Roar Guru
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England stuttered in the Autumn internationals, and coach Stuart Lancaster needs to deliver tactically and also in terms of selection because there has been…
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Continuing my brief examination of the England World Cup training squad prior to the final squad selection, with a look at the second row.…
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Agree re paragraph 1, although I think Argentina will threaten SA in a different way than England did.
Big fan of Juan Smith – great player.
I just don’t see the point in Daniel for this game? He’s played well in Super rugby, but he got tossed about against England, and England didn’t even field a big pack. I, like you, would have gone for somebody like Kolisi as Argentina don’t employ traditional fetchers. That said, Daniel’s opposite man, Fernandez Lobbe, isn’t the biggest man about, or the most punishing carrier, so maybe the Boks won’t lose out.
If Steyn is on form then I can’t see Hernandez matching him. I think Hernandez is a 15 and not a 10.
JPP Pietersen will be a big loss, especially if Hernandez kicks aimlessly.
Rugby Championship: Springbok preview
I would have started Romano ahead of Retallick. Good side IMO. Can’t see the Wallabies getting that close tbh.
Romano wins surprise start for All Blacks
England? Toby Flood actually attacks the gainline and we have a far more mobile pack than Australia does.
CAMPO: Barnes was the right choice ahead of Cooper
I would expect SA to give Argentina a touch up this weekend, given the majority of the squad recently played together against England. Argentina have selected a good side IMO, but I think Hernandez is a total imposter. That said, if it’s wet weather how will Kirchner and Mvovo cope under a series of bombs?
Personally I’m unsold on Meyer. I think he’s an interesting bloke, and a decent man, but not the innovator that Graham Henry was, for example. He was really quite unspectacular for Leicester Tigers in England, and I think his vision of the game is startlingly limited.
If Australia select Barnes at 10 against SA and try to play a territory game then I’d wager that they will get roasted, but SA didn’t really execute against England that well. A very inexperienced England side worked out quite a few of the Bok ploys, and if they could do that then I would expect Australia and SA to do the same.
I have a gut feeling that SA will beat NZ in SA. Not sure why, just do.
The side this week is interesting. Will Keegan Daniel, who I thought struggled physically against England, have any effect on a wet weather game? I also think that Hougaard is more of a weakness than a real positive. His kicking is very erratic. Conversely, I think Morne Steyn is getting more criticism than he deserves. If Meyer wants to play territory then who else is there? If he’s on form then SA will be very, very tough to beat at home.
Rugby Championship: Springbok preview
How does he actually describe ‘the art of switching off’?
ROBBIE DEANS (pt.2): No longevity for players distracted by money
I don’t think it’s a case of saying that Australia can only beat NZ with Cooper, more that they have a much better chance of doing so with him at the helm. Granted he has struggled in the past, and he isn’t Test match fit, but his inclusion would mean a Reds spine of 8-9-10-12. Further, you won’t beat a side like NZ playing percentage rugby with the Australian pack.
Saying only Cooper can beat the All Blacks is laughable
I know you are, I’m just saying I don’t think it makes much sense that just because the players aren’t yet comparable to the best in their nation’s history that they aren’t good Test players.
ROBBIE DEANS interview (pt.1): Wallabies need an attacking mindset
Tomato, tomeyto… Very few sides in Test rugby currently have players who are some of the best players in their national history, so for me that’s pie in the sky. In world context Australia has some average players, but also some very good players.
ROBBIE DEANS interview (pt.1): Wallabies need an attacking mindset
Yep, forgot about them.
ROBBIE DEANS interview (pt.1): Wallabies need an attacking mindset
There is no way on earth that players like Moore, Sharpe, Pocock, Palu, Genia, Cooper, Ioane and Beale are moderately talented. That really is disingenuous to the max. Even a player like Robinson was arguably the top loosehead in the world around 2009/10 (I forget which season).
ROBBIE DEANS interview (pt.1): Wallabies need an attacking mindset
I’d always take Strauss as my bench option, but at the beginning of the Super season I was very impressed with Ralepelle.
Meyer and the blue-tinted 'Bulls' sunglasses
Yeah, that’s kind of my thinking too. Pretty mystified by the talks of him as the missing link. Obviously Spies is no titan of the game, but Vermeulen playing in a back row with Alberts would be just ever so slightly slow.
Meyer and the blue-tinted 'Bulls' sunglasses
My point was, moaman, that Ben T and Charlie F are both untested. They have promise, as a lot of players do, but at the moment I think it’s optimistic to be referring to propping strength in depth. I’m a big fan of the pair, and called for Charlie F to be an All Black during the Ireland series.
Personally I just don’t see Mackintosh or Crockett being Test quality. I’ve seen Crockett up close during the Crusaders v Sharks game at Twickenham and was amazed at how tall and comparatively lean he was. Just couldn’t see him being an option against the better Test 3s.
Agree that Rettalick and Romano look good, but playing away in SA is a different kettle of fish to nilling Ireland. Xavier Rush looked pretty good against England in that series when Simon Shaw was sent off (or was it Grewcock?), and look what happened to him.
If Woodcock and Whitelock happen to go down at the same time then IMO there’s a real problem. Obviously this is worst case scenario, but just a though.
Overlooked Chiefs show the size of Robbie Deans' task
* Adam Jones has already taken Mtawarira to the cleaners on a number of occasions, and Dan Cole gave him a touch up recently too.
* Owen Franks and Ben Franks got stuffed by Cian Healy recently.
* Gethin Jenkins isn’t a notoriously good scrummager.
Horses for courses if Wallabies are to win the Rugby Championship
Disagree with your prop assessment, Sam. The starters, Woodcock and Owen Franks are excellent when on form, but beyond them there is only Ben Franks, a journeyman IMO, and two props with promise in Charlie F and Ben T (lazy spelling corruption on my part). Who is the next bonafide NZ loosehead? It certainly isn’t Mackintosh or Crockett. Personally I think Hansen will have a big issue when Woodcock, Mealamu and Hore run out of steam, which is likely to happen in the next two seasons, I’d wager. Obviously somebody might announce themselves in the interim period, but atm there isn’t a standout.
I think the same applies to the lock position too. Romano looks the good IMO, and Rettalick has shown a lot of promise, but I’m still not sold on Whitelock as a consistent 5. The Ireland series convinced me that Romano can be the next All Black 4, but I’m not sure what happens if Whitelock is injured. In certain areas I think there’s a real issue of depth which could be problematic in coming seasons.
Overlooked Chiefs show the size of Robbie Deans' task
Good article.
Hill-Dallaglio-Back
Johnson-Davidson
Grimes-Murray
Marconnet-Ibanez-De Villiers
Horan-Little
etc
Rugby legends tend to arise in groups
* Front rankers – I see. No probs.
* The way I see it is that Deans has been in charge for a long time now, and yet he hasn’t really expanded his propping group whatsoever, which is far from ideal. I get what you are saying re the midfield, but even occasional experimentation would have been pretty vital IMHO.
* Ryan – if you’re a coach of a side like Australia then you have to take punts on these guys, even if it’s just getting them involved with the training squads.
Wallabies national training squad announced
* Front rankers, as in front rowers.
* I agree re Daley, but IMO the front row is a microcosm of Dean’s selection overall. He is very reluctant to look beyond the people he perceives as incumbents.
* It’s unfortunate re Palmer and Ryan, but why not play them against Wales off the bench?
* Robinson IMO has been out of shape and out of form since around 2010, and the Tahs had an excellent scrum with Baxter. I don’t think he isn’t capable of good things, but he has been in that 1 jersey regardless of form.
Wallabies national training squad announced
Ebersohn was on fire two seasons ago. He’s really fallen off the radar.
How will Meyer manage his players?
I would have thought my point was obvious: ‘With a comparatively small playing base the one thing that you need to do as a coach is find alternatives.’
The definition of stupidity/insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, which is basically what Deans has done.
You listed two Daley who only got three Tests due to injury and was never seen again. Hardly a case of looking outside the box – so that’s pretty easily dismissable. Laurie Weeks never gained a Test cap, so he is also pretty easily dismissable. Deans has basically remained true to the same players time and time again.
Kepu has been selected out of position, as has Alexander, and when you consider how long Deans persisted with Baxter then it’s pretty obvious that his record with front row selection is quite lamentable.
I didn’t suggest anything re Moore and TPN, so please don’t misquote me. They’re both very good players.
I would start with Holmes and Palmer (if fit), with Kepu on the bench, and if not fit Holmes and Kepu. Robinson has regressed badly IMHO. Slipper is there for the future, but he also needs Test exposure. The point is players need to be tried at some juncture, which is what Connolly did.
Wallabies national training squad announced
Brian Mujati the guy who has ripped up Europe, or Jannie du Plessis the guy who has plodded through 30 odd Tests…
How will Meyer manage his players?
I’ve given this more thought:
1. Taumalolo, 2. Moore, 3. Faumuina, 4. Etzebeth, 5. Sharpe, 6. Messam, 7. Coetzee, 8. Mowen.
Just a personal choice. I imagine it wouldn’t be the populist choice.
Favourite teams and forwards of 2012
True Kolisi isn’t that big, but it’s going to be wet, which means a lot of tight rugby, and Kolisi is much better over the ball than Daniels, and Argentina don’t have any pilferers.
Rugby Championship: Springbok preview