There would be many things running through Ewen Mackenzie’s mind in regards to his team selection for this Saturday’s return Bledisloe Cup Test; one being who the right man is for the number six jersey.
After being praised for his selection of Hugh McMeniman, it must be said that the man they call “madness” was not as his best on Saturday night.
The injection of Liam Gill in the 51st minute brought a notable shift in the Wallabies forwards, as the ball retention for the New Zealand side was no longer straightforward.
With Australia trailing 1-0 in the series and the Bledisloe Cup all but lost for another year, the addition of Gill to the blindside flanker position could provide some invaluable experience.
In the 29 minutes Gill spent on the field, he made more runs than McMeniman (6) and was involved in six rucks/mauls, one more than McMeniman and the same number as his flanker partner Michael Hooper.
Gill’s Super Rugby stats for 2013 show a similar work rate as he lead the competition in pilfers with 11, finished fourteenth in tackles made with 190 and had the fourth highest number of pick and drives with 27.
While some may argue that Gill does not provide the aggressiveness and large body that McMeniman offers, perhaps it is necessary to look at the use of the two flankers as a pairing differently.
For years the “big six” and “ball hunting seven” strategy has been employed by the Wallabies and with a drastic lack of silverware in the cabinet, it could be time to have two ball hunters on the park in attempt to slow down some of the All Blacks ball.
Who knows, with a bit of luck the combination of Gill and Hooper could provide the platform for two Wallaby wins in New Zealand – a feat not accomplished since 1986.
False hope you say? Maybe, but if no changes are made this weekend then the overriding smell of pessimism will hang around Australian rugby for another year without doubt.
Matt
Guest
Saying Gill is better than Hooper is a ridiculous statement. Hmmm let me think did Gill win Under 20's player of the year or Rookie of the year or Aust Super 15 player of the year ? All of these he had a chance to win and did not . Lets use the less balanced view of stats then Hopper beats Gilll in all stats other than pilfers and pilfers alone don't make a well balanced 7. Seems to me you might be form QLD I appreciate it is your view only it's just that when you have a tag of Guru I have to question in what your guru staus is? it's certainly not Rugby. There is going to be egg of your face when he wins the John Ealses medal this year considering he cam 3rd last year and played less than half the polling games I think he is Abigail chance. Gill is no doubt a good player but not is the same league as Hooper in fact I challenge the guru to show me who has archived as much in Hooper in 2 years of test football including the greats!
Ian
Guest
Personally think the Wallabies squad should be (accounting for injuries): 1. Sio 2. Moore 3. Slipper 4. Horwill 5. Fardy (covering Kimlin's injury) 6. Hodgson (not in training squad, should be in to cover Higginbotham's injury 7. Hooper (covering Pocock's injury) 8. Mowen 9. Genia 10. Cooper 11. Cummins (until Speight is eligible) 12. Lealiifano 13. Ashley-Cooper 14. Folau 15. O'Connor 16. Faingaa (covering Polota-Nau's injury) 17. Alexander 18. Robinson (not in training squad, also do not believe there should be 2 props on the bench or 8 bench players, it's just soft) 19. Pyle (covering Fardy's bench spot whilst Kimlin is injured) 20. Gill (covering Hooper's bench spot whilst Pocock is injuried) 21. White 22. Toomua 23. Kuridrani Note: Kimlin is moving overseas next season, so he won't be available for the Wallabies.
Ian
Guest
Correct, Mowen lacks the aggression and physicality of a Number 8, but he one of the best I've ever seen at dribbling the ball at the back of the scrum and is great come line-out time. He is the best we've got at the moment, though. Unfortunately Higginbotham and Auelua around out until next year. I would like to see them work on developing someone like Lopeti Timani, hopefully the Rebels use his talents better than the Waratahs did.
Zero Gain
Guest
Yes, I agree, that is boys against men. We need at least one big flanker with mongrel. Samo?
Sage
Guest
Agreed Uncle. Remiss of me too, good to see you back. Did you enjoy the sabbatical?
bluerose (Rotuma Island).
Guest
hard to make Lovo for the Fekei in this side of the world, no Rotuman team for the time being.
dwayne_board
Guest
Well it comes to the same thing. There's an unwillingness to select from outside English clubs even if it's not set in stone as 'law'. Armitage has already played for England, and having been French top 14 player of the year two seasons in a row he would certainly be in the mix if he was playing in England.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
They need to move Mowen back to blindside and bring in whoever they have to cover No.8. Mowen is a poor No.8.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Pyes and others, For some reason I am not able to edit my comment. Just to direct the comment specifically to Pyes, as I promised earlier in the thread.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
The best display of Australian rucking in the Deans period was the 25 Nov 2010 France v Australia match in France. The Australian rucks were well structured, economical, and effective. I remember OJ asking me if I enjoyed the interplay of the backs (Australia 59, France 16) and I said that the rucks were more pleasing. I think that was the best executed Australian game in the Deans era.
Mike
Guest
Bless you, my son.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
But Messam has played his entire career exclusively at 6 and 8 and he only became a serious AB option a) when Kaino had left, and b) when it was felt he had tightened up his game enough. There's a reason we haven't seen NZ play two 7s since Jones and Kronfield.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Lancaster is able to choose who he wants. He simply chooses to ignore players in France. Armitage has never been considered a serious England player.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Firstly, very few players ever actually returned to Super Rugby, but for every Luke McAlister there is a Gary Botha. And for every Frans Steyn who comes back overweight and unfit there is a Frans Louw. And as for those Australian players listed by Simon the less said the better. Brock James is a journeyman, Kimlin is unknown and Timani is quite literally a sack of spuds. Plus Ioane is injured.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
He's not 26, but he was still playing 1st receiver for the Brumbies this season. When Hooper and Gill become renowned for grubber kicks and their excellent passing game I'll take note.
Gunner
Guest
Get Gill into 6. We seem fixated on a big 6, almost as big as a lock. The AB's don't, Messam and McCaw when selected together are a case in point - neither are "lock like" Give it a go, after all the Ab's Know a bit about rugger, taking a leaf out of their book can't hurt.
Ben, we simply need to accept we don't agree on many things, you have your opinion and I have mine. I rate Hooper and Gill, you rate George Smith. He isn't 26 years old anymore, he may have had more qualities then, but not anymore.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Have you missed Smith's entire career? He's one of the best ball handling and ball playing 7s of the modern era. Hooper can barely chuck a ball sideways. Bizarre comment frankly.
Nigel Imrie
Guest
Nils Bluerose! Any fakei left brother? Couldn't agree with you more, if you saw the Bols v Pumas last weekend then the way the Bok forwards were throwing themselves at the Pumas is the way I would love to see our Wallabies go about their business however to get the boys to maintain that high tempo smash fest is proving to be an elusive dream! How is our Rotuman National Team cingular along?
Nigel Imrie
Guest
Listen chaps,Mowen to 6 with McCalman at 8, Hooper at 7 however you could play Horwall at 6 and put Mowen on the bench with Douglas moving into the second row with Simmons. However Mowen was very effective against the Lions at 6. Horwall was very busy against the ABs last week and he could be a real wrecking ball at 6, he has played there before. We do need a number 8 forward and Mowen is better suited to 6, McCalman is the long term man to fill that spot, he has had the experience under Deans and he will revel in the Test arena, he is a Force man and their forwards are use to the hard graft especially their backrow, so the 8 spot should be his exclusively!