After silently reading the articles on The Roar for over two years, I have finally decided to try writing something that people might share their opinions on.

It is actually just an expansion on the comment I posted on one of the previous articles, which (pleasantly) surprisingly, got a few affirmative responses and did not degenerate into an inter-state brawl.

There were a few Roarers that mentioned they didn’t agree with some of my thoughts, but did not elaborate, so I am really hoping to hear more honest views of everyone who watches the same matches but surely form various differing opinions.

Before anyone starts wasting their effort trying to determine whether I have any “bias”, let’s just say that I am not from Australia, or New Zealand or South Africa or England or any other major rugby-playing nation, and I don’t live in any of these countries either.

I just like watching rugby and happen to support Australia because they were the most interesting team to watch from the late 90s when I started watching rugby. It’s been a tiring and sad time since… oh and I support Liverpool in the Premier League, so I’m doubly-sad.

I’m actually a 30-something from Singapore, and the closest encounter I have ever had with Southern-Hemisphere rugby was having a tour to New Zealand when I was 14, with my secondary school rugby team. It was an awesome tour, with matches, exchanges and a homestay with Wesley College students.

So here are my absolute Outsider’s thoughts on the Wallabies in 2014, especially on the EOYT, just based on observation and without any particular technical/tactical/strategic know-how.

Players:

James Slipper: Undoubtedly the first choice loose head prop, but still has to work on his ball security. Seemed to knock on in tackles a few times, but generally people don’t get as annoyed with him as they do the other props.

Those more knowledgeable on the scrum probably know better as well, but I’m thinking his scrummaging is another thing that still can be improved further as he develops as a player. Having said that, definitely an asset to the team.

Saia Fainga’a: I’m just wondering whether Australia really missed Stephen Moore or Tatafu Polota-Nau on this tour. I think he did a fantastic job, his low (effective) tackles and breakdown work covering from the really loose loosies.

Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau might add some strength to scrums, but I doubt they would have matched Faaing’a for overall impact. All in all, the Wallabies should be pretty happy with the hooker situation if all three are fit next season.

Sekope Kepu: Compared to last year, at least Australia now has a decent tight head. He has definitely improved over last year, where he was alternating with the Hinge and Paddy Ryan for “honours”.

I guess it really doesn’t help that he gets almost no support from behind him. Coaches tried to move Simmons behind him to help, but to no avail as support behind Slipper weakened, and the flanker (Hooper/McMahon/Jones) never seemed to do their job in the scrum anyway.

Sam Carter: Great workrate, but too similar and offers less than Simmons. Australia needs a power lock to complement Simmons.

Rob Simmons: Haters have to stop hating. I think if you take a step back, or not think about where he (or yourself) comes from, it is obvious there isn’t a better lock in Australia.

Great lineout operator, improving ruck work, high tackle completion, steady scrumming, even support play at the end of the match for his first Test try! He isn’t the power lock, but he is definitely half of the combo Australia needs.

In the England Test, he came in injured, obviously injured himself further early on, and yet completed the first half.

The set pieces and even some bit of general play fell apart further after he went off (It wasn’t great from the start) pretty obviously.

Very telling how important he is to Australia compared to the alternatives (Skelton and Jones on the bench) that even injured, he was required on the field.

Sean McMahon: Probably too early for him to play Test football. Honestly thought he didn’t offer enough after the Baa Baas match. Definitely lots of potential, though. We’ll see how he goes in Super Rugby.

Michael Hooper (C): Is there really no one else suitable as captain? Really looked and sounded like a whiny schoolboy, often caught on ref’s mic.

Terrible in the scrums… just keep pushing!

Almost 100 per cent of the time the scrum went backwards at the same time his head came up to look at… what?

Regarding his wide play/positioning, I have almost no doubt he is playing to instructions. Hooper definitely has the engine and heart to work tighter if he was instructed to. He also showed he can still make turnovers when he has to.

There is no truth to the view that he cannot win turnovers. Unfortunately, he is also Australia’s most penetrative forward in attack. He deserves to be in the XV, but the rest of the pack has to be complementary to his skillset – something we have yet to see from any of the coaches’ selections.

Ben McCalman: Australia isn’t blessed with giant, power number eights, but he has been doing a great job, I think. Palu wasn’t really missed on tour. Worthy of the general praise he has been receiving for his efforts.

PHIPPS : Speedy delivery? (Check). Energiser bunny? (Check). But he really needs to improve his pass.

I actually think he put the team under too much pressure and caused many attacking moves to break down because of his passing. He is currently No. 1 because Genia isn’t match fit and White doesn’t pass much better.

Think about the phases leading up to the drop goal against Wales. I am almost certain it would never have happened if Genia wasn’t the one in control at nine.

All the nines have another season to stake their claim, but if Phipps’ pass remains the way it is and is still nine at Rugby World Cup, Australia will be in real trouble. Speed isn’t everything, and he won’t always be able to score freak tries (which haven’t been enough to win matches anyway).

Bernard Foley: Serviceable 10. Great support play (see his tries).

Really terrible boot when not kicking at goal within his range. His range is actually a big factor that many overlook when talking about his goal-kicking. I honestly don’t think his goal-kicking offers Australia as much as people think it does.

He only seems to kicks from 35/40m out, and only ever from the corners for conversions and not from penalties, probably because he isn’t really that accurate. I think the reason Hooper decides to go for a line-out instead of a shot at goal when the spot is near the touchline, is because Foley may not be able to nail it.

Go back to all the Tests and you will see the pattern. Many people keep bringing up the fact that Hooper declines “kickable” penalties. Maybe the reasons is that they aren’t really “kickable” for Foley.

That’s where his terrible kicks come into play, cue lineout 10/15m from the kick and far from the try line. If his goalkicking is the reason he is still no.1, he had better start working on kicking from further out or further to the side. It was so painful to see his kicks versus Sexton and Ford. It wasn’t even a contest.

Matt Toomua: Needs to work on kicking accuracy and consistency, and be a bit more careful about charging from the line defensively, but definitely the best 12 in Australia at the moment. His defence is immense, and he works so very well with Cooper. Somehow his combination with Foley doesn’t give Australia the same balanced impact.

Tevita Kuridrani: Nothing more needs to be said this season, I think. Time to work on additional offloading and passing while making sure all the positives remain next season. One of the better 13s in international Tests the past season.

Adam Ashley-Cooper: “Mr Reliable” hasn’t been all too reliable in the last few matches. However, experience can’t be bought.

And at 13 against England, I don’t think he was too blame too much for not passing, as he really had limited options. Give him credit for breaking the line in the first place.

However, I think he would be more beneficial on the bench, offering an experienced head to finish off games for Australia.

Rob Horne: Pretty good defence and great effort. Tries his best for the team, but probably not the winger Australia needs going forward to the Rugby World Cup.

Israel Folau: High ball security isn’t quite what it was on last year’s tour. Great attacking impact. Pretty poor defensive impact.

Horrible, horrible kicking. If he gets his defensive positioning and kicking sorted, it would be fantastic for the Wallabies.

Benn and Ben: I don’t get it. I really don’t get it.

James Hanson: I thought he was more impressive than Faaing’a at the Reds, but at Test level, he really is nowhere near Fainga’a. Having said that, I thought he had a few good matches, especially in The Rugby Championship.

James Horwill: I read that he is injured, which wxplains why he hasn’t been featuring in the last few Tests. However, he hasn’t seemed to regain the impact of 2011 regardless. If somewhat back to his best, still Australia’s best option to partner Simmons at the moment.

Will Skelton: He definitely still needs plenty of work on his game. I think scoring a try against England might have done more negatives than positives as people would gloss over the work needed.

Yes, he is powerful, but the negatives (at the moment) definitely outweigh the positives. Australia loses too much when he comes on in place of another second-rower. As mentioned in another article, who knows what will happen by 2019?

For now though, definitely not the second-rower that Australia needs. The England game was telling as Jones was selected as first cover for Simmons. Skelton cannot be the Wallabies’ only bench cover for lock, which means Australia loses another option somewhere else to carry him in the team.

Luke Jones: I’d definitely have him ahead of Skelton! Conceded too many penalties/turnovers in his short time, though. Has to work on all that, particularly his body height. I thought he was pretty aggressive, though, which was good.

Matt Hodgson: I guess his strengths just don’t suit the current game-plan? Would have to say though, that what he brings to the team may not be enough to offset the poor performance of the forwards in general anyway, which might explain why he isn’t on the team.

I would definitely have had him in the side over McMahon, though, and if only he was good enough to start and hence be the captain… I don’t think that having him in place of Hooper would solve all of Australia’s problems, though.

Let’s say I think he featured so prominently for the Force because of the shortcomings of the rest of his team, so the additional impact to the Wallabies might not be as great.

Will Genia: I thought there was much more structure and calmness when he came on in games. No sparkle though. Let’s see how he goes at Super Rugby.

There were some inspired performances at the end of this season’s Super Rugby before he went for his operation.

The phases leading up to Foley’s drop-goal against Wales showed part of what he can offer. Let’s hope he gets his running game back.

He has also been a proven Test-level tackler, so you don’t lose anything defensively if he is chosen over Phipps.

Quade Cooper: I’m really impressed with his attitude on/off the field. I had a look at his Twitter feed just out of curiosity and what you get seems to be a really grounded, team-oriented guy, always thankful and a far cry from his previous persona.

I think those who have been judging him by past (pre-2013) performances have to start looking at what they get today. He definitely possesses a better tactical kicking game than Foley, or anyone else in Australia for that matter. (Still not the longest boot though)

Defence no longer an issue. He doesn’t lay on big hits like Toomua, but I think he actually defends better than Foley at the moment. There doesn’t seem to be any real unnecessary risk-taking either. He takes on the line, and his distribution much better than Foley as well. He has a great combination with Toomua.

Drop-goal? We know he can do it (against New Zealand last year). Goal-kicking? I don’t see a problem. Most of the kicks he had to make on last EOYT were also further out and more to the side than what Foley has kicked this season. I don’t think he missed any of the few kicks he had to make on this EOYT?

Can he do it over 80 minutes? We will only know if he gets a chance to do it.

Looking at the Rugby World Cup, my opinion is that Cooper has to be at 10 over Foley if both are fit, unless Foley improves out of sight next season and Cooper is static.

Henry Speight: Has shown glimpses of positivity. Should get better as he becomes more familiar with the set-up.

Joe Tomane: Also solid enough to be in the squad. Pity he didn’t get more time to show what he can do.

Kurtley Beale: Sure didn’t show us anything to justify why he is among the best 30 in Oz at the moment. No comment regarding off-field issues as I (and many others here) don’t know all the facts.

Other thoughts:
I really hope Michael Cheika has something a little more varied than the current plan. I don’t see Australia getting out of the group at Rugby World Cup with the current plan.

Kicking is so important at Test level. I think some supporters should re-watch all classic Oz matches and see how important good tactical kicking was/is, even though it was always only the sublime backline moves that were remembered.

The fact that Cheika is going to coach both the Waratahs and Australia seems like a really bad idea. I have nothing against him or the Waratahs (really enjoyed their entertaining style and wins this season), but there are just going to be so many problems going forward, it can hardly be the optimal set-up.

The back three (all current alternatives) are really slow. It would be great if there were no defensive problems, but now Australia has neither pace nor defensive solidity.

Their power and aggression is debatable as well. The back three are also really poor at catching and kicking, compared to those from other major teams. This is something that has to be worked out.

The scrum is unbelievably poor. I don’t think it’s the starting front-row’s problem. It is really the back five (Simmons a more minor offender than the rest). This has to be sorted out. It actually really reminds me of the ‘Tahs scrum this year. I hope Cheika doesn’t think that it isn’t a problem.

Well, there you go. I look forward to the Roarers’ opinions on my opinions!