I write this after watching the England vs Australia Test match in Melbourne on Saturday, which I couldn’t have been more excited for.

The Test series had lived up to its much-anticipated hype and the first Test against England gave a spectacle.

The result didn’t go the way I’d hoped, but we should never let that get in the way of good sport. Questionable calls went against the Wallabies, but this isn’t about them.

It must be acknowledged just how well England played throughout the first two matches. Their strategy was superior to the Wallabies plan to “slice through” the English defence, which worked for 20 minutes of the first Test.

The English stopped committing to the ruck (hence why the wallabies had many 7+ phase possessions) and the English defence was something to behold as the Wallabies had plenty of time in the opposition 22.

I’m always the first to point to the corner from my armchair but on Saturday smarter heads would have said “Take the points” and they would have been right. Even with Foley’s average kicking, he has long range on him and most of the kicks wouldn’t have been from the right sideline.

So well done England on the deserved series win.

For the Wallabies, they need a mix-up and some schooling in tactical kicking. Michael Cheika isn’t a huge fan of kicking, but with so many great players under the high ball, give them the chance to get it back.

The current first 15: A quick overview

1. Jame Slipper
Had a decent game both in the scrum and carrying the ball.

2. Stephen Moore
Unfortunately, there are only harsh words to say about Moore at this point. He didna’t play badly per se but his off-the-ball behaviour was despicable for any player, let alone the captain.

He was also outshone by his replacement. This may be because Tatafu Polota-Nau was running fresh against tired legs but it’s probably time Moore was reconsidered for both captaincy and his starting spot.

3. Sekope Kepu
Like Moore, off ball behaviour left a lot to be desired. His infraction with Maro Itoje at the first line was disappointing.

4. Rory Arnold
Needs more experience. Rory didn’t have an awful game and the state of his face gives us an indication of his willingness to commit. For the most part, however, he was ineffective in either sucking in defenders or stealing line-outs.

5. Sam Carter
Much like Arnold, he had a bit of an average game. For a tall man, he doesn’t inspire fear into defenders. He isn’t much with Maul defence either.

6. Scott Fardy
What a shocker of a game. Fardy’s contributions to games is normally good but his performance on Saturday was one to forget. He shouldn’t be benched from Game 3 but he needs special attention at training on ‘passing and catching’.

7. Michael Hooper
Much has been discussed about his worthiness as the starting no. 7 and he is not the best ‘Tradtional’ no. 7 but what he offers more than makes up for what he lacks.

8. Sean McMahon
A good player, however he should never play no. 8 again. McMahon played his heart out on Saturday but was wearing the wrong jersey, given he makes an excellent utility back row for the bench. His fresh legs late in the game along with his pace and ball skills make for a good late game substitute.

9. Nick Phipps
Waratahs bias may be but Phipps didn’t have that bad of a game. His off the ruck passing needs to be fine tuned though and his running game is a strength not being utilised.

10. Bernard Foley
Foley must improve his kicking and while his on field game isn’t perfect, it has to be admired the way he backs himself. Foley is incredibly quick over a short distance and isn’t afraid to take on bigger men while there was a solid passing game on Saturday.

11. Rob Horne
Lacks pace but makes up for it with incredible defence. Horne should be utilised as an impact player from the bench as he can play 11,12 and 13 in a pinch.

12. Samu Kerevi
A lack of Test experience showed. Saying that, Samu will be around in Australian Test rugby for a long time with minimal errors and pace to boot.

13. Tevita Kuridrani
After watching Kuridrani in this year’s Super Rugby season it’s hard to understand how he was picked at all. He made little impact to the game and is hesitant to pass the ball. For a big man he has some legs on him but he wasn’t near his best.

Strip the jersey and make him work for it again.

14. Dane Haylett Petty
Copped a lot of flack for a few fumbles but he should be the new starting no. 15. He was put under a lot of pressure but performed well.

15. Israel Folau
Had a decent game but was shut down by the incredible English defence, and without many kicks to his corner found it hard to get involved.

I think it’s time Cheika put Israel in the no. 13 jersey and make him the world’s best. He is so incredibly slippery with the ball in hand and is almost guaranteed to beat one defender on every carry, sucking in two or three more often than not.

His tactical kicking isn’t world class and what will be missed from fullback is some ridiculous catching with Folau being maybe the best in the world.

Bench Players
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau
Deserves the no. 2 shirt and some one-on-one time with a ball throwing coach.

17. Toby Smith
Wasn’t on the field for long enough to pass judgement but I have another prop in mind for his position.

18. Greg Holmes
Holmes’ scrummaging was first class, but AAMI Park wasn’t having any of it. Retains position on the bench.

19. Dean Mumm
Why was he picked? Only being able to cover the back row (as if we need more Back rowers) and lock. I don’t think he makes a particularly effective lock and he’s way down in the pecking order of back rowers.

Time for a new player here.

20. Ben McCalman
If Sean McMahon at eight didn’t work, then McCalman off the bench was equally poor. It wasn’t bad but for a man much bigger than McMahon, he didn’t add anything.

MaMahon to the bench and McCalman out of the squad.

21. Nick Frisby
Given Phipps’ average performance on Saturday, Frisby should have been given a few more minutes to show us what he’s got.

22. Christian Lealiifano
Only in the squad because Kurtely Beale is injured. Let’s be honest – who reading this would have picked Christian over an in-form Beale?

23. Luke Morahan
Has been quite good this year, but again not enough time to show what he has got.

The New look 23

This team isn’t for the third Test against England but rather a looking forward to the rugby championship and the end of year tour to Europe.

1. Tom Robertson
After a brilliant Super Rugby season in an otherwise mediocre Waratahs forward pack he deserves a run. In Robertson, Cheika has a prop that he can develop over the next few years and win him a World Cup.

As a bonus he can play at 1 or 3

2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
Has been doing very well all season. Only hesitation is that he is injury prone.’

3. Sekope Kepu
Kepu isn’t a bad player but as coach I would have been really annoyed with his on-field antics. He did show, however, that he knows his way around the park and can hold his own against a powerful English scrum.

4. Will Skelton
Needs some training to boost his endurance and pace, but otherwise he has a lot to offer. He is harder to lift in line-outs but as a big man he offers a lot in the way of lift.

5. Scott Fardy
Excellent ball carrier, adding plenty of grunt and with a strong running game. He isn’t a traditional lock but as he can contest in the line-outs and is excellent over the ball, his selection at no. 5 frees up a position on the overcrowded back row.

6. Michael Hooper (Captain)
Out of position but it’s almost guaranteed no team would dare go up against him on the blind side. Many forget that Michael is a young man and as such, he has a lot to learn – but his courage is inspirational.

He would tackle a man twice his size and get on with it, and he has an incredible engine.

7. David Pocock
Pocock is the best no. 7 in world rugby right now. Let’s learn something from England and set him up with a couple of tackling partners and allow him come in as the second man to pinch the ball.

The jackal-style of poaching doesn’t seem to work the same way at Test level as it does in Super Rugby level, and this will need to be adapted to but he is a supreme athlete.

8. Jed Hollaway
Perhaps injury played a part in his non-selection for the Wallabies but it was a huge mistake. Jed has been outstanding at the Waratahs this season and he is tall enough to be used in the line outs and has the phenomenal running game that we all want in a big hard running number 8.

Australia doesn’t have a big ball running number 8 like England did in Billy Vunipola. Jed is a similar size and is much fitter than Vunipola.

9. Nick Phipps
Phipps still deserves the starting scrum-half spot. He, like Michael Hooper has an incredible engine and is best when in open space.

10. Bernard Foley
No surprises here. Foley has done enough to retain the no. 10 jersey; there are no suitable competitors at this point.

11. Joe Tomane
I think many Roarers would agree with me that when I say our wingers are lacking a little bit of pace. This is what Joe brings. His season at the Brumbies this year is reason enough to put him into no. 11.

12. Kurtely Beale
Assuming he is fit to play in the Rugby Championship, there is no doubt he is the best 12 in Australia right now. Apparently, the Wasps in the Aviva Premiership don’t think he is half bad either.

13. Israel Folau
Put him at 13 – the guy is a freak. Let him drop back in defence and take the high balls but for goodness sake give him more running ball. Not only is he quick but he is strong. We saw him keep up with Damien McKenzie in the Waratahs vs Chiefs game but I think many missed the point, if anyone did catch him at that stage, do they really think they are going to stop him?

14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
He has been performing really well in France this season and can bring back leadership and experience to the Wallabies side until a great replacement for him can be found.

15. Dane Haylett-Petty
Could be Australia’s new fullback. Folau has been worked out – Don’t kick straight to him.

That’s what England did to nullify his impact on the game. Haylett-Petty is also the best tactical kicker of the Wallabies at the moment. I would have him kick for touch as well as it isn’t Bernard Foley’s greatest strength.

Impact
I’m going for a five and three split here as I think Hooper, Fardy and Pocock have enough in them to perform a full 80 minutes.

16. James Slipper
Excellent scrummaging and ball carrying.

17. Stephen Moore or James Hanson18. Scott Sio
I thought Sio’s non-selection may not have been an overreaction to the first Test against the English but an opportunity to try how Toby smith was performing. Either way, he was missed.

19. Rory Arnold/Sam Carter
Big tall lock. We’ll need a back up one when Skelton does eventually retire.

20. Sean McMahon
Excellent player, but just behind Hooper in the pickings.

21. Samu Kerevi
Can play 12 or 13. He also has the pace and ball running to be a backup winger if need be.

22. Nick Frisby
Apparently being named ‘Nick’ is a pre-requisite to being selected at halfback in the wallabies at the moment.

23. Jono Lance
He can cover ten and 15 and is a great playmaker.

I do realise my heavy Waratahs favouritism and welcome some discussion below.

How would you change the make-up of the Wallabies?