In many ways, 2016 has been a rebuilding year for the Wallabies with coach Michael Cheika playing musical chairs with his roster for much of the season.
That ultimately comes down to three factors. Competition for spots, a lack of automatic selections based on form and poor results this season.
It also seems that Cheika isn’t the only person having a tough time getting the makeup of his final squad organised. Rugby pundits have debated the matter to death with seemingly no consensus ever being reached.
So with a 32-man squad named for the spring tour, what should the Wallabies team look like for the Wales Test?
At fullback, the explosive Israel Folau is the incumbent but Dane Haylett-Perry enjoyed an incredible Super Rugby season in the position.
The wing positions are slightly more contentious. Uncapped Fijian flyer Marika Koroibete features a rare combination of raw pace and power, safe hands, incredibly agility, strong defence and an uncanny ability to find the try line that is sure to give Cheika a selection headache.
Henry Speight received a recall in Bledisloe 3 after 12 months of Wallabies exile following strong form in the NRC. Sefanaia Naivalu is looking to add to his two caps, Dane Haylett-Perry hasn’t put a foot wrong in 2016 and has been Cheika’s go to man out wide, and then there is rookie Wallaby Reece Hodge and his tremendous boot.
They all have legitimate claims for a starting berth, but five contenders will be whittled down to two.
Locking down the centre positions also a difficult task.
Hodge can again be considered and started at 12 in the last Test, but Cheika has also experimented with the likes of Bernard Foley in 2016. Throw Quade Cooper, Kyle Godwin and Tevita Kuridrani in the mix, and you have both competition and confusion.
The inside-centre experiment of Foley has produced mixed results. Much of this owes to the seeming lack of cohesion between himself and Quade Cooper. In that regard, Cooper and Foley are, at least for the moment, incompatible as starting options.
Foley or Cooper will start at fly-half and it’s likely that the other will be relegated to the bench.
At scrum-half, Will Genia is unavailable for the Wales Test match. That means the two Nicks, Frisby and Phipps, are the two options. Phipps is the more experienced of the two and could well relegate Phipps to the bench.
There are three viable options for the number 8 position. Lopeti Timani has filled the role recently, but David Pocock and Sean McMahon also have experience in the position.
Both McMahon and Pocock double up as options at flanker, with Michael Hooper, Dean Mumm and Scott Fardy providing genuine competition for the two positions. Pocock and Hooper are the most experienced players of that group with 61 appearances each, while Mumm has been the recent preferred option at number six recently.
There’s plenty of size to choose from in the locks. Will Skelton, Rob Simmons, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Kane Douglas are all big bodies with the ability to punish the opposition. It’s a welcome headache for coach Cheika.
Sekope Kepu has been the key prop for the Wallabies of late but he is ably joined by James Slipper, Scott Sio, Tom Robertson and Allan Alaalatoa who will battle it out for the remaining starting prop spot.
Rounding out the starting fifteen is obviously the captain Stephen Moore. The reliable James Hanson and would-be debutant Tolu Latu are the potential backup options.
What would be your squad Roarers? Have your say right here.
mark
Guest
I would like to see : 1. AA 2. Ready 3. Kepu 4. Arnold 5. Coleman 6. Fardy 7. Pocock 8. Timani 9. Frisby 10. Cooper 11. Sefa 12. Hodge 13. TK 14. Izzy 15.DHP 16. Hanson 17. Sio 18. Robertson 19. Strzekar 20. Mcmahon 21. Debrsceni 22. Godwin 23. Simmons
CUW
Guest
LOL 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Lopeti Timani, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 David Pocock, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore (c), 1 Scott Sio Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 James Slipper, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Scott Fardy, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Quade Cooper, 23 Sefa Naivalu
Crash Ball2
Guest
Very nice Tim.
Fin
Guest
Pocock and Hooper will both Start. Cheika will deliberately leave Hooper at 7 and play Poey at 6 just to upset people on the Roar
Brian USA
Guest
I'll Take a stab at it 1. Sio 2. Moore 3. Kepu 4. Arnold 5. Coleman 6. Fardy 7. Hooper 8. Timani 9. Frisby 10. Cooper 11. Sefa 12. Hodge 13. Kuridrani 14. Folau 15. DHP 16. Latu 17. Slipper 18. AA 19. Douglas 20. Pocock 21. Phipps 22. Foley 23. Speight
riddler
Guest
1. Sio 2. Hanson 3. Kepu 4. Arnold 5. Coleman 6. Fardy 7. Pocock 8. Timani 9. Phipps 10. Foley 11. Hodge 12. Folau 13. Kuridrani 14. Naivalu 15. Haylett Petty 16. Moore 17. Ala’alatoa 18. Robertson 19. Simmons 20. McMahon 21. Hooper 22. Stirzacker 23. Goodwin
Rebellion
Guest
More than happy to drop the worst John Eales medalist in history for better players. Agonising keeping McMahon on the bench but his injection with 30 mins to go would be epic. Dean Mumm's suspension is the nicest thing the All Blacks have ever done for us !!! 1. Sio 2. Moore 3. Kepu 4. Arnold 5. Coleman 6. Fardy 7. Pocock 8. Timani 9. Frisby 10. Foley 11. Naivalu 12. Hodge 13. Kuridrani 14. Folau 15. Haylett Petty 16. Hanson 17. Ala'alatoa 18. Robertson 19. Simmons 20. McMahon 21. Stirzacker 22. Cooper 23. Speight
Loup
Guest
Another line-out jumper in the backrow would be better, so take McMahon out and add Fardy or perhaps Mumm in at 6. DHP 15, Speight 14 and Sefa 11 is appropriate. I'm concerned Hodge is nowhere near test standard at present. The extra metres he can kick are not worth his stuff-ups in defence. Better to play Foley or perhaps even Folau there. Hopefully Kerevi is working on his distribution skills while in rehabilitation - he is the future at 12.
The Slow Eater
Roar Rookie
I would like to see : 1. Sio 2. Moore 3. Kepu 4. Arnold 5. Coleman 6. Fardy 7. Poey 8. Timani 9. Frisby 10. Cooper 11. Sefa 12. Hodge 13. TK 14. Izzy 15.DHP You actually need to be able to choose the bench as it's a 23 man game: 16. Hanson 17. AA 18. Slipper 19. Simmons 20. Hooper 21. Phipps 22. Foley 23. Speight Think this would be a solid team
Markus
Guest
For the bench: Hanson/Latu (would like to see both get game time on tour) Alaalatoa Slipper Simmons Fardy (preference would have been for a more dynamic back rower off the bench but there aren't really any in the squad) Phipps Foley Speight (perhaps Koroibete in a later game)
Markus
Guest
I would keep that pack but have Timani at the back of the scrum in a swap with McMahon. In the backs I think Kuridrani is in better form than Speight and would shore up the defence. Folau, Haylett-Petty and Naivalu as the back three. I would probably also go with Cooper and Frisby starting in the halves. Foley had his best game in over a year but still kicked terribly throughout the game, and realistically the Wallabies vastly improved attack still only produced one try. There is also too much circular reasoning in picking Foley for his combination with Phipps, and picking Phipps primarily for his combination with Foley.
Highlander
Guest
Pocock not considered a chance to play 6 then?
Honest Max
Guest
Why isn't Godwin an option at 12? You know, the actual position he plays....
Celtic334
Guest
DHP Sefa Folau Hodge Speight Foley Phipps (tempted to pick Frisby but happy to give Phipps/Foley combo a go) McMahon Hooper Timani Coleman Arnold Kepu Moore Sio
PeterK
Roar Guru
agree
Hello
Roar Rookie
When picking a side now I think the makeup of the bench is as important as the starting players - they are no longer for injury but to change the way the game is played