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Joined May 2014
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You are correct. There’s a story on the ARU website with Cheika on record admitting that a number of players were not selected on SR form – Kane Douglas is the example provided.
Beale back, vice-captains named in Wallabies' 34-man Bledisloe squad
Completely agree. Terrible substitution.
Hurricanes vs Waratahs: Super Rugby live scores, blog
Except that he’s the one on the wing half the time making the most tackles anyway.
Wallabies team for Bledisloe 2: Quade Cooper to start at flyhalf, Foley inside centre
I agree. I have absolutely no problems with Hooper being in the team. And I know many will scoff at the idea and I say this with all seriousness, but why not play Hooper as a dedicated winger? He’s big, very fast, can tackle like a man possessed and skillful – exactly the traits you’d want in a winger. Why not put an 11/14 on his back, move to a more conventional back row and we’ve lost nothing. We have exactly the traits we’d want in the back row (physicality and lineout presence) with the added bonus of a winger that can contest seriously at a breakdown when required.
Wallabies team for Bledisloe 2: Quade Cooper to start at flyhalf, Foley inside centre
With the ARU’s recent takeover of the Force, this has to be an opportunity to lure a top-level coach that will attract top-level players. With an under-performing coach at the helm, it was always going to be a battle to lure/retain talent. However, if the ARU is serious about keeping the Force in the west, they’ll need to throw some serious money at someone with impressive credentials. It’s the only way they’ll get players to move to Perth or retain what talent they still have left.
Michael Foley sacked as Western Force coach
I predict that he’ll play the house down next year and be back in the Wallabies 7 jersey for next year’s June tests. With Pocock and Gill missing in action overseas, I would love to see him in Wallaby Gold once more.
Queensland Reds have signed George Smith
Good team. Can’t wait for the weekend.
Wallabies team for first Test against England: Arnold, Kerevi and Haylett-Petty to debut
Definitely the most enjoyable race of the last season or two simply because it was a contest right until the final lap. I wonder how many people actually continued to tune into the coverage once the two Mercedes were out when they would have otherwise changed channels staring down the barrel of another lifeless procession masquerading as an F1 race.
Championship lessons learnt in Barcelona
I’m with Spiro on this issue – the ‘Giteau Rule’ should only be used in World Cup years. There is no point dragging back the likes of Giteau and Genia who will not be around come WC 2019 when some quality young blokes plying their trade in SR could be given valuable experience and exposure in the Test arena now. Surely this would lead to a stronger team in 2-3 years time, right when we want to be claiming our first WC trophy in 20 years.
Cheika to look seriously at Wallabies stars playing overseas
I can’t believe I’m posting this but I agree with you David. Brushing off the minnows because they have foreign players is very short sighted.
I can’t see how a Tier 2 nation doing well, regardless of who is playing for them, can do anything other than help grow the game within that country. I would love to think that school children in countries like Japan, Uruguay and Georgia were inspired by their national team doing their country proud. And maybe a few of them will take up the beautiful game and be representative players at a World Cup in 12, 16 or 20 years time.
I for one am very happy to see the gap closing. Growing the game by including Tier 2 nations will only improve their quality and depth, and the spectacle of future World Cups. It may not happen by in every nation by 2019, but this is the long game World Rugby is playing and it couldn’t be more important.
Minnows punch above their weight at the Rugby World Cup
Hearing is tomorrow evening Aus time. He’s been citied for a illegal clean out on Mike Brown. No arms – could be in trouble.
SPIRO: Brilliant Wallabies boot England out of World Cup
The penalty made it 15 ahead and Fiji needing more than two converted tries to win. I complete agree with taking the points in this situation as we can harp on about bonus points all we want, but without the first 4 points for the win, you’ll never get the 5th.
Five talking points from the Wallabies' win over Fiji
Douglas – 4 carries for 1 m gained and 5 tackles in 60 minutes.
Five talking points from the Wallabies' win over Fiji
The issue is if one of the hookers gets injured within that 72 hour window before a game and can’t play. Then we’d only have 1 fit hooker and World Rugby mandate that every team must have a suitably experienced (and one would imagine fit) hooker on the bench. If that requirement isn’t met, the game is forfeited.
Wallabies World Cup squad announced: Horwill misses out
This is being reported on other news sites also.
Phipps and Foley out of the 23 altogether. Giteau benched along with Pocock.
All Blacks team to play Wallabies for Bledisloe 2 announced
Good point. I also thought Giteau offered more at half back than Phipps had in the time he was on.
It will be interesting to see what Cheika does this week. Phipps to start with White as a sub at 50-60 min or has White earned the right to start? Only time will tell.
Cheika's use of the bench crucial in Aussie victory
G&GR have posted an ‘exclusive’ report naming the Wallabies team for Saturday. Hooper and Pocock to start at 7 & 8. Horwill, Mumm and Fardy as 4,5 & 6. Phipps/Foley as 9/10 with Giteau, TK, ACC, Mitchell and Folau rounding out the backs. Front row of Sio, Moore and Kepu.
Very interesting if it’s true.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/gagr-exclusive-prepare-for-the-pooper/
Wallabies plot to exploit the All Blacks
Don’t know where they got their information from but G&G are reporting the starting XV.
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/giteau-back-to-partner-cooper-and-genia-v-boks/
I’m happy with the 9, 10 and 12 but at a loss for words with Hooper starting at 7 over Pocock.
Hooper offers No.7 solution to Wallabies
I disagree with the notion that our batters lost us the first test. I believe the bowlers were wasteful in the extreme, with the new ball in particular. No one outside Hazelwood can put them down on a consistent length on off stump. I would content that the difference between a maiden over and a 1-run over isn’t simply 1 run – a 1 run over is an order of magnitude worse.
How often do Australian bowlers ever put down back-to-back maidens – hardly ever. As such, no pressure gets built and the opposition batsmen can simply rotate the strike with the bad ball that will invariably appear. At no stage during the 1st Test did it ever look like the Aussie bowlers were mounting pressure on the English batsmen that would lead to a wicket. On the other hand, the English bowlers maintain a disciplined line and length, pitched the ball up and forced the Aussie batsmen into bad shots.
So if Siddle get get his line and length consistently right (as the other bowlers desperately need to do), he’ll provide a valuable contribution to the team. If not, I think we’re in serious trouble.
Siddle can offer leadership but lacks penetration
So we’ve gone from Watson keeping his spot based on his solid ‘all-rounder’ credentials to keeping his spot based on his tighter bowling to keeping his spot based on his fielding at first slip. Interesting….
The selectors would be panicking to drop Watto
Thanks Brett, great article. You touched on a point that is becoming increasingly important as we move through the season and towards the RC and RWC – that being goal kicking. It has felt like the Australian teams are particularly poor at kicking for goal this year with no clear ‘first choice’ kicker amongst the group.
Whilst there are certainly larger issues to content with across the Australian conference, the inability to consistently convert points is costing teams games, or at the very least, stopping teams from being in touch come the final 10 minutes. To highlight my point, take the kicking success rate from the last round:
NZ teams: 12/15 (80%)
SA teams: 21/33 (64%)
Aus teams: 9/20 (45%)
A 45% kick success rate across all Australian teams is unacceptable in my book and i would hope that the coaches all have their kickers staying back at training this week to sort out the issues.
A tough month ahead for the Brumbies
I agree. Although I think that the penalty should be 20 min before a replacement can come on.
The laws are fine, the card was correct and the Crusaders are worthy Champions