Australia vs England - 3 Tests - June 2016

[Ragey Erasmus]

They are in somewhat of a rebuilding stage though. Genia, Giteau, Mitchell, AAC, Toomua, Cooper, Tomane, Speight and a few others all lost from their back line. As far as I'm aware they don't even have a specialist 12 in their squad. I think Oz have every chance of winning, but so do England.

Neither do we

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Neither do we

Are you referring to the not having s specialist 12? Because if so, Te'o is and debatably Burrell.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

....and quite aside from the fact that Skelton is a walking penalty generator. He's worth 3 to 6 points for the opposition.

If England's tacticians have any sense at all they will get their players to ****le him until he reacts, and react he will.

Haskell vs Skelton in a "who will get a yellow card for the stupidest reason" contest?

 

[Tony Manx]

So who are people thinking will win? I reckon it's gonna be a 2-1 series, which way it will go I have no clue.

3-0 Stralia....

 

[Bada-Bing!]

3-0 Stralia....

Hope not, just to keep interest in the series alive if nothing else. Having said that England's record in Australia is appalling - only 3 wins so far and one of those was the RWC final, so not getting my hopes up too much. Hopefully it will be tied 1-1 going into the final test and a deciding tight game in Sydney. Naturally with England to win- that's what the heart says, but the head says 2-1 to Australia.

 

[Gavin]

Talk in Australia of them starting Hunt @12 which is surprising I must admit. We could see both teams with new 12s

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Talk in Australia of them starting Hunt @12 which is surprising I must admit. We could see both teams with new 12s

I'd be amazed if Cheika decided to start nan uncapped 29 year old. The absence of Toomua, Giteau, Mitchell and co shows that he's looking to the future, so the selection of someone who will be 33 by the next world cup would seem somewhat counter-productive. Very possible though.

 

[johnmac99]

The mind games have started

http://www.skysports.com/rugby-unio...-cheika-reveals-ben-teo-turned-down-australia

Will Eddie pick an inexperienced player at 12? Unlikely, IMO.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

The mind games have started

http://www.skysports.com/rugby-unio...-cheika-reveals-ben-teo-turned-down-australia

Will Eddie pick an inexperienced player at 12? Unlikely, IMO.

My money's on Slade. He showed with the 6 Nations that he likes a play making 12. And seeing as he's taken 5 centres I can't see him using 1 of his 2 fly halves at centre (Ford 10, Faz 12).

 

[Raggs]

I really doubt they made a serious play for a 29 year old who wouldn't qualify for Aus until he was 32...

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

My money's on Slade. He showed with the 6 Nations that he likes a play making 12. And seeing as he's taken 5 centres I can't see him using 1 of his 2 fly halves at centre (Ford 10, Faz 12).

Farrell-Slade-Joseph?

Not sure why but that doesn't inspire much confidence. Slade and Farrell are quite similar in my eyes.Would be strong defensively and has plenty of experience, but I can't see them doing much effectively other than spreading it out wide.

How's Slade's short passing game?

 

[ratsapprentice]

I really doubt they made a serious play for a 29 year old who wouldn't qualify for Aus until he was 32...

Ennid... just an attempt to call him a merc.

 

[Raggs]

Ennid... just an attempt to call him a merc.

He's a professional sportsman with an English mother. He's trying to cash in whilst he can, and playing in and for England is absolutely the best way to do it. As long as he puts in his all on the pitch, I'm happy enough. Of course he's a mercenary, they all are, and rightly so.

I think Eddie will play guys who put in 100% and as he has said, are willing to bleed for England. If Teo isn't willing to do that, he won't last long.

 

[ratsapprentice]

I don't disagree, just that as you say... it's unlikely there was ever much of an effort to get him to play for Aus.

 

[stus768]

I really doubt they made a serious play for a 29 year old who wouldn't qualify for Aus until he was 32...

Does he not qualify from his time in NRL? Do u have to have 3 years playing Union to get residency?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Farrell-Slade-Joseph?

Not sure why but that doesn't inspire much confidence. Slade and Farrell are quite similar in my eyes.Would be strong defensively and has plenty of experience, but I can't see them doing much effectively other than spreading it out wide.

How's Slade's short passing game?

I think if it was a Faz, Slade combo having Daly at 13 would probably work a bit better as he's faster than Joseph and so would be able to capitalise more off of the space Faz and Slade would create. But Jones seems set on keeping Daly as a utility back and putting him in the 23 shirt. I wouldn't be surprised if he went with Te'o-Joseph to offer a more blatant attacking capability as well as adding some real size to an otherwise small back line. In the 6 Nations, Nowell was the biggest back on the pitch (Apart from the Tuilagi cameos) and he's not a particularly big guy, so the back line really could do with some beefing up. I'd still prefer Slade though.

 

[Raggs]

Does he not qualify from his time in NRL? Do u have to have 3 years playing Union to get residency?

He left Aus, for a long period of time, to play rugby elsewhere. No way his residency qualification would still qualify, he'd almost certainly have to complete another 3 years.

I think if it was a Faz, Slade combo having Daly at 13 would probably work a bit better as he's faster than Joseph and so would be able to capitalise more off of the space Faz and Slade would create. But Jones seems set on keeping Daly as a utility back and putting him in the 23 shirt. I wouldn't be surprised if he went with Te'o-Joseph to offer a more blatant attacking capability as well as adding some real size to an otherwise small back line. In the 6 Nations, Nowell was the biggest back on the pitch (Apart from the Tuilagi cameos) and he's not a particularly big guy, so the back line really could do with some beefing up. I'd still prefer Slade though.

What space would Faz and Slade create? Don't see why it would be any more than a Ford/Teo combo... Ford + Slade could be interesting, but it still lacks a power runner.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

What space would Faz and Slade create? Don't see why it would be any more than a Ford/Teo combo... Ford + Slade could be interesting, but it still lacks a power runner.

Sorry, space wasn't the right way off putting it. I think the 2 of them would do very well at creating holes for players to run through, which is why I thought that Daly, with his extra pace would go well with them. But you are right that Ford and Slade would probably do that better, and with Slade on the field, he would nullify Ford's (let's be honest) awful place kicking. The lack of a power runner in the back line is a flaw, but if Clifford and Harrison are both in the back row they could both comfortably act as power runners coming off of the 10 and 12.

 

[Raggs]

Daly is a place kicker too, perhaps not an awful one given his single game as first choice kicker for Wasps (against Wuss, got a few touchline conversions).

I'd stick with Joseph though, his defence in the 13 channel is superb, and I think we need that.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Daly is a place kicker too, perhaps not an awful one given his single game as first choice kicker for Wasps (against Wuss, got a few touchline conversions).

I'd stick with Joseph though, his defence in the 13 channel is superb, and I think we need that.

I can't see Daly ever being used as a place kicker unless it's 50+ metres. And I agree that for now Joseph should stay as the 13, but eventually I would like to see Daly take his place there.