Related coverage
Spoilt for choice, Melbourne Rebels coach Damien Hill isn’t revealing which of his gun playmakers will line up at No.10 for this Super Rugby season.
Hill can call on current Wallabies five-eighth Kurtley Beale or James O’Connor, who has finally overcome the hamstring trouble which cruelled his 2012 Test campaign and has put his hand up for the job.
O’Connor thrived in the role on Australia’s 2011 European tour but hasn’t had much opportunity to prove himself there since due to injury.
“James can play wing, 15, 12, 10 and KB (Beale) can play 10 and 15 as well,” Hill said.
“It’s going to be what’s best for the team.
“They combine really well so they will be together out there and the two main voices.”
While Brumbies coach Jake White plans to play his strongest side from the outset, Hill said his best line-up was far from settled ahead of their opening-round clash with the Western Force on February 15.
The Rebels have two trials; against NSW in Hobart on Saturday February 2 and then against the Hurricanes in Geelong a week later with all members of the squad set to get a run.
“Competition for spots this year is the most we’ve had which is a fantastic position to be in, even if it creates a few headaches,” Hill said.
“The trial matches will be used to fight for positions so they’ll be very valuable for us.
“Thankfully we’ve got 34 of our 35 fit and ready to go so we’ve got a lot of combinations and we’re working through how we’re going to play them.”
Kiwi Jason Woodward could be the new face in the backline at fullback, where he starred for the Lions in last year’s ITM Cup.
The former New Zealand under-20s representative has a big boot which the Rebels need after losing veteran Mark Gerrard to Japanese club rugby.
The forward pack will also have some new faces with Wallaby backrower Scott Higginbotham joining Melbourne from the Reds.
As well as Higginbotham, another recruit – Kiwi Scott Fuglistaller – who had a stint with the Highlanders late in the 2012 Super season, is set to get first crack at No.7, combining with skipper No.8 Gareth Delve in a formidable backrow.
© AAP 2013
Have you seen the new Wallabies jersey? Want one of your own? We're giving away a brand new 2013 Wallabies jersey to one lucky Roarer, click here to go in the running to win.
- Explore:
- Rebels, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
January 19th 2013 @ 6:56am
The no. Three said | January 19th 2013 @ 6:56am | Report comment
I hope the Rebels can become a strong franchise, their new recruits should assist in catapulting them into semi finals contention this year. Like to see K Beale as flyhalf over there.
January 21st 2013 @ 12:42am
Malo said | January 21st 2013 @ 12:42am | Report comment
You must be on the wacky backy
January 19th 2013 @ 9:50am
jutsie said | January 19th 2013 @ 9:50am | Report comment
As a rebels supporter I want to see brake at 10 and O’Connor at 12 but as a wallabies supporter I’d prefer brake at 15
January 19th 2013 @ 9:53am
El Gamba said | January 19th 2013 @ 9:53am | Report comment
JOC has to sort out his haircut before he can be a serious option anywhere on the park.
January 19th 2013 @ 9:56am
Hightackle said | January 19th 2013 @ 9:56am | Report comment
9) Phipps
10) Beale
11) Vuna
12) Mitchell
13) Inman
14) Woodward
15) JOC
January 19th 2013 @ 3:17pm
Justin2 said | January 19th 2013 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
Well at least Mitchell won’t let in tries in his corner all year if he plays in the centers
January 20th 2013 @ 3:03am
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 3:03am | Report comment
Mitchell almost played as much in the centre as he did on the wing in 2012.
January 19th 2013 @ 3:59pm
Underarm said | January 19th 2013 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
Atleast IM not the only one who thInks that JOC shold be fullbacK, He Can Catch pass kick great in defence and wil be awsome at running the ball back. Leave Beal at 10
January 19th 2013 @ 9:58am
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | January 19th 2013 @ 9:58am | Report comment
“Gun Playmakers”? Not entirely sure that’s how I’d be describing either KB or JOC. Adequate fill-in 10′s would be my thoughts.
Do other top flight Rugby nations have the same practice of playing players out of their best position or is the talent more evenly spread?
January 19th 2013 @ 2:13pm
colvin said | January 19th 2013 @ 2:13pm | Report comment
Blinky,
You are so right. This business of Barnes, O’Connor, Beale, Ashly-Cooper, Ioane, and many others playing all over and not specialising in one position is very detrimental to WB rugby. A certain amount of players positional change is possible, if well thought out, but not the wholesale changes that occur in Aus rugby. For example, Nonu was all over the backline before specialising at second five. Cory Jane was fullback but was moved to right wing. If a player is good he can probably play in all backline positions. But there has to be a position which is best for him.
Even Link tried out Genia at flyhalf which turned out to be not his best position.
And when contributors on Roar are constantly coming up with new proposed positions for existing players it confuses things even more for the loyal rugby tragics who want to see their team play at its very best and not riddled by uncertainty.
For what it’s worth Cooper’s best rugby is at flyhalf. Barnes at inside centre. Ashley-Cooper at outside centre. O’Connor at right wing. Ioane at left wing. Beale at fullback. If someone is a better inside centre than Barnes then so be it. He gets the position and Barnes is on the sideline. (though I like Barnes at fullback but after Beale)
Honey Badger’s best position is wing not centre.
There was one classic positional move by the Welsh coaches many years ago. Many may remember JPR Williams as a great fullback. Well the Welsh in their wisdom played JPR once in an international at flanker. He was lost.
Now here I go. Higginbotham’s best position would be wing. Australia’s Lomu.
January 20th 2013 @ 11:10am
Lindommer said | January 20th 2013 @ 11:10am | Report comment
JPR Williams played on the side of the scrum in the last match of an Australian tour in the 70s because there were no other fit forwards to select. Added to that was JPR’s impish desire to play at least one game for Wales in the forwards. He made a fair fist of it if I recall correctly.
January 20th 2013 @ 6:03pm
Colvin said | January 20th 2013 @ 6:03pm | Report comment
Lindommer,
Thanks for your info on JPR. I was relying on memory but with your added input I did some research and found that he played number 8 in the first test (out of two) in the 1978 Welsh tour of Australia, at Sydney. Aus won 19-17. JPR marked Greg Cornelsen.
I couldn’t find any more news and I didn’t want to spend all day searching but I do recall as you say he played in the forwards because of injuries in the team. I also recall people gave him credit for his efforts on the day but frankly can you imagine how JPR went playing in an international against seasoned forwards in the Wallaby team.
It couldn’t happen today, of course, but the point I was making was that players really do need to play their best positions as often as they can and not allow their egos to overly influence their brain matter.
Concerning JPR, notwithstanding the reason given JPR shouldn’t have played an international in the forwards. There had to be a better alternative.
January 20th 2013 @ 10:03pm
Louis said | January 20th 2013 @ 10:03pm | Report comment
Higginbotham should never play for the Wallabies, he is a seagull who stands on the wing and chip kicks and does very little work around the park
January 20th 2013 @ 10:29pm
Dadiggle said | January 20th 2013 @ 10:29pm | Report comment
Pierre Spies 2.0
January 19th 2013 @ 10:04am
kingplaymaker said | January 19th 2013 @ 10:04am | Report comment
BBB Australia seems capable mainly of developing 10s, rarely strike runners and very rarely large strike runners. Why? Probaby because the strike runner and large strike runner are the most in demand athletes from the NRL, and they walk away with the cream leaving rugby with the crumbs (i.e. JOC rejected for being too small).
January 19th 2013 @ 5:17pm
Rachel said | January 19th 2013 @ 5:17pm | Report comment
I agree with your comment about strike runners in demand in the NRL. As a huge League fan myself, I always wonder how League outside-backs such as Greg inglis, Jarryd Hayne, Justin Hodges, Billy Slater, Ben Barba, Jamal Idris, Michael jennings plus many more would fair at Rugby. We already saw how SBW converted, now all eyes will be on Izzy Folau this year.
January 19th 2013 @ 10:43am
Hightackle said | January 19th 2013 @ 10:43am | Report comment
The problem is if I were to ask you who plays where for club and country when I talked about Beale, AAC, JOC, Tapuai, Cooper, McCabe, Faingaa, Cummins, Mitchell etc you wouldnt be able to answer with any certainty.
Aust needs a base and to build on it.
Imo Cooper has been trialed at 10 a few times and failed. Beale is a 10 who was trialed at 15 and was awesome on attack for a year or 2 but then fell away and his lack of skill under the high ball and in cover defence has been badly exposed. JOC is would have been Australias fullback had Beale not shown promise there.
Imo the clubs and national team need to work together and get the players playing for club and country in their positions. Imo Australia should be working off this base.
9) Genia
10) Beale
11) Ioane
12) Tapuai
13) AAC
14) ????
15) JOC
Genia, Beale, Tapuai, JOC are all young and given time will form the nucleus of one of the top 2 backlines in the world.
January 19th 2013 @ 1:03pm
jeznez said | January 19th 2013 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
This is Robbie’s cunning plan, since noone could execute his ‘play whats in front of you’ game plan, he has determined that by playing his backline all over the shop that they will become jack of all trades and more comfortable when they pop up in random field positions.
Unfortunately that means that we don’t do the basics well
January 19th 2013 @ 1:19pm
kingplaymaker said | January 19th 2013 @ 1:19pm | Report comment
That’s not actually true jeznez.
January 19th 2013 @ 1:23pm
Hightackle said | January 19th 2013 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
Ummm no Jeznez.
Barnes was Australias 5th choice flyhalf against Wales after Cooper, JOC, Beale and Lealiifano were injured. He showed great promise but was ordinary against NZ and against Wales with ball in hand so Deans gave in to MASSIVE media and public pressure and returned Cooper to the 10 spot.
Cooper did not cut it flyhalf and hadnt for over a year at international level and JOC, Lealiifano were injured so the fullback that was in the worst form of his life at 15 and had been dropped was trialed there becuz it was his natural position and he had shown form there at super level.
AAC and McCabe being injured gave Tapuai the opportunity at 12 & 13.
Beale being absolutely rubbish at fullback required that Harris and Barnes were a requirement at fullback as Beales place kicking was unreliable at 10. A tactic that proved to be a very good one as both Barnes and Harris pulled games off with their boot.
Mitchell being injured gave Vuna, Shipperly and Cummins the opportunity to impress at 14 and only Cummins was able to take that opportunity.
It is not what Deans wants, it is what Deans has had to do.
If the clubs and Wallabies are able to work together and the coaches are able to help each other (not sabotage each other) then Aust rugby will be better off.
Imo Cooper has had his chance(s) and should be put to one side. Beale is not a fullback, being useless at taking the highball and cover defence is an obvious flaw in any fullback and imo is not acceptable at international level. The Wallabies need solid players, not iffy players in key positions.
January 19th 2013 @ 1:32pm
kingplaymaker said | January 19th 2013 @ 1:32pm | Report comment
Exactly with a fit full-choice backline available the likes of Tomane, Lealiifano, JOC, Sautia would have allowed a much more attacking game to be played. This year with fit, high quality attacking players (if they are fit!) should allow the team to play a more attacking style.
January 19th 2013 @ 3:11pm
Hoy said | January 19th 2013 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
I can’t understand you pulling for players like Sautia to start this year. Do you honestly think he is a number 1 choice for a role at the Wallabies right now? Deans will not select him in a blue fit as number one choice, and he won’t pick Tomane as first choice either.
I don’t know why you keep saying they are full-choice.
January 20th 2013 @ 2:08am
kingplaymaker said | January 20th 2013 @ 2:08am | Report comment
There is an entire Super season of rugby ahead of both of them, and I was referring to s situation last year where Sautia had been injured all the time and therefore hadn’t had a chance to develop.
Tomane did start a match last year.
January 19th 2013 @ 4:52pm
jeznez said | January 19th 2013 @ 4:52pm | Report comment
HT, can you next explain why Deans has ‘had to’ not select Holmes? Was it Robinson’s lack of fitness that meant he had to be persisted with?
January 20th 2013 @ 1:54am
kingplaymaker said | January 20th 2013 @ 1:54am | Report comment
Whether Holmes or Robinson was selected would not affect whether attacking rugby was played,
January 20th 2013 @ 2:45am
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 2:45am | Report comment
I have no idea why Slipper and Robinson were preferred over Holmes at loosehead but I do know Holmes was 3rd in line at least.
I dont know why, you would have the selectors.
I dont think Robinson was anywhere near Australias biggest problem. They had more trouble at tighthead imo.
January 20th 2013 @ 4:23am
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 4:23am | Report comment
All to the good. Next can you explain how the W
January 20th 2013 @ 4:25am
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 4:25am | Report comment
all abides do the basics well since that was the main part of my criticism in my initial post?
January 20th 2013 @ 4:26am
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 4:26am | Report comment
Ps. W all abides is meant to be Wallabies, however my connection to the net isn’t giving me an edit comment option.
January 20th 2013 @ 5:40am
kingplaymaker said | January 20th 2013 @ 5:40am | Report comment
It was the reference to the team not being able to play what was in front of them that was under scrutiny as this was said to lead to a failure to execute basics.
January 20th 2013 @ 11:05am
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 11:05am | Report comment
Play what’s in front of you (PWINFOY) is the lamest, lack of a gameplay I have ever heard. It quite correctly gets ridiculed. KP are you defending that lack of a plan?
HT, THP was a problem until Alexander got himself comfortable in the position again. There were not many other options though at LHP we had a guy who was unfit and being a liability around the park selected when there was a strong candidate to provide another option.
January 20th 2013 @ 12:13pm
kingplaymaker said | January 20th 2013 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
Certainly because it is not as simple as that sloganistic reduction.
January 20th 2013 @ 12:16pm
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
KP, it is Robbie’s slogan
January 20th 2013 @ 1:08pm
kingplaymaker said | January 20th 2013 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
The phrase maybe but the reduction out of context not.
January 20th 2013 @ 9:15am
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Why does Australia not seem to be able to do the basics?
Becuz Beale is at fullback but cant catch the highball or cover tackle. Cooper has proven to be unable to adapt to gameplans and has played rubbish more often than not in the last couple of years.Genia, JOC, Horwill, Pocock, Higgs, Palu, Mitchell and others were out for big parts of the season and Beale was out of form as was Cooper (AGAIN! But it was everyone elses fault…AGAIN).
In 2012 there was no problem with “the basics” but since so many of you dont want to know why and just want to blame Deans for everything (yawn) I will leave it up to you.
I would have thought pro players would be able to do the basics before becoming prefessional let alone becoming a Wallaby…but Im sure it must be Robbies fault. Its a wonder that he didnt rob the Crusaders of that ability or even the Wallabies in years past. Its almost as if the injuries and turnover of players coincided with Australias inability to score tries. What a coincidence.
Funny that a team who cant do the basics having the 2nd highest win % and amount of wins in 2012.
January 20th 2013 @ 10:59am
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 10:59am | Report comment
Sorry, I’m confused is there no problem with the basics or do we have a FB who can’t catch, centres who can’t pass, props who can’t scrum, second rowers who can’t jump, blindsides who hang out on the wing……..
January 21st 2013 @ 10:43am
jameswm said | January 21st 2013 @ 10:43am | Report comment
Cooper had no problem adapting to McKenzie’s game plans. McKenzie described him as the best implementer of a game plan he’s ever seen.
Might want to re-think that one.
January 20th 2013 @ 11:59am
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 11:59am | Report comment
Yes you have a FB who cant catch. Thats becuz he is a 10 who has been converted.
The centres can pass. Tapuai, McCabe, AAC, Barnes and Faingaa can pass. Imo Taps is the best option at 12 becuz (imo) he can kick, pass, create and bust tackles with equal skill. He is the most promising 12 Australia has had in years imo. McCabe and AAC are both quality but in tandem lack x factor.
I think Higgs was better in 2012 and mixed it up more in the rucks for the Reds and showed glimpses at test level. I think he will be a quality 6 in 2013. Although the stint at 8 has done him good I think the Rebels will keep him with 6 on his back and the Wallabies will benifit.
The set piece is a worry. Australias lineout has been rubbish recently. Hopefully Douglas, Neville and Pyle can sort that out with Horwills help. TPN is not free from blame either.
The scrum has been a worry for Aust for years. I dont know why. Imo the Lions series will be won and lost in these 2 areas. Australia needs to step up like they did against Eng in Nov.
Honestly I do know whete you are coming from and to be honest when I look at the Wallabies squad …
Wallaby pre-season squad
Queensland Reds (16): Saia Faingaa, James Hanson, James Slipper, James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Jake Schatz, Liam Gill, Will Genia, Ben Lucas, Quade Cooper, Ben Tapaui, Anthony Faingaa, Mike Harris, Dom Shipperley, Digby Ioane, Luke Morahan
NSW Waratahs (13):Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, Paddy Ryan, Sekope Kepu, Kane Douglas, Sitaleki Timani, Dave Dennis, Michael Hooper, Wycliff Palu, Berrick Barnes, Rob Horne, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Drew Mitchell
Brumbies (8):Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, Dan Palmer, David Pocock, Nic White, Christian Lealiifano, Pat McCabe, Joe Tomane
Melbourne Rebels (8):Cadeyrn Neville, Hugh Pyle, Scott Higginbotham, Nick Phipps, Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, Mitch Inman, Cooper Vuna
Western Force (4):Salesi Ma’afu, Hugh McMeniman, Ben McCalman, Nick Cummins
…I get worried when I see names such as Vuna, Phipps, Dennis, Timani, Cooper etc. These players are awesome at particular things. For example Cooper is unstopable at times, if given room on the front foot or on the counter but it has been shown that they can fail to feature or in some cases, implode completely.
Having said that, the players are there. Ioane, Genia, Horwill, JOC, AAC, Alexander, Palu, Tapuai, Lealiifano, TPN, Moore, Higgs, McCabe, Mitchell, Beale, Pocock, Hooper and a few others are quality players and have proven that they are capable of beating the worlds best.
Jeznez 2012 was a very difficult year for the Wallabies but they managed to come out better than ave despite their form and injury worries. 2013 should prove to be much better. JOC (imo) will tear sh#t up in 2013 and prove to be W 23 class along with Genia, Hooper, Pocock, Horwill. Taps will also come along in leaps and bounds and when (if) you get a backline of guys like Genia, Ioane, JOC, Mitchell, Beale, Cooper, AAC and McCabe going with confidence, not many, if any will compare. Aust will be awesome in 2013. The more I think about it, the more chance I give them against the Lions. Remember you are complaining about #3 in the world and arguably only 1 team was better in 2012.
January 20th 2013 @ 12:15pm
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
my complaint wasn’t about where the team ranks, it has been about style of play, lack of gameplan, selecting players out of position and failure to execute basics well.
I am generally bullish on where the WBs go from here, obviously the Super Coaches need to prepare their teams better and I think the move of Foley and the arrival of Cheika in particular will ensure that there is an improvement in the Aussie Super sides this year, that in turn should help the WBs.
I will lose faith though if the selection policy remains as poor as it has been the last two years.
January 20th 2013 @ 3:50pm
Darth Vadar said | January 20th 2013 @ 3:50pm | Report comment
McCabe can pass??????
January 20th 2013 @ 12:30pm
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 12:30pm | Report comment
Who has been selected out of position?
The only 2 I know of is Harris and Barnes at FB and that was needed and proven to be a good tactic.
January 20th 2013 @ 12:44pm
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
Slipper spent plenty of time at tight this year when he is a loosie, Alexander the opposite. I’m not sure what McCabe is but it isn’t a 12, Taps is a 12 but was playing 13, Beale played out of position, you’ve already mentioned Harris and Barnes.
That is 7 players or half a team without even trying.
January 20th 2013 @ 2:34pm
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
No thats wrong.
Ewen McKenzie said Taps best position is 13 & he does play there. He played mainly at 12 for Australia. So thats wrong.
McCabe plays 12 for club and country. Wrong again.
Slipper was selected as a player who plays both sides. Becuz he does and has played Tighthead for the Reds. He plays mainly loosehead for the Wallabies. Wrong.
Alexander plays both sides too but played tighthead for Australia in 2012. Wrong again.
Beale didnt play out of position. He is a 10 who plays 15. He played 10 and 15 for the Wallabies. Ummm wrong.
Although Harris and Barnes dont often play 15 they do play there and have before. Besides this was a good tactic.
January 20th 2013 @ 3:20pm
jeznez said | January 20th 2013 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
I’m not saying these guys never played in their best positions but that they spent lots of time in other spots. Pretty hard to argue with that.
Am also not suggesting the issue is solely Deans and the WBs, the selecting of players outside their best positions is happening way too much at Super level as well
January 20th 2013 @ 6:50pm
Jiggles said | January 20th 2013 @ 6:50pm | Report comment
What on earth are you going on about. The preferred combination at the reds is 12. Tapuai 13. Faingaa. McKenzie has never said such thing.
January 20th 2013 @ 7:17pm
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 7:17pm | Report comment
“He can play No.10, 12 and 13. He’s probably better suited to No.13 but it depends on the centre combination.”
Ewen McKenzie on Ben Tapuai.
Jiggles why do you do it to yourself?
Its even on Wiki.
WRONG.
January 21st 2013 @ 11:22am
Jiggles said | January 21st 2013 @ 11:22am | Report comment
thats was in 2010. In more recent articles he has been quoted as the preferred 12.
Someone probably referred to you as a charming little boy once… doesn’t make it so now. Opinions change.
January 21st 2013 @ 12:33pm
Hightackle said | January 21st 2013 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
Say “I was wrong and McKenzie did say that”.
I sometimes think I know more about the Reds than you.
Opinions dont always change. My opinion of you is still exactly the same.
Anyway, before I was interupted by somebody who didnt know what they were talking about I was saying Tapuai plays 13 and was bought in as injury cover at 13 before being shifted to 12 for Australia. He has played for the Reds at 13 quite often and it wouldnt surprise me if he played a lot there in 2013 with Harris at 12 but who knows what the Reds will do.
January 21st 2013 @ 3:12pm
Jiggles said | January 21st 2013 @ 3:12pm | Report comment
Haha so you are using something Link said in 2010 as gospel? He also preferred to use Horwill as a 6 at the beginning of the season a few years ago also, doesn’t make it correct.
Is good to see you trust Robbie’s selections. Shows how much you know about positions.
January 20th 2013 @ 3:17am
post said | January 20th 2013 @ 3:17am | Report comment
Cooper failed at 10? By having the highest win percentage against the ABs of any current Wallaby? By creating a large chunk of the very few wallaby tries last year? Feel free to dislike him, but you have to massively stretch the definition of fail to describe Coopers international career.
January 20th 2013 @ 8:58am
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Post.
Obviously you dont understand.
For 1, he isnt a Wallaby at the mo.
2 he did not create any tries last year as far as Im aware.
3 he was terrible when he returned for 3 games last year and Deans said he would have subbed him off if it wasnt for injuries.
His “win % against NZ” is irrelevant.
Scott Higginbotham has a higher win % than Cooper and also means nothing. Just becuz Aust has won with a certain player playing, it does not credit that win to that player. This is an obvious fact.
Cooper was rubbish in 2011 WC and was also mixed during the 3 nats.
Obviously you having been paying attention.
There were 4 tries scored in the games he played in in 2012 and I know for a fact he did not create 3 of them so large chunk is BS.
January 20th 2013 @ 6:51pm
Jiggles said | January 20th 2013 @ 6:51pm | Report comment
Watch the Argies game on the GC, he set up the win…
January 20th 2013 @ 7:22pm
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 7:22pm | Report comment
No he didnt.
They were 5 metres out, had an overlap, McCabe changed the angles and all Cooper did was shovel the ball on.
However he did set up a try in the corner…for Arg as his kick was charged.
Phipps set up the winning try with a linebreak and pass.
January 20th 2013 @ 8:40pm
Dadiggle said | January 20th 2013 @ 8:40pm | Report comment
Phipps did not set up the winning try. Cheating by Tatafu Polota-Nau set it up
January 20th 2013 @ 9:32am
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 9:32am | Report comment
Pffft Cooper has been in a wallabies team that beat NZ twice.
January 20th 2013 @ 10:04am
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 10:04am | Report comment
The only try Cooper created at test level in 2012 was for Argentina.
January 21st 2013 @ 7:11am
Justin2 said | January 21st 2013 @ 7:11am | Report comment
Great stuff HT, I love the oath you are on…
January 21st 2013 @ 11:19am
Hightackle said | January 21st 2013 @ 11:19am | Report comment
?????
January 20th 2013 @ 5:05pm
Hightackle said | January 20th 2013 @ 5:05pm | Report comment
Pat McCabe has a higher win % against NZ.
Pocock has a 35% win rate at the 3 nats/4 nats. Does that mean he sucks?
According to sports data Cooper missed 37% (5) of his tackles against NZ and ran 9m with no linebreaks or assists.
Against SA he ran 37m but missed 29% of his tackles and turned the ball over 3 times.
Against Arg he ran 12m turned the ball over 4 times and missed about 42% of his tackles.
Hmmm Quades defence may actually be getting worse.
The difference between the stats Ive named and the one you named is that my stats mean something.
January 19th 2013 @ 12:36pm
hog said | January 19th 2013 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
Jason Woodward was a good pick up saw him a play for wgtn lions and he is a capable footballer, a bit surprised one of the kiwi franchises did not pick him!!
January 19th 2013 @ 12:37pm
RebelRanger said | January 19th 2013 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
So another season of musical chairs? With Higginbotham visting for a few years we can tinker with forward positions as well. Can’t wait !
January 19th 2013 @ 2:49pm
Albo said | January 19th 2013 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
JOC continues to impress me with his attitude towards the game of rugby, and I mean ‘game’ in the purest, on-field sense.
Granted his haircuts, off field issues etc have left a lot to be desired but every time you hear about him on the training paddock it’s that he gives 110% and doesn’t shirk the hard work. He loves the game of rugby and wants to succeed and those around to him to do the same.
I am really looking forward to watching him develop and mature because he will not only play for the next 10 years at least but he’ll put in when he does.
The only question is where he plays. For me it’s either 12 or 15. I just hope that whichever it is he stays there and develops into his potential.
January 19th 2013 @ 3:17pm
Hoy said | January 19th 2013 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
I think of the three amigos, he is probably the most rounded, and probably going to offer the Wallabies the most, barring injury anyway.
But he needs to cement a position. Over the last year, I think I have read him being qouted about 3 times he wants to make this or that position “his own”. Put him in a spot and develop in that spot. I agree with Colvin, in tat we swap too many players in Australia. Picture this: In an example game, we have (for example) Mitchell and Digby on the Wings, Beale at 15, AAC at 13, and maybe Taps at 12. Why not, it is my example. What has been happening to some extent is when Mitchell goes down with his dodgy leg, we shift AAC to wing, because he can play there, move Taps out to 13, because he can play there, and bring in some other player for 12. Why? Why not just bring in the next winger? Wallabies have shuffled a lot over the last few years, and there probably isn’t a need for so much shuffling.
Shuffling affects players’ ability to develop their game, develop combinations, and develop confidence. Let’s let our players develop their game, not their versatility.
January 20th 2013 @ 10:37am
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | January 20th 2013 @ 10:37am | Report comment
Sounds simple enough Hoy. Players playing in their best positions. Who would have thought?
So why don’t they do it? For me that’s the great unknown. Surely ‘injuries’ can’t always be the reason.
Mind you, having said that I am as guilty as the next for looking at moving a player if I think they’ll add more to the team elsewhere. Bernie Larkham from 15 to 10 turned out nicely.
January 21st 2013 @ 8:49am
Albo said | January 21st 2013 @ 8:49am | Report comment
Agreed. Entirely.