We all know that unless a miracle happens, the Wallabies will be headed to a Rugby World Cup quarter-final against England.
The odds for a Wallabies win are long at best with no sane armchair rugby expert picking them as favourites.
But what if we rethought the selection process and thought about how we could put a fright back into England?
If we pick teams like we have been, you’ll get the same result. Or we could pick a team with genuinely frightening size and give it a go.
This starts with the back line. My choice of team would be: Will Genia, Matt To’omua, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Kuridrani, Marika Koroibete and Dane Haylett-Petty at fullback.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Many people would criticise both the lack of passing ability and the lack of decent kickers. To’omua and Haylett-Petty both have decent kicking capability and the purpose of this back line is to go through – not around – England.
The forward pack has not been too far off, but changes to the front row and going back to a proper number six would be my choice.
The forward pack would be James Slipper, Tolu Latu, Taniela Tupou, Rory Arnold, Izack Rodda, Michael Hooper, Jack Dempsey at number six and Isi Naisarani at number eight.
Slipper and Tupou are a far more damaging front row, while Latu helps over the ball with Hooper and Dempsey backing up.
This selection gives us big bodies at line-out time, decent ability to penetrate the line and a point of difference to the “OK but nothing great” look to the forward pack to date.
England would look at this squad and be thinking about how to shut us down rather than how they are going through us.
While we have no control over the selection table, I hope we don’t expect different things from the same choices we’ve made in the past.
Let’s allow the Wallabies to have a red-hot crack at smashing the Poms.
Lux Interior
Roar Rookie
Fun facts.
Gloria
Roar Rookie
Um, yeah ok. Relevance? Oh, that’s right, your self worth. :laughing:
Yes, I tend to agree, Pocock in my personal view is not anywhere near as effective as in past world cups, and on attack he has never really been a standout.
Bourkos
Roar Rookie
The offensive breakdown has been very poor thus far this rwc. I think Pocock has to make way as his pilfering ability is not being awarded. He also doesn't seem to be impacting anywhere near the same amount of rucks. For me Dempsey at 6, Hooper 7 and naisarani 8
Bourkos
Roar Rookie
Good post
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
If Kerevi and Kurandrani are the centres then you might as well pick the best defensive wingers because they are not going to see any ball in attack! The All Blacks know the importance of passing/offloading centres - Laumape didn't even make the squad! Even Gatland changed his idea of the big centre charging making yards (Roberts) and since he has Wales have had their most success in years.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
DA, read the title. It says "The WB Team that can trouble ENGLAND". R.Hodge was suspended for 3 matches, so he misses the Wales, Uruguay and Georgia matches and is available for the QF. :)
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Jimbo yeah that's close to WBs best backline imo - you cud swap TK for Kerevi or Toomua for CCL but this cud be done as 2nd half replacements. But is it good enuf to worry England's defence? I don't think so :) We'd all like to see TK play great but fact is he's been very disappointing the past 3 yrs against top 5 nations. He often goes missing for 40 or 80 minutes.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Garry I don't agree with any of that and it's obvious you're just another prejudiced and bigoted aussie. Looks like we'll be getting another foreign WB coach soon. Are you gonna give him the same bigoted malice ?
jeznez
Roar Guru
I haven’t seen them for a while but they’ve had a strong scrum for years. Would have thought in that area it’s an excellent test. In general play I think both players are good enough that we can just judge them solely on scrummaging
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Yeah, I just wonder whether Georgia’s pack are good enough to mean that we can properly judge his performance there?
Tuc Du Nard
Roar Rookie
The amount of times White had to go in for the ball was terrible, good point..just like the first kick off against Wales, our piggies have been soft imo. We will get belted by England if they don't aim up.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Sio's scrum has been below par. Slipper played the last match so running Kepu and Sio as looseheads v Georgia lets us make a call. It was an "if" statement - based on the ability to perform against that pack.
TC
Guest
OJ, I see your whining has migrated from The Australian to The Roar. I'd love to know what your rugby credentials are, because you certainly have endless opinions. Normally I don't respond, but to say Robbie Deans can't coach is just moronic. He played your Quade (and I was a fan too; actually wish he was in RWC squad instead of Foley) more than anyone else and did many other things you whine about as well. You seem to have an Alan Jones like dislike of Kiwis and nothing else; you seem to have very rugby iq. Just an observation.
Jimbo81
Roar Rookie
What about this backline for England: White Toomua Korobeite Oconner Kurindrani Petaia DHP I want to see Kurindrani marshal the defence from 13 and then score 2-3 tries a match. That's a safety first selection with some solid attack from the wings - maybe even some trickery around the ruck from white, JOC and Toomua.
Gareth Kidd
Roar Guru
Playing Samu and Tavita in the centres is a horrid idea. It means we be so one dimensional and the wingers may as well go sit in the stands and have a been. Either JOC at 13, or have a To'omua/CLL pairing.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
The inconsistency, the chopping and changing, the poor judgement are all hallmarks of the last 4 years. When they selected the side that beat the ABs in Perth I thought we had turned a corner. But look how the team has been selected since then. The old favs have been picked... the farewell selections vs Samoa... the appalling team combinations vs Wales...
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Agree with what you say about headspace riddler. At least one of our forwards is off overseas for big money in a couple of weeks, and it shows for mine. But we have had possession and we have squandered it a lot this month. Not sure if you can blame the backs for everything eg. “glory boy/haircut stuff has seeped into the piggie club“ And riddler, who was that one lucky forward in 2001?
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Thats pretty much the story of the last 3 years Lara. It 'aint changing now... but oh how we can still hope!!
KibuiB
Guest
Good call Harry...WBs need to scrum efficiently and not give penalties by going for he big shove (ahem.....Sio) - or the idea that the opposing park is dominant. The lineout have been good with Latu, i expect he will start the game vs Eng. Coleman and Arnold really need to make a concerted effort to go very low, but the higher average height if the Eng team will help. Toomua has to start, u suspect at 10, with Kerevi, TK in the centers. It would have been nice to have a lighter, faster JOC. he was the best wallaby on the wing before his exile.