Finding 110-120kg athletes who have superb balance and eye-to-hand coordination, are nearly two metres tall, can run explosively over 20-40 metres, and who have the physicality and mental attitude required for collision sports is a difficult task.
In Australia, rugby union must compete with rugby league, AFL, basketball and even cricket for these rare athletes.
Watching New Zealand’s Super Rugby and national teams over the last three years, it is obvious every professional team requires a core of big, powerful, dynamic players distributed between backs and forwards to be successful.
These dynamic players can drive the tempo of a game through domination of the gain line and the delivery of quick ball. The more of these dynamic ball runners you have the better, as long as you have the halves to exploit this tempo.
Right now, the Kiwis have more of these players and halves and the results show.
Unfortunately, Australia have lacked this type human specimen for just about as long as we have failed to hold the Bledisloe Cup.
Going into 2015 Rugby World Cup, Michael Cheika basically resigned himself to the fact that our best large backrow specimen, Wycliff Palu, could no longer match it at Test level and went with David Pocock at 8.
In both the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, Australia was without a world-class specialist No.8.
It is likely we could head in the same direction for the 2019 tournament, so fixing this deficiency is a priority.
[latest_videos_strip category=”rugby” name=”Rugby”]
The current options are Scott Higginbotham or Caleb Timu at the Reds, Isi Naisarani at the Brumbies, and Michael Wells or Jed Holloway at the Tahs.
Naisarani is playing well but may not be eligible in time for 2019, while Higginbotham was not selected for the last World Cup, so I doubt he’s an option. Timu and Wells have both been playing good rugby, while Holloway is quietly working his way back from injury.
Someone who is also a competitive lineout target and can carry hard in tight or loose would be ideal, which starts to limit the options to either Timu, Wells or Naisarani, with Pocock at 6 and Michael Hooper at 7.
But how about thinking outside the box, by selecting as many dynamic players as possible in the backrow? How about moving Taniela Tupou to 8? Or big Taqele Naiyaravoro? Who’d want to tackle those guys steaming off the back of a scrum?
These two have the raw potential, would present a point of difference and a major running threat at 8. It would mean going back to a conventional backrow with one openside, a ball-running 8 and a lineout 6, but all of those previously mentioned 8s can play 6.
So how are these for out-of-the-box dynamic backrows that could be tweaked based on opposition:
6. Naisarani, Wells, Higginbotham
7. Hooper, Pocock
8. Tupou, Timu, Naiyaravoro
What do you think Roarers? Am I dreaming? What would our most dynamic pack look like?
jimbo81
Guest
I have thought about this all weekend - and I think the answer is the Pooper with Tupo at 6. Neither Hooper or Pocock are great jumpers, however, jumping as a skill at the back is relatively straightforward and a week of training doing this as well as a few games doing so (Ireland) and problem solved. Tupo can lift from 5 and Pocock from 7 to make Hooper a great jumper at 6. Tupo solves the poor jumper issue nicely. We need both Tupo and Ulese as damaging ball runners to partner with Rodda and Coleman. There's run meters and a solid forward platform. Now we need a 10 that can take advantage. Foley's 4 major mistakes Vs the Reds and zero points this weekend disqualify him (as well as a lacklustre 2016/17 and inability to tactically kick or kick goals). I reckon Beale at 10 backed up by Hodge solves that problem. All of these solutions are to compensate for a lack of skills being developed at grassroots but we have the cattle to make a decent go of it, as long as Cheika picks it that way....... but that would involve knowing the skillsets that the moderd test arena needs - and watching the Wallabies play, I'm not so sure he does.
Bakkies
Guest
Bonnaire was a world class lineout operator and with Hairydonkey at 8 they were as good as most lock pairings and were able to jump in the middle of the lineout. Unfortunately France overcompensated by selecting Seabass Chabal in the row instead of a convential lock.
Cuw
Guest
Billy not seen since January . Hughes out for 8 -12 weeks ( if i remember right ) Underhill already had 3 concussion related layoffs. Sam Symonds perhaps at 7. problem is not playing players out of position - problem is they are slow. Lawes , Robshaw , Haskell , Billy - are comparatively slow. they may look so fly in Aviva but when going against the other countries they are slow. Itoje is quick but then he shud become more good at his position. Sam Symonds is the pacy one . and the others with pace are either injured ( Underhill ) or dropped ( Teimana HArrison ). That is why Eddie is keen on Shields - he is fast for a very big boy. only other from aviva with such pace and ability maybe the saffas - Don Armand and Michael Rhodes.
Fionn
Guest
But CUW, the problem isn't that Billy Vunipola is too slow to play 8. Also, I don't even think the problem is that the pack is too slow. The problem is that they have a lock playing at number 6, and a number 6 playing at number 7. They also have a very out of form hooker and a tighthead prop who isn't offering much. Shields at 6, Vunipola or Hughes at 8 and Underhill at 7 looks much better to me.
Cuw
Guest
@ FIONN that is the problem with England pack - in going for size they have lost speed. that is why Eddie is keen on Brad Shields. England set to win battle for New Zealand-born Brad Shields and name him in touring party for South Africa http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-5636145/England-set-win-battle-Shields-touring-party-South-Africa.html
Cuw
Guest
he came back and broke a forearm i think . not seen since January. now that Sarries are out of not Heineken cup - they may be waiting for finals of Aviva.
Bakkies
Guest
Hairydonkey pretty much changed the way number 8s play through his lineout work (he was a better jumper than the French locks) and ability to get over the ball to win turnovers. He also varied his carries by playing tight or running wide to get his offloads going. Guys like Heaslip and Read came in after him. The constant physicality has cost Billy V over the past year. His body is battered I am not even sure if he is back yet.
Bakkies
Guest
Yeah indeed. It costed the RA one million dollars last year and they made a 3.8 million dollar loss.
Bakkies
Guest
Taqele is off to Northampton. Cheika will be a hypocrite if he selects him as he didn't select Fardy last year.
Taylorman
Guest
One reason is Cheika continued to play Pocock there rather than look for a real one. Thats 20 or 30 tests wasted where the valuable time could have been used to blood one in, particularly in 2016, after the world cup.
Taylorman
Guest
‘we were robbed of a try that would’ve won the final match (from memory Speight try didallowed because the referee forgot the rules)’ You mean woulda won instead of losing six tries to one. I suppose if hed scored aaaaaalllll of that would have been reversed. That the one you mean? Pooper was a flop. Thats been proven over and over again. Its logically, tactically and woefully, flawed and any plusses were simply a result of two good players on the field trying hard.
Englishbob
Guest
Agreed, again sadly probably a money issue, in Europe players stay in their respective countries for the most part not only because they want to push for selection but why move your life for equal or lesser money. The Aussie players especially get paid much less than they'd command up here considering their generally high fitness and skill set
Fionn
Guest
Great point, I'd forgotten!
Steiner
Roar Pro
Good point Cuw he was a great asset for the Reds. My point is we have few dynamic ball runners in Oz so let’s get the most out of what we have and adapt. We have many dynamic outside backs so let’s re-role a few. We have done it in the past when we used to innovate and we can do it again.
Steiner
Roar Pro
I think the line out requirement with the Pooper is key. So you need a dynamic ball carrier who is also a line out option. But in my alternative backrows we get that from our 6.
Steiner
Roar Pro
Hope you’re wrong DJ but I am not confident it could pan out exactly as you say.
Steiner
Roar Pro
You should do it JR would be a great read!
Steiner
Roar Pro
Dunno PS maybe Chris FS from the Reds would have more impact in tight as a backrower. DHP is a gifted fullback and could also be a playmaker in the back 3 so I wouldn’t move him.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Seen this one before, Simmons is great lock in a balanced pack. Add Hoops and the rest of the pack needs to be tougher to compensate, This isn't the sort op player Simmons is.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Tell him he is dreaming. Holistically, the Back row needs a specific collection of skills, it doesn't matter who has them, as long as they are covered. Once you accept that Hoops will have the coveted #7 Jersey, the skills shortage triggers a series of compromises. Both the 6 and 8 need to be more mobile to service the breakdown. 8's have been jumping ship for a while. And for the record, I think the game evolved past Palu, Fitness and mobility letting him down.