2011 Wallabies need a Lock, Prop and Two Smoking Barrels

Even prior to Saturday’s game, and at risk of feeding RWC myopia, I have tried to pick the Wallabies team for the next RWC. It is a matter of Lock, Prop and Two Smoking Barrels. We are short of at least two mongrel, athletic locks, and three grumpy, mobile and technically skilled props.

In contrast, the backs suffer from overabundance of excellent, skillful and potentially world-class players.

But, the two barrels in the backs, 10 and 15, until set and inhabited by experienced experts, will destabilise the other positions that rely on the ’spine’ and mix personnel so that the backline is simply a grey mash of utility backs without a specialist in sight.

10 and 15, need to be settled very soon if they are to really ’smoke’ the opposition with combinations developed over several international seasons.

Here’s hoping that Richard Brown picks up where he left off in the previous Bledisloe Cup Game. He, along with Burgess, Horwill, Barnes, Mumm, Tahu and Pocock, are going to be the nucleus of new players that, when combined with AAC, Giteau, Moore, Robinson, Cross, Mitchell, Palu, Hynes, can give the Wallabies the best chance of returning to the pinnacle of world rugby.

The final ingredient required to achieve this goal will be how well the next level step up in the next eighteen months. This echelon includes Beale, Cooper, Lucas, Turner, Horne, O’Connor, Holmes, Alexander, Hocking, Kimlin, Charles, Kepu and some other yet to be uncovered props.

I don’t think it will be long before our team selects itself and builds to the Rugby World Cup as follows:

Fullbacks: AAC, Turner, SNK, Shepherd.
Wings: Mitchell, Turner, Hynes, Tahu
Outside Centres: Tahu, Cross (Bench), AAC, Horne, O’Connor.
Inside Centre: Giteau, Barnes, (Bench) Tahu, Horne, O’Connor.
Fly half: Beale, Giteau, Cooper.
Half back: Burgess, Lucas, (Bench) Holmes, Sheehan.
8: Palu, Brown; (Bench)
7: Smith, Pocock, Brown;
6: Elsom, Mumm, (Bench) Brown, McMeniman;
4/5: Horwill, Hocking, Kimlin, Chisholm.
2: Moore, Charles, (Bench) PTN
1/3: Robinson, Alexander, Kepu, (Bench)

Interestingly, having looked over the horizon to make this list, there are 34 players, the same number touring with the current Wallabies. Further, I am pretty sure that there are only six players who are not on the current tour: Beale, SKN, Horne, Charles, Holmes, Hocking and Lucas.

The conclusion is that we are not fair off from the guys who will represent our country at the next World Cup.

Locks, Props and the Smoking Barrels … by Sunday, we will know more about who is going to massacre who in the years to come and the future of the above fantasy team.

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