So with the Rugby World Cup squads to be announced this week, where are the Wallabies currently at? If you had told me four weeks ago that the problem after three games would be our backs, I probably would have laughed at you.
Our concern was going to be our forward pack and whether they could they front up. I think that question has slowly been answered, not emphatically, but to a level where people are satisfied and oppositions will take note.
Our scrum against the All Blacks and Springboks held up well and on occasions grabbed the ascendancy. The lineout against the Boks was outstanding.
Consistency and aggression at the rucks will be our biggest concern. Rocky Elsom is starting to get back some match fitness. People here have been scathing of him. Rocky has only played four matches this season. He has shown that he will be right by the World Cup.
So from our forward pack, our front row is solid (with Tatafu, Slipper and Robinson to come back in). Second row is an area I have a great deal of confidence in with Howill (one of the best in the world), Sharpe, Vicks and some back up in Simmons.
Back row? As long as Pocock stays fit and Rocky fires we will hold our own if not come out on top. No. 8 is our concern, but I think we have enough bits and pieces here to fill the void and have enough cameos off the bench.
The backs? We all know Cooper had the propensity for a snap. We have to take the good with the bad with Cooper. What he needs is a steady at IC and this will be Barnes in a few weeks. Cooper lost it against the All Blacks, and although had some snaps against the Boks, he did play a much more controlled and understated game.
Digby has shown he is class. Beale is up there and O’Connor is trying to find his mojo. Mitchell is back this week and will add depth. Our concern is in the midfield with Adam Ashley-Cooper out of form.
McCabe has been industrious, but will only be part of the squad and the lesser pool games. Adam Ashley-Cooper will battle it out with A. Faingaa (he converted me on Saturday night) for OC.
Even though our backs have been average, this is less of a concern if it were the forwards were scratchy before the World Cup. For me, it is as though they want to score off every play and do not know how to build a game of rugby. Combos will come over the course of the World Cup.
What Saturday against the Boks showed as we can win the tight World Cup games. It wasn’t a pretty game, but we held strong and closed it out well.
I thought versus the All Blacks that we looked tired and I think it is because Robbie has been hammering the guys at training to be fit for the RWC. Our fitness showed on Saturday night against albeit an old and unimaginative Boks outfit.
I am under no illusion that ‘this is our year’, but there are signs that we will have something to offer come RWC.
My Rugby World Cup squad (assuming fitness):
1 Robinson
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
3 Kepu
4 Howill
5 Sharpe
6 Rocky (c)
7 Pocock
8 Samo (I have assumed Palu is out of the Rugby World Cup, from what I have heard)
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 O’Connor
12 Barnes
13 Faingaa
14 Ioane
15 Beale
16 Moore
17 Slipper
18 Vicks
19 Higgers
20 Burgess
21 Adam Ashley-Cooper
22 Mitchell
23-30 (Alexander, S. Faingaa, Maafu, Simmons, Hodgson, Giteau, McCabe, Turner).
Igor
Guest
A few people seem to forget that if the abs win this week with a bonus point the TN are done and dusted. Well not exactly as the wallabies would have to beat new zealand by about 50 points. I thought that springbok team was the worst team from SA that I have seen in forty years. The Wallabies could win this world cup but they will have to have a fair amount of luck.AAc needs to get back to the basics in stead of worrying about his dive once he gets across the chalk.The first try the wallabies got against the abs should have been called back for some one had a hold of weepu's leg. Samoa and abs semi final and france england australia and sa will be on the other side of the draw.
Moaman
Guest
.or weak to week . ;-)
Jack Slaughter
Guest
The Wallabies are twelve days away from a massive test at Suncorp and are building nicely for the Tri-nations and then the WC. Holding Samo back, picking up the pace bit by bit,new members settling in, maturing, and now a pack that is now competent, with England the ultimate test. Tomorrow's team announcement is the next piece building the momentum, Wallabies are on a roll. Be positive, this is a young team going somewhere, dare to dream.
Ralph
Guest
Ben Robinson ... goooone!
Jaceman
Guest
The Wallaby scrum is still a week to week proposition..
Eric
Guest
Decs I don't think you understand the Cooper package if you think Barnes complements him at 12. Between the razzle dazzle of Cooper and the wizz kids out wide (Beale, O'C & Ioane) someone has to to be ready to run straight and hard into the defence when the gaps haven't opened up, otherwise Cooper or the receiver will get tackled metres behind the gain line. McCabe, AAC and A Fainga all do that well, as well as being aggressive defenders. For all Barnes' qualities, he isn't a big strong crash merchant. For Cooper to be effective, when he has the ball, everyong around him needs to start running support lines and be ready to receive the ball, because he can pop passes short or long, inside or outside, behind defenders or in front of them.
kaha
Guest
No I think what he meant was he is NOT going to beat his chest and say that this is the wallabies year, and they are going to win the world cup. What he meant is he can see progress and with a bit of luck they could win the cup. Actually with a lot of luck. That is what I got from this article. But I can see he was looking hard for any excuse for the loss to the blacks, instead of going to the old cliche. They were better than us on the day. I find some of his assumptions a bit hopeful. especially about the forwards. They just held their own against the all blacks and springboks. they only took control when smit went to prop. Also they have to battle four six weeks with the forward pack, are they going to keep the same pack for every game. Which will be near impossible, so what happens when they have to rest players. They just haven't got the depth.
Emuarse
Guest
Hmm, Big Willie has to be a Kiwi! I am under no illusion that he is'nt.
Big Willie M
Guest
Quote: "I am under no illusion that ‘this is our year’, " Am I reading this correctly? You're saying that this is the Wallabies year, and so they will win the RWC? Sorry, but I cannot for the life of me understand what it would be at this stage that gives you that optimism. I'm all for optimism, but there really does need to be a dash of realism involved. The reality is; * Losses to teams that you should beat (Samoa) * Puffed up chests with the usual "we're gonna smash NZ in NZ" and then getting soundly beaten * Being pleased with a win over RSA, when in fact in a poor game against a poor, rusty Boks team, the Wallabies barely won. * Wallabies haven't won a test in NZ against the All Blacks in 10 years - and on current form, anyone wanting to win the RWC will need to beat them (though I do acknowledge that upsets can occur) * Wallabies scheduled to meet the Poms in the semis, if both teams get that far. Wallabies have lost their last 3 RWC games against the Poms, not to mention the last 2 test matches (in 2010, one in Sydney, the other at Twickers) * Wallabies have a reasonable first XV, but arguable the weakest depth of all major contenders (as proven in the loss to Manu Samoa)