Wallaby Dempsey sees the light at last

Pocock is still saving the Bandicoots.

Valentini broke within a half of football and you call him robust? Hooper got his chance when Poey as incumbent got injured. Gill could have taken that chance but he was injured. Since then we have had those three and Sean Mac, but three if them kept getting injured. If your going to talk about being robust recognise there is more than one meaning. What we haven't and don't have is players who can be physical, effective and not break. Hooper is not big but is effective and he is freaking tough and resilient. I wonder how many of the injuries that have kept other players out did not keep him out.

I am a Tahs supporter and for mine, I wouldn't have K.Beale anywhere near the WB setup until he learns how to tackle. If you can't defend your position, then you have no business being in the top team of the nation. I'm constantly amazed that people slag off Q.Cooper for his easily-brushed off high tackles yet cop K.Beale doing the same thing and deflect by pointing to B.Foley's soft low tackling. This whole business of N.Gray's musical chairs defence patterns absolutely kills the team, both in defence and attack off lost ball. I have noticed this year (so far) that B.Foley and often K.Beale are defending in their positions. Good on D.Gibson and long may it continue. Until Beale becomes a competent tackler, put R.Hodge at IC, overall I think he is a better player than Beale anyway.

And don't forget the boys in Red, S.Higgenbothem, Lukha Tui (he played #6 when M.Cheika FINALLY admitted that N.Hanigan doesn't cut the mustard), Adam Korczyk, Angus Scott-Young, Harry Hockings, Liam Wright and Caleb Timu. I would say the WB coaching staff have a truckload of very good players to choose from. However this is how it will go for the WB until Sept 2019 when they are kicked out of group stages or QF: 20th best prop T.Robertson (NSW) always gets a run, locks Rory Arnold and L.Tui dropped for weaklings like R.Simmons and Sam Carter, all the above not get a look-in at #6 as Ned is the man, and a return of the Pooper. Backline instructed to never kick in open play, only the rest of the world (successfully) do that, we prefer to run into brick walls. LoL

100%

Also, he hasn't proven himself as a captain able to rally the troop when the chips are down. Teh Tahs in 2017 was an embarrassment, and he could never kick them into gear. Likewise, his leadership has hardly steeled the Wallabies at too many points.

1. I wouldn't leave Izzy out but that is because he performs all of the other roles of a 14/15 hybrid virtually perfectly. Main role of a winger/fullback is to catch high balls and be a strike weapon, and he is probably the best at the world in these two things. There are also three back 3 positions with very similar requirements, whereas the requirements of a 7 is pretty different from a 6 and 8 traditionally. We also don't have a Ben Smith to consider against Izzy, whereas we have Pocock who is the equivalent of a Ben Smith. I think Pocock saves far more points as a result of his ability to slow the attack down and force key turnovers. They're just not included in try or point saving stats. 2. The Beale comparison is awful, as his poor defence in the 12 channel (along with Foley's poor defence at 10) is part of the reason the Wallabies concede so many points. 3. Is the main role of a 7 to score tries? No. So who cares if Hooper scores more tries. Ardie Savea would score far more tries than Cane or Todd and yet isn't even making the All Black 23 anymore.

wallabies lose many games because they can't control or even challeng at the breakdown , the 2 lost games to scotland, all the ones against England, and Ireland. Pocock would have a far greater impact or provide a likelier chance of winning than Hooper did against those teams.

Here we go Fionn. You have a captain and he is also worth a try (almost) and save every game he plays. He also plays havoc with defensive patterns. Would you leave Izzy out because his kicking is not world class? No because he brings so more to the team. Same reason they put in Beale despite his defence fragility. You got to take the good with the bad Pocock can tackle, can pilfer and is a great presence around the team as you mention. but you don't see him in the outer channels with speed, you don't see him scoring regular try's. Is Pocock better then Hooper? I don't believe so. They are just different.

Alcock actually has a decent kicking game also. Set up a really good try against the Jags (I believe) in broken play with a chip kick.

You've got to ask yourself two things though, James 1. Has Hooper's performances as captain of the Wallabies and Waratahs indicated he's a particularly good/successful captain and should continue as captain of the Wallabies? 2. Is Hooper the best open-side flanker in the country? I'm sceptical to the former and as to the latter, if Pocock comes back in his 2015-16 form he is just so much better at dominating the breakdown on attack and both slowing down opposition ball and getting key turnovers on defence. Hooper is a great running attacker and cover tackler, but I think that those skills must surely be secondary to those other core roles Pocock dominates—sort of like Savea misses out to the much less athletic Cane and now Todd. Maybe the Pooper is the best to run as we don't exactly have many world class blind-side flankers or number 8s calling out right now. It would be different if we had a Kaino and a Read to choose from also.

a better solution is Cheika selects Hooper on the bench as a finisher / impact player and Pocock starts at 7. However a good ball carrier like Naisarani would need to be chosen and Hanigan dumped and a more robust / physical player like Valetini chosen as well. IMO Dempsey lacks power. I dislike power and physicality being ignored just for the sake of mobility in the backrow and hence Hanigan, Dempsey and Hooper being chosen as the backrow for the wallabies.

So Hooper - the Wallaby captain - needs to take a break so someone else can take his spot for the Wallabies? Congrats - perhaps the least logical thing I've seen on here.

No malice intended, but I wish Hoops would take 6 months off (or move to 13) so Pocock could run free at 7 for a while, and also captain the side for good measure. I've been struggling with this 7-8 Pocock situ ever since Pooper was hatched years ago. Nothing's seemed balanced since. Oh well.. one can dream.

Wish you hadn’t said that. #touchwood

I would say the Rebels and Brumbies would disagree with you. I don't know the reds list well enough to comment either way. Cotterell, RHP, Timani, Cusack, Hanigan. with Hardwick and Pocock due back soon, Dempsey and Valentini a bit further away. Chris Alcock is now eligible (in theory) too. He is an awesome #7. Not as fast as Hoops but does all the traditional forward pack roles better.

We are light on in the back row. Lucky Hooper is fit

Any idea what has happened to Ben McCalman??