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Wallabies 2023

Rob42

John Solomon (38)
I'm less fussed about Palmer going. He's young and a coaches life is long, he'll come back better and more experienced. Also don't really care about Carter & Kata going with McKellar either.

If he signs Toole & Hooper then I'll be upset.
Which Hooper?
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I'm less fussed about Palmer going. He's young and a coaches life is long, he'll come back better and more experienced. Also don't really care about Carter & Kata going with McKellar either.

If he signs Toole & Hooper then I'll be upset.
Just wait and see, need their deals to expire. Probably picks up a few of the Brumbies guys who aren’t matchday 23 regulars. Cale, Sapsford potentially etc.
 

Marce

John Thornett (49)
Interesting Springboks strategic for the Rugby Championship:

Boks to go split-squad for Rugby Championship

The Springboks are strongly considering utilising two squads during the 2023 Rugby Championship, repeating the tactic that saw them win the tournament in 2019



PS: I don't know where is the 2023 Rugby Championship thread
 

stillmissit

Chilla Wilson (44)
Maybe a couple Club appearances? 20 mins one week then 30 the next and so on?
This made me wonder how much club rugby is involved in the rehab of professionals. Seems a logical place to get some game time at a lesser intensity but the risk of breakdown or new injury is always there and you have to restart somewhere.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Andrew Slack (58)
First grade in Sydney and Brisbane is a good place to get some minutes in the legs. Especially towards the end of the season with the influx of Super Rugby players.

Most of the coaches at the Premier Grade level are professional coaches or aspire to be so they will manage a player appropriately if they are given direction from higher up. I hope so anyway...
 

Proud Pig

Ted Thorn (20)
With a limited squad for the WC can you really afford to take a 20 minute player particularly a front rower where you need a starter and replacement for each game.
With AAA as the obvious starting tight-head can we afford to have the two others on tour be Tupou and Pone.
I don't think that you can afford to take either Tupou or Pone as neither will be able to give you 60 minutes.
The problem is after those three the TH side is not that awe inspiring.
We could go with HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) where he would be good around the ground but will likely get a bit of a touch up in the scrum or a Sam Talakai who is strong in the scrum but doesn't do a lot otherwise.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Think people are overreacting, there's still over 100 days until our first pool match. Pleeennnty of time. If today was day 1 of a 2 month preseason, the match against Georgia is week 6 of a competition.

The match against Wales is in 117 days.
The QF is in 137 days.

Right now no one is ruled out or even just in doubt of the RWC except Tom Robertson and Jorgensen (?)
 
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Wallaby Man

Trevor Allan (34)
With a limited squad for the WC can you really afford to take a 20 minute player particularly a front rower where you need a starter and replacement for each game.
With AAA as the obvious starting tight-head can we afford to have the two others on tour be Tupou and Pone.
I don't think that you can afford to take either Tupou or Pone as neither will be able to give you 60 minutes.
The problem is after those three the TH side is not that awe inspiring.
We could go with HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) (Harry Johnson-Holmes) where he would be good around the ground but will likely get a bit of a touch up in the scrum or a Sam Talakai who is strong in the scrum but doesn't do a lot otherwise.
I believe we just need to pick our best players, be it impact players or not and pray that injuries don’t happen. We don’t have the depth to pick safe picks as our 4th choice isn’t going to win us a World Cup. So would rather we run the risk and pick guys that could cause damage to other teams. Imploding through injuries will see a qtr final exit, picking safe picks without the required talent to win games will see a qtr final exit. Would rather run the gauntlet with flakey players that if fit on their day can be a difference maker.
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
Allan will be pushing to be back in time for South Africa, as will Tupou I imagine.

Time to shift ol' Slipper back to the tight head?

Fa'amausili & Talakai?
 

Drew

Bob Davidson (42)
I hope Harry Johnson-Holmes gets a crack in the squad at the start of the test season with these injuries.

I think he's been unlucky to miss out a few times particularly with injury. He's played some really good rugby this year.
Totally agree. Without AAA and with TT looking at reduced (if any) minutes we need someone who can stay in the contest for a majority of the game. If we are looking at the Force THPs, you’d take the starter as they fall off in the second half.
They could do 40 minutes each
unless the can’t
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Jones' THP picks for his April camp were AAA, Pone, Tupou (rehab group), and then Van Nek...

If AAA and Tupou are both unavailable at the start, I would probably go HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) to join Pone and Van Nek.
 
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