Australia vs England - 3 Tests - June 2016

[Which Tyler]

No

Without knowing the details of Australia's depth; he's probably worth having around as 3rd / 4th choice though.

Were he EQP; he'd be 5th-6th choice at best (Vunipola, Morgan, Clifford, Beaumont all clearly ahead; Hughes too in a month's time).
He was a diamond in the rough that we plucked from obscurity of doing not a lot in French D2; where he was overweight, unfit and presumably unmotivated; who went on to become a crowd favourite where he fitted in, got himself in shape and worked on his skills. Good value-for-money; and good enough for club rugby (and should suit Super rugby well); but not Tier 1 international standard.
As ever, I reserve the right to be wrong; he may be one of those who really steps up a level when given the chance.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

No

Without knowing the details of Australia's depth; he's probably worth having around as 3rd / 4th choice though.

Were he EQP; he'd be 5th-6th choice at best (Vunipola, Morgan, Clifford, Beaumont all clearly ahead; Hughes too in a month's time).
He was a diamond in the rough that we plucked from obscurity of doing not a lot in French D2; where he was overweight, unfit and presumably unmotivated; who went on to become a crowd favourite where he fitted in, got himself in shape and worked on his skills. Good value-for-money; and good enough for club rugby (and should suit Super rugby well); but not Tier 1 international standard.
As ever, I reserve the right to be wrong; he may be one of those who really steps up a level when given the chance.

Would've thought he'd be ahead of Morgan if he was eligible for us. Morgan's been very poor since his injury.

 

[Which Tyler]

Morgan's always been pretty poor for Gloucester; and always stepped up a couple of gears for England.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

He's going to have to sort that out now it's not just him and Binny. If he doesn't excel for Glaws he won't get another shot any time soon.

Do wonder if Glaws is right for him though. I reckon he'd thrive at somewhere like Tigers.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

He's going to have to sort that out now it's not just him and Binny. If he doesn't excel for Glaws he won't get another shot any time soon.

Do wonder if Glaws is right for him though. I reckon he'd thrive at somewhere like Tigers.

Tigers are in need of an out and out 8. When does his Glaws contract run out? Maybe we might see that happen.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Tigers are in need of an out and out 8. When does his Glaws contract run out? Maybe we might see that happen.

Very good idea IMO.

Odd you never hear anyone mention it TBH

Think he is out of contract end of next season.

Maybe see Fonua ---> Out, Morgan ---> In 2017/18 season. (Who knows) But ATM he is nowhere near England.

 

[Every Time Ref]

The mauling law change seems over the top, and won't serve to speed the game up or make it safer, it will however discourage teams from using it as a tactic which again benefits SH, and this case quite a lot

I'm actually in favour, I feel it's been too easy to get tries from 5m lineouts recently, often with a man advantaged gained as well - the balance, for me, has been off. I don't want to remove mauls from the game at all, but making them harder to orchestrate is a good thing IMO.

No

Without knowing the details of Australia's depth; he's probably worth having around as 3rd / 4th choice though.

Were he EQP; he'd be 5th-6th choice at best (Vunipola, Morgan, Clifford, Beaumont all clearly ahead; Hughes too in a month's time).
He was a diamond in the rough that we plucked from obscurity of doing not a lot in French D2; where he was overweight, unfit and presumably unmotivated; who went on to become a crowd favourite where he fitted in, got himself in shape and worked on his skills. Good value-for-money; and good enough for club rugby (and should suit Super rugby well); but not Tier 1 international standard.
As ever, I reserve the right to be wrong; he may be one of those who really steps up a level when given the chance.

Pretty much this.

I was surprised to see him selected to be honest, a crowd favourite and very good at what he does but a bit of a one-trick pony for international I'd say. Especially given the strength of the Aus back row stocks.

 

[Jaguares]

Cheika has picked this XV in the last training:

15. DHP
14. Nabuli
13. Kuridrani
12. Folau
11. Horne
10. Foley
9. Phipps
8. Pocock
7. Hooper
6. Fardy
5. Simmons
4. Horwill
3. Holmes
2. Moore
1. Slipper

Folau at 12 and Nabuli as starter are very impressive for me. He has picked Horwill at the second row maybe for his experience in English rugby. DHP is a very complete fullback with good size. He has been one of the best Aussie back in this Super Rugby season.

Folau and Kuridrani at the channel 2 could be a very explosive couple and then you have this kid, Samu Kerevi. An Aussie with Fijian heritage who weights 110 kg and has won more meters than anyone else in this SR season, one of the most strong ball carriers at the SH this year.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Can't imagine Cheika would really go with Folau at 12 in a test match. He's only played a handful of games at 13 and as far as I'm aware has never played 12 in Super Rugby. It would also be a huge waste of his ability under the high ball and it's also not going to allow him the space and freedom he gets at 13 or 15. I was expecting Kerevi to start at 12 with Folau at 15, but maybe not.

 

[Jaguares]

Can't imagine Cheika would really go with Folau at 12 in a test match. He's only played a handful of games at 13 and as far as I'm aware has never played 12 in Super Rugby. It would also be a huge waste of his ability under the high ball and it's also not going to allow him the space and freedom he gets at 13 or 15. I was expecting Kerevi to start at 12 with Folau at 15, but maybe not.

I dont think that Cheika will pick Kerevi at 12. He's one of the best ball carriers ATM but his defence is not at the same level and the channel 2 is really tough to defence. He should improve their defence skill to play there. Kuridrani at 12 would be a more solid option, then you can pick Kerevi at 13 but you need to put a solid kicker on the wing, someone like Drew Mitchell. I think DHP can do the job, he's a good kicker. To play Kuridrani and Kerevi at the same time you need something like that:

11 Horne/Nabuli
10 Foley
12 Kuridrani
13 Kerevi
14 DHP
15 Folau

Nabuli is another interesting player, a big Fijian winger (110 kg) who can damage any defence with a good team beside him.

This Wallabies backline is dangerous for any defence, 3 strong Fijians, a top class fullback and a solid player like DHP. And next season their backline could be more strong with players like Marika Koroibete (The fastest NRL winger) and Naivalu

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I dont think that Cheika will pick Kerevi at 12. He's one of the best ball carriers ATM but his defence is not at the same level and the channel 2 is really tough to defence. He should improve their defence skill to play there. Kuridrani at 12 would be a more solid option, then you can pick Kerevi at 13 but you need to put a solid kicker on the wing, someone like Drew Mitchell. I think DHP can do the job, he's a good kicker. To play Kuridrani and Kerevi at the same time you need something like that:

11 Horne/Nabuli
10 Foley
12 Kuridrani
13 Kerevi
14 DHP
15 Folau

Nabuli is another interesting player, a big Fijian winger (110 kg) who can damage any defence with a good team beside him.

This Wallabies backline is dangerous for any defence, 3 strong Fijians, a top class fullback and a solid player like DHP. And next season their backline could be more strong with players like Marika Koroibete (The fastest NRL winger) and Naivalu

That looks like a much stronger back line than the previously suggested one. A centre pairing of Kuridrani/Kerevi is very frightening, especially to what I imagine is going to be a fairly small England back line. What's your stance on Naiyaravoro (Potential starter, impact sub, squad player, shouldn't be in squad etc.)

 

[spartan32]

It only benefits the SH because they choose to play more offensively - going for tries from scrums rather than penalties. Hopefully will encourage NH teams to change their mentality. The laws have been made to make the game more entertaining, as opposed to benefit a particular team/hemisphere.

I'm looking forward to the new scrum laws personally. Watching Super Rugby scrums go down and teams playing on, or the ref giving an advantage and the attacking team having a shot at a try is refreshing, particularly having sat through many scrum-fests in Europe this year.

I understand that people want a fast flowing spectacle with passes out the back door but this isn't 7s. One of the great things about rugby is that there are various ways teams can be victorious, isn't doesn't all hang on having one style of play. Take the Chiefs, a team that rely heavily on their forward attacking play, not the prettiest, but very effective and they deserved to finish 2nd this year.

If rugby keeps going down this line then more and more teams will be handicapped. Let's also not forget that the SH also have the advantage of hard pitches, and sunny conditions, which suites ball in hands play. No boggy Rec or Sandy park for them.

I suppose what I am saying is that lets not sacrifice the spirit of the game for the sake of money. Rugby is one of the few games in the world where the likes of Christian Wade and Joe Marler can compete on the same pitch and both contribute. I'd like it to stay that way.

 

[spartan32]

I'd really like to know what the Aussies out there are most worried about when it comes to This England team, or do you guys feel you've got this all wrapped up and there's "no worries mate".

 

[ratsapprentice]

Marler is far better suited to a fast, "summer" game than he is a winter one....

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Where cna a find a rundown of the new laws?

 

[Mike Rolls]

I do wonder about modern tours - just three tests one after the other - no chance to acclimatise, unlike days gone by with 'lead-in' matches. Still, with the schedule so crowded and money ruling everything, I suppose that I am crying for the moon.
Mike

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

James Hanson, Adam Coleman, Liam Gill, Eto Nabuli, Joe Powell and Leroy Houston all cut from Aus Squad. Remaining in the squad are:

Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Sam Carter, Scott Fardy, Greg Holmes, Michael Hooper, James Horwill, Sekope Kepu, Ben McCalman, Sean McMahon, Stephen Moore, Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Toby Smith.

Backs: Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Nick Frisby, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Rob Horne, Karmichael Hunt, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Luke Morahan, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Nick Phipps

 

[Peat]

I understand that people want a fast flowing spectacle with passes out the back door but this isn't 7s. One of the great things about rugby is that there are various ways teams can be victorious, isn't doesn't all hang on having one style of play. Take the Chiefs, a team that rely heavily on their forward attacking play, not the prettiest, but very effective and they deserved to finish 2nd this year.

If rugby keeps going down this line then more and more teams will be handicapped. Let's also not forget that the SH also have the advantage of hard pitches, and sunny conditions, which suites ball in hands play. No boggy Rec or Sandy park for them.

I suppose what I am saying is that lets not sacrifice the spirit of the game for the sake of money. Rugby is one of the few games in the world where the likes of Christian Wade and Joe Marler can compete on the same pitch and both contribute. I'd like it to stay that way.

I'm fairly sure New Zealand's a fairly boggy place at times.

Anyway, the game evolves, and teams can either evolve with it or die. And if it evolves into a more attractive game, all the better. It's not like the need for props is going away, and it's not like the game hasn't already evolved away from fat props and big slow heavy blokes having a place at the highest level anyway.

Also, if it evolves into a game that lets us take on the SH on an equal footing, that too would be all the better.

 

[SomeOke]

Cheika has picked this XV in the last training:

15. DHP
14. Nabuli
13. Kuridrani
12. Folau
11. Horne
10. Foley
9. Phipps
8. Pocock
7. Hooper
6. Fardy
5. Simmons
4. Horwill
3. Holmes
2. Moore
1. Slipper

Folau at 12 and Nabuli as starter are very impressive for me. He has picked Horwill at the second row maybe for his experience in English rugby. DHP is a very complete fullback with good size. He has been one of the best Aussie back in this Super Rugby season.

Folau and Kuridrani at the channel 2 could be a very explosive couple and then you have this kid, Samu Kerevi. An Aussie with Fijian heritage who weights 110 kg and has won more meters than anyone else in this SR season, one of the most strong ball carriers at the SH this year.

This back line seems a little arb.
Firstly I heard Nabuli was cut from the squad, secondly I'd be very surprised if Folau doesn't start at FB.

I don't know where you heard that news but it feels like whoever made it is over-thinking the Aussie back line. I feel like it's fairly certain we'll see something like:
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. Horne
12. Leliafano
13. Kurandrani
14. Kerevi
15. Folau

I'll be very surprised if the back line differs from this too much. The only question mark is Lealiafano with his pregnant wife, if he can't make it I fell like we'll see someone like Reece Hodge come into the team rather than have a complete reshuffle.
I've been wrong before though...

 

[johnmac99]

I'm actually in favour, I feel it's been too easy to get tries from 5m lineouts recently, often with a man advantaged gained as well - the balance, for me, has been off. I don't want to remove mauls from the game at all, but making them harder to orchestrate is a good thing IMO.

It's not the merits of the changes but the fact it was introduced into the SH in January and is now being introduced for NH sides from 1st June, just before their summer tours. How can that be fair?