Mitch Marsh is back in the Australian cricket team, which means it’s a decent time to ponder Bernard Foley’s chances of Wallabies selection for the World Cup.
The mere mention of Marsh’s name as a candidate for the Test team gets plenty of Aussie cricket fans frothing, and Foley similarly seems to have a knack of getting Wallabies fans fired up when talking about the best Test team.
With just over a week until Australia kick off their World Cup campaign with a pool match against Fiji, it’s worth one last dabble at who will run out in the starting side.
The Wallabies have a great draw, in a pool with Wales, Fiji, Uruguay and Georgia. Finish top of Pool D and a likely quarter-final against France or Argentina awaits. Finish second in the pool and England almost certainly awaits.
Unlike the Springboks and All Blacks, who will have to hit top gear straight away when they face each other in their pool match on the opening weekend, the Wallabies will be pushed hard by Fiji and then hopefully be firing in their second pool match against Wales.
It would seem smart to play the same side – or at least the bulk of the same XV – in the Wallabies’ opening two games.
What are the most contentious selection calls?
Who wears the No.10 jersey – Bernard Foley or Christian Lealiifano? Matt Toomua perhaps as a roughie?
Who gets the nod at halfback? Will Genia or Nic White?
And what about that long-term dilemma: Pooper or not?
Foley was a standout for the Wallabies at the 2015 World Cup, a big reason why Australia stunned most rugby fans to make it to the final against the All Blacks. But he’s been below-par since and despite his many Wallabies chances as one of Michael Cheika’s favourites, he deserves to be nudged out of the starting side by Lealiifano.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Foley had one last opportunity to nail down his World Cup berth against Samoa last weekend, and again he failed to get his back line humming. They were unconvincing and one-dimensional, and Foley has to wear the blame for much of that shortfall in attacking inspiration.
On top of that, his goal-kicking was poor in booting two conversions from six attempts. Memories are still fresh of Lealiifano’s two penalty goal misses in Bledisloe 2 this year, which were deflating given the Wallabies had nothing to show for a decent patch of dominance.
Optimistically, Cheika said this after the Samoa Test: “I think those guys are great goal-kickers and when the heat’s on at the (World) Cup and goals are at a high demand they’ll be kicking them for sure.”
In Australia’s five Tests so far in 2019, Lealiifano has kicked nine goals from 13 attempts (69.2%) and Foley five from nine (55.6%).
Lealiifano gets the gig. Even though he was poor against New Zealand at Eden Park, a week earlier in Perth he proved he can spark the Wallabies’ back line and formed a solid combination with Samu Kerevi. His kicking in general play is pretty reliable.
Toomua’s versatility makes him an ideal bench option, so Foley’s first bit of action might come against Uruguay in Oita.
At halfback, White has been top-notch since his return from Exeter in England. Even the most ardent Genia fans will concede that White’s kicking game – long and short – and his decisiveness around the rucks means he’s edged past Genia to start at No.9.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Against Samoa, Genia didn’t get defenders spooked as much as White did during the Rugby Championship. Given they are the only halfbacks in the squad, both will likely get plenty of game time in the pool games but White is deservedly in pole position to start against Fiji and Wales.
To the back row, and David Pocock finally returned against Samoa – much to the relief of Wallabies fans given his long lay-off with a calf injury. The back row for the opening game should be Michael Hooper at No.7, Isi Naisarani at No.8 and Jack Dempsey at No.6.
Pocock should come off the bench for the last 30 minutes, replacing Dempsey, who can give the Wallabies better mobility and more assured defence than Lukhan Salakaia-Loto. Pockock’s entry would push Naisarani – who has a big engine and regularly plays out the full 80 minutes – to the side of the scrum.
Pocock spent a bit of time at No.8 against Samoa, and it was where he played at the last World Cup with Hooper at open-side flanker. Salakaia-Loto, who has played every minute of all five Tests this year, is best in a role off the bench.
Is it too risky to bring him on in the second row in place of Izack Rodda? It would weaken the line out, but it’s a risk worth taking to add some aggression for the last 20 minutes – especially when starting hooker Tolu Latu is likely to be off the field having been replaced.
This is my Wallabies side to take on Fiji and Wales: Scott Sio, Tolu Latu, Alan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Izack Rodda, Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper, Isi Naisarani, Nic White, Christian Lealiifano, Marika Koroibete, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Kuridrani, Reece Hodge, Kurtley Beale. Replacements: Folau Fainga’a, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, David Pocock, Will Genia, Matt Toomua, James O’Connor.
OC is an American soap drama tv series :happy:
Double Agent
Guest
Who the Fxxk is OC? Stop being lazy and spell out their names so we know who the hell people are talking about!!
Double Agent
Guest
Little Havana - we don't have a gun goal kicker.
JamesDuncan
Roar Guru
O'Connor over Kuridrani all day long. LSL over Dempsey too.
Garry
Guest
PK, I’d like to know him many of the Fiji side has been playing together in the Fiji Drua. Any ideas? Will?
Garry
Guest
And if Foley starts, he needs a second flyhalf outside him. That leaves Beale, Toomua, JOC, or Beale (depending on Coach’s vote). The other options can fight for scraps outside. This is our dilemma for the last 4 years. (“ TK to wing, Kerevi to FB, ooooh the dilemmas!” - MC)
Jezdexter
Roar Rookie
The only change I would make to that 23 is DHP to fullback Beale to bench and O'Connor out. Beale has too many weaknesses as a starting 15. But he will start, we all know it.
Little Havanna
Roar Rookie
Your top 23 is spit on, but where is our gun goal kicker?? CL at 69% needs to improve to at least 85% for the WC!
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Jake White is on SA tv for this World Cup doing a weekly analysis. Super interesting. He made the point 1st programme that no team ever in the history of the tournament has won if they have lost a previous match in the comp. He also calls it a New Zealand tournament simply based on consistency in winning and says The Boks who he also predicts will at least make the semis will fall short. Feels Aus are dangerous but too many holes, possibly cause he wants the job!
Bobbles
Guest
Cooper is the best 10 in Australia.Everyone knows this, you wont win the cup with CLL or Foley.
BOBO IS A CLOWN
Guest
Foley offers nothing.He cannot kick tackle unleash a backline,if he is in the team the wallabies will be playing a man down. He must not play.Useless total failure for 5 years bar one good game.No Foley
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
A halfback taking a couple of steps isn’t necessarily a bad thing - does anyone seriously think Genia (or any professional scrumhalf) couldn’t pass off the ground if that’s what his coaches wanted? When a scrum half takes a couple of steps off the back of a scrum or ruck, it helps draw defenders away from the fly half. That’s not to say that a quick pass off the ground isn’t sometimes, or often the right option, but this idea that it’s always best practice is just not true.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Kerevi was reluctant to take on the 12 role because he knew he wasn’t a passer and thought of 12 as requiring much better distribution skills than he has. Thorn saw him succeeding as more of a crashball 12, which has never really been the Australian way. Thorn has been proven right. Guess he was due.
pm
Roar Rookie
If you're Quade Cooper you play 3 good games and then 1 bad and they'll justify not pciking you for it. It's opposite for Foley. Cooper is such a superior talent - the kind of efficiency and creativity that Australia's generally very mediocre backs need if they're going to score enough tries against the better teams
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Now for your team : No argument about the front rows , there is no choice. The second row as well. The back three are the problem. Hooper is not big enough and he is insignificant. Dempsey is all hype, makes no yards. Naisarini is lazy. Loto will eventually learn his trade. Pocock is only as a 7 nothing else. Who I hear you say should be there ? SAMU, McCaffrey, Wright. Hodge is a poor winger and you need a second rower. That would be Jones not Loto. If we need Toomua we are in strife. Too much mediocrity and not enough substance. You are working with who Esportif manage but.
pm
Roar Rookie
Replace him with Cooper. He does make mistakes, but it's absurd he's not in the side, what he can do as a playmaker gives Australia so much more potency in attack.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Yeah, and then he started a week later and the scrum was annihilated. I don’t know how you can claim dominant scrums aren’t being rewarded after the Wallabies’ last two matches, or Ireland vs England, or Wales vs England. I think we also got toweled a bit against South Africa from memory.
Bobbles
Guest
Can you believe Foley only needs 4 more tests to become the second most capped flyhalf in Wallaby history behind the great Steve Larkham.In years to come we will say " How did that Bernard Foley play so many tests"..
Tooly
Roar Rookie
A lot of hopeful comments about OC . I have never seen him do anything at test level to justify any faith. There seems to be confusion about what a 13 needs to be and do. He is the most important man in a struggling backline with his defence. In a dominate backline his defence is important but it’s his ability to make a break, straighten the attack, commit his opposite to the tackle, and put faster men away. He is there for stability not the spectacular. Look at Johnathon Davies, Crotty or SBW . Kuridrani does all this well. He could slot in with any of the top sides. The 13 must get good fast ball from his 12. Kerevi does not provide this, he plays as a 13 without the necessary ability in defence or the ability to pass. He is a winger. NZ have centres who can play at 12 or 13 , they like Kuridrani are complete footballers. Farrell is the best 12 in world Rugby look what he does for those outside him.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Will reasonable speculation by you Will but I agree with others - I think we've seen it and there is no puzzle. The new game plan promised by Cheika was no more than a few little attack tweaks and a couple of personnel changes mostly giving arm chair rides to a few more unworthy Waratahs and favourites. While Foley is likely to return it's not fair to categorise him with serial joke M Marsh though - Foley is not THAT bad :). AAC is in the Marsh joke category though and we'll likely see him in a run on team. Fiji remains a big hurdle in the pool imo. Very slim chance against Wales but possible. QF final knock out the best Aussies can expect imo.