Michael Cheika names Wallabies train-on squad for Bledisloe Cup

TWAS, close but you don't win the chocolates, Matt Toomua never got a look-in during the Lions 2013 tour of Australia. All 3 tests it was JOC starting at #10 and CLL at #12. Backline in Brisbane was W.Genia, JOC, D.Ioane, CLL, AAC, I.Folau and Berrick Barnes at fb. Pat McCabe replaced CLL in 1st minute and K.Beale for B.Barnes for the 2nd half (B.Barnes was so bad I think that may have been his last test). 2nd test same backs except J.Tomane replaced Ioane and K.Beale starts at fb. The 3rd test disaster had the same starting backs as the 2nd test but Jesse Mogg replaced Folau about 30 minutes and N.Phipps for Genia for the last 10 minutes. I've always considered CLL as a 5/8, especially for the WB as he can tackle as well he puts in some clever field kicking and has good game management for his outside backs. However Dingo Deans, E.McKenzie and M.Cheika have always had him 3rd in the pecking order behind Quade Cooper and Bernie Foley. In fact if I remember at the Brumbies, CLL was played at IC while M.Toomua played the 5/8 spot (personally I think its wrong order but I am not the coach). So all these coaches have said CLL is just not good enough at #10, so who am I to argue?

lets not forget Deans picked Pat McCabe at 12 when he picked Cooper. also don't forget the forward pack under Deans got absolutely hammered in the world cup. no five-eighth could have looked good behind that pack. also don't forget Deans failed to select a backup number 7 in that world cup and when Ireland beat Australia, rather than concede his error, he said "didn't quade play badly" because it would get him off the hook. Deans was proven to be a bit of a hoax once he started coaching without McCaw and Carter in his team. As for the current coach, any time Cooper has been "given a chance", the team has been flawed (either a rubbish pack - ie no pocock and hooper picked at 7 - or with Foley getting in the way at 12). I also love Chieka's logic... quade not picked because his super rugby form hasn't been great, yet he picks foley, simmons & douglas...

Ahh I love it how you use things that did not happen to justify your view. Cooper did not start the first two Bledisloe Cup matches in 2013. McKenzie came in, and what many think was a move to avoid being perceived as biased did Cooper, Horwill and Genia no favors initially. Toomua started the first two Bledisloe Cup tests in 2013. Cooper then was used at 10 for every test after that. Starting slowly against SA and Arg at home, before getting the players' player award vs SA in SA, and leading the Aus backline to a demolition of Argentina in Argentina (54-17). Cooper then played pretty well in our loss to NZ in Dunners. Reports were he played well: http://en.espn.co.uk/australia/rugby/story/203155.html He then played the remaining 5 matches. McKenzie never once dropped Cooper to the bench. He slowly brought him back into the team in 2013 when he took over. But let's not let actual facts guide your view.

Beale the back up fly half. Remember the last time Beale played 10 for the Wallabies . Further evidence that the Clown cartoon had substance is simply not required.

TWAS - In 2013 Cooper came under huge fire for his performance in 1st Bledisloe and MacKenzie dropped him to the bench for the second. So yes he did drop him from at least the starting squad and the headlines back then prove it. A one point he was going to be dropped altogether and it wasn't good time for Cooper because prior to Bledisloe one MacKenzie had gone into bat for Cooper after he had been dropped from the squad altogether by Deans so he had a egg on his face after Bledisloe one and Cooper paid the price in second by being dropped to the bench Okay not he squad maybe - but he was nevertheless dropped due to another indifferent performance and copped massive flak in the Australian media.

I was at that game and randwick were superb. A great game but Gallagher had a blinder for NZ . Fantastic match with about 6 wallabies in the side. I was an easts supporters so can see how Cheika was perceived as a dirty player and I was also at the ge when Easts prop Bucknell ripped and rucked Cheikas face. Memorable days as Easta were at their best then also.

Check out Quade's winning percentage in test matches as a starting 5/8 and then compare it to Foley's if you want a real measure of his success. That will make you ?????????? like a baby when you see how much better Cooper is.

Throw a boot pretty bloody far into a crowd ! Thats what he can do, and dare i say ive not seen anyone do it better.

When was Cooper EVER 'the best in the business'?

Cooper should be selected and allowed to play his instinctive game,no coach has allowed that since 2011 SR. Deans tried to curb his instinctive game when he was probably the best 10 in the business Cheika has continued that and given him so little game time that even the coolest player is going to be so nervous that he will not perform He is a typical example of a player ruined by incompetent coaches. Campers is someone of similar ability who was coached by people who respected his unique ability and got the best out of him,what a pity that Cooper was not given the same opportunities then Australian rugby may have been in a different place. In Coopers case the general public have been hoodwinked by biased and jealous Kiwis as well as coaches and selectors who were not capable

I always hope the Wallabies win regardless of selections but I am sick and tired of using the same failed players year in year out.Cheika is either an incompetent selector/coach or just plays favourites. There are obviously a number of players in his team who have the ability but there are too many who have played in every failed attempt Some of those failures may be better playing a different position than the one in which the coach continues to pick them and others should be sent back to NRC for some specialised coaching Then there are players who have had natural ability and flair coached or scared ou of them.You don't need to be inestien to work out which players I am referring to. Past coaches have had the ability to gather best out of these players but this lot don't seem to be smart enough.

Timbo, its a question of how you want to play a No 8: running narrow channels in tight off the scrum and ruck set plays, or out in the backs to muscle smaller backs, or a combination of both. McCalman is the best we have in tight, and Higgers and Timani are combination players but Higgers can often be sighted out beyond the centres. Hooper is a ferreting flanker and McMahon is a fast tough wrecking ball. Im not sure where Hanigan fits in all this. The key is what combination of styles to pick to defeat Kaino-Read-Cane.

CLLF?

He has offers actually. And the lowest is probably at least 4x what you earn. ????

I just assumed that you had seen him doing a pressed ham on the bus window after the game.

Fair comment, I can't explain the feeling, i think it was seeing the running lines front on for the first time. The Force had them covered but I couldn't see that many moves ahead. Cooper is like the psychotic Lion in the Ice age movie, you are never sure if he will bite you or the opposition, either way the result will be devastating.

The Wallatahs concoct game plans to park him at 14 in defense, just in case someone kicks a highball over that side of the field, which nobody does anymore. This is not the sign of a great defender and puts pressure on the rest of the team as it re-configures to fill the void. 1 Tackle in a game where the side conceded 40 points, you have to be joking, right? It makes no difference if it was successful or not, there weren't enough of them. Find me another respected team that does this and you might be able to convince me otherwise. Look at who he is keeping out of the team: Hodge or Niavalu, Both are well rounded players with special skills of their own. Compared with a player with special skills in 2 areas and no skills anywhere else. This is an objective comparison. The Bias is with you.

DHP only made 58% of his tackles this year in super rugby. I don't care how you want to categorise or apologise for it, that just is not good enough. He has a history of missing far too many tackles. Both on the wing and f/b. Before DHP covered at f/b he missed many tackles on the wing for the wallabies.

to make the squad yes , not the team though

I reject your assertion on DHP's comparative defense. I can't remember the last time DHP played the Winger role in defense, in all the Games I have watched, he plays fullback in D. Wing defense is pretty easy, all you have to do is stand around doing nothing. Well the way Dizzy does it is anyway. Tackles at Fullback are always low yield. You have a player already at speed on the wrong side of the gain line. The defender is stationary or sliding - easily stepped and often chipped or grubbered past. The usual scenario is that the FB slows or Jockeys (to use a soccer term) the attacking player forcing them to pass, kick or step and be caught by the chasing defender. Avoiding making a tackle is far worse than missing one. Getting carded messing up a tackle is far worse than missing one. Doomsday Cheika prediction. Could happen You are right though, Doomsday worst case would have Beale at 12 and DHP/Folau at 15/14, not a single player like Hunt or Hodge that present a strong tackling defense in the North-South channel.