Hooper, Pocock complete pros: Wells

Watch Hoops destroy the Brunbies and come back to me.

Not really. We have a better 7 who is actually world class at ensuring we win our attack rucks, slows down opposition ball and jackals. Some might prefer Hooper to Pocock, but I think they would be in the minority or else would have a forward pack full of very good jacklers and ruckers. Folau, Genia, Coleman are surely the only auto picks.

Hoops is an obvious auto pick

And if the Wallabies had a set piece dominant, blunt shouldered, line bending, ruck securing, ball contesting combined tight and loose forward pack, I would absolutely celebrate the extra fleet footedness in the three quarter channel and in the first phase of set piece. They don't. The Wallabies continue to be dominated in the single most frequent and important contest on the rugby pitch - the offensive and defensive breakdowns. I'm not sure who this Picock bloke is but if he is anything close to Australia's best defender - Pocock - I'd welcome him into the national squad. Thanks also for attempting to perpetuate the total myth that he pulls out his deck chair and shakes a cocktail when the the Wallabies gain possession. Attack starts at the breakdown. Securing the ruck has been a fatal flaw for this team all last season and for the show ponies to get the quick, front foot ball they require to dance through an unset opposition backline, feature in the Fox Sports highlight reels and get Greg Clark's tonsils warbling and his hyperbolic adjectives rattling, some bloke has done the unsexy, unheralded, dirty work at the coal face. He is every bit as responsible for attack at the start of the lifecycle, as the bloke collecting plaudits at the end.

Hooper is an atttacking weapon linkinnforwards to backs as well as doing the hard defence, whilst Picock is purely defensive but one of the best . We are missing a Palu type 8. Higgers pull your finger out

“(Me) getting through plenty of work allows Hoops to inject himself where he can,” Wells said. Finally a bit of truth straight from the horses, in this case, former Brumbies, mouth. Re-enforces the windmill that I have been tilting at for years. The rest of the forwards have to shoulder more load so Hoops can shine in the highlights reel and get the Fox commentators calling his name excitedly. The Wallabies back 5 minus Hoops has quite a high injury rate and cops a lot of Cheika's ire for not being physical enough. Coincidence? I personally think that this creates an imbalance, and whenever the Wallabies come up against a decent pack they get rolled by the counter ruck. The Tahs saw it first hand in the first half against the Rebels Dual 6's, when they were still fresh. If Hoops want's his spot he needs to show he deserves it by shouldering the burden like all good piggies do. Last week I saw Colby Fainga, a Hooper-esque mobile 7, contribute as a line out receiver and make cleanouts too. It may have been an anomaly, Jack Deb did a couple of decent clean outs in that game too. Perhaps all players need to be proficient in these skills.

Excellent sky blue wind up Ned! A lot of hype surrounding Hanigan and he is yet to play satisfactorily at Test level, despite countless unwarranted opportunities last season. I'd suggest he would play best in a Tahs or NRC 23.

A lot of hype surrounding Pocock and he is yet to play a Super Rugby game this season. Let's say that competition is high, injuries happen and the season is a long and tough one. Plus, where will Hanigan, Dempsey, Hooper and Hollaway play in the Wallabies 23?

Naisarani isn't eligible yet so scratch that. If picking a squad on form today I'd run Caleb Timu at 8. Having an immense year for the Reds. Hoops at 7 (Poey working his way back from injury) and maybe another Red in Scott-Young at 6. 6 is definitely the problem position without Fardy. Nobody really standing up with the ball running and line-out skills.

Mate the pooper is dead. Every team has learnt to counter it and it creates an unbalanced loose forward trio that is ineffective in today’s game. Interestingly I think the rule changes do help the concept a bit but I still don’t think it’ll work. It was a good option for a few games but quickly became pretty lame

Co-captains: no. Has to be in the starting side. Pocock or Coleman.

Are you in all seriousness proposing that Mumm and Hanigan were the only viable options? Is that truely your argument? Straight faced, no smirk? Who even decided “hybrid 5/6” was the inarguable criteria for blindside flanker? The whole scenario is a function of choosing two (bordering on three) opensides in the starting backrow in the first place. Just don’t stop doubling (tripling) up on 7’s and the issue resolves itself. But for arguments sake: Fardy. Don’t change him - every bit as good in the line out as Mumm and better than Hanigan. Better at just about everything else than both (excepting 1 long legged giraffe run from Mumm per game). Form blindside of the Australian conference in 2017 with daylight second. Then: Higgers, Timani, RHP, Tui last year. Plus a whole host of new and existing options this year. The gold blindside doesn’t need to be Kaino, Leitch, O’Mahony. It’s a frankly ridiculous argument. Just needs to be better than Hanigan. And guess what...

Pocock (7), Fardy (6) and Naisarani (8) and bring on Hooper as soon as the opposition show any tired legs so he can blitz past them with his insatiable energy and tireless work-rate and yes Timu on the bench as another quality replacement.

like who? aussy had no players like Kaino , Scot Burger, PeterO'Mahony, Michael Leitch.... 6s not hybrids. i can only think of Kimlin and Mowen - but dont think they will be very good at test level - or rather better than those used by MC.

And make them co-captains? Hooper can only come on for Pocock. Their captaincy styles would be different. If that is an issue, need an 80 minute Captain, with Coleman the favourite.

Cheika didn't have to play just any hybrid 5/6 or, at any cost i.e. lack of gain line impact, breakdown acumen, maul capability, power and/or technique in open play. He simply chose to. There were always options. There are more now.

Timu 6 Naisarani 8 and Pocock 7 Hooper / Higginbotham on the bench. only issue with this is that otherthan Higginbotham and Naisarani - others are not known as effective lineout options. so aussy have to play a hybrid 5/6 - like Fardy , Mumm , hanigan ....

No idea ^

"But they share one common characteristic." They share at least one more. Both are openside flankers. Pick one. And then pick a proper 8. And then pick an angry, full grown 6.

Pooper rocks as long as Pocock recovers ok.