Wallabies v France, user friendly time Sunday Morning
- Thread starter KOB1987
- Start date
Mr Pilfer
Bill McLean (32)
There is only 1 game left now anyway so may as well pick him and then we have another whole season of super rugby to base our selections on. So hopefully at least one of the 10s steps up another level
KOB1987
Tim Horan (67)
And our second rowers put on 20kg each and our hookers practice their throwing
Slim 293
George Smith (75)
Oh no, we'd better not play him when he's fit then...
Yoda
Alan Cameron (40)
My comment was to your: "I imagine Joe sees Carter Gordon being in our best side.".....pretty bloody obvious... because it sure isn't Tane!
The playing off the 9 is surely the team structure rather than the way Jake Gordon wants to play specifically. We've played largely the same way regardless of which halfback has started this year.
Gordon hasn't been great on this tour (like most of our players) but it seems like Schmidt doesn't really rate Lonergan given how few minutes he's played. Maybe this is the game where Schmidt rotates some of his less used players in but given how desperate we are for a win I'd imagine he will pick what he thinks is his best team.
The Ghost of Raelene
Tim Horan (67)
Lonergans there because others aren't. It wasn't that he was demanding selection. Tate hurt and White pulling up stumps. This factors into his selections.
I'd like to see Pietsch get a start. He's great every time he gets a chance and the Jaw injury was bad timing for him.
I wonder with the others around the squad who seem to be getting used only as required if judgements have been made on them.
I'd like to see Pietsch get a start. He's great every time he gets a chance and the Jaw injury was bad timing for him.
I wonder with the others around the squad who seem to be getting used only as required if judgements have been made on them.
To me, Lonergan has been judged to be in a similar spot to Joe Powell. He's consistently close but not viewed as the future so there's little interest in making any sort of significant investment in him as far as the Wallabies are concerned.
Obviously that could change with a new coach next year but my guess is it won't really as the next crop of younger players develop further.
I assume Pietsch would have played last weekend if he hadn't been unwell so I think he'll play against France.
Tomthumb
John Thornett (49)
Yeah seems a lot of players Schmidt doesn't trust, which isn't great for team morale when the players he does trust get toweled up every week
rugbyAU
Peter Johnson (47)
he's lost the dressing room
Slim 293
George Smith (75)
Oh no, has somebody told the players?
Tomthumb
John Thornett (49)
Maybe. It's a hard situation, I think the players respect him but its hard for the message to not fall on deaf ears when the game plan is clearly not working
If we can see the gameplan isn't working, you sure as hell know the players can too. And they can hear the likes of Quade Cooper, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Michael Hooper, Tim Horan etc. rightly lambaste the gameplan.
His Irish downfall had a lot to do with his militant insistence on a gameplan that wasn't working and his refusal to adapt. Feels like this is heading the same way
Hogan
Ted Fahey (11)
Like numerous other players not given much game time under Schmidt, how will we ever know if Lonergan is up to Test standard or not if never given some serious minutes on the field? Having lost the last 3 Tests, now would be the perfect time to start him. He was one of the form 9’s in Super Rugby this year.
Tomthumb
John Thornett (49)
I don't think anyone is claiming that. But to just continue to pick poor performing players and stick with a gameplan that isn't working feels like the definition of insanity
stillmissit
John Thornett (49)
And grow 4" over our last locks to play.
stillmissit
John Thornett (49)
The game is designed to offer the full width of the field to work out a plan on. I suspect Joe thinks our passing skill level is so low that we have to play a narrow game to minimise errors.
As much about our lack of ability to provide any consistent support after a couple of phases if we use too much width. it generally equates to being isolated and turned over
Rush defences close those outside channels, 12s become crash ballers as they look up to see defenders all over the wider channels. (or they try a miracle wide pass over the top, usually behind, over the side-lines, or just high enough to open up the ribs for the defender)
We have the front line off 9, to ensure structures and the recycling of ball, if that is static, we box kick
To go wider it goes to the 10 dealing with the rush who dumps it to 12, or they run the second line behind and either look like champions or just get isolated because of the rush (or a shit pass)
I'm guessing that when we've lost half a dozen lineouts including most red zone opportunities and we've been completely unable to diffuse high kicks there's less focus on whether or not the 9 should be changed.
Major Tom
Peter Fenwicke (45)
It's not very logical selection IMO. We know what Gordon can do at test level. Wouldn't you want to find out what Lonergan can do starting? And wouldn't it be better to get some experience into Thomas that pays dividends down the track. This isn't a must win game for us and even then, France would not have much of an idea how from Thomas plays which could catch them by surprise.