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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.
Agreed on the first test attack Ronan. Pattinson of fully fit otherwise Neser.
Pattinson and Head in Australia's best XI for South Africa Tests
He barely plays Ted ball cricket though
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Green and Richardson could be among our 3 best players in 5 years or so
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Yeah not strong, but no one else jumps out.
Having said that we’re in decent hands for the next few years with Warner, Pucovski, Labuschagne, Smith and Green.
We need a 6th batsman (can Head become that?) and for some others to really come through and pile on runs in the Shield.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Maybe he is, but he shouldn’t be (behind all of them). Maxwell and Stoinis are there as among the 5 best batsmen.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Yeah I initially forgot about him. Maybe the fielding issue is the reason?
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
No way you leave Mitch Marsh out. Did you watch him yesterday? Brutal.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Goes to show it does matter if you ask me.
You don’t srop Finch on BBL form. Agar has been injured.
I agree on Lynn and Christian though.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Definitely Dan Christian deserved to be there – an odd non-selection
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
How many keepers do you need though, with Philippe and McDermott presenting more compelling cases for selection?
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Partly because they’re not going to South Africa. NSW have 8 going there.
Qld have 4 going to SA but none to NZ. In fact:
NSW 8-3 (8 going to SA and 2 to NZ)
Qld 4-0
Vic 3-2
WA 1-9
SA 2-1
TAS 1-3
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Agreed.
Starc is below his best and not currently in our best XI. Pattinson is a similar level to Starc with both at their best anyway.
Neser next in line as you said, and I hope we don’t need to go to Abbott or Steketee.
Also agree on J Richardson – he is betyter off going to NZ. He is a long term gun, but no point rushing him to SA.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Yeah Christian thoroughly deserved it, but in a bit of a meaningless tour I guess they went for youth instead. He could easily have been in ahead of KRichardson or Tye.
Christian 7 and Sams 8, that is one batting lineup.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Finch can’t buy a run at the moment either.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Australian T20 squad for tour of New Zealand
1. Aaron Finch (c) (Victoria)
2. Josh Philippe (Western Australia)
3. Matthew Wade (vc) (Tasmania)
4. Marcus Stoinis (Western Australia)
5. Glenn Maxwell (Victoria)
6. Mitchell Marsh (Western Australia)
7. Daniel Sams (New South Wales)
8. Jhye Richardson (Western Australia)
9. Ashton Agar (Western Australia)
10. Adam Zampa (New South Wales)
11. Riley Meredith (Tasmania)
12. D’Arcy Short (Western Australia)
13. Ben McDermott (Tasmania)
14. Ashton Turner (Western Australia)
15. Kane Richardson (South Australia)
16. Andrew Tye (Western Australia)
17. Jason Behrendorff (Western Australia)
18. Tanveer Sangha (New South Wales)
2-3 backup batsmen (depending on team balance), 3 backup quicks, and Tanveer Sangha gets his first gig, exciting stuff for him, but not undeserved.
Some serious bating firepower – Maxwell, MMarsh and Stoinis, not to mention Philippe and Short, and then Sams who is a serious hitter.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
So let’s put them in more meaningful order
TEST TEAM
1. David Warner (New South Wales)
2. Will Pucovski (Victoria)
3. Marnus Labuschagne (Queensland)
4. Steve Smith (New South Wales)
5. Travis Head (South Australia)
6. Cameron Green (Western Australia)
7. Tim Paine (c) (Tasmania)
8. James Pattinson (Victoria)
9. Pat Cummins (vc) (New South Wales)
10. Nathan Lyon (New South Wales)
11. Josh Hazlewood (New South Wales)
12. Marcus Harris (Victoria)
13. Moises Henriques (New South Wales)
14. Alex Carey (South Australia)
15. Mitchell Starc (New South Wales)
16. Michael Neser (Queensland)
17. Sean Abbott (New South Wales)
18. Mark Steketee (Queensland)
19. Mitchell Swepson (Queensland)
Only 1 controversial thing I did there.
4 backup quicks, interesting.
Australia confirm their two squads for tours of New Zealand and South Africa
Brave to write off the Scorchers in a T2- game. We saw yesterday what Mitch Marsh can do, plus Jhye Richardson is coming back to his best (which is very good). Their top 3 is dangerous too.
is Sams back now by the way? The Thunder could really use him.
Experience the key for Sixers in BBL finals
Or else he is a real head coach – more of a manager, with skilled assistant coaches. Nothing wrong with that. The manager does not have to be a subject matter expert on each aspect of rugby – that is what the assistant coaches are for.
I think a big thing will be if Tupou, LSL and Wright take the next step and become real forward leaders.
Time for the Reds to shine in 2021
It’s funny, as a NSW person, I naturally hate the Qld Origin team, which is maybe odd for someone who doesn’t really follow League.
But with Rugby it’s different – I really like this young Reds team and they’d be my 2nd favourite.
Thorn of course has his detractors. He hasn’t had enough success and we don’t know how good he really is tactically. But last year they looked to be really matching it with the best of the NZ teams, and in the end were out-experienced by a good Brumbies team in SRAU.
I like a lot of the Reds players – Tupou, LSL, Wilson, McDermott, JOC, Paisami, Petaia, Campbell, Daugunu – exciting players who are talented and really have a crack. I am hoping they all take a step forward this season and the team does well. UI hope the same for the Tahs of course, but we are 2-3 seasons behind the Reds.
I guess Thorn needs to start putting better results on the board, but he was always about putting in place an ongoing mindset of working hard for the team, being humble and being good citizens.
JP Smith is a big loss, and of course Rodda earlier in the season too, and Kerevi the year before. But their centres are arguably now a season later, stronger even with no Kerevi. CFS went well but has been replaced.
Looking forward to seeing the Reds and Tahs improve, and if the Force are now at a similar level. I just wish the Tahs could get some locks. Couldn’t lure Frosty home? Or Skelton? Or interest Rodda in a return to Aust?
Time for the Reds to shine in 2021
Riley Meredith?
I don’t think Tanveer Sangha is that left field?
Tanveer Sangha and Wes Agar are in my Aussie T20I squad for NZ tour
Really helpful Jez how you’ve done it. Works on the iPhone too.
Tahs not as bad as I feared, except massive hole at lock.
How do the Super Rugby AU squads stack up?
Yeah forgot Hosea, big prospect
Paisami is close to rookie I think , another good one.
Super Rugby is actually super close
Yes, not a ridiculous option, for sure.
Depth issues mean few changes for South Africa tour
More so if he then leaks runs
Pattinson and Head in Australia's best XI for South Africa Tests