Wallabies 2023

[Agent]

I'm now thinking

Props - Bell, Slipper, Schoupp, Tupou, Pone, Zane
Hookers - Porecki, Uelese, Faesslar
Second Row - Arnold, Phillip, Frost, Skelton
Backrow - Gleeson, Valentini, McReight, T Hooper, Samu, Leota
Halfback - White, McDermott, Lonergan
Flyhalf - Gordon, Donaldson
Centre - Kerevi, Petaia, Foketi, Perese
Outside Back - Vunivalu, Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase), Korobiete, Kellaway, Jorgensen

I think you might be right rugbyAU. I'd still rather Gibbon and Talakai for Zane and Schoupp and I'm somewhat stunned by the Donaldson and Vunivalu selections. I wonder if Jorgenson is being rushed into the squad if Eddie might be thinking about him ahead of Kellaway.

Strongest starting team I think will be: Bell, Porecki, Tupou, Arnold, Frost, THooper, McReight, Valentini, McDermott, Gordon, Korobiete, Foketi, Petaia / Perese, Marky, Kellaway.

 

[rugbyAU]

I think you might be right rugbyAU. I'd still rather Gibbon and Talakai for Zane and Schoupp and I'm somewhat stunned by the Donaldson and Vunivalu selections. I wonder if Jorgenson is being rushed into the squad if Eddie might be thinking about him ahead of Kellaway.

Strongest starting team I think will be: Bell, Porecki, Tupou, Arnold, Frost, THooper, McReight, Valentini, McDermott, Gordon, Korobiete, Foketi, Petaia / Perese, Marky, Kellaway.

I'd have

1 - Bell
2 - Porecki
3 - Tupou
4 - Frost
5 - Arnrold
6 - Hooper
7 - McReight
8 - Valentini
9 - McDermott
10 - Gordon
11 - Korobiete
12 - Kerevi
13 - Perese
14 - Marky
15 - Kellaway
16 - Faesslar
17 - Slipper
18 - Fa'amausili
19 - Skelton
20 - Samu
21 - Lonergan
22 - Donaldson
23 - Petaia

 

[John S]

I think you might be right rugbyAU. I'd still rather Gibbon and Talakai for Zane and Schoupp and I'm somewhat stunned by the Donaldson and Vunivalu selections. I wonder if Jorgenson is being rushed into the squad if Eddie might be thinking about him ahead of Kellaway.

Strongest starting team I think will be: Bell, Porecki, Tupou, Arnold, Frost, THooper, McReight, Valentini, McDermott, Gordon, Korobiete, Foketi, Petaia / Perese, Marky, Kellaway.

I hope not! As much as a one-eyes Tahs supporter that I am - dropping Kellaway for Jorgenesn is madness, sheer madness.

 

[Derpus]

Angst about reserves aside we can still put out a pretty decent side. I always thought Petaia's best position was 13 and Perese will go alright in a pinch. We now pray to the gods of rugby there is no injury to Carter Gordon.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Oh yeah, our first choice 23 is decent. It just won't be enough to go deep into the tournament I feel. I'll be stoked if we do though

 

[dusk]

I read something about Kerevi's hand recently, is it significantly worse now ?? Because i'm seeing people put Foketi over Kerevi

 

[Eddie's Eyebrows]

I suspect that Petaia was initially being considered as the back-up 15 / outside back cover.

Now Ikitau's injury is worse than expected he is being considered as the outside centre.

That means we need a 15 back up. Eddie has discarded Wright, so Jorgensen in.

 

[Rob42]

You would only hope the World rugby would be aware of the possibility and have a independent doctor accessing players who are getting dropped from the squad in questionable circumstances.

That is supposed to be the case - World Rugby has to assess any injuries before replacement is permitted.

 

[dusk]

Very very excited to see how Jorgensen goes against the lower-tier nations, he held his own and much above against quality super rugby teams, no doubt he can do the same against nations like Portugal.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

That is supposed to be the case - World Rugby has to assess any injuries before replacement is permitted.

Where is this? I cant find any tournament rules online.

 

[Lorenzo]

Where is this? I cant find any tournament rules online.

it gets assessed by the neutral tournament doctor, Morne Van Botha

 

[TSR]

Based on the leaks so far I’m half expecting Sam Kerr to get named.

At least it would make QWERTY happy to have a quality kicker.

Jokes aside if Quade has been left out does it open the door for Foley to get a recall?

 

[wamberal]

Jokes aside if Quade has been left out does it open the door for Foley to get a recall?

Joking?

 

[LeCheese]

Jokes aside if Quade has been left out does it open the door for Foley to get a recall?

 

[Eddie's Eyebrows]

Where is this? I cant find any tournament rules online.

Once teams have named their final 33 man squad players can only be replaced for medical or compassionate reasons. Teams must complete the relevant paperwork and send it to World Rugby along with a medical certificate where appropriate. Once signed off the replacement is not allowed to play for 48 hours. The replacement is permanent.

 

[rugbyAU]

Joking?

No I agree Foley especially considering his goal kicking would be the 2nd best option we have at 10 if we’re not taking quade

 

[TSR]

Joking?

No.

Not my preferred option personally but I can’t see the logical at all in going into the WC with Gordon and Donaldson as your options.

JOC (James O'Connor) coming back into contention would seem to me to be up there with John Howard ever becoming Prime Minister

 

[Joe Blow]

So, we are going to take two 10s. One untested at this level but shaky at best in Super Rugby. The other does not kick goals for his club and has also been inconsistent in just about everything in his few tests. No other options at 10.
EJ (Eddie Jones) is either mad or a mad genius. Which is it?

 

[Namerican]

I think leaving out injured players is a tactic by Eddie to have a full squad available for the entire tournament. Let the injured players get healthy then drop players from the squad. It basically means you have an expanded squad for the tournament. Look it sucks to be those guys who then drop out but it is a smart tactic if you ask me

"Better to be picked, then dropped, then to never be picked at all" - Tom Wright (2023)

 

[stillmissit]

Putting aside the relative merits of Donaldson and Cooper, I find it so strange that Eddie has gone with someone who hasn't played a minute of test rugby this year.

Surely if he even has an inkling that he might want Donaldson, he throws him in off the bench against the Argies?

I suspect eddie is working on what he's seeing in training and ignoring the past.