Roar Forum: What changes should the Wallabies make for 2017?

3rd December, 2016

3414 Reads

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Wallabies player Rory Arnold looks on during the First Test between the Australia Wallabies and the England Roses at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, June 11, 2016. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

The Roar

3rd December, 2016

3414 Reads

And so Australia’s rugby union year is over, and not in the most pleasant of fashions, with the Wallabies finishing up 21-37 losers against England at Twickenham.

It has been a year of transformation for the Wallabies – and a transformation that has been painful at times. We’ve uncovered some potential gems in players like Dane Haylett-Petty, Lopeti Timani and others, but simply put, there’s been a shortage of wins.

All the wash-up from England vs Wallabies:
» Match Report: Wallabies waste early leads
» Five talking points from the match
» Vote on our DIY Player Ratings
» Re-live the match with our live blog
» Watch all the highlights from the match

2016 wasn’t the year Australia wanted it to be. Four matches against England, three matches against New Zealand, and not a solitary victory among them – dissapointing to say the least.

However, it’s time to turn our attention to the future. Can 2017 be a better year for the Wallabies? And if so, how?

Is it time for some of the old hands to move on? Are there younger players who need to be moved up and given more responsibility? What other kinds of changes can be made to improve performance?

2017 is important, but there most also be at least one eye kept on the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. So what changes need to be made?

There will, we bet, be a variety of opinions on the matter, and in this week’s Roar Forum you are invited to let us know in the comments what yours is.

For your reference, here’s the full team from the Test against England:

Wallabies team versus England

1. Scott Sio (29 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (c) (116 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (76 Tests)
4. Kane Douglas (30 Tests)
5. Rob Simmons (70 Tests)
6. David Pocock (65 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (64 Tests)
8. Lopeti Timani (5 Tests)
9. Nick Phipps (51 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (41 Tests)
11. Sefanaia Naivalu (5 Tests)
12. Reece Hodge (9 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (44 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (13 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (51 Tests)

Reserves
16. Tolu Latu (3 Tests)
17. James Slipper (85 Tests)
18. Tom Robertson (6 Tests)
19. Dean Mumm (56 Tests)
20. Sean McMahon (14 Tests)
21. Nick Frisby (4 Tests)
22. Quade Cooper (66 Tests)
23. Henry Speight (10 Tests)

What changes do you want to see for 2017? Let the debate begin!

Join the conversation

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.