Wallabies on the way up

I watched Sunday morning’s Test with a group of enthusiastic Irish, who like me had been at the sell out International Rules game in Perth.

As you can imagine by the time we enjoyed our second Australia versus Ireland International in about six hours started everyone was enjoying the craic.

This is my first article. I suspect that most people always watch games from the perspective of the positions they know best. I played flanker for several seasons, before being shifted to the wing.

Our starting tight five was better although the mysteries of the dark arts are largely a mystery to me. I did note the piggies getting in the way of the backs on several occasions.

I do really wonder what Benn Robinson is doing there. He doesn’t seem to contribute much. He will have to play next week off the bench as we have run out of props but his days in the gold jersey are limited.

I have been very critical of Michael Hooper as a 7 at this level. He is a great player but a 7 he is not, particularly when it comes to engaging at the breakdown. I think the analysis that Australia has been playing seven forwards and eight backs is a pretty apt observation. Now I wonder whether this is by design, or by Hooper playing his own game.

On Saturday he did attempt to engage and win turnovers on several occasions but did so unsuccessfully. Was because of his lack of impact as relative lightweight of a still growing boy, a lack of skill or simply that his opposition on the night was better?

Would he serve Australia and the Waratahs better if he was promoted to the backs as I was at his age?

I also watched him as a captain. Much to my surprise he was actually engaging with the referee, which has been noticeably missing in previous games. He’s not at the level of the experienced captains but making progress. Perhaps it’s finally sunk in that it’s not only allowed, but expected. Jones made a lot of mistakes but he’s not the first new player to do that.

Sean McMahon was more than adequate when he came on. Like Jones, he’s new to this level of rugby and will improve. At this point I’d rate him ahead of Jones. I think there is little doubt that he will be the first choice 6 when he matures.

At this point in time Hodgson is by far the best flanker available as he has demonstrated every time Ewen McKenzie or Michael Cheika have actually let him on the ground. He must start next week. By the time the other three much younger players reach his level Hodgson will be retired.

Nick Phipps was good, very good. How can you knock two great tries? He did though make quite a few errors which need to be worked on. In particular, his inaccurate long passes. These can be corrected by coaching and at 25 he’s got a lot of years left in him.

Will Genia is simply past it. He’s just not the player he was. He’s probably still adequate for Super Rugby but unless there is a dramatic improvement he is no longer a first choice Wallaby.

Up against Johnny Sexton, any 10 struggles. Despite this Bernard Foley was good again but had an off night with the boot. He did get a try awarded although having watched it numerous times on replay I wouldn’t have given it. Quade Cooper too was good but he has to do something about his crabbing.

What I’d like to see tried is a Phipps-Cooper combination.

Now with some 20 caps, Tevita Kurindrani has improved out of all sight in 2014. As long as he is fit, he is going to own the 13 for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately he is injured so won’t be playing against the Poms this weekend.

Likewise Israel Folau owns the 15 jersey.

Henry Speight played well to earn his first cap and lock him in for Australia. He has yet to deliver on all the hype.

There is a quantum leap between Super Rugby and Test match Rugby. He hasn’t had an easy start. First up he failed against the on-fire Honey Badger in the Barbarians game. Then, he took on the on-fire Irish for his first Test. What he showed on the weekend is that he has what it takes to compete at this level and can only will improve.

Adam Ashley Cooper was disappointing. He didn’t seem to have much impact on the game, particularly after Kurindrani was injured. Tom English is on tour but has yet to start.

I’m not buying into the Kurtley Beale controversy, other to note that he did not contribute much.

That just leaves 12. Matt Toomua was good. Christian Lealiifano didn’t play.

So with one more match to play, the last before the run up to the Rugby World Cup begins, I’ve tried to put up a side that makes the most of the players currently on tour. As far as I’m aware there are only two players who haven’t had a start.

I’ve got them both on the bench.

Kyle Godwin in particular must be capped. Until he is capped this prodigious rugby talent is eligible to play for his native Zimbabwe and given the roundabout route followed by many Zimbabweans arriving in Perth, perhaps a couple of other countries as well.

He is a very attractive bench option as he can play 10, 12 or 13. He has been playing mainly at 12 with the Force so that is where I’d blood him. However he’s a former Australian Under 20s fly half.

I don’t know a lot about Tom English, apart from what I’ve seen in Super Rugby. However it doesn’t make sense to cart him to the other side of the world and not at least let him get on long enough to be capped.

If only so the Rebels have another Wallaby for marketing purposes. I must say I do like the idea of a winger called ‘English’ streaking down the sideline to beat the English.

So here it is.

1. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
2. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)
4. Sam Carter (ACT Brumbies)
5. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
6. Mat Hodgson (Western Force)
7. Michael Hooper (c – NSW Waratahs)
8. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
9. Nick Phipps (NSW Waratahs)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
11. Henry Speight (ACT Brumbies)
12. Matt Toomua (ACT Brumbies)
13. Christian Lealiifano (ACT Brumbies)
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
15. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs)

Reserves
16. James Hanson (Queensland Reds)
17. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
18. Tetera Faulkner (Western Force)
19. Will Skelton (NSW Waratahs)
20. Sean McMahon (Melbourne Rebels)
21. Kyle Godwin (Western Force)*
22. Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs
23. Tom English (Melbourne Rebels)*
* On Debut

I think it is a good combination of experience, a couple of experiments and ensuring everyone gets a chance to show they have – or don’t have – what it takes at this level before the serious business of selecting the final squad begins next year.

This team can also beat the Poms, so we don’t have to put up them carrying on between now and Rugby World Cup.