Wallabies v Samoa, Sat 7th September, 7.30pm, Bankwest (Parra) Stadium

[KOB1987]

We need something to talk about for the next week or so.

I reckon:

1. Slipper
2. Fainga'a
3. Tupou
4. Coleman
5. Simmons
6. Dempsey
7. Pocock
8. Naisarani
9. Genia
10. Foley (C)
11. Petaia
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Ashley-Cooper
15. Haylett- Petty

16. Uelese
17. Sio
18. Kepu
19. Arnold
20. Hooper
21. White
22. O'Connor
23. Beale

Not a bad B team really

 

[Braveheart81]

I think this will be close to the money. The variation I would suggest is that Naisarani won't be risked at 8 and Dempsey or Samu will play there.

I reckon Liam Wright will be on the bench and Hooper not involved.

 

[Dctarget]

Agreed on Wright and Dempsey for Naisarani. Also would give Uelese a start and JO'C one too, I think he still needs more experience at 13.

And I think Powell will be the starting 9.

Also, unless I'm really screwed the pooch, I believe the game is the 7th of September, not two months prior.

 

[KOB1987]

Agreed on Wright and Dempsey for Naisarani. Also would give Uelese a start and JO'C one too, I think he still needs more experience at 13.

And I think Powell will be the starting 9.

Also, unless I'm really screwed the pooch, I believe the game is the 7th of September, not two months prior.

Ok it seems fixed now anyway, what did I have? July by the sounds of it.

I was constructing a team from the RWC squad but you are probably right that they bring a couple of extras in. However, in doing that it did highlight to me that we are short a backrower in the squad and that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is surplus to requirements.

 

[Dctarget]

Ok it seems fixed now anyway, what did I have? July by the sounds of it.

I was constructing a team from the RWC squad but you are probably right that they bring a couple of extras in. However, in doing that it did highlight to me that we are short a backrower in the squad and that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is surplus to requirements.

Yeah July was up initially. I remember reading somewhere they had named an extended squad for Samoa that included Powell and a few others.

Edit:
Joe Powell, Tom Banks, Liam Wright, Luke Jones, Tatafu Polota-Nau are the extended squad for Samoa.

 

[Braveheart81]

The shadow squad is Banks, Powell, TPN, Jones and Wright. They will all go on the camp in New Caledonia and I think most of them will play some role against Samoa.

 

[RebelYell]

Have even heard that a few others from the last couple of years could be brought in, depending on the numbers (fitness wise) from New Caledonia.

(assuming they would consider the capped, Aussie-based lads such as Quade, Phipps, Maddocks, Gordon, Samu, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), Ainsley, BPA, Naivalu, Philip, Enever, Hardwick, Hanigan, Speight, Faulkner, alongside Powell, Banks, Wright, Jones + TPN).

Not suggesting this will definitely happen, but if it does, I can't imagine them giving anybody besides Petaia a debut match

 

[Braveheart81]

If we're to use the 2015 match against USA as a guide, the majority of the starting XV will be players from the back half of the RWC squad.

Against the USA in 2015, the only RWC starters that started were Douglas, Simmons, Foley, Giteau and Horne.

I would suggest that the first 4 were because Douglas and Giteau were short on time with the test team and Simmons and Foley played to work on those combinations.

 

[fatprop]

Agreed on Wright and Dempsey for Naisarani. Also would give Uelese a start and JO'C one too, I think he still needs more experience at 13.

And I think Powell will be the starting 9.

Also, unless I'm really screwed the pooch, I believe the game is the 7th of September, not two months prior.

There a load of units in the RWC squad that have been tackle bag holders that we can assume need some game time before units outside the RWC squad

 

[Joe Blow]

Right.
Uelese to start.
Backrow of Wright, Pocock and Dempsey.
JOC (James O'Connor) 12 with TK 13 maybe. To'omua on the bench.
Hodge, HP and Petaia in the back 3.

 

[Tomikin]

Guys to get a run, or how i would play it.

Front Row
Slips, Fainga'a, Thor
Kepu, Uelese, AAA

I think that gets Kepu's some game time at LHP, AAA a bit more game time Fainga'a another start but could swap him with Uelese and Slips and Thor as starts

Second Row
Coleman, Arnold (if he needs some game time)/Simmions

Coleman needs as many games as possible before RWC

Backrow
Pocock Captain and 7
Dempsey 6
Valentini 8

Probably could go a number of ways (Wright 7 Pocock off the bench) Dempsey at 8 Wright at 6

Half
Powell

5/8
Foley/To'omua
12
To'omua/JOC (James O'Connor)
13
JOC (James O'Connor)/TK not sure here they are the
11 Petaia
14 DHP
15 Banks

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think this will be close to the money. The variation I would suggest is that Naisarani won't be risked at 8 and Dempsey or Samu will play there.

I reckon Liam Wright will be on the bench and Hooper not involved.

Samu reportedly turning out for the Vikings this weekend. Would think he would be with the training squad now if he was going to be required for the Samoa game.

 

[Slim 293]

And Petaia is out after busting his hammy.........

 

[Dctarget]

And Petaia is out after busting his hammy...

balls.

 

[Dctarget]

looks like only to miss this week, but did a similar thing last year before the Spring tour, looking a tad injury prone.

 

[KOB1987]

and Phipps and HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) have flown over to join the squad

 

[Ignoto]

looks like only to miss this week, but did a similar thing last year before the Spring tour, looking a tad injury prone.

Needs another season of S&C work which isn't unsurprising, he's still growing into his body and is lacking months of collision based work while coming back from injury.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Only two No 9s off to the RWC but now four in the squad leading to a practice match against Samoa? Odd? Could be Cheika will take an extra in place of Petaia and is pitting Powell and Phipps head to head? Surely not. Petaia must be replaced, if he's to be replaced, by another outside back.

HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) will give another prop the opportunity of having a full game's rest which would be a good thing, and is another worthy chance for him to display his talents. Just hoping that there's nothing wrong but being hushed up with someone in the squad.

 

[Dctarget]

Only two No 9s off to the RWC but now four in the squad leading to a practice match against Samoa? Odd? Could be Cheika will take an extra in place of Petaia and is pitting Powell and Phipps head to head? Surely not. Petaia must be replaced, if he's to be replaced, by another outside back.

HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) will give another prop the opportunity of having a full game's rest which would be a good thing, and is another worthy chance for him to display his talents. Just hoping that there's nothing wrong but being hushed up with someone in the squad.

Maybe he thinks White and Genia both have had enough game time and no point risking their bodies against some big Samoan lads.

 

[Scoey]

looks like only to miss this week, but did a similar thing last year before the Spring tour, looking a tad injury prone.

He tweaked a hammy last year and then this year he's had one of the unluckier injuries that laid him out for a while. One that as I understand it, is just dumb luck and not something that someone would be predisposed to suffering.

He was always going to be at risk of a hammy strain after being on one foot for the best part of this year. I wouldn't be labeling him injury prone just yet.