It certainly makes your head spin trying to come up with the ultimate Wallabies backline combination using our current squad stock.
The mission to select a backline that can consistently break defensive lines and provide required support to score tries is no easy task.
So, let’s be logical about this and consider the essential traits required to achieve a successful backline combo.
Well, they have been on show in bucket loads in respective wins by the All Blacks and Ireland throughout the Rugby Championship and the recent Northern Hemisphere Tour season.
A successful backline has to defend for 80 minutes, of course, but for now let’s concentrate on the most successful traits of backline attack and then propose a Wallabies backline combination that may get close to displaying those traits.
What we see consistently in the most successful All Black and Irish backline attack raids are the following traits (not in any particular order);
We don’t yet have a Beauden Barrett, but we can provide a combination to match effectively the traits outlined above.
To this end I would like to put out there the following Wallabies backline.
Flyhalf: Bernard Foley
Inside centre: Reece Hodge (hoping he recovers from ankle injury well)
Outside centre: Dane Haylett-Petty
Wing: Marika Koroibete
Wing: Sefa Naivalu
Fullback: Israel Falou
Reserve backs: Samu Kerevi, Jack Maddocks and Jordan Petaia.
This combo offers two or three ball players, line breakers, kickers (short and long), genuine pace on field and on the bench and the smarts of Dane Haylett-Petty.
His great outside channel run, stepping several England players in the recent test, convinced me he should have a crack at outside centre. He is not the fastest back but has speed and, if well supported, can line break and set up try opportunities.
Defence combos to be sorted as required for different opposition.
Just an armchair expert’s opinion, but we have had plenty of opportunity this year to mull over what the Wallabies aren’t doing right in attack as much as observe the best of the best in flight.
Bring on 2019.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Why restrict yourself to the current squad? It may be a flawed premise to think that they are the best on offer, they are just the best for Cheika's system. That aside, I don't really understand your selection strategy. A fullback is a player that can run left to right and back all day, has a rugby brain, good under the highball, good tactical kicking and can carve up broken play and can chase and tackle on-on one, anything that pokes through the line. An outside centre has an explosive, line bending run with a decent offload. They can also stop big ball runners and protect a Ruck. DHP and Banks are our best on offer for 15. Rona, Karevi, Hodge, English, Karevi, with Petia and Fiawa Sautia (sp.?) emerging are all candidates for 13. 14 requires speed, a kick chase game and some fullback vision. Luke Morahan is the Man, but realistically, Banks, DHP and Maddocks are prime candidates. Over at 11 you are looking for Tanks, Busses and Trucks - a classic Flying Fijian. Sefa is my Pick, he can play 13 and has the kick-chase of a 14. Marika still has some tactical and defensive deficiencies, the gold Jersey is not the place for on the job training, maybe next year. Where is Izzy you ask? Well, if he had a defensive game, he would be an ideal 13, A kicking game, a 14, A rugby brain, and distance fitness, 15, but he doesn't, so he doesn't make my Christmas list. Hodge and Tamooa are my candidates for 12. I had earmarked Tamooa at 10, but didn't impress in the England game. But then again, neither did Foley, or anyone else for that matter. Gordon and Ginea to share 9, but the structure needs to change to protect them when they kick or snipe.
Marlin
Roar Rookie
What acout Hooper at 10?
Hamish
Roar Rookie
My lineup would be as follows: 1. Kepu 2. BPA 3. Thor 4. Rodda 5. Philip 6. Valentini 7. Gill/Pocock 8. Timu 9. Gordon/White/Powell 10. Cooper 11. Koroibete (but actually give him space on the edges...) 12. Hodge 13. Kerevi 14. Folau 15. DHP 16. Sio 17. Faingaa 18. AAA 19. Arnold/Coleman 20. Hooper 21. Gordon/White/Powell 22. Beale 23. Banks Bench might need a bit of working out. I think Pocock is a fantastic player but in terms of balanced loosies I think Gill might fit in well.
Boomeranga
Guest
Yeah it just seems the same mistakes are repeated. Supporting a team requires a decree of hope and the repeated mistakes without change sucks away that hope. I'm not even that big a fan of Higgers but we need an 8 and he is the best we have. I realised I forgot a few in the list above. There is a bit more talent around than the results suggest.
Jim
Guest
9. Genia 10. Foley 12. Hooper 13. Petaia 14. Naivalu 11. Koroibete 15. Folau
jeznez
Roar Guru
It's been suggested by a few people on these pages - Isn't a popular call but this isn't the first time I've seen it.
Barry Pearce
Guest
Koroimbete? LOL. If you want flair you must have Quade Cooper.
Woodsy
Guest
Deon What a goose you must be ????♂️
Deon
Guest
Not a great defensive line-up in the centres - a bit light on.
Deon
Guest
Actually, “has gotten” is correct, it is just that modern UK (and, to some degree, Australia) has forgotten this. See what I did there?
Rugby wizard
Guest
At least 90 percent of wallaby fans would put higginbotham in their team,its probably the most wanted selection,if Cheika had too admit today that his selections was poor this year and too some extent since his rein,many could end up backing him again knowing that in future he will make adjustments,its the stubbornness that's driving fans against him which is causing people too call for him too get sacked.
Rugby wizard
Guest
9.Genia 10.Barnes 11.Petai 12.AAC 13.Morahan 14.Folau 15.Beale Bench 1.White 2.Cooper 3.JOC 10,12 and 13 who do the basics well, Preferably morahan should be 15,but even though Beale has been poor his talent is something you dont discard especially so close too a world cup.
rat
Guest
It is not gotten. It is got
Pete
Guest
Couldn’t agree more!!
Boomeranga
Guest
I think this is the first time I've seen him suggested as an outside centre and most would agree he is a FB.
Ouch
Roar Rookie
*give Joe Tomane too.
Ouch
Roar Rookie
If you're gonna go OS then I'd JOC a chance.
WBGL
Guest
Why do people think that DHP is an outside centre, or even worse, a winger? He's neither of them. At Schoolboy, under 20's and Super level, he's been and should always be a full back. His size, positional play, pace (not fast enough to be a winger), tackling technique and kicking (outside of Hodge he has the biggest boot) all favour him being a fullback. Let him fine tune that strenght rather than chop and change. This is one of the fundamental problems with the Wallabie backline, playing people out of position or having strategies to cover poor tackling/running techniques. It creates extra, complex coaching & team drilling resources, its just dumb. As for Cooper, he's had more chances than most, fails to perform, and off field carries on like a precosious child, no more. Rugby is a simple game that should always be executed well, be very good at running hard (into space), tackling, passing (timely and acurate) and always, ALWAYS support the man with the ball. And can we get a coach that is less stubborn, please !!!!
jeznez
Roar Guru
9. David Pocock 10. George Smith (if he won't come out then our next best ball playing forward is probably Scott Higginbotham) 11. Jack Dempsey 12. Taniela Tupou 13. Michael Hooper 14. Isi Naisarani 15. Jed Holloway
Patto
Guest
As soon as you put in Foley at 10 i stopped reading. NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO