I think the little experiment in the closing stages against the Boks went very well and hope that Cheika starts both Pocock and Hooper. Both are more than capable of bending the line with ball in hand and the other attributes they bring (each with different) are not in question. It does mean dropping Skelton, bit I think thats in the best interest of the team as he didn’t have a great game (IMO) and isn’t quuuuuuite there yet at Test level ( except maybe impact off the bench, but even then….) for Horwill who earns a recall after one test match (never thought I’d say that!) with Fardy at 6, so we have 3 jumpers.

Great to see the Wallaby scrum more than competitive at scrum time in the closing stages so Sio and Holmes to start (IMO). Their ball carries were very good also. Phipps for Genia (no brainer) and Mitchell for Horne. Toomua/Foley for Cooper though I can see Cheika giving Cooper another run at 10 with Toomua at 12.

!00% agree NB. People with chips on their shoulders shouldn’t sit in front of keyboards.

This isn’t about where they are from but how they play. I really wanted QC to play well last night and was excited by the prospect of him finally doing it as Cheika had been saying how good he’d been at training (and I’m a Foley supporter!). But he once again failed to either play well or inspire. And before someone says its because he was behind a pack that was being bettered by the Boks – so what! Thats going to happen sometimes on a rugby pitch. So if you can’t adapt or at least make sure your own game helps and doesnt hinder, then he’s not the right man for the job. For mine, QC is a gifted player, but not at Test level.

Same goes for the Hooper V Pocock debate. Qlders – take off your blinkers before tapping on your keyboard. AT the moment Aus is lucky to have so many options at 7 – including Gill who would def be in the team if it wasn’t for the 2 above him who are slightly better.

I’m a Tahs fan but its time to bench Skelton and use him as an impact player from the bench – particularly if we start with Hooper AND Pocock (at 8). Replacing him with a genuine jumper means the loss of a jumper by playing Pocock at 8 is negated. Fardy at 6.

From another thread, but some things we found out last night….

1. Our best front row is Sio, Moore & Holmes
2. Skleton is not a test 2nd rower. Yet.
3. Pocock AND Hooper can play at the same time.
4. Phipps IS our best option at 9
5 Cooper ISN’T our best option at 10
6 Mitchell needs to start, not be on the bench
7. Playing a 10 that runs direct beats a 10 that runs sideways and is flashy with the ball but achieves nothing.
8. Foley needs to be (at least) on the bench

Feel free to add you own…..

Some things we found out last night….

1. Our best front row is Sio, Moore & Holmes
2. Skleton is not a test 2nd rower. Yet.
3. Pocock AND Hooper can play at the same time.
4. Phipps IS our best option at 9
5 Cooper ISN’T our best option at 10
6 Mitchell needs to start, not be on the bench
7. Playing a 10 that runs direct beats a 10 that runs sideways and is flashy with the ball but achieves nothing.
8. Foley needs to be (at least) on the bench

Feel free to add you own…..

+ 1

LOL – thats made me laugh. No room for Jake Schatz?? Surely Curtis Browning should get a run. He’s a Red too!!!!!

….and the announcement isn’t far away. Put money on it.

If we listen to what Alonso said, its quite easy to see where he will be driving in 2015.

As he himself said “it’ll be quite obvious”. Indeed it already is. “I won’t be driving a Mercedes powered car next year”. OK, so thats 4 teams out of the equation. It wont be a Ferrari. So that leaves Toro Rosso (ha!), Sauber (bigger HA!) and…well… Caterham/Marussia (no font big enough for the HA that suggestion needs).

Its signed, sealed and delivered (a while ago I’d suggest – prior to Japan), just final details to be agreed i.e. performance/get out clauses. And he is now distinctly on the back foot when it comes to negotiating those details because Vettel caught him off guard, nullifying his only bargaining chip i.e. “I’ve changed my mind i might just stay at Ferrari”. In fact, its the same place he would’ve ended up anyway should he have announced he was leaving Ferrari and had Vettel decided to stay at Red Bull. The bigger question is, of the 2 current drivers which will be Alonso’s team mate?

I wouldn’t be surprised if Vettel’s unseen/sudden announcement was actually triggered when he found out Alonso was not only leaving Ferrari but who he was signing for. With 4 titles under his belt, his next challenge was to do a Schumacher and revive a once dominant/classic F1 team. There were 2 in the marketplace that fit those requirements and if Alonso was leaving one of them it left just Ferrari for Vettel to join. Could their have been a straight swap? Unlikely. The last non junior Red Bull driver to be signed by Red Bull was Mark Webber – in 2007.

While I agree that, overall, the Wallabies were the better side that didn’t get the win, I didn’t quite agree regards Folau.

Did he do any tactical kicking in that match? Did he actually kick at all? I don’t think he did. It certainly wasn’t the type of conditions conducive to his (or Beales) style of play – quick changes of direction at pace. But Folau did break some tackles when he did get the ball but as I say, the conditions didn’t really allow. Ben Smith was also quiet on Saturday night and I wonder how much Hansen pondered bringing Dagg back in.

Finally, the same advantage the AB’s have (i.e planning for the same players) is also the case for the Wallabies. They are certainly weaker without Nonu and his barging runs or impeding dummy runs. I think Toomua is very aware of how Nonu “makes room” when he is the dummy runner, though he won’t have to worry as much about that this weekend. ABs have made the right choice selecting Crotty and Fekitoa at 12, though in there lays an opportunity.

I wish Link had selected Phipps at 9 and while I still think Foley is our future long term 10, I can understand that he doesnt want to chop and change at this stage. Beale didn’t play that badly – he just didn’t stand out. The only other change for mine would be Ben Robinson for Cowan.

Like last week, there is a quietly growing confidence in the direction the gold thread is taking at the moment. But even if they don’t get the win, they should continue to back the style they are playing. It paid off eventually for the Tahs.

This has been the loooongest week waiting for the start of the RC and the first Bledisloe.

And now they say a 90% chance of rain at 8pm Saturday night.

Remember the long studs KB.

I’ll dip into my pocket to contribute to the fine. Anyone else??

I left Joeys in 86 and even back then, the 1st & 2nd XV were in the gym a couple times a week (Joeys had a new gym in 81) and had protein shakes (Sustagen Gold actually) and very set weights/gym regimes. I was in the 4ths and we had a gym session at least once a week – weights etc. Trained at least 3 afternoons a week. Same for the rowers. Probably not on a par with now – I haven’t seen what happens these days, only read about it. But the point is, this has been building for years. Its not new. In some ways sad, but in another – its just the world not standing still. I remember even back then, the ABC wanted to show the GPS game of the weekend on TV but the headmasters wouldn’t allow it.

Adam, I too loved those days. At a school with about 800 other lads who enjoyed the same thing as you i.e going out onto College A at recess/lunch/any spare 15mins for a quick game of footy. Or out through GA for a quick ciggie.

The only guys guaranteed a place (no BS, no favouritism) are Hooper, Toomua, Fardy, Palu & Folau. Some are reasonably solid – TPN, Slipper, Simmons, Kepu. AAC is a bench spot at least. But as for the rest, their are a number of options available. I dont think Cooper will walk back in either. I can see Cooper not being overly pleased with that scenario (I think Foley the better candidate at the moment) though he would be ideal to being off the bench late in a game to spark it. BUT, could Coopers ego cope with that role?

From the “guarantee” list (with Moore no longer on that list) Hooper is the obvious choice as Capt for RC and EOYT. (He’s done a solid job so far, has handled the task well for Tahs too). Beyond that, really depends on Moore’s recovery from injury in tandem with form. IF successful in the next 2 series, why go into 2015 with a different Capt – unless – he has a MASSIVE form slump. Massive, form slump.

The thing is, either Moore, Pocock or Hooper would fit the bill as they are all humble, hard working, no nonsense players and characters. But injury has played its part and I dont see any point appointing a Capt only to tell him the next year you may not be in the job as someone else is returning.

Hooper.

At this stage he has not done anything to suggest he can’t handle the pressure of the Capts armband. (Being marched 10 is something that’s happened to a lot of captains, I wouldn’t hold that against him).

He is the best in his position unless usurped in form by a fit David Pocock in the next Super Rugby season. Even then it would have to be a very clear case of Hooper losing form. We will see what happens on that score.

Hooper plays a different 7 to Pocock. He links much better with the backs, has superior pace and step (for a 7) and is everywhere – Mr Perpetual Motion. He may not be AS strong over the ball as Pocock, but I think his other attributes make up for that slight deficiency. He also plays 80 minutes.

There is a good case for squeaky Moore for sure and if he hadn’t had a season ending injury then I’d have him as Capt. But thats rugby. How long do we wait for him to come back and will he still be in the same form to be first picked when he does? Same story for Pocock.

The future is Hooper. He’s going to make some mistakes (ala getting marched for lettingthe ref hear his discontent) but he is young and he learns quick. And he always gives 110%.

Its the old saying – you can’t please ALL the people ALL of the time.

A move away from V8s is because the manufacturers wanted a better return on the millions they pump into the sport. F1 has been relevant to road cars for years and needs to continue to be so. Its an expensive sport and I can understand why the investors want a better return for their R&D buck! A move back to V8s will see some of those (Renault in particular probably Merc as well) move out of the sport and the choice of engine will be a Ferrari or Cosworth. Guess who will win THAT battle.

Its all about compromise for the good health of the sport (and being socially responsible) while trying to keep the whole show interesting to fans and marketable. A fine line to tread.

I saw more negative reaction on social media and press regards last race double points (instigated by Bernie). Funny that Bernie has put the lack of “noise” into the spotlight (a decision NOT instigated by Bernie). Magicians distract.

While I miss the classic F1 “noise”, the ability to hear tyres screech, gear changes and the crowd “roar” (as they did in Melbourne when Dan took “3rd”) is something I’ve only every heard at Interlagos in Brazil.

Its nice to know I have delayed oncoming hearing loss by a few years too.

It is a shame to lose Mowen as he was exactly what the Wallabies needed in the last weeks of 2013 – solid, thorough never taking a backward step. But he was never a spectacular 8. He never made you think – “call off the search, we’ve found the prefect replacement for Kefu”. With Fardy being spectacular at 6, it leaves few options for him. Especially now that Palu (if he stays fit and thats a BIG if), and Higganbotham amongst other backrow options feed back in. So the sticky question is: who will replace him as captain?

I’m willing to admit I was NOT a fan of Cooper. His behaviour, lack of respect and general attitude reeked of a young gun who believed he’d done it all before he’d actually done anything. He talked the talk, but no walk. But in November he started to make me believe. I’m not converted. Yet. Another full season of good form and (more importantly) maturity such as he showed on the UK tour and I’ll start waking up early on Sunday mornings. Deliver Bill and I’ll only eat fish on Fridays & don a cassock. But thats a looong way away.

As for captaincy, maybe its just what he needs. He has the vision for the game that’s for sure. He’s stiffened his defence and now isn’t afraid to be tackled with the ball – something defences knew he wouldn’t do prior to 2013. But what i’m not convinced about is how he leads when the chips are down – or starting to fall. THAT is the true test of a leader. Staying calm whilst all around you is kaos. Garnering the troops and going over the top. its all well and good to be flashy when things are going your way, but how you react when the tide is against you (ala Alastair Cook) defines you. And on that score, I’m not sure. At all.

As the poster in Mulders X Files office declared: I want to believe.