Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper, and James O’Connor – the ‘Three Amigos’ – have collectively caused Australian rugby a fair amount of grief. But that’s the past.
All three have been exemplary of late and must be treated purely on form in the immediate future.
Beale’s quadricep injury has ruled him out of tomorrow night’s Super Rugby semi against the Highlanders at Allianz, a huge blow for the Waratahs, and Cooper is suffering from a shoulder injury, while O’Connor remains injury free.
It would be in Michael Cheika’s best interests, and great for Australian rugby, if the Waratahs and Brumbies meet in the Super Rugby decider.
For that to happen the Brumbies must beat the table-topping Hurricanes in Wellington, and the defending champion Waratahs beat the Highlanders in Sydney, both on Saturday.
An all-Australian final would bring Beale (if fit) and Matt Toomua head to head, the perfect way to decide who will wear the Wallabies’ number 12 jersey in the downsized Rugby Championship, with one game each against the All Blacks, Boks and the Pumas – and an extra international for the Bledisloe Cup with the men in black.
For the life of me I cannot understand why so many Roarers have completely left Beale out of their suggested squads.
Beale is the key component to sending match-winning Israel Folau on his destructive way, with the Super Rugby title, Rugby Championship, and a record third Rugby World Cup there for the taking.
Nobody sets up Folau better than Beale, who would automatically double as Folau’s replacement if, heaven forbid, the champion number 15 is injured.
But there are genuine contenders for the number 12 jersey apart from Beale and Toomua. Matt Giteau is back after five highly successful seasons and 97 games with Toulon, as well as Christian Lealiifano, Kyle Godwin, Mitch Inman, and Reds powerhouse Samu Kerevi.
Cooper is in a vastly different and more difficult boat, especially as he’s unwanted at the Reds, apparently wants to head for the Waratahs, and has reportedly signed with Toulon.
Don’t blame Cooper for that potpourri, leave that to his manager Khoder Nasser, who also looks after Anthony Mundine, and Sonny Bill Williams.
But Cooper is a one-off number 10, he doesn’t fit any other position, and with Bernard Foley firmly entrenched as the Wallaby 10, there’s also Giteau, Toomua, Lealiifano, and don’t overlook the 22-year-old Jack Debreczeni as a bolter, who at 192 centimetres and 100 kilograms is a mighty big destructive unit.
Even Cooper’s other quality as a goal-kicker has run into a solid block of talent with Foley, Beale, Lealiifano, Giteau, and Nic White if he makes the Wallaby squad.
O’Connor has the same goal-kicking problems, plus a wealth of wing talent to overcome – Joe Tomane, Rob Horne, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Drew Mitchell, and Dom Shipperley, with Henry Speight’s five-week suspension well and truly over before the Rugby World Cup.
And there’s no way O’Connor would be a contender as a stopgap fullback after his return games from Toulon for the Reds.
So Kurtley Beale will prove his Wallaby worth at least once, while Quade Cooper and James O’Connor have run out of opportunities.
By the way, if the Waratahs and Brumbies reach the Super Rugby decider there will be two other head-to-heads worth the price of admission – the openside flankers David Pocock and Michael Hooper, plus the halfbacks Nick Phipps and Nic White.
At this point Pocock and Phipps are way ahead.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
How'd that 2nd title work out pal?
Uncle Enrics
Guest
'What does the immediate future hold for the ‘Three Amigos’?' A few floggings in Wallabies shirts methinks.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Personally I think that JOC's form this super XV season can be put down playing back to back to back seasons. He is picking up injuries & is looking jaded as he has not had the off season to refresh & do the work needed to get back into top nick. Nonu looked the same when he had an season in Japan a few seasons back. He was selected in the AB's for the June tests & when the coaches saw the shape he was in they sent him away for 3 weeks R&R. Reckon that JOC needs the same kind of break to freshen up.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
I find the whole thing about that 'incident' quite amusing. Seems that not too many of the posters have actually been inside a rugby sheds at halftime. My take was that it was a - "do your job" "do your own job" kind of discussion in the heat of the moment that was caught on camera. Nothing unusual in it at all & I am sure that both Thompson & JOC were surprised by the reaction it caused.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
AAC has started at fullback 24 times for the Wallabies. Most recently in 2012.
Rugby.ftw
Guest
JOC 25, Beale 26 and QC 27. They're still in the prime of their careers, we might not have seen the best of them. Foleys 26 for comparison. Not sure where Beale is in his contract negotiations, but if his contract is up this year then I reckon he will go to NRL, he's hinted at it before. QC to sevens and JOC to become starting 10 for reds haha
Rugby.ftw
Guest
Well it's a shortened tournament and cheika on rugby hq hinted that he didn't want to spend to much time effing around with selections and just seeing how they go. He wants to build a team and instill that mental toughness and build combinations. I think he'll trial QC at 10 in the first game of the season against the Boks, to see how he goes but also to rest some of the tahs. And with an injury complaint QC Better get himself ready to go, because he's not going to get another chance baring injury or foley losing form/ wallabies losing.
Rugby.ftw
Guest
I think liliafano and toomua are both in the top running for the 12 position. I've always been a fan of Toomua, but I've been leaning towards liliafano for a while. They're both good defensively, but toomua sometimes makes bad read in defence from 12 ie. Rushing up when he should drift. Liliafano isn't as dominant a tackler but he's so strong defensively, and is a defensive organiser. The brumbies have the best defence in the comp, and I think liliafano is a big contributer to that with his communication and organisation. I think he's a lot like Conrad smith, and having someone like that could be part of the key to success of the ABs. Lilliafano shows more in attack than Conrad as well.
Max Power
Guest
So he's fracture part of his gleno-humeral joint? What has he actually fractured?
bigtree.smallaxe
Guest
Thank you. I 100% agree. About time someone said it. Surely Toomua would give just as good ball to Folau. Toomua at least he knows how to take on the line and is punishing in defence. Lealifano would also make a good back up. JOC is ok but not brilliant and definitely not worthy of a wallabies spot IMO. But Cooper,...despite his flaws and lack of versatility, I just love seeing him in action. Poetry in motion at time. But TBH I'd still have Foley at FH who is more dependable.
Bakkies
Guest
He scored good tries on the wing.
Bakkies
Guest
EJ mentioned several times that he was found out at fullback at Toulon
Bring Back Link
Guest
Shoulder dislocations can take a chunk of bone off as they go out hence the term fracture dislocation. If the bone fragments aren't displaced the fracture can heal suitably without surgery but the joint disruption almost inevitably leaves the shoulder unstable.
Magic Sponge
Guest
Hes entrenched because he is playing way better than the others and leading the tahs into a 2nd title.
riddler
Guest
tahboy.. hooper is very good and has done well with the tahs etc.. but i personally think that pocock is in a different class.. that being said we are lucky to have such depth at 7..
riddler
Guest
who do u think for the centres coombesy? if he goes with cooper, as you think, i think he needs toomau beside him and then tk at 13.. read somewhere from someone a simmons, big willie second row and then fardy, poey and ita back row.. with higgers on the bench to cover.. thought that would be not too bad to start with and see how we go from there.. would like for pocock to be captain..
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks David. The Amigos are an out of date concept. The group crashed and burnt for all the wrong reasons. Time to move on with the times. They seem to have. or at least trying to, now they are heading towards 30
Max Power
Guest
What has he supposedly fractured?
Freighter
Guest
People will paint that perception because past behaviour is an indicator of future behaviour...
Freighter
Guest
We don't mind building up our players and tearing them down....