That’s okay, becuase I stand by my comments also! What we saw in Bled 1 and 2 is that O’Connor can work with his 12 – that’s also key to being a good 10. O’Connor did direct play, but he also understands that a key role of the 10 is to go into a ruck at a critical moment. That is something for instance that Cooper was not good at, and Carter was. It is why the second five must be ready to take over first receiver at any time.

The loss of cohesion in Bled 2 after Toomua’s injury is what would have occurred regardless of which of the two experienced players went down, simply because the rest of our back-line had very few caps between them. It was a foretaste of what was to come in Bled 3 when Rennie made the mistake of putting uncapped players at 10 and 12, and a virtually uncapped player at 13. [BTW, I think Rennie is a very good coach. That doesn’t mean he can’t make mistakes].

The reasons for France’s improvement is not due to better fly-halves, more the reverse!

Philip and Simmo combined will be a huge loss. I think Philip is far more talented, but the loss of Simmo’s experience and steadiness as well as Philip’s technique and enthusiasm will tear a hole in two of our most important positions

I am not sure how that works. As a bench utility player he is likely to get less playing time in all positions combined.

Surely the ability to cover comes from squad training, i.e. that the player actively trains to cover an extra position. A regular 15 can still do some training with the squad at 12 for example. I suspect that will make him a better player in his 15 poistion anyway.

Stillmissit, I agree, but I really don’t think Harrison has a problem. He is only 21 (I think). The two most experienced test flyhalves are in their 30s. There is Hodge at 26 and then its young players. Opportunity will surely come Harrison’s way if he is patient.

The injury toll alone during a typical test season suggests his chance for at least a bench spot may come sooner than we expect!

“However, James O’Connor is not a natural flyhalf.”

Why? There are many way of playing fly half. He actually can and does put people into gaps, but that is just one aspect of playing 10, and is heavily dependent on the way the game shapes. Dan Carter didn’t put people into gaps nearly as often as Quade Cooper, but in my view DC was a far more effective flyhalf.

“it is highly unlikely that [To’omua] will be around in 2023”

Again, why? He will be younger than Carter was when he won Man-of-the-Match in the RWC 2015 grand final, and the same age as Lynagh when he played for Australia at RWC. One would have to conclude there is a very good chance that a 32-year old experienced test player could still be in the squad in 2023.

“The Wallabies need a world-class flyhalf more than any other position.”

No, that’s going too far. We can win matches (including against the ABs) with a serviceable flyhalf and a good team overall. The demand for “world-class” players in particular positions can too often degenerate into a demand to play the latest star from super rugby, without regard to how they perform under test conditions, and without regard to the need to give them experience at SR level and with test bench spots, while they are assessed and mentored.

“However, [Lolesio] could well be one of Australia’s most important players by the time Australia arrives in France.”

That is most unlikely. He has had part of a successful season at SR level, and one rather unsuccessful appearance at 10 for the Wallabies. It is far too early to judge, and putting that sort of burden on him now is a good way to ruin a promising young talent. At the moment, Lolesio is the front-runner among the young possibles, so take him on the tour as a bench option. He can play behind experienced test players like O’Connor and Hodge, gain experience, with far less pressure on him. Hopefully by the start of next season Matt Toomua will be back and Lolesio can continue to learn from him as well.

Well said. This is where the coach really stands up – his ability to mentor and nuture these players to keep giving of their best at the top level.

Hooper gives sound consistent performance at one of the backrow positions, while Rennie works out who his top contenders are for the others, and then starts to develop them.

To force Hooper on to the bench requires three other players to show that they are more consistent at test-level than him. So far that hasn’t happened and we shouldn’t expect it. But after a full test season in 2020, then I think Hooper will find that 1, 2 or 3 other players are starting to put in consistent high-level performances, which will increase the pressure on him to keep his spot.

Why start Paisami in a key position, if you have better more experienced players available (JOC, Toomua, Hodge)?

Its not necessary for player development: Hunter is only 22 – he has years of development left in him, even if he only gets a few test caps this season. And he will get caps – the injury toll of a test season ensures that.

The first thing we should do is play the best availble players in their positions. Injuries and bench spots will provide plenty of opporunity to develop younger players.

Australian coaches seem to have this thing about using talented players in multiple positions. AAC didn’t give of his best, for that reason.

Yet no flexibility is lost if the player regularly starts in one position. He can always shift to another in an emergency, and that gives the coach more flexibility.

I agree, I think starting Hodge at 12 for the rest of the season is an excellent idea. That gives us an experienced, resilient and skilled starting line-up of 10. JOC, 12. Hodge, 15. Banks, who can really work together. When Toomua comes back, it will just increase Rennie’s options.

JOC is well ahead of Hodge. Essentially, there is nothing Hodge brought that JOC doesn’t already do. Hodge provides cover at 10 if needed (which is a welcome relief to a coach), but he is better used at 12 or 15.

The best way to make full use of our test-experienced players (as well as our best players) is JOC at 10, Hodge at 12, and Banks at 15.

Nobody has claimed the Wallabies are “world beaters” so your post is based on a false premise. We are talking about some very positive developments in a series which the ABs won 2-1.

If the ABs failed to bring their best team then that wasn’t very smart of them. I don’t think they will make that mistake again.

Nobody has suggested the Wallabies are “world beaters” so your entire post is built on a false premise.

What people are talking about is some very good developments in Australian test rugby.

If the ABs failed to bring their best team then more fool them. The reward of hubris.

Yes, ABs applied pressure and scored a good try. So did the Wallabies (Tupou). And they applied pressure better during the game and won.
That’s a very positive development and one we need to develop further.

I agree, and I don’t think its unorthodox. The great teams have always had bench players who aren’t just second best at their position, but lift the intensity when they come on. Australia is a long way from having a full bench like that, but we do have it at tight head and its great to see.

“The challenge now for Ned Hanigan, or Pete Samu, perhaps Liam Wright or Fraser McReight, or maybe even Isi Naisarani, is going to be to find that same edge Rennie wants.”

That’s a good point. By unleashing Swinton, and then praising his performance, Rennie has sent a very clear message to the other back-row contenders what he wants. He doesn’t need to say “And don’t get red carded” because they will all be determined to avoid that, but they know that the ability to apply mongrel effectively and lawfully is the key factor in selection.

Smart move – give him a look at Wallaby culture, but he will not be considered for test selection until next year at the earliest. He should play a full season of SR before he is considered.

Most players take a bit of time to adjust. I remember Sonny Bill Williams getting schooled by Mortlock in a Barbarians-Wallabies match in Sydney, just as he was transferring over. SBW was a huge football talent, but even he needed some time to work out the space-time of rugby.

“I mean the guy took over a top team and turned them into World No 7s ”
Whoa! Let’s cool down the fantasy:

Under Robbie Deans, Wallabies started at No 3 in the world, went up to No 2 then dropped back to No 3

Under Ewen McKenzie, Wallabies started at No 3 and finished at No 5.

Under Michael Cheika, Wallabies started at No 5 and finished at No 7.

If State of the Union is meant as a replacement for NRC, I think it is short-sighted. The NRC is a workable concept and it has the most long-term potential.

Fans are capable of becoming zealous for teams based on regions like NSW Country, Brisbane City, Country Victoria, Newcastle and Northern NSW. Its just that it takes time to build up real tribalism in relatively new teams. And of course Rugby has very little money to invest.

I know its difficult, but I think RA should persist with NRC, keep its life support going, until more revenue is available.

“just a couple of Shute Shield clubs that white-anted the NRC”

“the NSWRU (which has been pretty much controlled by supporters of a single club for a long time)”

Why whoever do you mean? 😛

The article contains some really good points – in the second half. Its a pity that much of the first half consisted of appeals to emotion. No, an idea isn’t bad just because it emanated from Rugby League (nor from AFL or that roundball game, for that matter).

Having got that off my chest, I think the article’s points are sound, and correctly sums up why State of Origin works for League. AFL had a State of Origin too, for a while, but made a conscious decision to abandon it and concentrate on building up their regular comp with two teams in each State/Territory capital.

We are still working out the shape of rugby in Australia, at the same time as we work out where we get our revenue streams. But I assume it will end up being a variation on the following:
1st tier – Test and Australia A;
2nd tier – Super Comp Australia with probably NZ, Japan and/or Pasifika elements worked in;
3rd tier – NRC (shape still being determined but semi-pro and multi State/Territory),
4th tier – state based amateur club comp.

“Japan in would be great for the bottom line too.”

Absolutely!!! It would also give more chance of selling TV rights elsewhere in Asia.

The previous Roar article didn’t mention a trans-tasman comp being included in the deal, only domestic super (including finals), Wallaby Tests and Tri-Nations.

That would make sense because Nine can’t negotiate with just the ARU for a TT comp – NZRU would have to be part of the deal too.

So hopefully that means that TV rights to a trans-tasman comp will be more money.

Apparently Kazakhstan uses the Tenge. Roubles are so passe.
Hopefully any TV deal will be done in hard currency like US dollars or bitcoin.

So if I understand this correctly, Nine has not yet bought the rights to a TransTasman comp, so RNZ and RA can also sell those to the best bidder?
And the overseas TV rights to this comp have not yet been sold, so even if it only gets sold to Kazakhstan, that’s still extra roubles in the bank for RA?

The great Clancy Brown – also Captain Hadley in Shawshank Redemption and a mean gunslinger in the Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

Every team should have one!