As you all know from my articles, I am huge rugby supporter.
It is a thinking person’s game for all shapes and sizes.
I love the depth that Dave Rennie has built, but his squad of 23 doesn’t cut it.
I understand that you need heavy bodies at the front and getting rid of Taniela Tupou (injuries or not, is wise) but 8 changes to the starting line-up with no Suliasi Vunivalu in the 23, is absolutely absurd.
Why did Rugby Australia renew this contract?
Tom Wright has been doing a great job, but Vunivalu is world class, without an opportunity.
Rennie has made eight changes to the starting team, but still has no X-factor.
The All Blacks have x-factor everywhere, the question is why would Rennie select a team that is outmanned in almost every position?
Front Row 1-3, all All Blacks
Second Row/Locks, all All Blacks
Back Row, 50/50 (All blacks without Savea)
Halves, all All Blacks
Centres, all All Blacks
Back Three, all All blacks
This absurd coaching.
Vunivalu and Kurtley Beale have something different to what has been put on the park for three years now.
My question is, “what is Rennie delivering”?
Clearly Rugby Australia engaged Rennie to create depth, which was needed and he has done, however, there is no way this is a winning Bledisloe Cup team.
I understand going to the past, but there is no promotion of the future.
I understand Noah Lolesio being out and bringing in Bernard Foley, as you don’t have anyone else, because you haven’t given Tane Edmed and Ben Donaldson a go.
But why not have two resources, the the value of $2.5-$3m combined, not in the team when you requested them in the squad?
Wright is solid and has been up and down, surely Vunivalu could fit there (is it the wrong side of the field?)
I just can’t understand why these guys aren’t included.
Kurtley Beale would beat defenders one in three times in international Rugby, Vunivalu, beat one once in 90 seconds.
Wright is a great player but has had brilliance mixed with faults.
Why aren’t we doing x-factor?
If the Wallabies win on Thursday, I’ll wear a body suit in a tub and put it on YouTube with green and gold jelly.
Hold me to it.
East Coast Aces
Roar Rookie
I can't understand the continued non selection of Jock Campbell. I use to think Jock was dependable but overrated for the reds. But I've come to think he is one of the best players in Aussie rugby and is just being ignored now. And to a slightly lesser extend Harry Wilson.
Riggers
Roar Rookie
Waxhead, always enjoy your rebuttals. Simply stating the current Wallabies are going to the past. The past never worked, try new and give them a go. Vunivalu, I agree, hasn’t performed, but RA Brought him for a reason, Beale has been brought back, for a reason. McDermott has more skill with running game than any other half back in Australia. The bench reflected “exactly” the same as the starting XV. My opinion’s are only mine, but Rennie select’s a same bench to to the XV. Why not have something to keep the other coach guessing. It’s easy to coach against. You’ve already told me, you played more, coached more and Know more than me. But I stand by my articles. Everyone has an opinion. I actually enjoy your responses by the way, at least they are challenging
Riggers
Roar Rookie
Hooter, My team was irrelevant, the fact that the bench, was a direct “man for man” replacement to the starting team is an absolute joke. The bench should have something. Tupou (2 years ago), Beale, why not, Vunivalu, because it’s different. The same personnel, will deliver the same result. It was doomed to fail. But on the upside, you don’t see me in body suit
Riggers
Roar Rookie
Any advice on Green jelly?
Riggers
Roar Rookie
Well at least I’m not looking for Lycra
Jimbo81
Roar Rookie
We can all see that there are no reds and a majority Brumbies side featuring McKeller, Palmer and Fisher as assistants. It’s a Brumby love fest and I wouldn’t expect someone with the profile name Kafer to argue against that.
Guess
Roar Rookie
Why do you ask? You should know as his hater
Geoff
Guest
So how exactly do you function, with Hooper living rent free in your head 24/7 ?
Hooter
Roar Rookie
Interesting, I thought I had heard him calling. I stand corrected.
Quagmire
Guest
Nate this is spot on. The team that should have been. But someone thought folau should be a 15 despite not being able to kick, that higginbotham shouldnt have the number 8 jersey despite being the leading try scorer in sr at one stage...
Markus
Roar Rookie
Valetini has been consistently one of the Wallabies best. Wilson hasn't shown anything close to that form at Test level.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Frost isn't a caller. Very good primary target though, both from his height and his speed off the ground.
Markus
Roar Rookie
And even under the high ball Wright improved significantly in the very short period between the nightmare against the Pumas and the second Springboks match.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Because the Brumbies have better coaching and conditioning structures than the Reds, so Vunivalu would be more developed and less injured?
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Riggers You've missed all the right targets imo. Beale has not had X factor since 2015. He's just slow and just as error prone now We're not seeing Vunivalu at training so we have to trust the coaching staff he's not ready yet. WBs do have big X factor in Koreibete, McReight at the breakdown and a bit in Kellaway. Tupou is out of form and injured. Samu is injured and otherwise.... there is no X factor in Australian rugby. The obvious selection targets in this 23 squad are Foley, Hodge, White and Leota imo. Hodge should have been the flyhalf with Donaldson on bench. White is clearly the best halfback in Australia. Leota has been a Test dud from day 1 and McReight should be the no 7. You've missed all correct targets imo :laughing:
OZ Rugby Fan
Guest
The 2015 Wallabies team was just a better team all around, just not as good as that 2015 NZ team, could be the best I've ever seen actually. Still, it was actually a masterstroke to introduce the Giteau rule in 2015. Combined with Cheika's ability to get a team playing for each other in a short amount of time, the results were unexpected. As usual after a RWC, you have many experienced players moving on and it also aligned with a huge decline in SR quality, including that horrible run against Kiwi teams! It was a very dark time for Aussie Rugby. That meant that the quality available for Cheika to pick was not good. Even those few experienced players were not going well, inc Hooper, Genia and Cooper (yes, I said it, Cooper can actually have a bad run of games *shock*). I don't think Cheika dealt with this well at all. He seemed to persist with a game plan that wasn't working because he believed it would come together and was "entertaining" to watch. I think that was a requirement of the ARU at that time too, based on their public comments. All eyes were on going one better at the RWC when in reality, there wasn't the cattle for that game plan or that goal. I think with hindsight, Cheika would do it differently but life doesn't work like that. On the other hand, I don't know if the same expectations were placed on DR. I think he was given much more rope. That rope is getting much shorter now though...
Harty
Roar Rookie
The title gets a lot of heads nodding but anyone who thinks Kurtley Beale is the answer has lost the plot. It is these random selections from the past that are the problem. Cooper is the exception (with a world class Kerevi beside him). Rennie seems to have taken Cooper’s success as a green light to all sorts of random selections. Bizarre.
Rob9
Roar Guru
What?
Cec
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the article. I get why you put forth SV, TE and BD. I’d agree with them if the RWC wasn’t some 10 tests away. Picking these players now would hinder the team further given the 8 new selected already. I think it’s too late for this trio for RWC23. Barring injuries I don’t think BF & KB will feature in RWC. Fingers crossed for QC & SK to make it back from injury in time with form & fitness. We need the old Thor to return too.
Check-side for the boundary
Roar Rookie
Petaia and Campbell would be most supporters preference. Wish we could start seeing them out there... Along with a young 5.8 ...