What the lock? - wallaby lock update

[Lee Grant]

That's wonderful news about Kimlin. He may not get much of a run except against the baa-baas, but it will be a wonderful learning experience for him.

We all know about his good play in the PNC (Pacific Nations Cup) series but before that he was very impressive during his stints in the Super14. Many of us were wondering then why he didn't get more game time.

It just the kind of thing that a new coach is good for. Right or wrong new coaches like Friend and Hickey will make different choices in selections and other things that freshen up a team, as Deans and Mooney have already done. When John Mitchell moves on we will be saying the same thing.

Fisher was at the Brumbies long enough as was McKenzie at the Tahs. Friend has apparently left Campbell like a shag on a rock and maybe Fisher would have used him again. Fisher used Chisholm all the time but Friend will look at both he and Kimlin as starting off even - or at least, he should.

Rest assued that we will find more flaws in Kimlin if he gets more game time in the 2009 Super14 than we knew about before, but let's all hope that we have to look very hard for them.

 

[fatprop]

We seem to be lacking the 2m plus locks for this tour, Kimlin is 1.98m, Mumm 196cm, Sharpe 200cm & Chisholm 197cm.

we better be clever about out lineouts

 

[Pfitzy]

4cm won't make much of a difference fp - length of the arms is probably a bigger factor, like in boxing...

 

[spectator]

4cm won't make much of a difference fp - length of the arms is probably a bigger factor, like in boxing...

Not to mention a good vertical leap and strong lifters....

 

[Gagger]

Matfield (worlds best jumper?) is "only" 2m. Within 4cm of that ain't gonna make much difference for the right guy. Especially 2cm in the case of Kimlin.

 

[RugbyReg]

I hope Kimlin can live up ti his 2nd coming reputation.

 

[cyclopath]

I'd take 1.96 cm if it had Vickerman's brain for reading a lineout. And soft hands. Size aint everything. Really happy to see Kimlin in the mix. Good luck to him. Kimlin and Horwill to blossom in 2009 as a long-term lock pair I hope.

 

[Gagger]

I hope Kimlin can live up ti his 2nd coming reputation.

Between now and when the tour acctually starts, that might become impossible

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: the size thing, Mark Connors was a fantastic lineout forward. Defencively in particular. He would have been around 196cm max surely?

 

[cyclopath]

Good example Noddy. I think someone else mentioned Giffen, and I think he wasn't 2m either. Rod McCall anyone?

 

[Gagger]

Good example Noddy. I think someone else mentioned Giffen, and I think he wasn't 2m either. Rod McCall anyone?

McCall was 1.98, although not sure if comparing across era makes sense....

Pommy tight 5 is pretty bloody good (unfortunately), and their locks come in at
Borthwick 1.98
Shaw (monster) 2.05
Grewcock 1.98

 

[Pfitzy]

Yeah but Shaw is also a tick over 120kg - compared to Matfield (108kg), that'd be a bastard to lift in the last 10 minutes Yeah I know - its only 6kg per lifter but every bit hurts on the home straight

Giff was only 196cm I believe.

Connors and Cockbain were great lineout forwards, and tough pricks around the park too.

 

[Gagger]

Yeah but Shaw is also a tick over 120kg - compared to Matfield (108kg), that'd be a bastard to lift in the last 10 minutes Yeah I know - its only 6kg per lifter but every bit hurts on the home straight

I believe he used to be more than 20 stone (127kg) and his lifters told him to fark off, and so trimmed down to a measly 19!