Michael Cheika brought through a lot of young talent in 2017. Jack Dempsey, Lukhan Tui, Izack Rodda, Jorda Uelese and Marike Koroibete were all relatively unknown before the 2017 internationals, but put in some extremely good performances for the Wallabies.
It is vital that Cheika uses the end of year tour to give these players more game time, and also give opportunities to other youngsters who performed well in Super Rugby and the NRC in 2017, such as Tom Banks, Duncan Paia’aua, Tolu Latu and Joe Powell.
With Israel Folau taking the rest of the year off, it is the perfect opportunity to get Karmichael Hunt into the starting team at 12 or 15, and to get Tom Banks onto the bench as outside back cover. Banks is one of the fastest men in Australian rugby, has excellent positional play, is strong under the high ball and possesses a strong playmaking game.
He truly is the full package, and needs to be supported, as he will be a star.
Powell gets to breakdowns quickly and has an accurate and fast pass. He needs to work on his running game and avoid silly errors off of set piece, but he does an excellent job of clearing the ball to his fly-half quickly and accurately.
Uelese was a masterstroke from Cheika. The lad has played almost no Super Rugby but looked every bit the dynamic hooker the Wallabies needed during his few cameos.
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It is time we move on from Nick Phipps, Stephen Moore and Rob Simmons (injuries excepted).
Phipps, after 60-odd Tests, still makes unforgivable unforced errors in most of his starts, struggled to make the Waratahs in 2016 and his pass is too inaccurate for an international halfback.
Moore has been a warrior and great leader. However, despite the fact he has done okay in most of his recent cameos Moore is too slow and lacks dynamism and impact around the park.
Simmons is fine injury cover, but his line out work has declined and he does not offer the same impact anymore.
Increased defence
The Wallabies’ attack was wonderful in the Rugby Championship. Stephen Larkham deserves special credit for this.
However, while the defence has improved, we still leak too many tries, especially in the 10-12 channel.
Kurtley Beale is an interesting case. He is a liability under the high ball at fullback and a liability in defence at inside centre. However, he is also impossible to leave out of the team.
It can be assumed that Beale and Hunt will wear the 12 and 15 jerseys between them.
My preference would be for Beale as custodian, as his highball taking has generally improved – Bledisloe 3 excepted – and he is still at his most dangerous when counterattacking from fullback.
Additionally, Beale is often already situated at fullback on defence, so him attacking from there means less moving pieces in defence and allows for Hunt to take on the defensive organiser role in the front line.
Playing Hunt at 12 also opens the opportunity to start Samu Kerevi at 13, as he will have strong defenders around him.
Especially with Folau out, the Wallabies need another attacking weapon, and Kerevi is by far the next-best in Australia.
AAP Image/Dave Hunt
Pick and stick with locks
The revolving door in the second row must end. Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold and Lukhan Tui are our best three locks.
Coleman is by far number one and will start. It does not matter whether Arnold or Tui is with him, as both are excellent finishers off the bench.
Finishers off the bench
Ned Hanigan is not a finisher, he offers no impact and is a liability.
Nick Phipps is not a finisher, as he cannot be trusted when the game is in the balance.
Tom Robertson is not a finisher, as he is poor in the scrum and weak around the park.
Henry Speight is not a finisher, as he struggles to make an impact at international level.
Moore is no longer a finisher either.
The Wallabies must seleCt a high-impact, powerful bench that can come on and win matches in the final 30 minutes, as they did in the Rugby World Cup.
Lopeti Timani is powerful off the bench and should be our back-row cover.
Tom Banks, as said above, is an x-factor player.
Tui and Arnold are both high-impact locks.
Powell can be trusted to provide good service in the final 20 minutes, and Jake Gordon can provide impact too.
Uelese is immensely powerful and is the perfect hooker option to bring on to end matches.
Additionally, even if Quade Cooper is not going to start under Cheika’s reign, we need a second specialist 10 in the squad – Cooper should at least be on the bench to cover an injury to Foley and to change the dynamic at the end of matches.
If we do all of this then the team has a good opportunity of at least winning their matches against Japan, Wales and Scotland. Who knows, given England’s injuries, perhaps we can even pull an upset out at Twickenham?
Sgt Pepperoni
Guest
For all this talk of backs can everyone just remember we're going to the NH? We need wise heads in the scrum and those schooled in the dark arts. Fast and mobile is fine but losing to Scotland twice in one year would imply that a serious learning disorder. We need players who can clear a ruck and ensure possession first and we can worry about slick offloading later I also worry about our lineout after the job that eben etzebeth did on us in Perth I would say pek cowan and timani in the mix and I think uelese should be on the bench
cinque
Guest
Not saying he should tour, just that he will. And he will play too, as 5/6 cover.
Not Fickle
Roar Rookie
Drongo by name, Drongo by nature
Fionn
Guest
I love Phipps' energy off the bench too. I wish all of the Wallabies displayed his passion and enthusiasm. Unfortunately, I think he is a net loss overall as his pass is so inaccurate and he is prone to so many brain snaps. In regards to Hanigan, I sort of feel that devalues the jersey. Imagine if you were an aspiring 6 like Ross Haylett-Petty and you work hard and outplay Hanigan all year, and then he makes the squad above you because he tries hard and is a good mascot. Is that really the team culture we want to build?
cinque
Guest
I like that too. Not saying he should be there but he adds urgency. His delivery is wayward (get to the breakdown and fling it anywhere) but quick. Better if he kept his trap shut, though. Another guy to defend is Hanigan. Sure he couldn't clean out a garage but that may be improving. Or not. He tries hard and presumably trains well. You scoff at this but Cheik divines attitude from training. He seems a young, happy-go-lucky country boy, so his squad presence is a plus for the team culture. I reckon he will tour, sort of a team mascot.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Fair enough. I thought he performed really well from when he replaced Kuridrani in the RC last year until he got injured (was it in Bledisloe 3?). I think he could defend well enough to make him a net gain over TK if he had Hunt inside of him and Hodge outside of him. I won't be upset to see TK at 13, however, I just feel our attack must suffer as TK isn't attacking nearly as well as he did a few years ago.
waxhead
Guest
Yes but Kerevi's defence is just not good enough imo. He'd leak more tries than he assisted.
waxhead
Guest
I'd have Beale as a finisher at 10 or 12. He's probably a better 10 than Foley anyway - at least has a decent open field kicking game. Only as a 15 if Folau was injured. KB as run on 10 is also an option until a better young 10 is found. W's desperately need another 1 or 2 good goal kickers. Foley is sub-standard as a No 1. Hodge is a work in progress. KB no better than Foley at goal kicking.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
TK is defending wonderfully, but I just feel that without Folau in the team, we need to get Kerevi in there as another really effective strike weapon who will break the line consistently and lead to us scoring a lot of points. Wholly accept I could be wrong in that though.
Grandslamfan
Guest
I like the increased tempo that Nick Phipps adds to the Wallabies when he comes off the bench.
tsuru
Roar Rookie
I'm puzzled why everyone (except Karl Knuth) has left Kuridrani out of this discussion altogether. I fail to see what he has done wrong in the RC. He has not set the world on fire, but his defence has been really good, he runs good angles and is often used as an effective dummy runner, and apparently is the organizer out wide in defence. I don't understand why nobody has bothered to mention him either positively or negatively.
Rebellion
Guest
My Spring Tour 23 (minus Folau) - No Robertson, Hanigan or Phipps... Hallelujah! 1. Sio 2. TPN 3. Kepu 4. Coleman 5. Arnold 6. Dempsey 7. Pocock 8. McMahon 9. Genia 10. Foley 11. Koroibete 12. Kerevi 13. Hodge 14. Naivalu 15. Beale 16. Uelese 17. Ala’ala 18. Faulkner/ Slipper 19. Tui 20. Hooper 21. Powell 22. Cooper 23. Hunt / Banks / DHP
Rebellion
Guest
Sluggy - you poor little fella Your half baked comments lost all credibility when you claimed Nic Phipps has a better pass than Genia’s. Get some perspective and take off your blue tinted specs
Fionn
Guest
9. Genia, 10. Lance, 11. Koroibete, 12. will meakes go to the Rebels?, 13. Hodge, 14. Naivalu, 15. DHP looks like a great backline for the Rebels and for Aussie rugby. You're right about the dangers of being a jack of all trades. We need Hodge to be a Stirling Mortlock not an Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Fionn
Guest
Interesting point. I've wondered that myself a few times actually, but it just seems crazy to leave out one of our only players of genius. If you were to make him a finisher what would your backline like look? Would you move Hunt to 12 and someone like Banks or Hodge to fullback?
Fionn
Guest
Your last point about needing to select up and coming players and give them serious game time is really the crux of it. Guys like Uelese and Banks could be key players by RWC 2019 if given game time between now and then. Cheers mate
MitchO
Guest
Yeah Timbo, Folau is one of our best 15 players and that high ball is going to be an issue but not the clearance kicks. KB, Hodge and DHP have a proper hoof that I look forward to seeing at full back. As an aside on the high ball, do you remember the high ball comp at half time at a Force game when everyone dropped everything except one guy caught one - and he was at his bucks party. Do you know if DHP is going to be fit to tour? DHP is test class but Hodge has his spot now and you can't drop him on form.
waxhead
Guest
Fionn - totally agree :) ........... except for 1 small thing. I've seen no evidence that Beale's skill under the high ball has improved in 2017. I've seen people talking it up here but no evidence from KB at all. He remains an ordinary fullback for that reason. I think Cheika had it right in 2014-15 - he's best as a finisher.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
TPN copped a lot of flack for his line out throws last year. He is still a bit rubbish when he gets fatigued. The answer - Get him subbed off after 45-55 minutes, simple. That way you can Tap into everything he does well and avoid the bad stuff.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Niavalu, Hodge and Koribete seem to be handling the finishers job, Try scoring is not a unique skill. DHP has proven he can poke his nose through the line from fullback. Banks and Hunt can do it too. Beale, Kerevi and TK have shown they can slice through the back line line. The only skills that take a hit are going to be high ball security and that freakish ability he has to step the opposition and break the line, dragging multiple defenders. Oh, yeah and hair pulling and getting isolated going into contact will me missed.