Wallabies Watch

[Braveheart81]

Shoot me if we have Phipps and JOC (James O'Connor) directing a test match. How utterly dreadful and headless our attack would be.

That Rebels attack has scored 8 tries in the last two games against the Crusaders and Chiefs whilst the much vaunted Reds attack has scored 1 try in the last two games against the Blues and Force.

Phipps and JOC (James O'Connor) have plenty of issues but lets not think that the Reds playmakers are dominating Super Rugby this season.

 

[madflyhalf]

Ask England how much they enjoyed Phipps style of play last year...

 

[Micheal]

After seeing the Honey Badgers post game interview vs the Reds, I want him in all three tests for nothing else than a good laugh after the final whistles been blown.

 

[Scotty]

this is based on me watching him getting crushed in previous tests hes played for the wallabies>
dont ask me to name every test its happened, but i know from watching when hes played our scrum is weak
maybe in a few years he'll be strong there> but i dont see it now> and despite what he can do round the park i dont think itll matter if our scrum is going backwards
but please- correct me- point out to me the times when he has dominated a scrum the likes of which we are going to face against the lions> im not being smart> i just genuinely fear that the lions is going to be stronger than anything he'll face in s15>

Slipper has improved as shown by his super rugby form and the reds scrum this year. Remember he was very young in prop terms when first picked for oz, so it is a little unfair to judge on his earlier efforts.

None of the tight head contenders have dominated a scrum the likes of which we will see from the Lions.

 

[jay-c]

fair point> i personally feel the lions scrum will be so strong that even if palmer doesnt do anything else around the park but hold a steady scrum it'll be worth having him there>
with robinson locking down #1 we dont have a big front row> id take the strongest #3 we got and let the rest of the pack worry about the loose>
if we are pushed around in the scrum we will not beat the lions- not with their kickers

 

[Dai bando]

Whilst some questions are crystalising, some are becoming incredibly murky.

1) Is there enough room for three opensides in a 31 man squad? Will Smith make it? At the expense of Hooper or Gill?
2) Who is going to partner Kev in the 1st XV? Will this person have to be the lineout leader?
3) Do Higginbotham's experience give him the no.6 jersey over Mowen?
4) Who is going to get the no.10 jersey.
5) Will Deans play a debutant in the 1st XV, let alone two or three? (Mowen, Lealiifano, Folau)
6) Will MMM get his body right in time? Does he deserve a spot in the 31 man squad?
7) Will Beale get a 1st XV spot after 2 1/2 games back from his indescretion?
8) Can Deans look past Cooper's 2012 comments?
9) Can Barnes get on the paddock for the Tahs? Can he prove himself ready for the Lions?
10) Will Horne come into consideration? Will this be at the expense of Taps or Lelo?
11) Ditto with McCabe.
12) Will Mogg make it despite strong form in 2013?
13) Folau. Has he picked up enough from Super Rugby to be thrown into test match football?

I have'nt read all the messages here but started on this page seems there are lots of opinions Will you need a strong scrum, I don't know scrumaging is only part of the game, I don't believe he will pick three opensides, I hope cooper gets the 10 jersey, but cant see it, I don't watch S15 rugby but am told some of the Aussie sides are doing well,
This does not garantee that those players doing well in the S15 will transfer it to international level, the french and english club sides did much better than their Welsh counterparts in their league and HC but in the 6N were well beaten by us.
Any side whether club or country does their best not to allow the oposition to play to their strengths, the side that stops you playing to your strength usually wins

 

[Richo]

How do you know he moves to a different position because he cannot defend? 45 percent of tries come from the defense which forced the other team to kick or by a turn over. For that to happen you need to quickly be in a position to attack whilst the other team is disorganized. The ability of your back 3 is crucial for counter attack. For it to be effective you need your quickest men in the best ball carrying positions and that is where there is space or a mismatch. Maybe Reds do it as a attacking option

Yes. That's exactly the point of my post.

 

[Allsports]

Madflyhalf, given the love you have for Phipps tells us you must have a very close connection to him & not a real brumbies supporter because if you were you would appreciate the ability of Nic White, he looks strong & sure of his game, on what I've seen this year alone you couldn't go past him for Genia back up. I am a Burgess supporter & looking forward to 2014 but cant see him getting a Wallaby jumper for the B&I tour.

 

[madflyhalf]

Still unexperienced at test level though... and sometimes he just blows up in his kicking game.

It's frustration talking after King's and few other game

I'm not saying Phipps is the Genius of the SH position, but you know what expect from him, and it's not so bad, he played fairly in the second part of the 2012 international season, deserving his selection btw.

Unfortunately we can't say anything like that about White, because we don't know anything about him at international level.

I hardly imagine a match-day 23 with 1 test debutant, surely not in 9 (or sh cover) position... Wallabies can't afford such a risk.

 

[Slim 293]

I'm not saying Phipps is the Genius of the SH position, but you know what expect from him

Passes to nobody, zero defensive capabilities, and the mother of all sooking?

 

[Bernie_Larkham]

That Rebels attack has scored 8 tries in the last two games against the Crusaders and Chiefs whilst the much vaunted Reds attack has scored 1 try in the last two games against the Blues and Force.

Phipps and JOC (James O'Connor) have plenty of issues but lets not think that the Reds playmakers are dominating Super Rugby this season.

Two matches? C'mon it's form v class... That and the reds being Maul obsessed.

 

[Bernie_Larkham]

Still unexperienced at test level though. and sometimes he just blows up in his kicking game.

It's frustration talking after King's and few other game

I'm not saying Phipps is the Genius of the SH position, but you know what expect from him, and it's not so bad, he played fairly in the second part of the 2012 international season, deserving his selection btw.

Unfortunately we can't say anything like that about White, because we don't know anything about him at international level.

I hardly imagine a match-day 23 with 1 test debutant, surely not in 9 (or sh cover) position. Wallabies can't afford such a risk.

I'm a rebels I supporter and look forward to Phipps going to nsw. He has brain farts every match. He's been around long enough and continues to kill us too often. White is comfortably the better 9 and more suited to Test football IMO with more consistent pass, organisation, kicking and tackling.

 

[Lindommer]

That Rebels attack has scored 8 tries in the last two games.....whilst the much vaunted Reds attack has scored 1 try in the last two games against the Blues and Force.

Phipps's passing last week against the Chiefs showed a noticeable improvement on his efforts in last year's tests. If he keeps up to this new standard he'll be a passable halfback.

 

[fatprop]

Phipps's passing last week against the Chiefs showed a noticeable improvement on his efforts in last year's tests. If he keeps up to this new standard he'll be a passable halfback.

Just how many 10s has Phipps played with this season?

His pass is fine, knowing instinctively where your 10 is under pressure takes time to develop and chopping and changing doesn't help
Just look at how McKibbon has 'improved' as he developed his relationship with Foley, just look at how Genia knows where Cooper is.

The other thing to consider is the shit ball the 9 is dealing with when he chucks that bad pass


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[Brumby Runner]

Fullbacks
Barnes (rest from folau, beale and JOC (James O'Connor))

I have left out MMM cause he's been injured and will remain injured for a few more weeks so i don't really see how he could be a "must" after what is it, 6-8 weeks on the sideline and a few years out of the wallaby fold.

Is this consistent? MMM left out due lack of playing time, but Barnes included with I think even less playing time?

 

[Braveheart81]

Is this consistent? MMM left out due lack of playing time, but Barnes included with I think even less playing time?

Not really, but Barnes is likely to make a comeback earlier than MMM and Barnes played all but two of the Wallabies tests last year.

I'm guessing that both of them will be left out of the initial squad so they get one extra game before the tour and a proper chance to prove their fitness.

Assuming Barnes is on the bench for at least this week and MMM doesn't play at all, that is very minimal game time prior to the squad announcement after the round on the 17/18/19 May.

 

[USARugger]

We need MMM's neanderthal anger so badly though it pains me

 

[Braveheart81]

We need MMM's neanderthal anger so badly though it pains me

I agree he should be in the squad of 31 if he is fit.

I'd leave him out of the initial 25 man squad and have him pencilled in for one of the last six spots. Same with Barnes.

If they prove their fitness and form in the next few weeks then one of those spots is theirs. Otherwise you'd imagine there might be a spot for McMeniman, Dennis or Pyle (for MMM) or Mogg, To'omua or Foley in the case of Barnes.

 

[BPC]

We need MMM's neanderthal anger so badly though it pains me

Depends if we go for a lineout general at 4 (Simmons) or 6 (Mowen). If the latter, then with Horwill and Douglas at lock we probably have enough grunt.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Not really, but Barnes is likely to make a comeback earlier than MMM and Barnes played all but two of the Wallabies tests last year.

I'm guessing that both of them will be left out of the initial squad so they get one extra game before the tour and a proper chance to prove their fitness.

Assuming Barnes is on the bench for at least this week and MMM doesn't play at all, that is very minimal game time prior to the squad announcement after the round on the 17/18/19 May.

yup. that's basically what i was thinking.