Wallaby 31 players for 2015 RWC

[Train Without a Station]

It is an issue because your bench has to plan to replace one of them. Not just be able to. Where as with McCalman or Higginbotham you can have a replacement with the intention of replacing any back rower, with Vaea and Palu you have to have a replacement for them.

Then there's the line out considerations and the fact to have a strong line out, you can only have one of them and Skelton on the field at the same time.

 

[fatprop]

The difference is that I don't Vaea in the squad over McCalman or Higginbotham or Palu

 

[fatprop]

The Terror has this as the squad

Benn Robinson, James Slipper, Scott Sio, Sekope Kepu, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tolu Latu, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton, Sam Carter, Luke Jones, Dave Dennis, Scott Fardy, Scott Higginbotham, Ben McCalman, Wycliff Palu, Sean McMahon, Michael Hooper, David Pocock.

Nick Phipps, Will Genia, Bernard Foley, Quade Cooper, Matt To'omua, Matt Giteau, Kurtley Beale, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Kuridrani, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Drew Mitchell, Rob Horne, James O’Connor/Henry Speight, Joe Tomane, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Israel Folau.

 

[Train Without a Station]

That's fucking shithouse.

 

[wamberal]

That's fucking shithouse.

If that is the squad, I will not bother getting out of bed to watch them.

 

[Train Without a Station]

If that's the squad, then Cheika has learnt zero about what did not work for him on the EOYT, or in this years Super Rugby season.

That would have been a good squad if it was picked last July.

 

[emuarse]

If that's the squad, then Cheika has learnt zero about what did not work for him on the EOYT, or in this years Super Rugby season.

That would have been a good squad if it was picked last July.

maybe that was when The Terror picked it

 

[KOB1987]

Sam Carter's injured for a start.

 

[Strewthcobber]

So what do we reckon Cheika's XV is with that squad?

My guess

Robinson, TPN, Kepu, Skelton, Dennis, ?, Hooper, Palu

Phipps, Foley, Horne, Beale, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Naiya, Izzy

I may be trolling just a bit

 

[KOB1987]

You left Latu out..he could play at 6 maybe?
Athough TPN used to play #8 so maybe swap them around.

 

[barbarian]

That's fucking shithouse.

Really?? Greg Holmes would be unlucky, as well as Nic White and Lilo. Maybe Saia Fainga'a as well. But with the exception of Holmes none of them are genuine starting XV contenders IMO.

But there are no massive head scratchers in there, except the injured Carter.

Plus it's just a guess by the reporters so we should probably calm down just a bit.
.

 

[Slim 293]

No Hanson though.........?

 

[KOB1987]

I was under the impression that the squad that's being announced today is for the first 2 games of the RC. Or is it the RWC train on squad and will also serve that purpose?

 

[Slim 293]

Since it's the Tele and Fairfax have yet to put out a 'predicted squad' I'll hope that it's off the mark.........

 

[Train Without a Station]

Really?? Greg Holmes would be unlucky, as well as Nic White and Lilo. Maybe Saia Fainga'a as well. But with the exception of Holmes none of them are genuine starting XV contenders IMO.

But there are no massive head scratchers in there, except the injured Carter.

Plus it's just a guess by the reporters so we should probably calm down just a bit.
.

There's no 3rd halfback.

There's 3 looseheads and only 2 tightheads. None are the best performing tightheads.

There's an injured lock who won't be available for 6 weeks and of the 7 backrowers included, only 2 are good line out options.

Kerevi is chosen despite his poor defence and hands. Latu is included over Hanson despite Hanson being the form hooker and having test experience.

Hopefully it's wrong. But if it's the right squad, the same shortcomings form the EOYT remain.

 

[barbarian]

Well many here have suggested freeing up squad space by having Giteau act as 3rd halfback, so that's fine with me.

We have omitted one tighthead, while the other viable option (PAE) is injured. The Holmes omission would be my biggest problem.

Is Hanson the form hooker?? Latu has certainly shown good form for the Tahs, and much like Kerevi would be a squad pick with an eye to the future.

I'm just not sure there is a place for outrage here, considering (with the exception of Holmes) we are debating wider squad picks who will probably not get close to the starting XV.
.

 

[KOB1987]

I just saw the article and it has a big 'possible squad' above it. So it's as speculative as Wayne Smith's in the Aus this morning. His had Vaea in it but no Jones.

It doesn't make any sense whatsoever to include Carter at this stage.

 

[Train Without a Station]

The outrage is because the squad seems to say, we haven't rated the scrum and line out highly. Which has been a weaknesses of both the Wallabies and Cheikas team the last 2-3 years.

 

[Tex]

2pm announcement, chaps. Let's keep the powder dry and the pitchforks cached until then.

 

[Train Without a Station]

It's armed and ready. T minus 37 minutes.