Seven newcomers named in Wallabies squad

Anthony is bigger than Horan and he went ok

Boys said Douglas really struggled last week at training. No suprise he didnt make it

Does it? Your statement carries an implicit assumption that the NH teams are bad enough that they can be swept. They're not. Excepting NZ, the gap between the other top 4-5 sides is not that great. Each can knock the other over on a given day. Number two doesn't automatically mean you can beat every other team. Or have a built-in assumption that they should do so. It's a false and dangerous premise for any team.

I liked what Kepu was doing for the Wicks in the shute shield this year but his body shape is wrong. Proportionally his legs are too long and his back too short. Maafu has really improved and I think will have improved further during the short break. Last year when Alexander replaced Baxter mid-way through the TNs his foot positioning on engagement was too far back and subsequently his legs were too straight after the hit. I was getting frustrated that in three tests he made no improvement in that area but Pato obviously worked with him before the November tour because the problem was fixed when it started. If Maafu can keep improving, lose the belly and pick his work rate up then he could become very good. Kepu with his body shape will never be a top line international tight head. Maybe he should be trying to mould himself into a 6.

Douglas was looking very tired towards the end of the Shute Shield - was walking on the pitch by the 60 minute mark in the semi and the same a few weeks earlier against the Beasties. I really liked what he did for our Tahs this year and think he might be best served having a rest from rugby and doing to off-season strength work to keep developing himself - he is still very young Agree on Mumm and hopefully Van takes his spot

Conrad is immense for the AB's at the breakdown as well, Aussies still have a huge way to go in developing their rucking and mauling skills

It actually says more about the quality of international rugby than anything else or more precisely the NH heavyweights - a team as inconsistent as the wallabies have been over the last couple seasons shouldn't really have been no lower than 3 in that time

Darwin, if it's not the Wallabies who have beaten the Springboks 2-1 this year who would you rank second then?

I agree - I don't think they are team that should be ranked second - I expect yet another hit and miss tour - if they were worthy of their ranking then they should sweep the NH sides and their supporters should be confident of it occurring - that they're not speaks volumes

"anything less than a clean sweep of the NH teams is a failure" I suspect the number two position is bogus - if it spawns this kind of thinking. In the last 12 months, what has been Australia's test record across all tests? Assuming a clean sweep of the NH teams is something that can only really said with conviction for New Zealand - they have the pedigree and track record to support it. It's unreasonable - in my view - for Aussie fans to expect similar. Australia and South Africa don't have the same track record in the Autumn International tests and haven't had for some time. Winning 3, 4 or 5 games on the bounce is not easy, nor a sure thing.

Having beaten the 'Boks 2 from 3 this year the French test will tell us if the Wallabies are genuine world number 2 or not. It's the test I'm most looking forward too. I expect the Wallabies to beat all the Northern teams (famous last words!). Quade stood up during mid-week games last year. Can't wait to see Rod Davies carve it up. Wallaby backline looks very dangerous compared to where it was 12 months ago. Will Scott Higgenbotham & Ben Alexander assert themselves? Looking for the tight 5 to push on again (in anticipation of TPN, Horwill return)...

Sure - but this is supposedly the #2 ranked side in world rugby - either they should be approaching the NH with confidence or the ranking is bogus - anything less than a clean sweep of the NH teams is a failure

How the Wallabies perform in the Autumn Internationals and in comparison to the other 11 teams is arguably more important than how they perform in a one-off dead rubber match against New Zealand.

Eh he scored a try once.

Well, he's either that or the losingest coach in Bledisloe Cup history.

OJ - Oh really.....?

That was not a bad team, drop Gits to the bench for Barnes. Drop Ma'afu, Brown & Chisholm out of the plane and A. Fiangaa out of the squad for Turner and we are in with a shot.

Good squad, only surprises for me were Phipps and McCutcheon. I hope to see them play at some point and I hope Higginbotham gets a run ... Glad Van H is in, he'll be great for the mid-week games as an old head to partner Simmons and I hope he gets some time off the bench in the internationals as well. The Wallabies have to beat the ABs between now and the WRC, hopefully in Hong Kong, but I disagree that if they lose, the tour is no longer relevant. Playing against England at Twickenham, and Wales, France and Italy at home will all be good experience for a team that is just beginning to gel. Obviously the more wins they can get the better it will be for their confidence. The forwards have to continue improving. Who will be the definitive tighthead prop? Will Robinson get his mojo working? Will Chisholm confirm he is to be Sharpe's partner in the second row or will it end up be Van H or Simmons? Or will Mumm stay there? Will Ben McCalman confirm his good debut at 8? Is Genia in form? How will the goal kicking be? The set pieces, restarts, breakdown, contest for the ball? So many questions - I hope they've been working hard and keep improving. Deans has to stick to his first choice team now, presumably the last one we saw plus Alexander back in, but I hope he uses his bench wisely, something he hasn't done much to date although he improved in the last two games ... Looking forward to it!

In that its never a waste of time to play the ABs, even if it is just to learn how to cheat (too much ;) ?), that game is pretty useful, for all that it has a dead rubber ^%&%ing exhibition feel to it to me just now. Considering the rugby vacuum of the last few weeks while other nations have domestic comps in full stride, the tour is pretty big to the players on it, and to Deans, and to a heap of punters. Playing the kiwis and and saffers over and over is great but FFS the RWC is the RWC, and I want to see where we are as a team and where a heap of players are beforehand.

I will say this once again in case any ARU people listen: either beat the ABs in Hong Kong or the tour is a waste of time.