Then I would say that McReight and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) might be on the bench to cover 5/6/7. Depending on the opposition. Samu is also a good bench option.
What about a bloke like Anstee? fast, big and can probably play all 3 positions.
I see McReight challenging for a starting position but its very hard to go past Michael Hooper.

 

[Adam84]

Wilson is already sprinting in support of JOC (James O'Connor).

It's great heads up play from McReight. He's realised that a break is about to be made and he's just started bolting down field even though he's ahead of the play.

Valetini is initially trying to get across to tackle JOC (James O'Connor) but gets impeded by Hansen tackling McDermott. After that he's no chance. He's flat footed as he was trying to move laterally whereas everyone else still involved in the play is sprinting.

He probably should chase. It's just almost certainly in vain though. I reckon the bit where you could potentially question his workrate and potential laziness is a few seconds earlier. After Daugunu gets tackled, Valetini needed to push out past Petaia to add another defender on the short side.

JOC (James O'Connor) has already seen the opportunity and comes round. McDermott picks up the ball and goes around the corner drawing in Hansen so it's already a 4 on 2 at that point.

Valentini already needed to be on the other side of Petaia to bulk up their defence on the short side and cover McDermott. In that space even if the Reds had 4 on 3 it would have been hard to get through.

I daresay that in review it would be that bit that would be highlighted that his workrate needed to be better on rather than chasing the break in vain.

Apologies for no screen shot. I am getting a black screen when print-screening on this computer and while I can find a solution, I haven't got it working so far.

I disagree that he couldn’t have chased, I don’t think the impediment really stopped him and he was clearly jogging.

You’re right on the defensive alignment, my initial comment about Valetini in that passage of play also included the initial phase where he failed to readjust at the defensive line at the ruck. I just thought the whole thing looked downright lazy.

 

[Joe Blow]

I reckon Paisami is developing very well at 12 but unfortunately Jordy does not look to be doing the same at 13.
Did you see the fend and then pass from Vunivalu on the weekend in the midfield? Could be a smoky at 13?
Otherwise JOC (James O'Connor) and To'omua start with Lolesio on the pine? Tough to justify all 3 in a 23.

 

[Adam84]

And to close off the screen grabs; this is before the break, nice read by Tate to identify there was no forward defending the edge of the ruck which created the initial overlap and break

 

[Zero_Cool]

I agree there is no reason you can't pick To'omua at 12 while he's playing 10. But if you've got not a whole lot between To'omua and Pisami but Pisami is actually playing 12 then you're going to go with Hunter every time, twice on Sundays. But it's a lot tougher if you are choosing between the two and they are both playing well at 12. (Plus IMO the Rebels play better with a 10 at 10 -- and that is not To'omua.)