This week I put forward my case to dispel the idea a lack of depth is to blame for the Wallabies recent woes on the field. Now I’m going to run through a ‘stocktake’ our Wallaby squad worthy talent to use as my evidence, starting with our forwards.
I can assure you that there will be some players who you’ll hope to never see in a Wallaby tracksuit. But the point of this exercise is to dig up every last bit of talent that if required, they could at least plug a hole with the right team around them.
We have the individuals who can adequately ‘fill in’, but what we don’t have is the team formula that makes their transition into Test rugby as seamless as possible.
Without further ado, here’s a position by position summary detailing Australian rugby’s current depth situation.
Props
Unfortunately our scrum has been stuck in reverse since the IRB brought in the new engagement laws and it’s no huge secret the front row represents the greatest issue for the Wallabies.
The shining light is we’ve got a healthy supply of young props, which is promising considering most of the world’s dominant scrummaging practitioners are older than the average rugby player.
Ben Alexander and Benn Robinson: At 28 and 29 respectively, they’re the two older heads in the front row.
James Slipper and Sekope Kepu: A few years behind but there’s a good argument to suggest these two should be our starters until some better options can be identified.
Paddy Ryan: Also in his mid 20s, like the two above. A cap to his name in 2012 against France and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Dan Palmer: A big loss for our front row stocks. Hopefully he’ll return from Grenoble better for the experience of packing in a northern hemisphere scrum or two.
Scott Sio: Generation next with a few caps to his name already.
Paul Alo-Emile: Keep an eye on this young Rebel for the future.
Hooker
Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota Nau: Moore’s more consistent throw has him slightly ahead of the injured Tah. However, we are missing Taft’s physicality and ability to soften up our opponents.
Saia Fainga’a and James Hanson: Reasonably lightweight but both have shown their value for the Reds over the last three or four seasons.
Albert Anae: The prop come hooker is the Reds’ larger option at number 2.
Locks
Since Nathan Sharpe’s retirement, finding a long term partner for James Horwill in the second row has presented an issue.
Jame Horwill: Captain Courageous (most of the time) and it will be good to have him back at Newlands.
Hugh McMeniman: If he can keep himself out of the casualty ward, he’s our man to team up as Big Kev’s fellow ‘bash brother’.
Sitaleki Timani: He can be a bit hot-and-cold but in his half hour against the Argies he showed why most of Australia should be holding its breath hoping his French deal falls through.
Rob Simmons: Another of the hit-and-miss variety but to his credit, 2013 has been more hit than miss.
Kane Douglas, Hugh Pyle, Cadeyrn Neville and Sam Carter: Beyond the four pillars mentioned above, there’s still a significant amount of young talent who could have an impact on the Wallabies.
Will Skelton: The 21 year old man mountain is another exciting Wallaby prospect for the future. Prior to his start against the Lions, his fitness was under question but his 80 impressive minutes showed that he’ll more than be up to the intensity and physicality of Test rugby after some more game time with the Tahs.
Blindside
Scott Higginbotham: We’ve missed his physicality around the park this year.
Scott Fardy: The journeyman has done a more than admirable job of filing in for Higgers during the Rugby Championship.
Peter Kimlin: Played most of 2013 at lock but he’s spent plenty of time at 6, which is his best position. Kimlin was one of Australia’s form forwards of the 2013 Super Rugby season and he’ll be a great loss for the Brumbies and potentially the Wallabies.
Dave Dennis and Ed Quirk: Dennis has a reasonable amount of Wallaby experience and Quirk is a consistently hard worker for the Reds and could be a back row star of the future.
Openside
A position where the Wallabies are blessed for talent, with each candidate bringing something different to the table.
David Pocock: Still our first choice 7. His pilfering skills and his ability to slow down our opponent’s front foot ball would be invaluable to the style of game the Wallabies are trying to employ.
Michael Hooper: Consistently one of the Wallabies best forwards week in, week out this year. But his pace and ball-in-hand abilities may be better served coming off the bench in the last 30 to 20 minutes when the game is a little more open.
Liam Gill: Probably our most well-rounded 7 and also presents a legitimate option in the lineout.
George Smith: At age 87 he showed he’s still up to the pace and rigors of Test rugby. Gee it would have been great for Australian rugby if we could have held on to him for one more year.
Beau Robinson: Not on the same level as the four names above but a fearless, ‘no-frills’ openside who played a big part in the Reds’ championship season.
Number 8
Ben Mowen: His ‘lead by example’ captaincy style justified his surprise promotion to the Brumbies top job in 2012 and his most recent elevation to lead the Wallabies on the weekend.
Wycliff Palu: Another one troubled with injury in recent times but Cliffy’s Lions series showed there’s still a considerable amount of fight left in the veteran.
Jake Schatz: Unfortunate to miss out on his Wallaby debut against the Springboks but, at 23, Queensland’s best player for 2013 will be sure to play a role in the Wallabies back row in future.
Fotu Auelua: Obviously not an 80 minute player but his powerful runs and his rib-arranging hits make him a valued 60 minute contributor, possibly as impact off the bench.
Some of the players named above are still very fresh, with some development ahead of them. Others we’d hope not to see in Wallaby teams of the future.
But it gives you some sort of a snapshot of the quality and depth of Australia’s professional rugby talent.
Personally, I believe it’s not a bad picture.
Now I’m under no illusions this somehow stacks up when compared to the impressive production lines of New Zealand and South Africa.
But what I believe it does demonstrate is we have the talent and depth to put together a successful national squad.
We’ve achieved this position despite the absence of an expensive national and semi-professional third tier and I’d suggest the implementation of one will have a limited impact on our Test playing stocks.
Certainly not enough of an impact to justify the costs involved in establishing and maintaining such a competition.
Kevino
Guest
Luke Jones would make that side at 4, 6 or 8 ahead of those guys.
stevo
Guest
I thought Wykes played for Samoa in the WC? Did I imagine it?
Paul C
Guest
I can imagine Forrest Gump like chorus's coming from his fellow WB's " Run Coal Train Run"! But to be fair, the Wollabies aren' t starting from all that great scrum base at the moment. Our pack needs to be big, mean and scary with players hunting & defending in packs. This may take years to nurture, whose to say Coal train cant learn a few things or two, I mean Israel Folau went to the AFL and still cant kick, so stranger things have happened. But he would have to want it, he definitely has a lazy streak about him at present.
Rob9
Roar Guru
I think it’d be a miracle if you could teach ‘the coal train’ his ABC’s let alone another sport.
Franky
Guest
McCalman is hopeless. Too small, too soft. Palu is hopeless, too big, too soft. Surely there are a couple of big units running around in subbies that can play tougher than what we have right now
Paul C
Guest
I think the main issues with the scrum have been already mentioned, but i also would like to put it out there maybe the scrum needs to change due to the new rules. perhaps we need 3 big and strong loose forwards to match it toe to toe with the boks and AB for strength and aggression. To that end maybe Hooper and Gill at 97kg and 96kg are too small. Perhaps Hooper would be better in the centres? Also if there is a bored millionaire out there, 3 names maybe from the NRL, David Taylor 6ft 2 and 120kg; Martin Kennedy 6ft 3 and 118kg and former RU player, and Andrew Fifita 6ft 4 & 114kg and former RU player. All are young enough (24-25) to learn the new rules from scratch.
JB
Guest
I don't necessarily agree with this statement - those guys are very decent props IF and WHEN properly coached. I don't think Australia is giving enough attention to the scrum (they did let go of Pato Noriega). Australia needs a scrum guru of the caliber of Mike Cron who works with the All Blacks and look at the All Black scrum which is a very good foundation for the game. I am more worried about the hooking position as no-one comes behind Moore and Polota-Nau (when he is fit). Also, the second rowers, all honest players but no world class lock. Hopefully Skelton will be that guy. Pity Timani was let go by some imbecile at the ARU because he has the potential to properly lock that scrum (again if taught how to pack a scrum) and can intimidate opponents as no-one else can in that team.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Sorry Luke but that's just not a great pack. - two opensiders - no bulk in the back row - No bulk at 5 either, so light at 5-8 At tight head I have only two answers: 1. turn Slipper into a test level TH; 2. Paddy Ryan. Solid scrummager and good around the field, even a good link man. Get both of their scrummaging right up to test level. At LH we have Slipper, Robinson and up and comer Sio, so better depth.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Agreed Ryan. The guy's not a great test prospect.
LukeR
Guest
WIth this is mind, this would be our closest to WCTS at the moment in my opinion: 1. Robinson 2. TPN 3. ???? (anyone's guess at the moment...Kepu? At times, the Tahs have had a dominant Super Rugby scrum with that front row) 4. Horwill 5. Fardy 6. Pocock 7. Hooper 8. Mowen (for his lineout work) This pack is assuming both locks are going to have to get through a lot of running, leaving Pocock and Mowen to hit a lot of rucks. Hooper could try and run the ball a bit more than he has been in tests so far, with Pocock and Mowen doing more work over the ball. There's certainly the option of trying Sio, Skelton, Timani, and Higganbotham, all of whom COULD be WCTS. If they changed from a maybe to a yes, that would displace any or all of Kepu, Fardy, Mowen.
LukeR
Guest
We need a world class test standard lock, a prop, a 6 and an 8. Prop: Slipper, Alexander, Kepu are good at provincial level, but aren't world class test standard (WCTS). Sio, Ryan, and Palmer have the potential, but we don't know yet. Robinson I think is a WCTS scrummer (at least under the old rules) and it was crazy for Link to leave him out. Lock: Pretty much no one in the current squad is WCTS except for Horwill. In an ideal world Fardy would be given a crack at lock, as he has real potential there. MMM maybe, if he can stay fit. Timani and Skelton are the prime maybes. Blindside and no 8: These are the most troubling positions. There isn't a top test team without real physical punch in these positions and we just don't have it. Mowen and Fardy are workers, but I'm not convinced they'll ever be the answer. All the talk of Higganbotham is unfounded in my opinion, he's a maybe at best. Where the next WCTS player in these crucial positions are going to come from is anyone's guess. I would consider a backrow with Hooper at 7 and Pocock at 6 if we had a genuine lineout option at 8. Hmmmmm. On the bright side I think Pocock and Taf are truly WCTS if we can get them on the field and Taf's lineout throwing straight. Hooper and Gill are not physical enough yet, but are both young and a strong maybes. Moore is also up there. But truly, prop, 6 and 8 are the worries.
ACT
Guest
Most of those names are young players so be patient instead of chopping g and changing after every poor result like the Bules Origin. RWC15 will see quite a number on the list in their playing age prime.
ACT
Guest
IMO he did beat the SAF in the qtr RWC11. Poey's pilfers kept us ahead for the win.
ACT
Guest
Colby Faainga captained the U20. Too bad he had Smith and Poey ahead of him for game time. His limited time this season you can see him really mature physically and mentally. I think he has started to realise his strength & power plus having two great open sides to learn from. He should show his skill as the Rebels starting 7 & hope he eventually come home to Brumbies in a few years.
Jagman
Guest
Fair enough Chan wee. That's an impressive team I didn't realize that all those guys were so young. In response I will say that the team I picked is something around 85% under 21. Just a few positions like scrumhalf I couldn't think of any one of particular not.
Chan Wee
Guest
1. I was merely quoting JAGMAN on U23 Oz team 2. As powerful as they may be the OZ u23 fill find it tough against the NZ U23 with at least half the side current MIB.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Correct, he usually uses both hands when he wins a game by himself
Ryan Du Toit
Roar Rookie
Are you seriously considering him? That says it all. We lack so much talent that Wykes gets a mention.
Ryan Du Toit
Roar Rookie
Rob9, I agree with a lot of what you're saying but I can't agree that we have "an exciting amount of talent and depth". How can we beat any team with one player who is better than their opposite number? Be it Hooper or Pocock. That simply means we can't win. I read the recent roar article where the strength of team culture was blamed and used to support our future vision of success, but a team's culture simply can't beat that much weight of difference in "talent and depth". And we lack that because these player are just not working hard enough.
Tane Mahuta
Guest
Jerry that might be what the stats suggest but imo its not what would happen. Imo if Ire, Sco and Wal were to play Aus more often they would start to beat them more often. Thats normally how it goes. Sometimes it doesnt but in general it tends to go that way. For example, do we expect Arg to become better against SANZAR or not get better? I would assume that they would start to get better the more often they play against them. The more teams play, the more they even out generally. Again I will repeat that Im not saying Eng have been the better team over that period so Im not sure of what your trying to say. All Im saying is that Eng has not been dominated by the SH teams all the time and have comparible stats over that period. They themselves have been the best in the world like Aus, SA and NZ. There is a perception that the SH teams are just better but they are not always and that hasnt changed. Imo Wal and Eng are much closer to the SANZAR teams than they have been for a decade and imo both Wal and Eng are better than Aus. Aus is in transition and has some of its best down on form (Genia, Cooper, Horwill). Eng and Wal have grown much stronger and both have better forward packs and Wal has a better backline, Engs backline may also be better this season, depending. I also think Ire and Sco have improved and I think all have a better forward packs.