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The Roar’s collective mind has been harnessed and more than five hundred of you have selected your Wallabies XV to play the Lions. Let’s take a look at the results.
Responses – With 504 responses tallied in a little more than 24 hours, you’ve blown us away. Experts, rusted-on Roarers and casual fans have all been active in selecting their team. Thank you to all who’ve submitted your thoughts.
Now, let’s get to the team!
The Certainties
We’ve set the threshold for a certainty at more than 90 percent. We believe that’s a high enough percentile to be considered a lock for The Roar’s Wallabies XV.
Halfback – Will Genia
Genia received the nod from 99 percent of the submissions received. He clearly has a strong hold on his position as long as he’s healthy. That also means 99 percent of you are clear-minded and honest in your appraisal of the best halfback in the land.
Second row – James Horwill
Horwill received 99 percent of the vote to start here. Which leaves one obvious question: who didn’t select him?
Horwill should, and will suit up for Australia to take on the Lions.
Left wing – Digby Ioane
Ioane’s recent contract dispute with the Queensland Reds hasn’t done his Wallabies chances any harm – 96 percent of responders agree that Ioane’s brilliant running game will have him on the left for Australia.
Outside centre – Adam Ashley-Cooper
A great season for the Waratahs has tightened Ashley-Cooper’s hold on the 13 jersey in the eyes of 94 percent of you.
His good defensive reads in the backline will be crucial against the likes of Jamie Roberts, Manu Tuilagi and Brian O’Driscoll.
Who were the vast minority that opted for someone other than Genia, Horwill or Ioane? Nic Phipps and Joe Tomane received some votes. Do we have a few helicopter Mums out there? Are there rugby reasons for those selections?
Position Summaries
Front Row
The selections here were fairly certain at loose-head prop and hooker, where Benn Robinson and Stephen Moore received 78 percent of the vote.
Moore has been a rock for both the Brumbies and Wallabies in the last few years and is one of the best all-round performing in the world at his position.
Slightly more surprising is Robinson receiving 68 percent more votes than Ben Alexander. Presumably this is because of an emphasis on scrimmaging ability against a strong Lions pack.
The most contentious front row spot was tight-head prop. No selection won even 50 percent of the vote. James Slipper won the round with 47 percent. Dan Palmer received some solid support at 27 percent. Possibly he lost out due to Slipper’s ability to get round the park.
Second row
We’ve already locked in James Horwill with an overwhelming vote at one spot. The other was split up very closely. Hugh McMeniman won with 31 percent of submissions saying he should be paired with Horwill. Rob Simmons garnered 29 percent of the vote and Sitaleki Timani was next cab off the rank with 22 percent. Kane Douglas took hom 16 percent. So the votes were evenly spread.
Horwill and a fit-again McMeniman – in form similar to the early season Super Rugby games he played – would be a very strong and physical second row unit to take on the Lions. McMeniman’s ball running ability would be a great asset.
Back row
Scott Higginbotham won blindside flanker selection in 60 percent of votes. Ben Mowen was only nominated 28 percent of the time. Dave Dennis was in single digits.
It’s perhaps a bit surprising that Mowen and Dennis, both captains of their Super Rugby side as well and having strong seasons, didn’t receive a few more votes. Perhaps Higginbotham’s athleticism is too hard to ignore?
At openside flanker, George Smith took home 53 percent of the vote. Michael Hooper and Liam Gill only managed to get into the twenties. So there’s a clear surge of support there for the wily veteran.
At number eight, Wycliff Palu won in a canter. Higginbotham still received the second most votes here too – so clearly he’s getting a Wallabies nod by Roarers.
Inside backs
We’ve already pencilled in Genia and then Ashley-Cooper in their positions.
At fly-half, there was a surprise. 80 percent of Roarers believe Quade Cooper should be given a run. No one else polled in double digits. His continuing improvement with the Reds suggests he is slowly producing game-winning form has been duly rewarded.
Christian Lealiifano was by far the preferred inside centre to pair with Cooper. This would certainly offer the Wallabies room to play expansively and move tired Lions forwards around the park.
Outside backs
Roarers believe James O’Connor is the second wing option for the Wallabies this year opposite Ioane. He is a versatile player and has displayed some strong broken play running this year.
Second placed in the wing vote was Israel Folau, but that doesn’t matter because he was selected by 53 percent of you at fullback. His devastating running and uncanny offloading has won over Roarers quickly enough to beat Jesse Mogg by 18 percent.
Wallabies XV and run-on reserves as selected by Roarers
Starting line up: 1. Benn Robinson 2. Stephen Moore 3. James Slipper 4. James Horwill 5. Hugh McMeniman 6. Scott Higginbotham 7. George Smith 8. Wycliff Palu 9. Will Genia 10. Quade Cooper 11. Digby Ioane 12. Christian Lealiifano 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper 14. James O’Connor 15. Israel Folau
Run on reserve: 16. Ben Alexander 17. Tatafu Polota-Nau 18. Rob Simmons 19. Michael Hooper 20. Dan Palmer (extra prop) 21. Nick White 22. Ben Tapuai 23. Jesse Mogg.
| Benn Robinson | 393 | 79% |
| Ben Alexander | 70 | 14% |
| Greg Holmes | 29 | 6% |
| Other | 7 | 1% |
| Stephen Moore | 392 | 78% |
| Tatafu Polota-Nau | 88 | 18% |
| Saia Fainga’a | 8 | 2% |
| James Hanson | 10 | 2% |
| Other | 2 | 0% |
| James Slipper | 237 | 48% |
| Sekope Kepu | 95 | 19% |
| Dan Palmer | 131 | 26% |
| Other | 35 | 7% |
| James Horwill | 493 | 99% |
| Other | 5 | 1% |
| Rob Simmons | 142 | 28% |
| Hugh McMeniman | 156 | 31% |
| Sitaleki Timani | 115 | 23% |
| Kane Douglas | 81 | 16% |
| Other | 6 | 1% |
| Scott Higginbotham | 298 | 60% |
| Dave Dennis | 33 | 7% |
| Ben Mowen | 135 | 27% |
| Other | 33 | 7% |
| Michael Hooper | 121 | 24% |
| George Smith | 268 | 54% |
| Liam Gill | 109 | 22% |
| Other | 2 | 0% |
| Wycliff Palu | 280 | 56% |
| Ben Mowen | 84 | 17% |
| Scott Higginbotham | 123 | 25% |
| Other | 12 | 2% |
| Will Genia | 493 | 99% |
| Other | 3 | 1% |
| James O’Connor | 47 | 9% |
| Quade Cooper | 399 | 80% |
| Matt Toomua | 40 | 8% |
| Other | 12 | 2% |
| Digby Ioane | 476 | 96% |
| Other | 21 | 4% |
| Christian Lealiifano | 366 | 74% |
| Ben Tapuai | 67 | 14% |
| Kyle Godwin | 12 | 2% |
| Other | 48 | 10% |
| Adam Ashley-Cooper | 467 | 94% |
| Anthony Fainga’a | 12 | 2% |
| Other | 17 | 3% |
| Israel Folau | 133 | 27% |
| James O’Connor | 270 | 54% |
| Nick Cummins | 75 | 15% |
| Other | 19 | 4% |
| Jesse Mogg | 176 | 35% |
| Israel Folau | 259 | 52% |
| Other | 61 | 12% |
Reserves collated based on submitted entries and those in second place
Roar founding Expert Spiro Zavos responds to the Roar selection:
The Roarers should be proud of themselves. They have selected a side that is strong in the forwards, experienced where it matters and has exciting game breakers – X-factor players – in the backs.
This is a side that could really test the British and Irish Lions in all phases of the game.
But, in my view, it isn’t the side that the Wallaby selectors will put on on the field for the first Test.
If the side selected by Robbie Deans and his fellow selectors wins the Test, or shows enough to suggest that it will win the next Test (as Rod Macqueen’s Wallabies did in 2001), the selectors will stick with their first choices. But if the first Test side is defeated convincingly by the Lions, then I reckon they will go for a team along the lines of the selection of The Roar readers.
Deans has already stated that he won’t be experimenting or picking too many new players (unless their inclusion is irresistible) for the first Test, at least.
So I reckon he will pick the Waratahs front row, even though Stephen Moore is a much more accurate lineout thrower than Tatafu Polota-Nau.
I have no doubt either that Sitaleki Timani will partner James Horwill in the second row. Timani will be used as a battering ram in the middle of the field and Horwill is terrific running off Genia. With these two huge, mobile runners smashing into the Lions defence, holes will hopefully be opened up for the outside backs to convert into tries.
Scott Higginbotham was out of favour a bit last year. But his play for the Rebels has been compelling. He gives the Wallaby backrow great size, aggression and terrific pace.
The point here is that Wycliff Palu is a straight-on basher of a runner. He doesn’t have much lateral speed and is rarely seen when the opposition gets behind the defensive line of his team.
Higginbotham and Smith provide the necessary speed to balance out the power that Palu provides with his carries around the rucks and mauls.
I would expect Michael Hooper to be the back-up to Smith as the openside flanker ahead of the excellent Liam Gill.
Hooper’s great pace is unmatched by openside flankers around the world, and especially in the Lions. Smith has the advantage, too, of being able to play all three backrow positions when someone like Hooper is brought on later in the Test.
My thinking on Quade Cooper is that he will probably be included in the squad of 31 but not Sunday’s squad of 25. The Reds play the Lions early on in the tour. Reading between the lines from comments made by informed journalists it seems that the selectors want to see how Cooper performs against the Lions before sending him out for the Wallabies.
I reckon the Test backline will be: Will Genia, James O’Connor, Pat McCabe, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Digby Ioane, Israel Folau and Berrick Barnes as the fullback. Christian Lealiifano will be a reserve who can cover fly half, inside centre and probably fullback.
Before Roarers go beserk about McCabe, who is still to start for the Brumbies, the point is that the Lions will have huge centres (unless O’Driscoll gets a run) and huge wingers. The Wallabies need a tackler like McCabe to hold the middle of the field in the way Stirling Mortlock used to and how McCabe did against the Springboks in the RWC 2007 quarter-final.
This is an argument in favour of McCabe that Mark Ella has made recently.
The fact that Cooper is the overwhelming choice by Roarers is a reflection of his popularity with many rugby supporters, especially in Queensland. But has he done enough to make up for his ‘toxic environment’ comments about the Wallaby camp last year?
The point here is that the senior players in the Wallabies at the time were offended by his comments. It was their representations that led to the fines against Cooper.
As the Wallaby environment is shaped as much by the players’ leadership group as it is by the coaching staff, this is an important consideration for Deans to consider.
I would say that Cooper’s behaviour has been sort of forgiven but not forgotten. He will get his chance when the selectors believe he is absolutely crucial to the success of the Wallabies.
In all probability, that time has not been reached – yet.
But an injury to O’Connor could, of course, change everything. Who knows, though.
The Roar readers might be reading the mind of the selectors better than I am trying to do. All will be revealed, or most of the mystery at least, on Sunday.
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.