Official Rugby Thread

[dermo]

fun fact, luke jones and michael hooper went to the same high school, both in the same year

 

[James]

Fantastic effort by the Sharks..

Fantastic effort yes, but the Crusaders were just so below par weren't they. Horrible tactics throughout and when you're playing 13 men, the decision to give Slade the shot for goal from out wide when he was having a horrible game with the boot was just down right poor.

 

[Hurricane]

Fantastic effort yes, but the Crusaders were just so below par weren't they. Horrible tactics throughout and when you're playing 13 men, the decision to give Slade the shot for goal from out wide when he was having a horrible game with the boot was just down right poor.

Good to see you talking about rugby James

 

[dermo]

hurricane what did you think of the aussie squad? i like the fact he's keeping toomua at 12, because no doubt thats where he'll be come the world cup.

split between foley and beale at 10, foley having done a lot more goal kicking this season could be the difference

 

[Hurricane]

hurricane what did you think of the aussie squad? i like the fact he's keeping toomua at 12, because no doubt thats where he'll be come the world cup.

split between foley and beale at 10, foley having done a lot more goal kicking this season could be the difference

can you post the 32 man squad I can only find articles speculating on the starting xv but not the 32 man squad.

 

[dermo]

Forwards:

Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
Pek Cowan (Force)
Sekope Kepu (Waratahs)
Scott Sio (Brumbies)
James Slipper (Reds)

Nathan Charles (Force)
Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs)

Sam Carter (Brumbies)
James Horwill (Reds)
Luke Jones (Rebels)
Rob Simmons (Reds)
Will Skelton (Waratahs)

Scott Fardy (Brumbies)
Scott Higginbotham (Rebels)
Matt Hodgson (Force)
Michael Hooper (Waratahs)
Ben McCalman (Force)
Wycliff Palu (Waratahs)

Backs:

Will Genia (Reds)
Nick Phipps (Waratahs)
Nic White (Brumbies)

Kurtley Beale (Waratahs)
Bernard Foley (Waratahs)

Tevita Kuridrani (Brumbies)
Christian Lealiifano (Brumbies)
Matt Toomua (Brumbies)

Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs)
Nick Cummins (Force)
Israel Folau (Waratahs)
Rob Horne (Waratahs)
Pat McCabe (Brumbies)

 

[dermo]

when mckenzie announced the squad it was broken down into props/hookers/locks/backrow halfback/flyhalf/centres/outside backs to let everyone know where he was going to pick players

 

[Hurricane]

Foley then for 1st 5. I don't fancy Beale playing there. I just don't think having a 10 with flair is the answer to winning test match rugby. I would rather have a 1st 5 that kicks 50% of the time, passes 40% of the time and runs it 10% of the time. Beale will run it himself 30% of the time and kick it very little. I know I am exaggerating and I know he has played there at super level and looked decent so it won't be a disaster of a decision - but I would be playing the much more boring Foley.

Aussie play HigginBottham and they lose all their tests. I don't think he can contribute much at test match level (I have really gone off him) beyond giving people face washes and aggressive pushes after lineouts. He did have to be selected for the squad though. McCalman has to play and has to man up in the games. Some articles are calling for Fardy at 6 and although I havn't studied him as a player I would take any warm body with a good reputation over H.

Wouldn't play toomua at 12 but I guess you have to given Christian L is the other choice (he who put his head on the wrong side of a tackle in a test match and knocked himself out). If Toomua plays he needs to tackle tackle and tackle some more. Good luck to the young man. I guess they want him at 12 to settle down the expected erratic play of Beale (who they must be planning to pick) at 10.

ashley Cooper is a great wing - and that's where I would have put him as well. He will be safe under the high ball and can tackle the likes of Savea coming at him.

Cummins I guess for the other wing. Surprised Rob Horne got a spot ahead of Tomane (sp?)

 

[Spark]

If it's tackling you need then Toomua is your man tbf.

 

[the big bambino]

Tomane has a busted eye socket courtesy of banging heads with a team mate trying to effect the same tackle.

 

[dermo]

rob horne has been in great form the last few weeks to

 

[hendrix]

The loss of James O'Connor has to be so disappointing to Aussie fans.

When I first saw the guy a few years ago I thought we were looking at the next Dan Carter. Fast, deceptively strong, and extremely skillful with a good boot to match.

I'd do whatever it takes to get him back for the World Cup. I'm just not seeing anyone of his talent at 10, and that's including Cooper.

Would be looking at a backline something like this:
9. Genia
10. O'Connor
12. Toomua
13. Ashley-Cooper

11. Folau
14. Digby
15. Beale

That's pretty dangerous IMO.

 

[Hurricane]

No comment. Will let brumby answer if he happens across your post.

 

[dermo]

imo o'connor has neither the passing or kicking game of an international flyhalf, if he is to get back into the wallabies squad it will be on the wing but with henry speight eligible at the end of the year, i cant see a place for him there either.

 

[hendrix]

imo o'connor has neither the passing or kicking game of an international flyhalf, if he is to get back into the wallabies squad it will be on the wing but with henry speight eligible at the end of the year, i cant see a place for him there either.

Disagree with that, to be honest. He's miles better than Henry Speight in any position.
He has a very good kicking game. He's strong on defence. His passing can improve if given an opportunity - remember there was a time when Nonu couldn't pass.

Get him in the squad.

 

[ripper868]

O'Connor can **** off and stay there. Skillful players yes but bloke is a **** on a level that not even Piers Morgan could hope to surpass.
He has wonderful skills, for an outside back - he can catch, run, kick and tackle. a 5/8 he isn't in my opinion and he showed that during the Lions series - the best thing he did all series was take on the line for his try in Game 3, which highlighted how good of a runner (read winger) he is. He can not manage a back line and is unsure how to use runners off him - Foley,Cooper, Toomua, Lealiafano and even Pat McCabe would be better options at 10 than O'Connor (maybe not McCabe ).

 

[hendrix]

The Lions series was a joke in terms of both coaching and the forward pack getting destroyed. 2005 Dan Carter would've looked abysmal in that situation.

Look I'm generally not a fan of just chucking talented players into crucial positions to fix things, but if he's unsure of how to use runners off him then that's a coaching issue. It's probably too late now with the world cup coming, but it's a massive waste of talent, IMO.

And yeah, massive ****. But so is Quade Cooper.

 

[dermo]

if he's unsure of how to use runners off him then that's a coaching issue.

nah its the coaches job to devise plays that give the 5/8 multiple options and its then up to the 5/8 to choose the best one, it's very much an instinctive thing and when we talk about a ball player having good vision it means his ability to identify a player in a hole. o'connor doesn't have this vision.

if o'connor comes into the team its as a winger, and i wouldnt argue against it because it allows ashley cooper to play 13. at the moment the next best fit wing option is rob horne who while an outstanding ball runner and defender can not kick, the same applies to folau and cummins which is why we are playing ashley cooper on the wing and kuridrani at outside centre.

 

[hendrix]

Your wingers don't need to be particularly good kickers in international rugby. It's nice to have but not a necessity. I'd be playing Ashley-Cooper at 13 no matter what.

 

[dermo]

but when your fullback can't kick then you need a winger who can kick.