Wallabies 2025

[Tomthumb]

It's an entertainment product guys. Regardless of whether you agree with the contents of the article, I think this kind of stuff has a place. It elicits a passionate response one way or the other and that's not a bad thing for rugby

 

[TSR]

The one thing he is right about is this malarky about not picking a captain. He's been coach for over a year but still needs more time to name one

My read of that is that if Skelton is fit Wilson may not start. Wilson is being effective as a line out option but Hooper is that bit stronger as an option. Maybe I’m overthinking it but the only way it makes sense to me is either that or that Schmidt’s strong preference is Gordon and he is holding off to see if he is passed fit.

If that is the case Wilson may miss out altogether if Valetini is also fit as I assume Schmidt will be keen to continue using Valetini/Gleeson as a 1-2 punch. He could play a 6-2 bench or even use Hooper as starting 6/replacement lock but I’m not sure that will be an option he’d go to.

In that note, if Valetini doesn’t get passes fit it will be a loss, no doubt, but Gleeson has really progressed in the last 12 months and I don’t think it’ll be the catastrophe that it would’ve been 12 months ago. Still makes it tougher when we really need to be able to play as many aces as we possibly can, but at least Gleeson is now providing work rate to match his impact. I wonder if Champion de Crespigny may come well into the reckoning then as a potential replacement destructive forward.

 

[Major Tom]

It's an entertainment product guys. Regardless of whether you agree with the contents of the article, I think this kind of stuff has a place. It elicits a passionate response one way or the other and that's not a bad thing for rugby

I do agree but it’d be nice for some balanced articles for once. Flogging the same narrative is tiresome.

 

[drewprint]

I think Harper is a huge part of the problem there - the shift seemed to really start when he stepped into the editor role, and he seems so inclined to fly off the handle about the most minor things.

This is it. I’ve seen him throw around plenty of petty insults and rubbish in the comments. If that’s the standard the editor sets, it’s to be expected that the quality of writing takes a sharp nosedive too.

 

[Slim 293]

Doran’s usual issues stem from poor writing skills and not possessing any analytical insight into the game….

But he’s slowly become more unhinged in recent weeks.

He should stick to team gossip.

 

[Slim 293]

This is it. I’ve seen him throw around plenty of petty insults and rubbish in the comments. If that’s the standard the editor sets, it’s to be expected that the quality of writing takes a sharp nosedive too.

I called out Harry Jones a few months back after he wrote some analysis of a player based on Opta stats, except that poor Harry took the numbers from the wrong column and it completely debunked his entire premise.

He acknowledged the error, but the article remains unchanged… which is just bad journalism.

 

[Reds Rick]

Don’t know if this has been covered but this article reads as if Skelton and Valetini are definitely good to go https://www.rugby.com.au/news/schmi...ns-call-gives-positive-fitness-update-2025711

 

[Tomikin]

The one thing he is right about is this malarky about not picking a captain. He's been coach for over a year but still needs more time to name one

Like TSR said above it's because Wilson probably not starting if everyone's fit, its really the only reason that Wilson wasn't named captain at the start of Fiji camp and why his holding off now.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That Doran article was utter garbage. Mate do you even like the fucking sport?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

It's an entertainment product guys. Regardless of whether you agree with the contents of the article, I think this kind of stuff has a place. It elicits a passionate response one way or the other and that's not a bad thing for rugby

Still needs to be grounded is some sort of reality though...

Some of the complaints are so trivial I wonder if his real target is RA and/ or Waugh. Any history there?

 

[LeCheese]

Still needs to be grounded is some sort of reality though...

Some of the complaints are so trivial I wonder if his real target is RA and/ or Waugh. Any history there?

I felt the same - especially after reading the below. Feels like there may be some sour grapes involved here.

 

[Linerunner2023]

Fiji just beat Scotland 29 to 14 which leaps us over Scotland into 7th
Scotland missing a handful of lions

if Argentina loose to England we should land in 6th place

 

[TSR]

I’m happy with Bradbury type progress.

 

[KOB1987]

That would be very Irish of us to scale up the ratings ladder by virtue of not playing anyone ranked higher than us. Bring it on.