[2015 TRC] Australia v South Africa in Brisbane (18/07/2015)

[InsaneAsylum]

Really? Mtawarira??

Louw and Hooper can be held in the same regard as they usually get penalties against them at the ruck area.

I do agree with you on the other 3 though...

Heineken I'm just messing with you buddy - Honestly I couldn't think of another bok player so I just threw Beast in there.

May the best team win

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I was thinking Lopeti Timani the Rebels Second Row, don't know which nationality he belongs to, either Aus or Tonga.. so kinda my bad..

Lopeti Timani has been awesome for the Rebels, I really hope he's not on Tongas radar for the RWC because he can't be far off the Wallaby squad.

Trouble is he's too good to keep out of the starting side at the Rebels, yet he's a bit short to be a traditional lock. I think the best thing for him is to shift to 8 now that higginbotham's gone. That position would suit him much better. His brother Sitaleki played for the Wallabies at second row under Deans - Tony McGahan was Deans side kick and you can see the similarities flowing through at the Rebels. Deans put McCabe at 12 and McGahan uses Inman at 12 in the same fashion. Both also use a 2nd playmaker at 15. Cheika on the other hand uses a 2nd playmaker at 12, that's why I think Inman has been a bit stiff - one of the best tacklers in the comp.

I expect a few more Rebels to be in Gold next year - Smith, Stirzaker, Jones, Timani, Debreczeni, Inman and possibly Naivalu depending on eligibility and if he wants to rep for Fiji.

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Fardy is one of the best blindside flankers in the world, he's doing the basics way better than many and adds contribution to lineout.

Fardy deserves his spot - he's been around a lot longer than Skelton so to say he's only there because Skelton can't jump is a bit rich.

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

This is going to be an awesome game. It will be interesting to watch how the Boks play especially after their running rugby style v the world XV. Are the Boks going to play a running game against the Wobs?

I'm looking forward to see how Giteau plays as well, apparently he's playing the best rugby of his life.

It'll be interesting to watch how Cooper plays as well.

As for Pocock compared with Hooper? Personally I'd prefer Pocock over Hooper purely because of experience and nerves/BMT but technically I think Hooper is better.

 

[Dale91]

Call me ambitious but I'm calling the wallabies to win by 6, would have said 8, but need to be different to insane asylum.
If the 9,10,12 combo click, we will be onto a winner!

 

[Sonic Kiwi]

Call me ambitious but I'm calling the wallabies to win by 6, would have said 8, but need to be different to insane asylum.
If the 9,10,12 combo click, we will be onto a winner!

I'll take your 6 and insane asylums 8 and raise it by 10 :redcard:

 

[SomeOke]

Can't argue with those predictions! It's going to be an extremely tough match to win. My head says the Wallabies will take it but I do believe we can win, if we put out anything less than a complete performance we're going to struggle. I'm hoping some of our thugs can scare the Aussie half-backs into compliance .

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Official announcement Wallabies Squad for the Springbok Test:

1 Slipper
2 Moore (c)
3 Kepu
4 Skelton
5 Simmons
6 Fardy
7 Hooper
8 Higginbotham
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Horne
12 Giteau
13 Kuridrani
14 Ashley-Cooper
15 Folau

16 Polota-Nau
17 Sio
18 Holmes
19 Horwill
20 Pocock
21 Phipps
22 Toomua
23 Mitchell

Good team, Disappointed to see Hooper ahead off Pocock both very good players but after a long injury spell would love to see Pocock start. Also looking forward to watching Matt Giteau in a Wallabies shirt again. Disappointed not to see Nick Cummins in the team at all but hopefully he's get a chance even after a not so great Super 15 for him.

While with the Springbok team is strange to see Burger at 8. Do really like Warren Whitely would have had him at 8.

But this will be a close game, really looking forward to it.

 

[TobesHodges]

I don't really understand why it's hooper vs pocock, I see hooper much more as a 6 than a 7.. I would have hooper and pocock as flankers..

Also I would have Alberts at 8 instead of burger, just seems to make much more sense, Alberts would fill vermuleans huge boots a bit better I think..

 

[TheSaffycen]

I'm going for Oz by 3

 

[SomeOke]

I don't really understand why it's hooper vs pocock, I see hooper much more as a 6 than a 7.. I would have hooper and pocock as flankers..

Also I would have Alberts at 8 instead of burger, just seems to make much more sense, Alberts would fill vermuleans huge boots a bit better I think..

With regards to the Hooper vs Pocock debate I do agree they could both play in the same team, while Hooper is seen as a fetcher he's more of an all round multidimensional player to me, however Fardy is a physical hard man, something the Wallabies can lack at times and obviously someone Cheika feels is necessary and I completely understand the decision.
Alberts hasn't been selected due to pure domestic form and injuries, Schalk is one of the form loosies in SA at the moment, no arguing with that. I'm still not 100% convinced that this SA side is our RWC side, I still feel a bit of experimentation is happening.

Edit: Crush their will to live lads. Go Bokke!

 

[Jaguares]

I see hooper much more as a 6 than a 7.. I would have hooper and pocock as flankers..

Really? Why?

The blindside flanker is the 3rd jumper at international level. Hooper doesn't jump.

Also the #6 must clean the breakdown, Hooper prefers run with the ball and I think he's small to play at 6, most of the blindside flankers are weighing around 110 kgs, he weighs 100 kg

 

[TobesHodges]

Really? Why?

The blindside flanker is the 3rd jumper at international level. Hooper doesn't jump.

Also the #6 must clean the breakdown, Hooper prefers run with the ball and I think he's small to play at 6, most of the blindside flankers are weighing around 110 kgs, he weighs 100 kg

As I do agree with you, but I don't think you can see a player like Hooper so black and white, he has punched above his weight all his career, it's just IMO I would play him over fardy, who I think is just bit of a tree chopper and to the jumper situation, higginbotham is a good jumper..

It's just my opinion but chieka does like to ply with a big 6 like potgieter for the tahs..

 

[SomeOke]

Really? Why?

The blindside flanker is the 3rd jumper at international level. Hooper doesn't jump.

Also the #6 must clean the breakdown, Hooper prefers run with the ball and I think he's small to play at 6, most of the blindside flankers are weighing around 110 kgs, he weighs 100 kg

I don't feel that this much rigidity is important, as long as the balance is there. For instance a back three of McCaw, Kaino and Read has been wildly successful with Read being the "third jumper". Modern forward balance isn't about rigidly allocating tasks to a number, but rather making sure all the boxes are ticked throughout the pack. Higginbotham is a fantastic line out forward for instance meaning your blindside flanker doesn't necessarily have to be a line-out jumper. In this case he does, as Skelton isn't a jumper but my point stands.

 

[TobesHodges]

Good luck lifting Skelton haha

 

[ENZED-88]

Looking forward to this game! Hopeing wobs can come out on top. Big question is will Gits stand up or turn out to be another Rocky Elsom?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

People have mega rose tinted glasses WRT Giteau.
They can bleat on about how Deans didn't like him, but Deans didn't make him miss clutch kicks and have appalling defence.

The only reason Australia have brought him back is to appease the media and part time fans, they have better options at 12 playing at home.

 

[Dale91]

Oly mate,
Things have changed, he has been brought back because he was on fire in France and it is worth giving him a chance.

This is the wallabies most experienced team ever! History has shown how much experience has counted for in the last 3 world cups, with the most experienced team winning each time.

What do we have to lose!? What we have been doing recently clearly isn't working.

 

[Dale91]

Here is my preview and best bets for tonight's game http://daleyrugby.com/2015/07/17/th...wallabies-v-springboks-preview-and-best-bets/
What's your predictions?

 

[Jaguares]

Here is my preview and best bets for tonight's game http://daleyrugby.com/2015/07/17/th...wallabies-v-springboks-preview-and-best-bets/
What's your predictions?

Wallabies by 7

Nelson, Are u from NSW?

 

[Dale91]

You guessed it

 

[Mary7]

I reckon Aus by 8.