- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
So that was the Six Nations, that was, and we got a good look at the players who’ll form the core of the Lions squad.
The individual performances ranged from awesome to pretty good. On this side of the world, we’ve seen quite a few games involving Australian sides in the Super Rugby competition, and the individual performances have ranged from not bad to abysmal.
With about three months to go until the first Test, the Lions are looking stronger, faster and tougher.
Their stars are outshining our stars by a long shot. Pocock is out for starters, and Horwill has yet to come back after a long time away.
Tatafu Polota-Nau looks puzzled by the penalties he gives up, and Dennis features only at lineout time.
The scrummaging of Robinson and Alexander has been okay at best, and Kepu’s in the doghouse.
That leaves Timani, Hooper, Gill, Ryan, Slipper and Douglas with pass marks but no distinctions in my opinion.
In the backs, Genia has played just forty minutes lately but will no doubt come back to his brilliant best.
However O’Connor and Beale, while trying hard, aren’t making headlines. Quade Cooper is as erratic as ever and more likely to lose us a match than win one.
Barnes, who these days looks like a cross between a gunfighter and a Medici prince, still disappoints with his ill-judged kicking game.
Tapuai is a cut below international standard and Adam Ashley-Cooper is no longer a great attacking centre.
A player who’d make a fine Wallabies 13, Nick Cummins, probably won’t get a chance to play the position with the Force so we’ll never know.
Shipperley and Speight are doing well, particularly Speight, but he won’t be ineligible in time for the tests.
So in my estimation, which I’m sure will be royally shellacked by many Roarers, the Wallabies are lagging badly at this stage.
True it’s just that, a stage, and there are a lot of weeks left for players to improve. Also true is the old cliché that games are won on the field, not on paper.
But I have an awful feeling that when the paper Lions become red meat Lions, they’ll eat us without salt.
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.