Cheika: Beale flyhalf experiment over

That's old thinking Piru. If you're getting a guy to do the job he was hired for, you're out of touch with the new WB way!

As stated by another poster I hope that the Argies wop us and Cheika is sacked. I'm heartily sick of the selection stuff ups that litter Cheika's term as coach. Who in their right mind would put Toomua back to the bench, the guy is equally as good at 10 or 12 and his defence is street ahead of Foley or Beale. He can kick longer and more accurately, he is a good goal kicker and can break the line. What more do you want? All these attributes are lacking in Beale and Foley???? And the biggest joke is Hannigan in the starting line up. No wonder we are now rated number 7 in the world and getting worse by each game. The Sheek must be absolutely gutted to see this and the maladministration of Aus Rugby. I no longer have the urge to watch Super rugby as it means absolutely nothing with this conference system. I still enjoy watching club rugby were each game means something and their is a genuine premiership to be won at the end of the season, but watching Super Rugby has lost it's appeal. We are no longer competitive at this level and who really cares when you can make the finals and be beaten by all the other countries during the season. The other thing is the broken season is ridiculous and the season is so short anyway. At least with club rugby you get barrack for your side and they have traditional rivals and you go to the finals rewarded by being the best of the others. Australian Rugby is in a ridiculous mess. I feared for Wales some time ago when they looked lost but they have resurrected their status as a rugby power as has Ireland. Australia is in a much worse position than they were and I fear greatly for the status of rugby in Australia. All the other codes have overtaken us and passed us by. Rugby is no longer a threat to league AFL or Soccer, they can now afford to laugh at Rugby. What a sad state rugby is in. I have been involve at all levels, playing, coaching, admin for nearly 50 years and I am absolutely appalled at the state of Rugby

Ken - another telling series of comments, from someone with a good rugby brain (despite you apparently only being a one leg :) ). Unfortunately, however, like many other insightful comments, it is not being read (I presume) by those coaching or administrating Australian rugby.

Doc, He was in the loop enough to be allowed to coach an invitational 15 against the Wallabies in recent years.

Absolutely right Oz. The last remaining scintilla of support I had for Cheika disappeared when the team sheet came out.

Selections for Salta are out. Same rubbish different test. There are no synergies from playing Michael Hooper at #7 and David Pocock #8. Hooper doesn’t actually play anywhere in particular but shows up (and was shown up in the 1st minute last week) mostly in the backs. Meanwhile Pocock is overworked and his natural game compromised. The Wallabies lose the skills, height and power of a specialist #8. Cheika’s persistance with this sub-optimal pairing hurts the Wallabies and benefits only their opponents. Pocock, at his current burn rate (on a hiding to nothing), will be lucky to make it to the WC. Bench Hooper. Pocock starts - knowing he has approximately 45 minutes to play himself off his peak. Then, before he slips down his performance curve, replace him with Hooper. Preserve Pocock for another day. Give Hooper 35 minutes to show us what $6 million buys – but make him play like a real #7. Captain? Matt Toomua is cool head and an instinctive organizer. Clearly the best choice on offer but he ‘lost’ the battle for #10 (between Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale – go figure that out) so is sitting on the bench this week. Of course all big tests need impact players on the bench so Foley’s mate, Nick Phipps is given another gratuitous opportunity for a cap. If there was any objectivity in selections both Foley and Phipps would be on the bench for their respective NRC teams this week.

Cheika has just signaled the end of his coaching career by reinstating Foley at fly half. It’s an admission of defeat. Foley couldn’t lead us to victories over the All Blacks, England, or Ireland and he was a better player back then than he is now. It’s also an admission that he has no hope for us at the World Cup. Why he didn’t pick Toomua is a mystery. Give him a shot to prove himself, now, and on the spring tour. The Wallabies will continue their inextricable slide into mediocrity with this kind of stale showing. Such a shame, as I really wanted to support him.

Spring Is a time for spring cleaning! We know what KB can do at 12, DHP offers as a traditional FB and have developed Koroibete. Genia needs using sparingly. I’d love to see what the following more attacking and more defensive backline can do: 9 Gordon 10 Foley 11 Banks 12 Toomua 13 Kerevi 14 Folou 15 Beale

Jez I know what will happen. I was more saying what should.

I think it is madness. The last thing we want is a bunch of clubs trying to control the game at all levels. The end result would be a small group of pro-clubs holding the rest of the game to ransom - something like the English model but without the warchest that Twickenham gives the national body. Clubs should be focussed on being self-sufficient and creating the best possible environment for their players. I agree with the need for them to have a voice, but I don't think there will ever be a single voice that can represent all clubs. And I don't trust that group which is heavily laden with people that are dyed in the wool Shute Shield men to be the voice for all that they proclaim they want to be.

To me this appears more a step backwards than anything else and looks like going back to state/club based power which is never going to be aligned with the national interests

Well said , wish I could be as clear and concise as this when I comment.

It all smells a bit like when Foley was in atrocious form in 2016 and we were trounced in the first Bledisloe so Cheika gave Cooper a go, but he lumbered him with an out of form Foley playing out of position at 12. He just would not drop Foley. This year he has dropped Foley but the losses with Beale / Toomua will simply serve to reinforce with Cheika and offer false evidence that we need Beale. How about we try Toomua at 10, Hodge at 12, Tom English at 13 (given TK is out), put some speed and Rugby smarts on the wings and I'll even cop Folau at fullback to throw Cheika a bone... Pleasing to hear that we are looking towards a genuine 6 or 8 loose forward in the match day squad but would much prefer them to start and Michael Hooper come off the pine along with Kurtley and Foley.

Indications are that KB returns to 12. First line of the second paragraph in the article states: "Beale is set to be restored to inside centre" Meaning Foley or Toomua play 10. If it is Foley then that is a return to what wasn't working, if it is Toomua, then that really means KB and Toomua have just swapped numbers but I suspect will play with almost the same instructions.

Stllmissit, you’ve really missed it with this one- “for most of his career (Quade) has been a total Dhead’. Some people just gotta flick the switch to ‘fact-free’ when it comes to some players. And in the extreme negative. Quade is a public figure who makes his mistakes in public and pays his dues in the same place, including suffering inexplicable ostracisation from the Wallabies and the Reds whilst being arguably one of the most skilled 10’s in both squads. On top of that there is always one or ten illogical, evidence-optional posts like this one popping up whenever his name is mentioned. In short why do you need to trouble the keyboard to write in the extreme negative about anyone, let alone a potential Wallaby? I get the feeling that if Quade set up 6 fries and kicked all his goals on the way to winning a World Cup final we would still have people on here talking about laptops, toxic team culture and the alleged dent inflicted upon Richie’s halo. You are capable of better posts than this Stillmissit.

If Toomua plays 10, who plays 12? And if Hodge plays 12, who plays 13? We need one of the Ks back.

(A) KB is no.15, 22 or 23. He's not a 10 and we can't carry his defence at 12. (B) He has Toomua next to him for now, and then once Kerevi or Kuridrani comes back he moves to no.22 with Toomua at 10. Toomua is the whole package. Foley is marginally better at some aspects, but Toomua is better at a lot more and rounds out the team better. You don't need a Cooper like magician at 10 to have attack. Look at the ABs - Barrett and McKenzie are as much or more runners than passers/creators, but the players around them are well rounded so it doesn't matter much. My preferred inside back combo is Toomua-Kerevi-Hodge but if TK comes back first, then it's Toomua-Hodge-Kuridrani. Strong defensive unit, all 3 strong in contact, and 3 of 4 can pass well (TK the exception). 2 good punters too.

NRC is needed as the pathway from Club to SR. But we need a centralised control like NZ and Ireland. Has to happen but not under the current RA.

The only cab waiting...

Good summary Ken. This whole situation arose because of reluctance to give anyone else a shot at 10 except Bernard Foley. When QC got a shot a few years back, Foley was moved to 12 and Cooper was dropped after three (?) matches. Only Reece Hodge has started a game there (against Japan) since. When a second 10 disappeared from the squad entirely we were told that KB or RH could cover comfortably. Now that appears not to be the case, so it's a question of finding who can reliably cover Foley if he (God Forbid) suffer a long term injury before the WC starts. Matt Toomua looks to be the next cab off the rank.