[2015 TRC] Australia v New Zealand in Sydney (08/08/2015)

[TRF_heineken]

Kick off: 12:05 CAT (SA, GMT+2)
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney

Referee: Wayne Barnes

AR1: Nigel Owens

AR2: Federico Anselmi

TMO: Shaun Veldsman​

Teams

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 James Horwill, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore, (captain), 1 Scott Sio

Substitutes: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Nic White, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Kurtley Beale

New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Luke Romano, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Substitutes: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Ben Franks , 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Sam Whitelock, 20 Sam Cane, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Malakai Fekitoa

 

[first5eight]

Would love to see SBW & Fekitoa start together. SBWs offloads onto a hard running Fekitoa would be a sight to see, can't see Giteau being able to stop either of them. Think Smith will get the call though, was pretty average against the Saffas & needs to find some form. B Smith to FB, Savea back also. Have a feeling NMS will get a run as well, that guy has an amazing skill set and I think he'll do well, Piatau has played 3 in row and is definitely on the plane so could do with a rest. My starting team would be;

B Smith
NMS
Fekitoa/Smith
SBW
Savea
Carter
Smith
Reid
McCaw
Kaino
Whitelock
Rettalick
Franks
Coles
Woodcock.

IMO we should go for a close variation on our full strength starting team to try and wrap up the Bledisloe & RC. We can always experiment in the dead rubber at Fortress Eden the following week.

Edit: spelling/words

 

[RoosTah]

Be interesting to see what side Cheika goes with. We've won our first two games, but we were lucky against the Boks, and if we play like that against the ABs we're gonna get spanked. Breakdown needs serious work and so does our general attack and tactical kicking.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Would like to see the teams line up as:

Wallabies:

1. Sio (expect Slipper to start even though not in form)
2. Moore
3. Holmes (expect Kepu to start, even though better off the bench)
4. Skelton
5. Simmons (Horwill to replace injured Simmons)
6. Fardy (for all talk of the Pooper, i think Fardy is essential for the lineout, especially if Skelton plays).
7. Pocock
8. Palu (Hooper to come on for Palu and move to 7, whilst Pocock moves to 8)

9. Phipps
10. Giteau (expect Cooper to start)
11. Tomane (expect AAC)
12. Toomua (expect Giteau at 12)
13. Kurindrani
14. Speight
15. Folau

All Blacks:

1. Woodcock
2. Coles
3. O Franks
4. Retallick
5. Whitelock
6. Kaino
7. McCaw
8. Read

9. A Smith
10. Carter
11. Savea
12. SBW (Fekitoa to cover the 23 shirt)
13. C Smith
14. Piutau (I think NMS will be played in the return match in NZ)
15. Ben Smith.

 

[Jaguares]

I've bet for the Wallabies in the last 3 years so I won't make that mistake again.

ABs by 5

 

[goodNumber10]

Wobblies to sneak it at the death.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_67393,00.html

Simmons ruled out of this one and the next Bledisloe.

 

[TRF_heineken]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_67393,00.html

Simmons ruled out of this one and the next Bledisloe.

Maybe this was the ideal situation to give Kane Douglas a run...

 

[The Jones Boy]

For Aussie it will be a test to see if they're pack is genuinely competitive.
If it is, then Aussie are back on top of their game.
They have a galaxy of incredible talent in their backline, all they need to be ready to lift a RWC trophy is a pack that can compete with the other major teams in the world.

Having said that, Aussie are still learning how to play together under Cheika, coaching wise they are underdone but the Ockers are fast learners in any sport and they will come good quickly.
Robbie Deans kept Aussie in the shadows for years and now Cheika is bringing them out again.

 

[General Tah]

For Aussie it will be a test to see if they're pack is genuinely competitive.
If it is, then Aussie are back on top of their game.
They have a galaxy of incredible talent in their backline, all they need to be ready to lift a RWC trophy is a pack that can compete with the other major teams in the world.

Having said that, Aussie are still learning how to play together under Cheika, coaching wise they are underdone but the Ockers are fast learners in any sport and they will come good quickly.
Robbie Deans kept Aussie in the shadows for years and now Cheika is bringing them out again.

As always with us. Hard remembering a time when we had a pack that was worth it.

 

[The Jones Boy]

The Wallabies big problems have been simple.
The tight five and predominantly, the front row.
Not enough calibre coming through in the front row.
I look at the Boks and the Poms and they perennially have high quality tight fives that always allow their loosies to compete.
Aussie on the other hand has had excellent loosies over the years but they have not had the necessary support in their roles from their tight five.
Aussies loosies have been better than the Poms or the Boks over the years but they have been shortchanged by their own tight five selections.
No protection and no setting up on the ruck means the loosies are going to feeding off scraps.
When Aussie have a calibre tight five they are there or thereabouts for being the best team in the world because their backline is a conveyer belt of class players from 10 to 15.
Above all Aussie need to keep Cheika in place so they can develop their forward pack.
Look at the Woodward example, look at the Henry/Smith/Hansen example. The poms need to keep Lancaster in place as well.
Forward packs take time to build and transition.

 

[nik]

Wobblies to sneak it at the death.

While it is a possibility, the probability of ABs getting pipped at the death is low. ABs have mastered the last 20mins of game. The championship minutes. In the past 2-3 years the number of games ABs have won in the last 20 mins is absurd. Games that they shouldn't have won. For the Wallabies to win they need to play 80min rugby, which they have shown in the past 2 games but against the ABs it is totally different. Springboks went down a couple of gears whilst the ABs have a habit of going up gears in the last 20mins.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

While it is a possibility, the probability of ABs getting pipped at the death is low. ABs have mastered the last 20mins of game. The championship minutes. In the past 2-3 years the number of games ABs have won in the last 20 mins is absurd. Games that they shouldn't have won. For the Wallabies to win they need to play 80min rugby, which they have shown in the past 2 games but against the ABs it is totally different. Springboks went down a couple of gears whilst the ABs have a habit of going up gears in the last 20mins.

Couldn't have put it more accurately.

The ultimate test for the Wallabies this year, win this one and we win the rugby championship - win 2 in a row and we win the Bledisloe too.

extremely unlikely, slightly possible, very hopeful. Even 1 win against NZ will do the team morale wonders and will count in spades when up against England and Wales - 2 demoralising wins to NZ and England and Wales will be sharpening their knives.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

According to Stuff.co.nz:

Judging by a selection that ran at Wallabies training at Moore Park on Monday, the second rower who will likely replace Simmons, and partner Will Skelton, at ANZ Stadium will be Horwill.

Other noted names in that same XV were props Scott Sio and Greg Holmes in the props, Michael Hooper at No 7 and Bernard Foley at No 10.

 

[Sam Owen]

All Blacks:

1. Woodcock
2. Coles
3. O Franks
4. Retallick
5. Whitelock
6. Kaino
7. McCaw
8. Read

9. A Smith
10. Carter
11. Savea
12. SBW (Fekitoa to cover the 23 shirt)
13. C Smith
14. Piutau (I think NMS will be played in the return match in NZ)
15. Ben Smith.

You and me both bro. IMO the best current All Black side.

 

[Jaguares]

You and me both bro. IMO the best current All Black side.

How can be the best NZ side if this year has been the best Nonu's season at SR level and the SBW's season has been average?

 

[FlukeArtist]

How can be the best NZ side if this year has been the best Nonu's season at SR level and the SBW's season has been average?

Agree totally. Nonu over Williams any day.

 

[Sam Owen]

How can be the best NZ side if this year has been the best Nonu's season at SR level and the SBW's season has been average?

Ok, I.M.O stands for In MY Opinion. Ok?..

Thank you.

Agree totally. Nonu over Williams any day.

Flukey!! How are you mate? Hope you enjoyed the All Blacks in Samoa game *yes!*

Look guys last year and probably the year before that Nonu had a quiet Super Rugby. During the time many questioned why he was in the All Blacks because why??..because he had a quiet (to say the least) Super Rugby. Yet they put him in black and pow! Nonus the man.

Sonny this year is in a similar boat to what Nonu was but seems like some have forgot. Quiet in Super Rugby, champion in black. Lets not forget that.

I wonder if some of those whom questioned Nonu last year were one of YOUS..

Nonu would be on my bench. Even when many questioned Nonu, I backed the uce, still do now. However Id have Sonny to start the show and bring Nonu off fresh when everyone is slightly fatigued.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Yeah they went to Samoa which was great for the Samoan public.
Now they just have to try and recoup the $1.5M loss they incurred.
My suggestion is that if they want to make these tests more common is to get rid of the PM running their Union.
Get a real business man involved. Someone who knows how to run a business.
So the end result is that Samoa and NZ lost money.
That's not to say it shouldn't be done.
Just done better.
A LOT better.
You have to make it viable otherwise these visits will be 10 years plus apart.
However the goodwill was a plus

Re Nonu:
NEVER have I ever suggested Williams over Nonu.
The evidence for Nonu is overwhelming.
That's not to say Williams isn't good.
Nonu is better.

 

[Sam Owen]

Yeah they went to Samoa which was great for the Samoan public.
Now they just have to try and recoup the $1.5M loss they incurred.
My suggestion is that if they want to make these tests more common is to get rid of the PM running their Union.
Get a real business man involved. Someone who knows how to run a business.
So the end result is that Samoa and NZ lost money.
That's not to say it shouldn't be done.
Just done better.
A LOT better.
You have to make it viable otherwise these visits will be 10 years plus apart.
However the goodwill was a plus

Re Nonu:
NEVER have I ever suggested Williams over Nonu.
The evidence for Nonu is overwhelming.
That's not to say Williams isn't good.
Nonu is better.

I never worry too much about the money side of things to be honest, basically cos I dont understand it and I dont care to. I'm purely about the Rugby.

Regarding Nonu vs Sonny: It all comes down to ones preference. A lot of guys here on TRF whom are this year praising Nonu are the same ones who were dissing Nonu last year, I definitely wasnt one of those (you can check my previous posts bout Nonu) so no one should try to sell to me how good Nonu is.

Despite praises for Nonu even when he wasn't doing so well, I still think Sonny is better defensively. Forgotten who it was for the Springboks backs but he ripped Nonu and Smith apart for a beautiful try just last week and I'd bet had Sonny been there that wouldn't have been the case. So basically for defensive reasons I'd have Sonny in my starting 15, exactly the same Blindside has chosen is what I think would be NZs current best 15.