Michael Cheika has related on many occasions that to build a winning Wallabies team he needs to build depth, both to increase competition for spots and to cover potential injuries.
He has gone about this through three methods including trialling new players in the Wallabies during his tenure, introducing Giteau’s Law which allows veteran Wallabies in overseas clubs to play for Australia, and through aggressive attempts to convince players who have left or are leaving for overseas to either come back or not to leave in the first place.
After a disappointing 2016 it is clearly imperative for Cheika’s career that this approach starts to deliver in 2017 with an above average season of Test results.
Therefore it is timely to look at Wallaby depth this season, for this article I will stick to the forwards.
I work on the theory that in the forwards an international team need to be three deep in players who are clearly of an international standard in every position to be competitive, due to substitution requirements and the rigours of forward play.
Beyond the proven internationals, it is also worthwhile to consider uncapped players who might make the grade and veterans who have fallen by the wayside but who might be suitable for a comeback ala Greg Holmes. Here goes.
Props
The Wallabies are doing well with props this season, with six internationals covering three deep at loose and tight head positions.
Scott Sio, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper, Benn Robinson, Allan Ala’alatoa and George Smith can all do the job at Test level and behind them we have the likes of Taniela Tupou set to make an impact in seasons to come.
Beyond that a comeback by the likes of Ben Alexander, Tetera Falkner, Pekahou Cowan, Laurie Weekes or Paddy Ryan isn’t out of the question if these older players take a leaf out of Holmes’ book and prove that props get better with age.
Hookers
With Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau and James Hanson as experienced hookers, plus excellent young players like Tolu Latu and Andrew Ready in the wings, I can’t see that the Wallabies will be plumbing the depths even if the hooker crisis of 2014 repeats itself.
Not that an experienced player like Saia Fainga could be considered “the depths”, we really are flush with rakes.
Locks
Six foot seven plus humans with ball skills and athleticism make up about 1 per cent of the Australian male population and are in demand for many sports.
Even the All Blacks struggle for depth at lock, as demonstrated by the loss when the Carter/Retallick freak show were sidelined against Ireland in Chicago.
Given this fact the Wallabies credible Wallabies contingent of Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold, Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas and Sam Carter represents reasonable depth, but it definitely could be built on.
With the likes of Rory Arnold’s “little” six foot eight twin brother Richard playing with the Force, Enever and Staniforth for the Brumbies, and Neville for the Reds all being options to give a run mid year, I don’t see the challenge as being insurmountable.
Six and Eight
I don’t think I am alone in considering that 2016 proved that starting dual opensides isn’t a viable long term strategy in Test rugby, as the extra speed to the breakdown gives up too much in the lineout and in collisions.
Big men need to start in these positions, with one ideally being a lanky third lineout target/pilferer of at least six foot five at six and the other being a ball running, big hitting bruiser of at least six foot three at eight.
As with locks both these body types are relatively rare and sought after amongst Aussie male athletes, so capped choices that I would consider credible are limited to Lopeti Timani, Scott Fardy, Scott Higgenbotham and Ben McCalman.
These are probably the positions where efforts most need to be made to build depth during the mid-year Test series, with young guns such as Jack Dempsey and Jed Holloway from the Tahs, and Faksiolosa from the Brumbies all being good options.
Seven
This position is never a huge problem for Australia as it suits the build of many Aussie males, and with Michael Hooper and Sean McMahon we have two excellent capped options.
I would also be completely comfortable with Jarrad Butler getting a run in gold and of course we now have the option of bringing the great George Smith out of retirement if things get dire, though by the sound of his overseas performances he might still give the youngsters a run for their money as first pick!
Overall I reckon the Wallabies are doing pretty well in terms of depth amongst the pigs, with specific areas for efforts to build more depth being amongst the tall timber at 4, 5, 6 and 8. Next article will focus on how the Wallabies’ back line depth is looking.
Peter Hughes
Guest
OMG Rhys - At the end of November 2016 after there last game Wallabies were 5th. They spent most of 2016 in 4th and 5th position. And you might think about reality before you start talking up a stack of Aussie forwards as world beaters.
P2R2
Roar Rookie
There is NO DEPTH in AUS rugby....they struggle and always will....as for the comment about lack of depth at lock for NZ...ummmmmm NO you are wrong
Browny
Roar Rookie
...and it looked like an incredible move with him set to become Horwill's direct replacement in the XV. Enter Kane Douglas and the emergence of Tui and Rodda and he's now in the most competitive lock environment in Australia and as it stands is still getting limited time off the bench.
DaveR
Guest
With Higgers I meant before he went OS it was on-again, off again in the wallabies. No wonder he wanted a move. And Neville got to the point he was just not being picked in the starting 15, and lucky to get 10min. The story was it was a clash with coaches. He then was then almost the best player in the NRC! He had to leave the Rebels for the sake of his career.
DOUBLES
Guest
Cooper will not be selected for national duties ,and Dean Mumm will. .It`ll happen ...Just wait
DOUBLES
Guest
Paddy Ryan? Your`re off your head mate!! hahahahaha
DOUBLES
Guest
He`s durable, never gets injured and plays 80 Mins...Which makes him tough in my book mate
Maroon Kev
Guest
You're clueless buddy!!!!
Hello Everybody.
Guest
Foley is either the first or 2nd choice 10 and I think thats about right.
Hello Everybody.
Guest
And Shane Warne speaks up every spinner that plays for Aus. Simmons is a lock that Aus has used by default. There has been a shortage of quality locks in Aus recently and Simmons has filled that hole. Sure hes played well at times but would he be selected by Wales, Sco, Eng, NZ, Arg, SA or Ire as a first choice starting lock? No way. But hes highly rated? Compared to what...certainly not other international locks?
Rhys Bosley
Guest
The Wallabies are currently ranked third in the World, not fourth or fifth. Try googling before shooting your mouth of hey?
Boz the Younger
Guest
Incidentally Boz is Rhys, not Rhys's imaginary friend. I tried to change over to my real name but my task bar keeps remembering my old one, the electronic life is a bugger for old people like me.
Boz the Younger
Guest
Celtic, the Wallabies are a major team, they have sat at second or third in the World for much of the last six years that Simmons has been locking for them. In fact last year they had a terrible season and he was not selected as first pick for most of it. The All Blacks certainly pick one jumping and one ball running lock in Whitelock and Retallick, it just happens to be the case that Whitelock has been crossbred with a rabid pig dog and makes an physical impact above his weight. I think people make the mistake of identifying that pair as a minimum standard rather than an aspirational benchmark. If you get players like that you are lucky and even the All Blacks don't have anything comparable behind them, as they found out in Chicago. As far as the rest of the World's locks goes Simmons is well matched up to the international standard given his role.
Browny
Roar Rookie
I think he's been battling some shoulder injury for an extended period of time but you're right, he looked well off the pace last year particularly. I was pretty happy with what I saw of him the other day packing against Weeks who is a decent scrummager, although as I mentioned after that trial I'm not sure how much of it was purely Slipper vs Weeks and how much was the Reds having substantially better locks than the Cummins-Retallick pairing the Rebels fielded. Hopefully he's got it under control and can improve on the last couple of years quality of scrummaging because he's pretty handy around the ground
Bakkies
Guest
Has been for a while longer than that
Bakkies
Guest
Walker
DJW
Guest
Slipper was a scrum liability last season
Browny
Roar Rookie
All signs suggest Ready will take the mantle as first choice rake, however I wouldn't go as far as suggesting he's the best here. Personally I'd probably have him at fourth behind elder statesmen Moore and TPN, the (I think) under-rated Hanson and at this stage, Latu. Although there's not much in it. In Cheika's eyes its currently Moore, Polota-Nau, Latu, Hanson then Ready. I want to see Ready overtake Moore at the Reds over the course of this season, I think that's definitely something he has the potential to do. I like that he's a jackalling hooker, a former 7 who changed to get games because he was playing with Gill and someone who should benefit from spending time around Saint George. There are still a few parts of his game that need to improve and having Moore at QLD will surely help impart some of those things onto the kid. Bright future for Ready, but give him a year or so... still plenty of time before 2019!
Browny
Roar Rookie
So two of your three 10s would have to be Cooper and Lance... who's the third?
Jimbo81
Guest
Foley is the worst possible option at 12 and the 4th best option at 10 - I'm keen to see someone else than just the Tahs halves pairing