To drive a big nail, you need a big hammer. Who should be the Wallaby locks during the coming internationals?
With the woes of the Wallaby scrum over the last decade, there has been a lot of scrutiny of our front rowers.
However, the rest of the tight five need to shoulder responsibility not just for the scrum but also for our power in the breakdown.
Locks are not just there to win lineouts, they have to do a large amount of the heavy hitting in the rucks and mauls as well.
Good lock play is shoulder to the wheel stuff, rarely glamorous and often noticed more when it is missing than when it is there.
Brad Thorn stands as a case in point, getting almost universal acclaim for his value as a player, post playing for the All Blacks. He is receiving much more praise right now than he received during his last two years actually representing them.
In a number of key tests last year, the Wallabies got smashed off the ball at the breakdown and the right locks will go long way to fixing this.
So who should be the Wallaby locks this year? Last week I nominated Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore and Dan Palmer as my starting Wallaby front row with Tatafu Polota-Nau and Sekope Kepu on the bench.
Who should be completing the tight five for the men in gold?
If we just wanted to pick a strong lineout then the leading candidates would be Sam Carter, Dan Simmons and Hugh Pyle.
If we just wanted a strong scrum then James Horwill, Sitaleki Timani and Kane Douglas would be at the forefront.
If we looked for 80-minute workhorses who have impact around the field then Scott Fardy and Luke Jones stand out for their running and tackling respectively.
We need to pick for balance and my view is that James Horwill and Scott Fardy are the leading pair with Kane Douglas or Hugh Pyle on the bench.
Horwill is the incumbent Wallaby captain and after a fairly quiet start to the season, has blossomed along with a few of this Reds teammates to find form in the last few weeks.
He has genuine size, aggression and is getting around the field well and impacting strongly.
Fellow incumbent Simmons is performing well in the lineout and getting around the field well, however he is too often dominated in contact. Second rowers need to be the ones dishing out hits in contact not being on the receiving end.
Sam Carter is in the same boat. Both these guys are young and will fill out in time – the challenge for them will be to increase strength while maintain their mobility.
They also need to re-examine their technique in contact to improve this facet of their game.
Scott Fardy is not the biggest lock running around and has been sighted in the back row this season as well.
Packing him in tight, does subtract from his running game a little but I thought he found the right balance of cleaning out and running on the weekend against the Hurricanes.
He was strong in contact for the full 80 minutes and when a couple of Hurricanes each decided the other man should tackle Fardy, he was able to draw the last man and put his locking partner through the gap for a well-worked try.
Sitaleki Timani has suffered this year from not having an off-season. His time in Japan was misspent with him losing fitness while not getting a break from rugby.
He and Douglas are also hampered by Michael Foley insisting on giving 80 minutes most weeks to the penalty magnet Dean Mumm.
Unfortunately on the weekend, Timani hurt his shoulder and is running out of chances to build fitness and regain the form he had at the end of last season.
Hopefully he can regain this form in the back end of the season but he just doesn’t appear to be ready for the upcoming June tests.
Douglas, meanwhile, was one of the few Waratahs to step up on the weekend. He pushed hard for the 60 minutes he played on the weekend, his locking in the five jumper for the most dominant scrum in Super Rugby this year should not be underestimated.
He is always strong in contact and has made a few breaks in recent weeks. He needs greater patience when he gets in space to find the right support runners but is looking good this season after disappointing a little last year.
Caderyn Neville may have been the one to nab two tries on the weekend but Pyle has been performing for longer in the Rebels jersey.
Neville, in only his third season of rugby, needs to refine his body position in the clean out and just lift his effectiveness in that area.
Question marks will sit over both these two, based on the poor performance of the Rebel scrum this year, but they are young and have the size and attitude to develop and will warrant further consideration in time.
Neville showed better endurance on the weekend, lasting the full 80 in reasonable form, while Pyle faded badly from the 50-minute mark before eventually being subbed with 10 to go.
Normally Pyle can play the full 80 so I am not sure if he was playing ill or suffered a knock.
As I say both are promising but at this stage Pyle is displaying slightly better breakdown technique and is the key lineout man for the side, so sits slightly ahead in the pecking order.
Luke Jones has unluckily been suspended at exactly the wrong time, but is another young lock making a name for himself.
He gets through a mountain of work in defence and right this minute is looking more like a back rower than a lock.
Before suspension with the injuries in the backrow, he found himself playing six and it will be interesting to see what happens with his game and frame in the next few years.
Nathan Sharpe and Dean Mumm were not considered as they are retiring or moving off shore. The only other lock playing extended minutes in Aussie Super Rugby is Toby Lynn who has been workman like but isn’t showing the promise of some of the youngsters above.
Sam Wykes has unfortunately been ruled out injured for the season.
So my Wallaby tight five is Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Dan Palmer, Scott Fardy and James Horwill, starting with Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu and Kane Douglas on the bench.
Douglas narrowly beats out Pyle for the bench spot due to the power he has in his game.
Let me know what you think of the selections and stay tuned for a backrow review later in the week.
Jutsie
Guest
Justin, Pyle's body height was so frustrating against the Bulls, he had so many runs close the line but was either held up or pushed back. Considering the number of runs he made his upright running and our terrible lineouts were almost the difference between winning and losing. I have noted in the crusaders and force games that he is slowly improving his body height at contact. I'm guessing the rebels coaching team have been working with him to improve it.
Jutsie
Guest
He actually played at 6 against the brumbies too, He didn't play that well in that game although the whole forward pack were pretty bad. He looked pretty good against the bulls at 6.
jameswm
Guest
Palmer got shoved back by robinson when Robinson had Dean Mumm behind him. How do you explain that? I'd start Kepu and lean towards Alexander on the bench.
jameswm
Guest
So Kepu has gone better than Palmer in the scrums, Robinson beat Palmer, Kepu is better round the field, yet you pick Palmer? Your logic seems to be that Kepu can't be picked because he hasn't had to prop against Robinson. If Palmer's scrummaging is better, then how come the Brumbies front row don't do what the Tahs do? The Brumbies have Moore and Alexander in their front row too. I sure hope the selectors use different logic to you! The Tahs scrum has smashed just about everyone, with both props excelling. I just scratch my head sometimes.
Ben S
Roar Guru
'Hence Timani can’t be judged under the catastophic Foley and Deans should take on his development himself.' Like Deans did with the erratic passing of Luke Burgess? How would Deans improve a lock, btw?
Ben S
Roar Guru
'True Brendon, and even at the highest level look how much trouble the NZ pack had with the streetfighting French pack in the RWC final/' Since Henry took over the NZ pack has basically dominated the French pack. Brendon makes a valid point, but this isn't an appropriate example.
Justin2
Guest
I am a massive Jones fan however I do have a question mark over his leg speed to play on the side. I am not sure its there and he will be more a Thorn type second row. But as a bench player you could get away with him at 6 for 20 mins late. Id love to be proved wrong. I also think Pyle and Neville are soooo promising but their body height is sh,,,ithouse in contact and that must improve before they are Test players.
Justin2
Guest
Ill believe you when you prove it KPM. It aint hard, go on try it ;)
Justin2
Guest
Perhaps its because he is having a good season???
jeznez
Roar Guru
I thought after about six weeks of the season that Jones was looking more like a six - or perhaps an eight in the Harinordoquy mould. Particularly when he started topping the tackle count chart. Unfortunately he got suspended in the first game he played at 6. The injury to Saffy and the rise of Neville means that I think we will get plenty more chances to see how he goes in the loose.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I think the combination between the hooker and tighthead is more important than the combination between the two props. So would counter your comment on Kepu's combination with Robinson by saying that Palmer has a stronger combination with Moore. I also think that recognition needs to be paid to Carter packing behind Palmer and Douglas/Timani packing behind Kepu. Kepu has a huge advantage there. Kepu also gets a leg up in his scrum play in that when Robinson touches up his side of the scrum the disruption flows throughout the opposition pack - Alexander has not been dominating his opponents the same way Robinson has so that disruption isn't there for Palmer to take advantage of either. So yes, Kepu has destroyed a few opponents this year when Palmer hasn't - however Kepu has a lot more things helping him. I also suspect that Kepu's long limbs would make him very vulnerable if he had to face Robinson - note that he has also avoided Woodcock so he has missed the two sternest tests (in Super Rugby) of a tighthead throughout the course of the season. It is all speculative and there is some detective work going on to inform my opinion - I understand yours but don't agree with it. At the very least I think Palmer needs to be the bench prop. Kepu can play both sides and Robinson is a specialist loosehead. You need to pick a tighthead to be the bench player as Kepu can switch. Slipper is capable of playing both sides but I think has struggled at tighthead this year, Holmes is very much a loosehead who plays a bit of tight. If Kepu got injured I would be worried about either Slipper or Holmes going into 3. I think the lineout can be covered from the loose (subject of my next article) but agree that Pyle is the best of our lineout locks in contact. Fardy or Jones as bench players is definitely an option.
Red Kev
Guest
I assume you are comparing Horwill's actual impact on any game he plays in with Timani's nothing.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Guys for once in our lives we have several contenders for lock's, I am struggling to remember a time when we have had this number of talented young locks. I believe, and wonder if you agree, that we should turn a couple of them into outstanding 6's. Pyle has the hand skill as does Luke Jones, the question is who is good enough to develop into a 6 who could try to offset Kieran Read? Not an easy task as he would have to be fast and skilful. My guess would be Luke Jones but I have not seen enough of him to make a call just yet, impressed with his work and skill.
Jutsie
Guest
Probably the contract negotiations have played a part too. Look at the difference in Genia's performance once he's future was certain.
sittingbison
Guest
its not the weight of captaincy Jutsie, its the weight of carrying the whole organisation since the RG debacle. He is on field captain, had to organise the player vote on RGs sacking, is players rep on the board, is on the committee to select a new coach, and is on the panel for player contracts. And its his first season (as captain of a disfunctional on field team). Its a might easier to be captain of a smooth running organisation and winning team. Horwill has a lot to answer for for his despicable cowardly assaults on fellow wallabies this season
PeterK
Guest
jeznez - My front row would be Robinson, Moore and Kepu. I pick Kepu over Palmer because he has a combination and understanding with Robinson. The Tahs scrum has been the best scrum across all 3 countries in super rugby. This is with Mumm , a terrible scrumager, and weak being a lock. Any other lock provides more muscle. I do understand that you say Palmer handled Robinson reaosnably well. However Kepu has dominated may looseheads during the year rather than holding his own , I dont remember many looseheads Palmer has demolished. So at BEST it is very very close for scrumaging between Kepu and Palmer, and Kepu adds more around the park than Palmer so I pick him. Now to locks. Horwill will be one. I would pick Pyle as the lineout specialist to partner him. The reason being he is more effective , and hits the ruck harder than the other lineout specialists Simmons and Carter. He is abrasive and tough around the field. Fardy your pick is NOT as good a lineout, and IMO is really more of a 6 than a lock, like Luke Jones. I would have Fardy or Jones on the bench since they can cover 4,5,6. Reserve hooker would be TPN and reserve prop would be Slipper since he covers both sides. Holmes is better at 1 than Slipper but worse at 3. Alexander is a poor scrumaging prop and hence why I would not have him on the bench. I would accept Holmes over Slipper on the bench though.
Chris of Vic
Roar Pro
Thanks Jez, always nice to brush up from those in the know - I remember reading your article last year, another informative one. Cheers.
Moreton Bait
Guest
Great stuff, appreciate your thoughts. I am thinking Deans will use the Scotland test to introduce and assess new talent, especially as it appears (from reports) that primarily Force and Reds players will be coming off a bye and therefore selected. I don't expect really new combinations until the second Wales test, at the earliest. So, for Scotland: 1. Slipper, 2. Charles, 3. Palmer, 4. Simmons, 5. Sharpe (c), ?????? (next week?) [could be Shapies last test?] Wales 1 (4 days later): 1. Robinson, 2. Moore, 3. Kepu, 4. Horwill, 5. Douglas Horwill and Robinson need to find better form, although both have been imrpoving
Jutsie
Guest
You make a good point rhino, I also think the weight of the captaincy has also affected Pocock's performances. He hasn't been as dominant at the breakdown this year.
rl
Guest
Great article again Jez, the much anticipated sequel to last week's effort!