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Following their dramatic win over the Crusaders, some would say the Waratahs should all swap their sky blue jerseys for gold ones and run out as the Wallabies.
Jacques Potgieter’s ineligibility aside, that simply wouldn’t work.
Super Rugby and Test rugby are different beasts, although form and confidence from the Super season does often translate to national success.
In reality, a full-strength Wallabies side would dominate any of its component parts, particularly when the injured return.
Front row
1. James Slipper/Scott Sio (bench)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau/Stephen Moore (bench)
3. Sekope Kepu/Laurie Weeks (bench)
Not a world dominating front row, but strong enough to hold their own.
Being the previously chosen captain, I can’t see Ewen McKenzie starting Polota-Nau with Moore on the bench, but I’d have them this way to allow Polota-Nau to play his kamikaze role at the start of the match, then switch to the more secure, and better line-out thrower, Moore in the last 20 to 30 minutes.
This also complements the Slipper/Sio substitution, with Sio taking over the aggressor role when Moore comes on.
Tighthead is a worry. Kepu is going OK, but just OK. I’ve put Weeks down as the bench replacement but this is very much open to other options. ‘Link’ suggested the Wallabies were trying Sio out at 3, so there could be some surprises here by next year.
Locks
4. Sam Carter/Will Skelton (bench)
5. Scott Fardy
Carter showed against France that he can step up to international level, and Skelton seems to be going from strength to strength as a specialist substitution with 20 minutes to go.
Fardy is probably a controversial selection here but he adds a great deal of flexibility to the loose forward options.
No room for James Horwill and Rob Simmons, although I suspect we’ve not heard the last of Horwill.
Loose forwards
6. Scott Higginbotham
7. David Pocock/Michael Hooper (bench)
8.Wycliff Palu
It’s all about balance. Hooper is best suited to a fast, open game – he’d kill it in sevens. He plays wide like Higginbotham, but has the pace to get back in tight if needed. But, being a little guy, his impact against big, fresh forwards is reduced.
Pocock is a rock. People forget how good he is as he’s been out for a while, but back to his best, he is an immovable breakdown machine, which is what we need at the start of a Test against the likes of New Zealand and particularly South Africa, where he seems to single-handedly dominate their entire pack.
Sure, he doesn’t have the running or passing game of Hooper, but in the first half of a match we need more than an eighth back running around with the piggies. Higginbotham has a similar, if slightly weaker running and passing ability as Hooper, but he adds a lineout option and some size.
Palu’s selection speaks for itself. If he can stay uninjured and keep playing like he has over the last 12 months we have a fantastic tight playing 8 to complement Pocock’s breakdown work and Higginbotham’s wide running.
Hooper on the bench also provides great flexibility to unleash different combinations. For example, if things are tight in the last 20 or 30, Higginbotham and Palu can come off, Fardy moves out to 6, Pocock to 8 and Hooper slots in at 7.
If the game is wide open, Pocock off, Hooper on and if Palu needs a rest (which he probably would in a fast, open game), then Fardy out to 6 and Higginbotham to 8.
Backline
9. Will Genia/Nick Phipps (bench)
10. Quade Cooper
11. Adam Ashley-Cooper/James O’Connor (bench)
12. Matt Toomua/Pat McCabe (bench)
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Henry Speight
15. Israel Folau
Hard to go past Genia at 9 if he can rediscover his 2011 form. Can’t split Phipps and Nic White for the bench but I’m leaning towards Phipps (despite being a Brumbies supporter) if he can replicate his Super form at international level.
Cooper is still first choice 10 and after making him vice-captain before injury, I can’t see Link agreeing with the NSW masses that call for Foley. Foley is a good, solid player but not very dynamic, and with Toomua at 12, dynamism is what we need at 10.
Kuridrani at 13 is another one that will upset Tah fans, as most would say Ashley-Cooper belongs here. But clearly Link doesn’t see it that way and Ashley-Cooper gets a wing spot instead.
That makes for a pretty good backline when the likes of O’Connor and McCabe have to settle for a spot on the bench.
Overall, I count four or five Waratah starters and three or four on the bench for a full-strength Wallabies side, depending on how Polota-Nau is used.
There’ll probably be a few more in the upcoming Test matches due to various injuries, but anyone who thinks the Waratahs were even a close proxy for the Wallabies is hugely mistaken.
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.