Who do you want to see start at 13 against the Yanks?

[Patto.]

Why did noone think of this, It is so logical. Play a 12 at 13 (who also plays 13) and a 13 at 12. Why not try left and right. That will fool 'em

 

[Mr Doug]

Rob Horne had a strong game for the Baa Baas against Canada here on the beautiful Gold Coast, and Canada had at least one good win against the Yanks this year, so he should repeat that performance tomorrow!

 

[BRIX]

Look forward to seeing Berrick Barnes (who is a dark horse for the Wallabies and coming off the back of good form in park footy for Uni) link up with Horne. He runs great lines and hits the ball up hard a la Jamie Roberts - he's the sort of runner you want off a QC (Quade Cooper) cut out pass too. Conversely I expect to see the back line up a little flatter than it has been in the last 2 tests when Fainga'a comes off to accommodate BB. Short balls up the guts to Horne, who I hope will get pushed out to 13 provided Ant does actually go off. Let's go

 

[inthestands]

The best we have played in four years under Robbie was the end of the 2010 Spring Tour.

Our backline then was Genia, Cooper, Mitchell, Barnes, Ashley-Cooper, O'Connor, Beale.

We have ALL of those players available now... get them playing together, and get them firing!

Seriously, no one can convince me that McCabe-Fainga'a is a World Cup-winning centre combination. Love them both individually for their strengths, but they cannot win Bill as a centre pairing.

 

[light]

inthestands. I have been saying that for months and unfortunately no one is really listening.

Barnes should be our first choice 12, no question about it. He was the incumbent before his injury and there is no real reason he shouldn't be at 12 now. We have given others a go, one in particular who nearly convinced us that he was world-class. Unfortunately the tables turned against the Irish and it is now time to go back to basics, to what we know and have been playing for years. A playmaking 12 GODDAMMIT!

Ashley-Cooper has his better days at 13, he has been well below par in the back three but quite frankly for us to exclude him at this point would be a cardinal sin. He is our strongest outside centre and has all the qualities you want in someone playing outside Barnes. Unfortunately for Fainga'a, Ashley-Cooper is in the same mould and just a more complete player . . . with experience. If not AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), than Horne should get the gig.

McCabe-Fainga'a will not win the world cup for us.

 

[vidiot]

Unfortunately for Fainga'a, Ashley-Cooper is in the same mould and just a more complete player . . . with experience.

I agree and disagree.

Fainga'a at 13 has been pissing me off because of handling errors (and struggling to get involved). AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 would piss me because he doesn't pass (and struggles to get involved).

They are different players, Fainga'a can apparently pass (or at least he did in the super comp), AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at his best runs at holes well and has a terrific unilateral fend to go with his balance in contact and leg drive.

But neither of them, or anyone else at 13, seems to see much ball as the wallabies are coached now. McCabe is not a distributor and Beale has become quite selfish when he injects himself into the backline - he runs or chips for himself, and only passes when he is about to die with the ball. Cooper hasn't settled to a pattern of cutting 12 and passing to 13 since the rout of the Frogs.

That may change pretty soon - that compressed attack at 12 or the roving blind winger was tooooooo predictable against Ireland and you can bet every other team will be looking to do the same thing - smash'em. (Even against Ireland) the opportunities were wider.