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And so to the third and final instalment of my Wallabies team to tame the British and Irish Lions.
If you’ve already disregarded the first two selections, taking in the backs and loose forwards, it is probably best you stop reading now.
For you Robbie Deans, and anyone else with any interest, read on and I will tell you who we should have as our tight forwards.
Locks – It has been great to see James Horwill back in action, typically at full throttle, hurling himself at the opposition.
‘Kev’ is a pretty uncomplicated player: direct in word and deed. He would never ask of any teammate anything he wouldn’t do himself.
He will return as captain but will find, after the injury trials of last year, he has more leadership support around him now than he had two years ago.
I’m sure he will also enjoy partnering the enforcer that Sitaleki Timani has become.
It was no coincidence that when Michael Cheika stopped replacing big Sita after 45 minutes, the Tahs started winning! To me, pulling him off early, as Cheika was, was failing to gain the best out of him.
Sita intimidates people, because they know he hits hard. He also revs up the scrum.
He and ‘Kev’ will be a formidable second row combination, with one of a much improved Rob Simmons, who seemed to have a year off last term, and Kane Douglas backing them up.
I’d throw Hugh McMeniman into the mix as a squad member, covering both six and the middle row.
‘Madness’ brings the physical element, although he does give away a penalty or two too many per game. He will need to get smarter if he wants to become Australia’s next Dan Vickerman-type enforcer.
‘Vicks’ was hard but, like many South Africans, he was also clever in the way he imposed himself on others, usually egging them on until they reacted against him, giving away the penalty.
Tighthead prop – Ben Alexander needs to concentrate on his scrum work as opposed to wanting to run with the ball all of the time, but playing regularly on the tighthead side for the Brumbies should help, and we’ve seen what he can do in the past.
He would be my man, with the forgotten tighthead, Salesi Ma’afu, as my other specialist in the squad.
While he can sometimes be a little ill-disciplined, ‘Ma’af’ is a big powerful bloke. In the right head space, he is up there with the best as has shown with the Wallabies in the past.
Encouragingly he looks lean this year: it wouldn’t surprise me if his skinfold measurement at the moment is a ‘career best’! Like Sita, ‘Maaf’ intimidates opponents.
Sekope Kepu can play both sides but his work rate around the field is a bit hit and miss; a trait both his team-mates and opponents are aware of.
The tighthead ‘comer’ is Paddy Ryan. He’s really kicked on from last year’s Spring Tour and will seriously challenge Alexander before too long.
If the games were just about the scrum, Dan Palmer would be my first player chosen, but the modern day prop needs to be able to do much more than just scrum (look at James Slipper).
Because of that, Dan misses out on my team.
Loosehead prop – Although he’s not known as ‘Fat Cat’ for nothing, Benn Robinson has been there and done that, and is a guy his teammates trust.
Like ‘Keps’, he can be a bit lazy at times, but when he gets his work rate up there, ‘Cat’ is the best Australia has.
Although he’s played a lot of tighthead, I’ve always thought James Slipper was better at loosehead. That’s where I’d pick him, bringing him on after the Lions have been worn down in the set-piece by ‘Cat’.
Although not as strong as Robinson; Slipper is still maturing and getting stronger – even though he’s been around for a while. James is a tackling machine when he gets out there, has good hands, and covers as much ground as the loosies.
His stats, in terms of metres covered, are nearly always enormous. He is also totally fearless in terms of the way he disregards his body – he must have come out of the same ‘litter’ as Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe and Tatafu Polota Nau!
Of the other props available, ‘Keps’ is obviously another possible as a loosehead back-up, while I’d keep an eye on young Scott Sio at the Brumbies.
He scrums well, it takes a minimum of two to tackle him when he carries, and doesn’t miss many tackles himself.
His time will come and he looks to me like he could develop into a loosehead version of Mr Mean, Salesi Ma’afu!
Hooker – As always, this position is the Moore and Polota-Nau show; although I’d start Stephen Moore, holding the impact Tatafu Polota-Nau’s direct running and terminator-like tackling brings, until the back end of games when the Brits are starting to run low on fuel.
Coming on later also gives ‘Taf’ less time to knock himself out!
It’s been fascinating watching the on-going duel for the start at the Reds. James ‘Chibba’ Hanson has been closing the gap on Saia Fainga’a, getting more game time this year, although Saia is third in the national rankings for me.
While he still has the odd ‘brain explosion’ in him, and can be quite highly strung on the field (although he is, like his twin, incredibly genuine off it).
Saia has experience on his side. This will be invaluable should he be needed against the big British forwards.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.