Robbie Deans is an above average international rugby coach yet is now facing a challenge not faced by many others.
During Deans’ tenure he has built a system of positional depth in the Wallabies that is unprecedented.
Before his appointment, never before would Australia have been able to suffer the amount of injuries that we have suffered, and still field a competitive side.
However this positional depth has never truly succeeded at the fly-half position. It has been Quade Cooper then a lot of blank space, then everybody else.
He is the only fly-half specialist with proven international talent in Australia, even though he has never shown international consistency. Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor can all play the No. 10 role however they all look out of place, and are much more comfortable in the 12 and 15 roles.
The lack of confidence moving forward and erratic decision making from O’Connor showed he is not at his best at fly-half either, which isn’t a disaster.
Given the injury to Lealiafiano, O’Connor should move to inside centre allowing for a Quade Cooper recall.
While his omission was warranted due to poor recent performances in the gold jersey, exacerbated by unbecoming off-field conduct, Cooper’s chemistry with Will Genia, O’Connor and Beale could be the missing link for the Wallabies in the second Test.
Although Cooper isn’t an elite fly-half, or even a great fly-half, at least he is a fly-half.
Toomua is a fantastic player and a future Wallaby but to throw him to the Lions in the second Test could be overwhelming.
There are two sides to the argument though, as having Cooper and Beale on the field at the same time could leave Australia with too much of a defensive disadvantage against the Lions.
Toomua is a fantastic, reliable defender as witnessed by his display against the Lions for the Brumbies.
Either option will have its costs and benefits yet it is vital that Deans selects a specialist fly-half for the role.
Too many times on Saturday night O’Connor visibly was in two minds about what to do in certain situations. He often passed too late when the hole was closed, or pass too early when the defender had not been drawn.
This is because in nearly every situation in the first Test, when getting the ball at first receiver his gut instinct was to run.
His inside centre/fullback senses kick in when O’Connor touches the ball and Australia should utilise those senses by playing him at inside centre.
He doesn’t possess the vision and special awareness that a specialist fly-half has, his abilities are at their best when running off the hip of a playmaker.
After the first Test, all of Australia knows that we can win this series.
Our forwards lay a terrific platform for Will Genia, whose mercurial talent is a bonus for anyone wearing the No. 10 jersey.
However if the Wallabies are to make the next step up in execution for the Second Test, there must be a specialist No. 10 at fly-half; not O’Connor, not Barnes, not Beale.
We need to have our explosive backs playing at the best of their abilities, not trying to become a player that they are not.
Hopefully that is a lesson Deans takes out of the first Test, and makes a priority coming into the next week of training.
gluckers
Roar Rookie
I believe the right guy for fly-half is Kurtley....incisive runner, good distributor and mercurial. He is a long-term prospect with a great running rugby brain. He would undoubtedly be my first choice at 10. Dropped from the squad should be: Barnes ....never done a thing other than kick away good ball and get injured....waste of space McCabe..never had the first idea what 12/13 should be doing....good on defence but not an Aussie style centre like Horan or Little...always injured .....waste of space..Then there is AAC....has not had a good 3 seasons as far as I am concerned....has short bursts of good play but is nowhere near as good as 3 years back. Another one is Palu...never lasts a full match and has not got a feel for no8 ... My team for 2nd test would be. 15 ... JOC 14 ... Folau 13.... Taps 12.... CL (if fit) 11.... Digby 10....Beale 9..... Genia 8.... Mowen 7....Hooper 6....Kimlin 5.....Douglas 4....Horwill (capt) 3....Alexander 2...Moore 1...Robinson Nuff said
Simon_Sez
Roar Guru
Really, if you were James O'Connor would you want to pass the ball to McCabe? I mean the Lions were lining him up as they knew he is Mr Crash Ball and one dimensional, and JOC could see what was coming. Having McCabe in the back line was a mistake and Deans should have put Kurtley Beale in at 12, at least until Berrick "kick possession away" Barnes was replaced.
Justin2
Guest
Apple and oranges. Who played better against the Lions? Cooper comfortably
bennalong
Guest
A different coach couldn't have kicked those goals! Lealiifano was the kicker. Give him a go.
bennalong
Guest
9. Genia 10 X 12: Lealiifano X O'Connor / O'Connor X Lealiifano 11: Cummins 13: AAC 14:Folau 15 Beale
bennalong
Guest
Where do you blokes come from? Get real. Lealiifano is back next week (I think) This is his big opportunity and he has been training for three weeks opposite O'Connor as his twin playmaker. I would like to see him given a chance at first receiver where he can put O'Connor through holes and swing it out to the wings IIf AAC is back, Beale at fullback and Cummins on the wing opposite Folau we've got firepower that will be difficult to defend against Deans would be stupid to bring in someone from outside the squad. Give him his due......this is a attacking side and I look foreward to levelling the series on Saturday Then there's the decider in Sydney !!!! get with the enthusiasm fellas
Lroy
Guest
Mate.. Taps for JOC and you have me won... shall I bring cholcolates?
Lroy
Guest
Who are these f(*&^n people who keep saying Quade Cooper has no consistency at international level?? LOOK AT HIS RECORD!!! We won the tri nations for only the second time EVER with Cooper as flyhalf!!! We are at 75% or something with him in the side.. if you arent aware.. thats WAY better than Robbie Dean's coaching record. He has had one bad game against the Irish.. where Deans played the tighthead and loosehead in their wrong position.. our scrum got crunched and somehow its Coopers fault?? Jesus H f(*ng Christ.. the only time we have beaten the All Blacks in 5 years is with him in the side... are you people blind? Look at the replay of the Lions Reds game.. in a match were the Reds scrum and lineout were pulverised.. Cooper did brilliantly.. how well will he go behind a scrum that has parity??? If we had a flyhalf that could throw a cutout pass we would have scored at least another 2 tries on Saturday... sorry.. thats a fact.
Dennis McCarthy
Guest
All the comments sum up our problem: Non-Aus coaches for our national teams! Cricket Australia probably realized that: Mickey Arthur is to be replaced by Darren L Any Australian coach is preferable to a foreigner who cannot possibly be as committed or loyal as an Aussie should be. .McKenzie to the rescue, please!!!!
Ian
Guest
Looks like McCabe is also ruled out of the series. Ashley-Cooper may be available. I'd go with: 9. Genia 10. Cooper 11. Cummins 12. O’Connor 13. Ashley-Cooper 14. Folau 15. Beale 21. Phipps 22. Toomua 23. Lealiifano
Ian
Guest
9. Genia 10. Cooper 11. Cummins 12. O’Connor 13. McCabe 14. Folau 15. Beale 21. Phipps 22. Toomua 23. Lealiifano
ronaldo
Guest
Thats your opinion zjm …. but Beale has played all his junior career from early St Joey's days at 10. He knows the position. I agree Toomua is a good 10 but he's not in the squad & either is Cooper … so it's either Beale or Lealiifano (he will play either 10 or 12).
Defier Pariah
Guest
I think the only spot that JOC is the best option at is utility #23. He is a jack of all trades but I cant see a spot for him in the 15. I would like 9 Genia, 10 Toomua, 11 Ioane, 12 Lealiifano, 13 AAC, 14 Folau, 15 Mogg, 21 White, 22 Foley, 23 JOC. I think that covers all bases and gives Australia a stability that they have lacked over the last few years with hot n cold players such as Cooper, Barnes and Beale in the team. I know this wont happen but in my opinion the wonder kids (Beale, Cooper, JOC) are being surpased, they are no longer the knew kids in town and others may have been working a little harder at rugby whilst a few of them were on twitter, getting in fights or worrying about hair styles.
Nigel Imrie
Guest
Deans it is time to give Toomua his opportunity, if not recall Quade, simple as that! Would prefer a specialist and a consummate professional in the form of Toomua and if Liafano is ready put them together and Tapuai from Reds at outside centre and let's play ball!!! We could just about field an all islander backline. Let's do it Deans and let's play ball!!!!!
RPollock
Guest
I have a theory that Deans is short of cash and is trying to lose the Lipns series so he gets the sack and is paid put the last few years of his contract. What happened to the "play what is in front of you" mantra Deans espoused. If there was ever a player who exemplifies that it is Cooper, an added advantage is his proven combination with Genia. An added thought is that Deans is not the only selector so lets name and shame the other spineless jellyfish at the selectors table.
AdamS
Roar Guru
Quade can't play for Deans. Deans wants to run the backline from the coaching box and QC sees it as his job to run it from the field. That is why Deans wallabies never seem to have flexibility. If plan A fails, they doggedly stick to what they were told to do. Nobody has license to create and we can't rely on Genia playing three positions again, he may not have it in him, or will surely be more heavily disrupted in game two. Without training time to get the squad used to Quades moves, bringing him in now would be a disaster.
tarquin strangename
Guest
Unfortunately I don't think Deans reads this site or if he does he wouldn't take any notice of it We are just the people who pay his wages Yep just like tax payers pay Tony and Julia We buy the tickets and watch TV which give the ARU revenue and they pay his wages The question is why is Deans still coaching the Wallabies? He has the worst record ever? In every job I have had if you don't do your job to a certain level it's bye bye i.e. if you are the worst person to have ever been in a job you get the sack
Uncle Percy
Guest
Assuming Barnes, Ashley-Cooper and Ioane are out injured and McCabe and Leallifano are OK to go, this lot wouldn't be half bad 9. Genia 10. Toomua 11. O'Connor 12. Leallifano 13. Kuridrani 14. Folau 15. Beale Taps, McCabe, and Phipps the reserve backs
Paul_R
Guest
I'm not so sure that Deans has built the depth. Choosing new players in 2012 was forced upon him largely by injuries. Generally speaking, he has benefitted from large improvements in the quality of the provinces of late.
Rugby Reg
Roar Rookie
SURELY MT HAS TO COME IN? please dingo pick this man!!!!!!!!!!!