Wallabies v. Springboks, 18th July 2015, Suncorp, Brisbane

[Groucho]

The institutional self-castration of Wallaby capability starts right there. The ARU has yet again shown its chronic incapacity to understand the totality and quality of coaching resources essential to elite success in this era of global rugby.

Somehow it's deemed logical and sensible by the ARU that we can have a set of national coaching resources way below that deemed essential by the NZRU for the ABs to consistently succeed. Somehow, we know better.

Be it as it may re the known Wallaby coaching roles as are stated above, that coaching group is nowhere near a fully- or well-resourced enough coaching group to either credibly win a TRC or, more to the point, even contemplate wining a RWC.

The All Blacks only have one head coach and two assistant coaches.

We also have more words.

 

[Groucho]

Word on the street is that the big announcement on Wednesday is that Link will receive an official apology. ARU wants Cheika and the team to have clear air going into the RC and RWC. This move has been brought on by the continual selection of Beale in Wallaby squads..

Are they going to apologise for selecting Beale?

 

[dru]

@Tomkin, like it. I'm going to focus on the pack, and note that I have no idea how guys have been working out in training. It likely that training would already have answered some questions.

My "form" pack would be:
Slipper; Moore; Holmes but all the front row in this squad work, the other three on the bench
Skelton; Simmons; Horwill on the bench
Fardy; Higgenbotham; Pocock; Hooper Palu on the bench
6 forwards warming pine.

However I'd want test things, so for the Boks I would be selecting:
Front row
Locks: Skelton Arnold (Mumm on the bench)
6: McCalmon; 7: Pocock; 8: Higgenbotham (Hooper on the bench)

Fewer reserves to leave room to experiment in the backs.

I'd want to see how well McCalman/Arnold/Mumm can compliment Skelton. And how the set piece goes. I like McCalman in the scrum with Skelton and hope he can get the weight that Skelton doesn't into the Loose Head.

 

[KOB1987]

@dru I have a feeling we are going to see that back row too. Which isn't to drop Fardy, it's to experiment as Fardy has played every minute of super rugby this season

 

[Brumby Runner]

Fardy; Higgenbotham; Pocock; Hooper Palu on the bench

Can't see this happening as Cliff was removed from the squad when it was cut to 31.

 

[dru]

Can't see this happening as Cliff was removed from the squad when it was cut to 31.

Yeah, You're right. But what I am speculating with my "form" team - this is where I expect my selections to go. What they would be if we were playing in England right now. It's OK to give Palu a break right now. I just expect to be recalling him.

And he's not in the 23 I am experimenting with right now. Others have the chance to let me know I don't need him.

Of course, I am not Cheika.

 

[Viking]

De Allende absolutely terrorised the Brumbies the last game, he was fantastic. I think he is going to cause a few probs.

This. He carved up a strong defensive backline in Lilo, To'omua, Kuridrani. Which is probably better defensively then anything in the current wallabies squad since Lilo is better defensively then Foley and Cooper.

The number of line-breaks he got in that game was ridiculous.

 

[Brumby Runner]

De Allende is a major attacking centre but seems to have some defensive deficiencies. Which team put on six tries the last time they met?

 

[qwerty51]

Kuridrani and To'omua barely made any breaks through the middle..

 

[Blue]

De Allende is a major attacking centre but seems to have some defensive deficiencies. Which team put on six tries the last time they met?

Road Kafer had footage on him the other day, showing how he tends to drift and how easily het gets stepped on the inside. Alistair Coetzee was too bloody stupid to fix it but I think the Bok management will work on it.

As an insurance policy I let my mother know, who has a direct line into SARU through her bridge club (and I am not making this up

 

[Groucho]

Holmes is good, but by any reasonable measurement, Kepu is one of the form tight heads in world rugby, so I can't see how we're going to go about dropping him at this stage. Most importantly for the Wallabies, he's attracted the fewest penalties of any tight head in Supe rugby this year. The only rationale for leaving him out isn't form, but rest.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Road Kafer had footage on him the other day, showing how he tends to drift and how easily het gets stepped on the inside. Alistair Coetzee was too bloody stupid to fix it but I think the Bok management will work on it.

As an insurance policy I let my mother know, who has a direct line into SARU through her bridge club (and I am not making this up

He's certainly had a break out season in attack. Runs good straight lines, can pass and bends the line. I haven't done the same level of analysis as Kafe but I would agree that he's got some defensive issues. Who partners him though?

 

[Brumbieman]

This. He carved up a strong defensive backline in Lilo, To'omua, Kuridrani. Which is probably better defensively then anything in the current wallabies squad since Lilo is better defensively then Foley and Cooper.

The number of line-breaks he got in that game was ridiculous.

To be fair, Kuridrani is still a bit gun shy on that shoulder he injured early in the season.

To'omua was just back from 6 weeks out, so having his instinct and timing spot on was going to be tough. He was also then knocked out in the first few minutes, then did his other ankle.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Slipper. Well ahead of QC (Quade Cooper) in that regard.

Edit: well ahead re likely to start on the weekend. Imo QC (Quade Cooper) is better press figurehead in Brisbane.

Not sure many outside the diehards would know who Slipper is exactly. So like I said Quade is the right man to help promote a Brissy test. Means he will play as well which would be the right choice in my view.

Phipps, Cooper
To'omua, Kurindrani
Horne, Tomane
Folau

 

[BlueBagger]

Below is the team i think we will see game 1. Depending on how many new players/combos he wants to test straight up. Phipps and Foley have already been seen a lot in the past 12 months.
1.Slipper
2.Moore
3.Kepu
4.Skelton
5.Simmons
6.Fardy
7.Pocock
8.Mcalman
9.Genia
10.Cooper
11.Horne
12. Gits
13.Kurindrani
14.AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15.Folau

Would like to see a combo at some point of:
4.Fardy
5.Simmons
6.Hooper
7.Pocock
8.Mcalman

 

[KOB1987]

So yesterday they trained 9. Phipps 10. Cooper

 

[Scrubber2050]

All I know is that it is very important to win this match, to gain momentum.

Therefore no experiments needed - just pick the best team we have and go from there

GO WALLABIES

 

[KOB1987]

All I know is that it is very important to win this match, to gain momentum.

Therefore no experiments needed - just pick the best team we have and go from there

FO WALLABIES

no need for that scrub

 

[Scrubber2050]

no need for that scrub

Shit F and G so close

 

[Blue]

He's certainly had a break out season in attack. Runs good straight lines, can pass and bends the line. I haven't done the same level of analysis as Kafe but I would agree that he's got some defensive issues. Who partners him though?

I think meyer hopes that JdV will find fitness and form. Then he will play the together in the RWC. In the meantime he is hoping that Jesse Kriel gives him a viable alternative, which everyone in SA hopes is the case. De Allende and Kriel is the most exciting midfield I can ever imagine out of SA.

The other options are Serfontein (coming back off injury - but a real solid option), Mapoe (always just on the fringes - will probably only run out against the Argies), Jacques Fourie (came back from Japan with way too many pies in him) and JP Pietersen (by now no longer seen as an option at 13.)