Considering the meticulous, down-to-the-minute, military-precision planning that goes into professional rugby these days, it was rather surprising to see Twitter light up with the Wallabies XV like it did after lunch yesterday.
Initially, and with the same side coming from so many different sources, outlets, and people, I actually had to double check my inbox I hadn’t missed an incoming media release.
Bulk team-namings like this one was are usually the hallmark of an official announcement, rather than a concerted and co-ordinated leak.
Nevertheless, the official presser is still scheduled for 4:00pm this afternoon, and the team officially released this morning, having been in some degree of ‘confirmed-ness’ for the best part of two days.
I suppose if people are going debate the make-up of the side, one way to ensure the debate at least involves the right players in the right positions is to frame the debate yourself.
Let’s remember, news that Quade Cooper missed both the initial 25-man squad and the ‘Wallaby Six’ that followed ten days later emerged in a similar fashion.
Regardless of who did the leaking and why, the team as ‘named’ has essentially met with universal approval.
There’s a few quibbles about Ben Alexander at tighthead, and that the locks are not proper lineout jumpers, and even that Israel Folau has spent even less time on the wing this year than Berrick Barnes has played all up, but otherwise, my impression has been that most of us are happy.
There have been a lot of “I’m still not sold on O’Connor at 10, but I do rather like this side…”-type comments made online and in the social media air, and that’s probably an admission from those of us making the comments (that one there was mine) that we perhaps weren’t considering the full picture.
I’ll wager those of you who agreed with this comment of mine yesterday, and who worry or worried about James O’Connor at flyhalf were also working off the assumption and/or concern that Pat McCabe would be named at inside centre.
Now that we know Christian Lealiifano will be named for a well-earned and arguably overdue Test debut, we can see why O’Connor was always Robbie Deans’ preference. With a proper playmaking option at inside centre to ignite the outside men, it now makes some sense that Deans wanted a line-running flyhalf, rather than the classic coaching manual-type.
Furthermore, with Berrick Barnes holding his position at fullback from 2012, the Wallabies give themselves three creative types and three strike runners, with O’Connor to flit between both camps, as he tends to do in whichever number he’s wearing.
Lealiifano probably sits in the box seat in this regard, as he does with the Brumbies, and he will largely be playing the same kind of ‘pick when to pass, pick when to run’ game that has been so successful for the Australian Conference leaders.
If anything, he’ll have even more options available to him, as Joe Tomane and Matt Toomua don’t necessarily present the same inside channel threats that Digby Ioane and O’Connor will.
Concerns over what we expected to be a relatively safe attacking gameplan also look rather narrow-minded of us now, and for that Robbie Deans deserves our praise for unveiling more than what we’ve come to know as a one-string bow.
That Ioane-Lealiifano-Adam Ashley-Cooper-Folau combination is as exciting a three-quarter line as I can recall from the Wallabies in a good few years and, after what we’ve seen from the Lions so far on tour, it’s great to see the Wallabies wanting to fight fire with fire, a la the Reds a fortnight ago.
Defensively, this Wallabies XV looks more than capable of replicating both the line speed of the Brumbies on Tuesday night, and the physicality of the Waratahs last Saturday. It will also have the fitness to last the distance and ask questions to the very end.
It shouldn’t leak points anywhere near as easily as it leaks team announcements.
The scrum looks strong, by relative Wallaby standards, and the lineout looks very handy, even if it is down one or two jumpers on what it could be.
Bench personnel could certainly aid this, and I honestly hope we see Hugh McMeniman’s name among the eight names we don’t know yet.
Overall, there is a bloody lot to like about this team, and for the first time in a long time, the naming of a Wallaby side has filled me with a level confidence rather than dread.
Of course, that could be the champagne that is still flowing through the water pipes in Canberra currently, and I could be setting myself up for a mighty fall.
Whatever will be, will be.
johnson
Guest
I can smell another Red Kev conspiracy coming along:) do you think before pressing the add comment button?
johnson
Guest
Aw jiggles, you have been owned
PeterK
Roar Guru
well you could stretch it and say 4 f/b's JoC, AAC, Folau, and Barnes and 3 5/8's JoC, CL and Barnes. I agree that Beale is a liability under the high ball and a poor tackler. He would be useful if we are behind and need to catch up or for impact to speed the game up. I would play him at 10 and move JoC to wing and Folau to F/B. Or play Beale on the wing and move Folau to F/B. I would not move him to F/B where a lot of many people want him to start.
David of Canberra
Guest
I see ... I think a workshop with me on writing headlines is in order then! :)
Ben.S
Roar Guru
He was still a poor selector prior to the WC. Since day 1 basically.
Malo
Guest
Yeah but qc is not a team player so hardly hypocritical. He is a one man band.
Malo
Guest
Im with you Mania. I cant wait, win or lose I just hope it is a cracker . My bro has hired a pub in Martin Place, with a 100 rugby nuts. It could go either way and I am just fascinated to see how it goes. No one here knows it is like the x files.
roardog
Guest
red kev why are they the most penalised because they compete for the ball , i believe thats why the brumbies won the other night ( competing at the breakdown )
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
Think you're being a bit unfair on Mowen's speed. There have been a couple of times this year he has burst through the line and outpaced the 3/4's to the line....he is no slouch in a foot race.
roardog
Guest
brett what is it that we are missing when mowen played with the waratahs he was very rarely rested and white is doing the same thing, mowen has only missed 46 mins in the last two seasons ,obviously coaches value him for his oganising ability !!!!
Brett McKay
Expert
Yep, you're right PK, though I'm not sure if McCabe was right for the Kings game (will stand corrected, though). White has rested pretty much everyone bar Ben Mowen, from memory...
ajh
Guest
I expect Gill may comeon in the second half to partner Hooper if our backrow is found to be a bit slow. What worries me is,why McCabe is even on the bench. It would be to go back to null attack and defend defend defend. Deans preferred position. What a waste of our,bench spot.
soapit
Guest
happy enough with the pack, wouldnt have picked the two bens but not to up on my front rowers to be able to name replacements. the rest is probably what i would have gone with after the injuries backs i would have oconnor on the wing and beale starting at 10 assuming a) robbie cant get what he wants from cooper and b) beale is fit and right enough to go to be on the bench. i'd have folau at fullback or not at all. wouldnt surprise me to not see him be massively involved in the game. ione id have concerns about but would probably have picked him, if it was a lead up test i might have tried blooding a tomane or someone but then again would still probably let him get the game time. barnes is a good fullback as long as they DONT USE HIM AS A SECOND PLAYMAKER. his strength is taking good options when something is on like a fullback but isnt someone who will create out of nothing like a first reciever. plus if the two playmakers at 10 and 12 cant get already the job done without much help theres something wrong. could go either way with a couple of big gambles and a few more smaller ones. i'll be surprised if they all come off to be honest but should be interesting to watch so i'm happy for now and i reckon i'm not the only one i think a lot of the positivity regarding this team comes from a) us being able to at least understand the rationale for over 50% of the selections (which is a welcome change from the past few years) plus b) it being something genuinely different and intriguing to see how all these genuinely talented guys in unfamiliar positions or on debut (or both). he's got the team he wants now lets see what happens on the field with no excuses.
Dmac
Guest
Robinson is a no brainer decision. Stunned that anyone would question it.
Dmac
Guest
Beale did his time for his crime. The follow up issues were breaches of team rules due to alcohol and he has sought (and presumably continues to seek) help for that. The media acted on each occasion like he killed someone. The first one was bad, the others minor.
soapit
Guest
beale will always be a liability until he shows he's safe under the high ball. a fullback who cant catch is worth a lot of points to the opposition. not sure why hes on the bench with three fullbacks and two 5/8ths in the run on side.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Nick, Croft is selected to play a certain role: he plays wide so somebody else plays tight. That's what Martin Johnson did with Nick Easter. Heaslip is the ball carrier and Croft is the link man. The one thing the Lions haven't done with him is play short re-starts, because he has killed the Wallabies doing that in recent seasons. I'm hoping that the Lions try that on Saturday. Palu is just coming off a knee injury though. I genuinely don't recall him ever having more than a few lineout jumps in his career. And yeah, he was good in that game. I agree. I'm a fan of Gill, but Hooper is a beast. Technically he's not as accurate as Gill, and he plays through the ruck as opposed to down on it more than he should, but he's so competitive. He was a joy to watch last year. Not sure re: Kepu. Deans likes him...
Dmac
Guest
It isn't. It just isn't. It's the bane of these forums. How many people have to say it?
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Denby, State of Origin is rugby league - a far more structured game than union. And he's played 15 all season for the Waratahs. So in rugby terms this is his first gig and he is a rookie. -- Nick, Folau might not actually be that involved. The Lions could choose to kick to him a) to test his defence, and b) because Cuthbert is marginally taller, but conversely they might opt not to risk it given his reputation under the high ball. Somebody, I forget whom, made a point about the difference defensively between wing and 15 and knowing when to hold back and when to position yourself in different circumstances. I doubt Folau will stay on the wing all game, but it's a big ask. I heard it's going to be raining, which will mean a kickfest and a lot of whistling from the ref.
Dmac
Guest
They'll be right. I feel good. Trust me.