Deans must find room for Tuqiri, says Horan
By Darren Walton, 26 Jun 2009 Darren Walton is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Lote Tuqiri, robbie deans, Rugby Union, Tim Horan, Tri Nations, wallabies
Former Test selector Tim Horan believes Robbie Deans will be taking a huge risk if he overlooks powerhouse winger Lote Tuqiri for the Wallabies’ Tri Nations campaign.
Tuqiri was the only fit member of Deans’ 30-man squad not given game time in the June internationals against the Barbarians and Italy and has again been omitted from Saturday night’s Test against France in Sydney.
Unless he’s bluffing, Deans looks to have shown his hand by picking speedsters Lachie Turner, Drew Mitchell and Peter Hynes on the wings ahead of Tuqiri so far in 2009.
Horan, though, believes Deans would be rolling the dice if he left the 67-Test veteran on the outer for the bigger Tests of the winter – most particularly the Bledisloe Cup clashes with the All Blacks.
“I still believe that Lote should be on the bench somewhere because having a small back three can sometimes hurt you when it’s a wet game or a tough game against the All Blacks,” Horan said on Thursday.
“When it’s pretty close, you need players to get you across the advantage line.
“So I’d like to see Lote there in time. He’s too good an asset, especially in those tighter games.
“We saw in the Lions and Springboks match last week that you need bigger players to get across the advantage line and then offload to the quicker players.
“Sometimes in Test matches, that’s the only way to get through that defensive line.”
Horan acknowledged that being a specialist winger, as opposed to boasting the versatility of a Mitchell or an Adam Ashley-Cooper, was working against Australian rugby’s reputed highest-paid player.
“He can only play one position virtually,” Horan said.
“Putting him at outside centre in a Test match would be a last resort, but I just think he’s obviously suffered for the way NSW have been playing their game plan.
“But certainly he’s someone who tries to look for the ball … it will come for him; he’ll play more Test matches, there’s no doubt.
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June 26th 2009 @ 4:34pm
AndyS said | June 26th 2009 @ 4:34pm | Report comment
Interesting – I’d've said in the wet what you need is better skills. Wide play on a wet ground will take out even the fittest forwards and open the game up, so long as the backs don’t keep dropping the pill.
June 26th 2009 @ 4:40pm
Peter K said | June 26th 2009 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
Andy S – Except in the wet the backs cannot step as well , power, even in the backs, rather than just speed becomes important. You can drive through tackles because the defenders feet slip a bit in the mud.
June 26th 2009 @ 4:48pm
AndyS said | June 26th 2009 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
I’ve always seen it as a bit of a wash – the backs can’t step, but they may not have to as the sliding defense is slower. If the defense spreads to cover, then the gaps open up inside for the forwards and centres to do the power running. Having power on the wing is not much use if the ball is not getting out there, and if Lote ends up having to come in to get the ball, that just says to me they picked the wrong inside centre and now they’ve got congestion and no winger.
June 26th 2009 @ 5:14pm
Stash said | June 26th 2009 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
Wow – 67 tests already! It must be frustrating for the selectors to see Lote insist on his sideway crab runs – saying that, when he straightens up he can be devastating. Granted, Tuqiri had a quiet season – but has Robbie Deans really got the depth (and luxury) to trade out this veteran experience? I think most (outside of Australia) consider Tuqiri a dangerous and elusive runner with the ball and his aggressive defense seems solid. Have his Southern Hemisphere opposing wingers read his game and are his “bag of tricks” now aged and predictable? If the opposition know what he is going to do…that would seem a fair reason to leave him out.
June 26th 2009 @ 7:16pm
bennalong said | June 26th 2009 @ 7:16pm | Report comment
Even Looser,
Thats Tim, me and you, plus Jason, plus even Peter K, thanks very much. I’m the guy who keeps pointing out Lote’s second fastest over 40 metres and is being judged on Super 14 performances, and even Wallaby performances, where his brief was to ‘roam’ looking for ball.
Mckenzie wrote a piece supporting Lote and Dell including full stats to demonstrate their value to the team.
Horan is patently correct. We need a big unit out wide.
June 26th 2009 @ 7:46pm
Spencer said | June 26th 2009 @ 7:46pm | Report comment
Peter K – Are you the agent for Palu and Elsom. Every thread contains your promo of these two. Rocky’s been on the soft grounds of Europe for a year and got rave reviews. Once he puts a couple of good performances together for the Wallabies I will sing his praises. Palu plays for 19.5 minutes per match. Usually in 3 x 6.5 minute stints dispersed amongst some AWOL periods.
I also dis-concur with the Downland boy.
James Horwill is big, breaks the line, and is as fast as Lote.
June 26th 2009 @ 8:13pm
bennalong said | June 26th 2009 @ 8:13pm | Report comment
Spencer,
What a dag (NZ dag ) you are. The joke about Horwill! Eh,eh,eh,
And the one about Elsom eh, eh, eh, hasn’t proven himself eh,eh,eh,! ! !
Stop it will ya ! Yer killin’ me
June 26th 2009 @ 8:18pm
bennalong said | June 26th 2009 @ 8:18pm | Report comment
LAS
I like Drew Mitchell but would you seriously choose him in front of Lote?
Why do you think Tim Horan doesn’t agree with you? Does Lote have any qualities that allow you to comprehend why one of Australia’s greatest centres would hold an opinion so contrary to yours?
June 26th 2009 @ 8:34pm
mattamkII said | June 26th 2009 @ 8:34pm | Report comment
what? a post about Lote not being in the team….?well I never.
June 26th 2009 @ 9:43pm
Peter K said | June 26th 2009 @ 9:43pm | Report comment
Spencer – Pull the other one. Lote is the second fastest over 40 metres in the Wallbies behind Turner. Horwill is a very good tight forward though, I did forget about him, yes he is a good ball runner through traffic and can offload. My point was we do not have any other than Mortlock in the backs.
Elsom proved himself in the TN’s 2 years ago. Maybe you just started watching rugby last year, thats OK.
As to Palu you must believe urban ie.e popular myths. I proved last year in test stats that Palu was the hardest working of the forwards. He made the most tackles, made the most runs, and averaged the most metres per run out of the forwards. People started shutting up after I posted 3 tests in a row showing this. But lets not have facts get in the way.
Bennalong I would be happy for Lote to be in the starting team once he starts running straight AND works on his speed over the first 10 metres. He is quick over 40 too slow over 10-20.