Roar Guru
Joined December 2010
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There are any number of reasons why the All Blacks are too good for the Wallabies at the moment. This includes fitness, skills, the coaching at national, Super and pathway level, basic skill errors and a lack of rugby smarts.
The European Aquatics Championships have just finished. This has given us a much better idea of how Australia is placed ahead of the Rio Olympics.
The Aussies look surprisingly well placed for a strong performance in this series, starting with the first Test in Chennai.
It’s only 60 days until the start of the Olympic Track and Field program. Four meets into the Diamond League series, it’s a good time to start having a look at some of the main events as a prelude to the Games.
Without commenting specifically about what the team should be for Perth, this article looks beyond this series, up to around the next Ashes series in England in mid-2013.
I have been very concerned by reports and assumptions in the last 24 hours that, with Simon Katich out for the series, Phil Hughes will logically come in to replace him. Ricky Ponting said as much yesterday, and news reports have confirmed this.
I would say the following batsmen are playing for Ashes tour berths, and the first 3 to keep their spot in the starting side:
Burns
Head
Patterson – those 3 currently pencilled in I think, with Khawaja, Smith and Warner.
The following could push their way into the touring squad with a strong 2nd half of the Shield
Harris
Renshaw (would have to be very strong)
Labuschagne
Handscomb
Wade
Maxwell if he ever actually got to play Shield cricket
Renshaw and Patterson playing for Ashes spots in Sheffield Shield
The problem is Sheek, the general consensus here tends to be proven right more often than Cheika. Given we are amateurs and Cheika’s a pro, that’s a pretty big concern.
Mick O’Connor? Start Pocock in the 7 and Hooper off the bench, thanks
You see jimmyjam, it’s just that the rest of us tend to be proven right. I personally would love it if what Cheika did and who he picked worked almost all the time. Unfortunately, what I pick when he eventually gets there, tends to work.
I’d be happy to grab a beach towel to wipe the egg off my face. I wish I needed one.
Mick O’Connor? Start Pocock in the 7 and Hooper off the bench, thanks
As I said yesterday (or the day before), the two things I haven’t liked from what O’Connor has said are:
1. ultimately this is Cheika’s team, meaning he’ll give his 2c worth and leave it to Cheika to pick the team (ie whoever he would have picked anyway); and
2. Quade needs to fix a few things (like no look passes) before he’s picked. Others, like Foley to my eye, have a lot more to fix but still gets picked (missed tackles, intercepts, popgun kicks, charge downs etc). On the SBW to Canada story this morning, they showed footage of a brilliant no look offload for a try by the ABs. The no looker Cooper threw was perfectly at his intended teammate, it’s just that Joey Powell snuck in to nab it. Smacks of double standards to me.
Mick O’Connor? Start Pocock in the 7 and Hooper off the bench, thanks
They need a half back, but the 10 and centres could become very, very good by next season. And the tight 5 could be very strong by then, if it isn’t already.
Add ball carrying unit Timu to tough, all round hardworking backrowers, and you do have some pretty useful ingredients. Even 2 Fijian flyers on the wings, too.
Sure it’s doubtful they’ll win it (they’re not the Crusaders), but I can see them doing really well by next season.
Thorn’s cultural revolution at Reds set for first examination
“Sid Barnes has the best average of any Australian batsman playing at least ten Tests”
You mean 2nd best, right?
Are selectors prepared to go with their double standards?
So we can take a backup keeper in Carey, or a backup keeper/batsman in Wade or Handscomb.
I’d take Handscomb and if Paine gets injured, play Handscomb, then fly Carey over for that game if time or otherwise for the next game.
Are selectors prepared to go with their double standards?
That comment could have some merit lemo, except both of them have the chances to play 2-3 months of county cricket before the Ashes. And guess where the Ashes are?
What you’ve said shows how silly the bans are – both Warner and Smith should be playing Shield cricket now.
Are selectors prepared to go with their double standards?
Or maybe he just hasn’t done well enough for long enough yet.
Are selectors prepared to go with their double standards?
Huh? Wade always WAS one of the boys. If anything too much.
I think we’ve moved a bit away from the blokey one of the boys types.
Are selectors prepared to go with their double standards?
Wade has had half a good Shield season, and a good BBL season. He averages about 26 with the bat in tests.
If his 2nd half of the season averages 50+, then we can start talking about him for the Ashes side.
Patterson had 3 good seasons averaging 40-50, then a few very good performances at the right time. Head was a bit lucky to get picked, but averages 51 in tests. Smith is Smith. That is our middle order.
Who exactly does Wade replace in the team?
Are selectors prepared to go with their double standards?
I’d say Foley is one of the 3 best 10s we have. Beale doesn’t work there, and Foley’s in the top 3 with Cooper and Toomua.
Too early to call yet, but right now Cooper has his nose in front, half way round the first bend.
CONFIRMED: O'Connor a Wallabies selector
I’m very worried by a couple of things he’s already said.
1. He said we will have discussions, maybe even robust decisions (not his words), but Cheika will ultimately pick the team he wants.
2. He can’t pick Quade while he throws no look passes. Apparently he CAN pick Foley when he throws intercepts even looking where he’s throwing it (and ones that cost tries), because Foley does this every season. He can pick a 10 who is a poor defender and who has a pop gun punt. But he can’t pick a guy who has a good game and throws one no look pass.
Different standards anyone?
CONFIRMED: O'Connor a Wallabies selector
Yeah, Daugunu? He was sensational last season. Surely ahead of CFS?
Super Rugby Round 2 teams: Every line-up named as Beale returns for Waratahs, but Pocock misses out
Gibson took the easy way out if you ask me. How does the Foley-Beale combo help our defence?
Just slot Foketi or Rona in to 13. If Rona, it’s still Beale coming in for AAC, just with other position swaps.
I like the Qld team. I like what they’ve done with the backs, the locks, and the forwards too I guess. JP Smith is injured? Higgs? Daugunu?
Super Rugby Round 2 teams: Every line-up named as Beale returns for Waratahs, but Pocock misses out
You’d give him the benefit of the doubt though. Shat are the odds he’s faking it?
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
No to what?
I’d have him on the bench, with Toomua if Cooper continues to go well.
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
That’s how Cheika killed off Toomua at 10 – he put Foley next to him at 12. Foley’s not a 12’s bootlace.
I’d like to see Cooper with the two Ks at centre, Folau on the wing, Hodge FB and can also fill in the backline defence. I’d have Banks on the other side, quick and good skills, but could live with Naivalu. Not saying that’s my preferred backline yet after one game (and none for the Reds), but I would like to see it tried. Cooper doesn’t need a 2nd playmaker next to him, and Kerevi’s passing is underrated (and his offloads very good). Cooper could loop around him well.
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
And they all tackle better. Defence is half the game.
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
” Quade is plainly held to a different standard than other Australian players”
I definitely believe that in comparison with Foley. Foley just makes too many errors for me, whether they be mundane or flashy errors. Missed tackles, passes missing the man, kicks charged down, poor kicks, passes behind the man, pop gun touch finders. It’s all poor play.
Geez Rhys you’re really not a Cooper fan, are you? He’s a show off? He didn’t look like that on the weekend, and he didn’t look like tat when he won Qld the Super rugby title.
His good is a lot better than Foley’s good, I can’t see how anyone can doubt that.
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
Personally – I would say Pocock at 7, Tupou at 3, Genia at 9 and Folau at 14. They are the only 4 guaranteed starters I’d have.
Hooker’s a lottery, lock we at least have 3 front runners, back row is a muddle. Centres where to we play Kerevi. Does Beale come off the bench.
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
He knew 2 guys were there and passed it right to the spot. Unfortunately Joe Powell was smart and snuck in.
I agree he should have looked, but the no looker confuses the defence. It isn’t done wholly for “self indulgent showmanship”, and it is practised over and over in training.
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
The Rebels didn’t run this flat pattern often enough, but I liked what I saw. Genia and Cooper were right in the thick of it. The unsung heroes are guys like Hardwick, Cottrell and Rangi who are there for the fast cleanouts.
Also, Slipper could solve our 5th prop issue. Sio and Kepu at LH, Tupou and Ala’alatoa at TH. But a big gap after that. If a LH is unavailable, Slipper comes in. If a TH is injured, Kepu moves to TH and Slipper comes in as the 2nd LH. A 6th prop at that level would be nice, but if Slipper can prove himself over the season, it’s a big plus.
Welcome back to the big time, Quade Cooper
So surely there’s an opportunity at 8? Unless you use the Pooper, who else is there? Timu, Higgs and Naisarani, and I guess Dempsey too, but he’s more of a 6.
Queensland: Beautiful one day, paying the bills the next
I don’t think 10 is so weak. Stewart is by far the best defender there in the conference, can run and kick and pass. He doesn’t manage a game as well, that he is learning. But some aspects of his game are good, and will improve over the season.
7 isn’t a poor player either.
Interesting you have those positions more important than the tight 5. Tupou is their most important player for mine, with the Rodda/Salakai-Loto combo up there .
Thorn’s cultural revolution at Reds set for first examination