The Wallabies are a national embarrassment.
To have a team of multi-millionaire footballers who don’t appear to have the basic skills under control, let alone pride and passion in the jersey, is not only damaging to results, it undermines the popularity of the game, and the financial future of an already struggling ARU.
More of the wash-up from Bledisloe 1
» Match Report: NZ smash Australia
» LORD: The Wallabies can’t pass, catch or tackle
» Five talking points
» What changes should the Wallabies make?
» DIY Player Ratings
» WATCH: All the highlights
The Wallabies need a major overhaul and not just with words or a ‘new way’. They need new players, playing in the right positions, who have the genuine ability to break games and beat the All Blacks.
The last few years’ selections haven’t been about setting up a dynasty, or beating the All Blacks consistently. Rather, it has been about picking players who have the experience to stick close enough to the All Blacks that they might win one occasionally.
The rugby public deserves better, and it’s time for a serious change.
The Bledisloe 1 debacle must surely end careers. That kind of performance is unacceptable and should be the catalyst for tapping a bunch of players on the shoulder.
I’d start by picking players in their rightful positions, and for the skills that they are picked in their provincial teams.
This ‘Pooper’ nonsense drives me insane and by continuing with it, we weaken our lineout, scrum and loose-forward play in possession.
Pick David Pocock at 7. He’s the best in the world, and if you want Michael Hooper to come on at the end of the game as a finisher, fine. But I’d pick Liam Gill as my backup, because he actually plays like an openside and doesn’t hide out on the wing.
But there are some who just don’t cut it at international level.
Bernard Foley is woeful. He takes forever to get the ball on his boot, and he couldn’t deceive an old bloke with a habit of falling for Nigerian email scams. He’s not a world-class 10, and he should be gone.
Matt Giteau is too small, and he won’t be at the next World Cup. Adam Ashley-Cooper is likewise going to be gone by the next World Cup and despite his versatility, he’s past his use-by date.
Rob Horne is again useful, but no international team is scared of him.
Dean Mumm made a run against a team that wasn’t the All Blacks once. Hasn’t done anything before or since to justify his continued selection.
The question is, what new blood exists that could, with less than four years of prep, give the All Blacks a good shake at the next World Cup?
Reece Hodge has great ball skills, kicking and decent pace to go with his versatility, he’s my first in.
Matt Toomua should start at 12. He’s a great straight runner and distributor, as well as being hardnosed in defence.
Samu Kerevi should play at 13. His defence needs some work, but his running and ball skills put him ahead of Tevita Kuridrani.
Luke Morahan’s actually got pace, skills and can kick! Our back three hasn’t had speed for far too long and this just can’t work for a team that wants to play running rugby.
I’d start Will Genia at 9 and bring Nick Frisby into the squad to learn. Nick Phipps’ passing isn’t up to scratch and Frisby has a much better running game.
Andrew Ready was a shining light for a rubbish Reds team this year. Both Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau are at the end of their careers and Ready is the next best hooker in the country; he could develop beautifully. Whether you bring him in for the last 20 minutes or get him starting now, he is the future, and a potential Wallabies captain.
Lopeti Timani has size and mongrel, making him the kind of 8 we need, with line-breaking skills and genuine power.
What do you reckon Roarers? What fresh blood is needed to build the Wallaby team of the next World Cup?
Tom
Guest
Paul, not sure if you've played much union but number has plenty to do with it... position from the set piece (scrum), running lines, access at the breakdown etc. Not subjective, I'm sure he's a delightful bloke. A top tier measure of any openside is forced poenalties and pilfers at the breakdown. If you did your homework you'd see that Hooper, while does excel in some areas such as tackle busts, seriously lags in this department behind both Pockock and Gill. I mean he's miles behind. I'm genuinely not being subjective but if I didn't know better I'd say someone has a serious case of the Hoopers! As foir past and present coaches, in fact you're wrong. Bob Dwyer, among others, as well as past wallabies have also a similar view.
Toanuiunno
Guest
I would like to see a backrow of McMahon, Timani and an open side. That seems a better balance to me. An enforcer and tireless worker with one of the open sides. Whilst neither are line out specialists they are both competing enough. It is all about getting the balance right for the game that is being played.
Toanuiunno
Guest
I'd ideally like to see Skelton turned into the kind of player Owen finegan was. To me he sees like that king of person. He just hasn't seemed to improve since he can into the scene
Paul
Guest
What does having an 8 on his back stop Pocock from doing that he would if he had 7 on his back? Nothing! Pocock will still be Pocock. Your opinion on Hooper/Gill is purely subjective, and not shared by any past or present coaches.
T
Guest
There are so many problems so let's just look at the flankers. The current set up is wrong. Two open-side's, the best playing at #8, wrong. Pocock is undesputed the best open-side we have, play him where he has the most impact, number 7. The side needs aggression and go-forward. Sean McMahon should walk into the team at blind-side. Open-side on the bench? As for Hooper, I'm not saying he's no good and I understand he has some supporters, but c'mon. He's not good enough, not consistently anyway. I'd have Gill as my back up any day of the week. In play, or stats on paper, Gill is a better open-side than Hooper. The wrong call was made some time ago in that regard, unfortunately they've stuck with it.
Paul
Guest
So which bit of misinformation are we trying to push here? Is Hooper too small and constantly gets smashed off rucks, or is he too busy sea-gulling on the wing to do any ruck work? Doesn't matter how you cut it, Hooper is one of the consistently best performing Wallabies of the last 4 odd years and the Wallaby team will not be stronger in his absence. Pocock and Hooper are short, so that sucks in the lineout. But they are still far better than any available alternative's. Our lineout woes are far deeper than having a 4th jumper. When Retallick can steal a throw without even having to reach for it you have problems. All he had to do was watch the feet of who he marks and jump when he jumps. the throw was never hard to reach
Tony H
Roar Pro
Totally agree Harry. Hooper constantly gets smashed off the ball and can't do the same to the bigger bodies of SA and NZ.
Tony H
Roar Pro
Strangely, I called for Skelton to play at 8 about 2 years ago. Having seen him completely fail to improve his workrate since then though, I would prefer he didn't make the squad.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Foley and Phipps had a terrific combination with the Waratahs.. they do not seem to be able to do the same with the Wallabies. Time for changes at the scrumbase.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Should have read Cheika. How come there is no where to edit on site now ?
Craig Swanson
Guest
Why does Rebels playmaker Debreczini never get mentioned in dispatches? He is clever. Reminds me a lot of Stephen Larkham. Would also like to see the giant Skelton at 8, Pocock no where but 7. Folau outside centre.
Craig Swanson
Guest
High time for some new Wallaby blood.. out with the dead wood. Sack Chieka.. was a breath of fresh air when first appointed.. is well and truly on the nose now.
Dally
Guest
All good points. With Toomua heading off it is tough. We need some exuberance and passion out there and you are going to get that from the likes of Hodge, Kerevi, McMahon, Tomani, Coleman, DHP and as you say Ready being brought through.They've got to go younger, hungry and fierce, with natural skills. The experienced players will then be the likes of Pocock, Hooper, Fardy and so on. You don't need others coming back from overseas when they are past it. We only need a few leaders out there at the end of the day. Genia an exception, good still for the introduction of Frisby and even Strirzcaker if he can find some form again. Foley, Mumm, Skelton, Horne, Phipps, Moore all need to go. Either not skilled, tough or hungry enough to play for Australia.
Boz the Younger
Guest
Physicality isn't the issue with David Pocock, he fluctuates between 107kg and 115kg and is as strong as any the taller loosies around. That is why he is so effective in rucks and mauls. The height is only an issue at the lineout.
Armand van Zyl
Roar Guru
Hooper's size has never been an issue. The modern game allows for the shorter loose-forward. The problem though is a good balance. The Wallabies can't field a team with two short loose-forwards, and by short we mean shorter than the upper end of 6'1 to 6'2. Stats these days list David Pocock as 187cm (6'1.5) – the same height as Richie McCaw. This is a lie. Pocock's not near 6'1. In the 2011 World Cup they listed him as being 182cm, which I think is far more accurate. Hooper is 181cm if I recall correctly. The Pooper combo looked okay when it started, but it's just too lightweight for test match rugby. It's like the Stormers backline of a few years ago, with Habana, de Jongh, Aplon and Kolbe playing in the same starting team. All of them are shorter than 5'11 and despite their attacking intent, they just didn't have the physicality to compete. Same applies here. Hooper in the team is fine as long as he's partnered by two taller loosies. He's a good player.
mania
Guest
great article and i agree. use this year to blood players the problem with hooper is he needs a tight5 that can do the hard graft so that he gets freed up to do his type of play. however if he's needed in the tight he's ineffective. what hooper does is high level stuff, but the low level stuff lays the platform, retains and gets the ball so that faster quicker players can do their thing.
Squirrel
Guest
Yeah the rugby supporters love for the ARU and it's desire to focus on the new ARU goals to focus on women's 7s and increasing 7s participation whilst neglecting your top domestic 15 comps is the reason the wallabies are so dreadful and that there is no knew cattle coming thru. Gregan started this wallaby entitlement and making it very hard to be dropped from the group.
Lebowski
Roar Rookie
Yeah he has a lot of skills but his lack of size and ball poaching abilities mean we have to reshuffle the team. I hate this focus on picking a player because of one impressive skill, it's like Mighty Ducks 2 when they bring in the guy with the knuckle puck and the guy who is really fast. You don't need one guy who is super committed to tackling, you need your whole team. Poaching, field position, passing, strategic kicking should be core skills everyone understands and knows how to sniff out the right time to make good decisions. The way the wallabies pick the side now is like: we have the guy who can tackle, the big fat guy, the guy who can catch bombs, the ice man, the ice man's best mate, big guy in the back line, old guy with 1000 caps. Just a bunch of hype statistics to create the shitty X-men. The ARU must HATE the melbourne rebels. How Australia let Higginbotham go is beyond me. He had the same skills as hooper but was 8 feet tall. Timani is a beast and has good ball handling skills. debreczeni has a solid foundation and has a massive boot. It's no point even going into it. The reason the super 15 aus teams aren't doing well is because our player base is spread across a lot of teams. Wallabies is an opportunity to bring the best players from those teams into a squad but that doesn't happen. The thing driving selection is the Reds 2011 trophy and the 2014 warratahs trophy. It makes sense to build teams out of that but when those players go consistently terrible at international level, look else where.
Bfc
Guest
jeez...don't start us on Pulver! He did manage to get himself over to Rio (First Class on Qantas no doubt...) to share the glory with our "Pearls"...meanwhile, the ARU keeps listing...
Bfc
Guest
Eh...I wonder why so many fans call for Simmons to be dropped? Still young, over 50 Tests, line out caller, considered by many to be the best tight head lock in Oz, and every Wallabies coach (since his debut...) picks him. Not 'flashy' but what more do we want from a tight head lock?