Wallabies announce team for Bledisloe: Pocock and Hooper to start

Please don't judge us by EM.

Well Mike, There are four possible front-row combos, each of them a much of a muchness. You can try A + B; or A + D; or C + B; or C + D. Personally, I don't have any particular preference between Sio, Kefu, Slipper or Holmes. Your initial response seems nothing more than a muck raking exercise. It's not MY front-row, it's the front-row that most Wallaby fans seem to think is the best available. So what about my NRC comments. That's my opinion. I'm not in the business of telling people what they want to hear.

is that an assertion that lawyers, accountants and doctors are the best of us? I mean, paris Hilton and kim kardashian have more money and prestige than anyone here on theroar, so I think the superiority is a bit misplaced. and going on many of zero gains comments and indeed yours and the flippant way you dismiss others comments, I find it hard to believe that the white collar brigade (of which I am one) automatically has a mortgage on intelligence. chip on the shoulder? you bet and I have no problem acknowledging that fact. some people have the courage to admit it, most don't (yourself included). my comment was directed at many roarers who have succeeded to some degree in life and their professions, but seem to think they don't have over inflated egos themselves. and then complain about the ego or confidence of other high achievers. is that not the definition of hypocrisy? the allblacks are the pinnacle of their profession, so why the dis-respect? p.s my accountant takes too long, nobody on the planet likes lawyers, and doctors do half the work of nurses (that's all I could come with re: doctors!!).................

well, why don't you take your own advice and actually read what he posted. not just get hung up on his comments about preferring cooper. once you get over that, then you can see what his plans are in regards to what the other players should do. then once that task is completed, come back with an argument as to WHY he is incorrect. not just simply say "your wrong" or any other convolution of the same phrase. unless you are the adam goodes of theroar, fans have the equal right to be pleased or dis-pleased with the make up of the team, and can and should post accordingly. the very least you could do is treat his post on merit and rebut his assertions. he didn't simply post "quade good, foley rubbish" now did he?

the fact that you seem to belittle any rebuttal to your comments show that you really are very quite small intellectually. telling people to sit in a corner etc etc. how very manly and superior you must think you are. considering you often don't have a rebuttal and get pulled up on it and then break down arguments with obtuse, "I know you are, I said you are" comments, is it little wonder you lack a bit of credibility? I know you are mr cut and paste of the roar, but please try and put an argument forward to refute what people say. "Yes you do like being obtuse Stilmatic and this one proves it in spades, yet again. Go back, read the comment to which I replied, read my reply, both slowly, then try again." very good rebuttal mike. I mean, my 3 year old daughter could come up with that. how about you actually come up with something that resembles an adult viewpoint on why Loosey was wrong? and not simply say "ummmm, just cos".

Firstly - I assume they would be coordinated,but you only need one player directing traffic and the rest following at full speed. Too many cooks will spoil the broth/stew/whatever the hell you're cooking. Secondly - I'd do what every other team does. Besides, if your playmaker is trapped in a ruck, don't the forwards dig in and get him out? Thirdly - You don't need two playmakers to change direction, you need one and a 12/15 that can pass. Finally - Giteau. I consider Giteau a playmaker and not so much of a running threat. Yes, I know the Europeans consider him a threat but I'm going to say they don't have many big, powerful men that can really step and move (Fekitoa, Nonu, Kerevi, Kuridrani, Kriel, Folau etc).

No better way to find out than this weekend. The good thing is with Fardy and Hooper in the backrow, even if the AB's aim to negate his jackling by forcing him to tackle, we have other guys who can compete for the ball. Hooper will play the link role wider so I don't think that Pocock will vary his game much apart from scrum time.

I don't know enough about scrums to disagree with that, but watching the game live at suncorp against the boks, the SA scrum looked about 3/4 the size of the wallabies, just because they could get so low and tight, whereas you could see big skelton sticking out from the other side of the stadium. It's crazy but I think he's too big for second row, if he got fit I'd convert him to no.8.

meanwhile we wait for yours, though thanks mikey...

Touché!

Wow, no chip on the shoulder there. Bad experience with a doctor, lawyer or accountant?

sheek, you need to tone it down before coming out with gibes like that, since it describes many of your own comments quite well, particularly on the NRC. You and other have decided that this is our best front row and therefore there is no help for us if it gets smashed. That conclusion is entirely dependent on you being right in your assessment about superiority of this front row. For me, I think Sio is our third best scrummaging LHP (if that) so I won't be in the least surprised if we do no better in this match. I think Moore is on parity with our other hookers in the scrum, and Kepu much the same as Holmes. If we get smashed my conclusion won't be your "Gawd help us", but just "get fat cat into LHP, put Slips on the bench and work on his confidence, and keep working on the scrum as a whole". That's a major difference.

Dave's only point is, "put Cooper in at 10 or we have no chance". All his "analysis" is directed towards that pre-determined end. Same old, same old.

Yes you do like being obtuse Stilmatic and this one proves it in spades, yet again. Go back, read the comment to which I replied, read my reply, both slowly, then try again.

Since you've already decided that "a great game" is one where you think Cooper was brilliant, nobody else thinks it worth responding to you. Go back and sit in the corner.

It's not the same as Mackenzie using a complete test rookie ahead of Cooper against the ABs, if that is what you are referring to.

Yep.

Actually it's the first time I've ever written it, however there are other Mikes on the Roar so you might have read one of them I find this argument about "he's suspect at 13 but not at 12" rather contrived. Granted, 13 is a more difficult position defensively, but a tackle is still a tackle. Anyway, it's all speculative - yet another case of Australians seeing someone with a good season of Super Rugby, and deciding on that basis that they are going to be the new test saviour.

They didn't pick him for this scrummaging that's for sure.

It will be interesting to see which position Cheika brings on Beale if there are no injuries.