Australia - World Cup 2015 Discussion Thread

[Gavin]

Giteau @12 or @10 for Australia?

 

[Dale91]

Awesome video
I see him throwing on the Wallabies 12 this year

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Awesome video
I see him throwing on the Wallabies 12 this year

I think he will be valuable this year but I think Toomua should play 12 this week - alternate betwen Toomua and Giteau depending on who the opposition is. We need a read good tackler in the 12 chanel, however I rate giteau as a playmaker.

A good combo would be to play Cooper at 10 with Toomua at 12 or Foley at 10 with Giteau at 12.

 

[Shaggy]

I actually strongly agree with the lineout woes insane asylum. I think even with fardy we Will struggle at lineout time if skelton is a starter.
We need pocock to start for his ball fetching qualities. Hooper isn't close to his level in that area and that is something we need to beat the likes of the All Blacks.
Maybe Fardy, Pocock and Higginbotham are our back three until those subs come on that you mentioned.

And 'Conrad Smith', there you go. That's something I must have missed, but good on him.

Cheers guys

Maybe get those Props lifting Skelton, you could solve the line out, and make the Props stronger for the scrims at the same time ... He can't be too light to lift

On a serious note though, Cheika will probably start either Hooper or Pocock, and use the other off the bench won't he?

They are both game changers in their own right, and I can't see any teams being too pleased to see either of them coming on fresh in the 50th minute of a test match

 

[Dale91]

Shaggy, I agree with the flanker debacle. In my eyes i see Hooper filling an impact role.
Injecting himself into offence when the other team is tired.
Pococks strengths however, are something that are felt throughout a game. Rather than as an impact player.

 

[Dale91]

Insane mate, i think You would want a defensive genius outside Cooper, but if you read the article i posted up, he is missed less tackles than Foley.
I know stats dont mean Everything, but i Hope his defensive game has improved.
In terms of a 10, 12 combo, i see:
Foley & Toomua
Cooper & Giteau or even
Giteau & Toomua.
I cant really explain why, but i feel those combinations would get the best out of the players.

 

[goodNumber10]

I think he will be valuable this year but I think Toomua should play 12 this week - alternate betwen Toomua and Giteau depending on who the opposition is. We need a read good tackler in the 12 chanel, however I rate giteau as a playmaker.

A good combo would be to play Cooper at 10 with Toomua at 12 or Foley at 10 with Giteau at 12.

I think foley and Giteau are too similar. I think you need Toomua at 12 with either foley or Giteau, to balance the physical... I think you can get away with fits at 12 with cooper at 10.....

Single biggest thing the wallabies can do to improve is sort out their exit/kicking strategies.

 

[goodNumber10]

Insane mate, i think You would want a defensive genius outside Cooper, but if you read the article i posted up, he is missed less tackles than Foley.
I know stats dont mean Everything, but i Hope his defensive game has improved.
In terms of a 10, 12 combo, i see:
Foley & Toomua
Cooper & Giteau or even
Giteau & Toomua.
I cant really explain why, but i feel those combinations would get the best out of the players.

I agree with you.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I think foley and Giteau are too similar. I think you need Toomua at 12 with either foley or Giteau, to balance the physical... I think you can get away with fits at 12 with cooper at 10.....

Single biggest thing the wallabies can do to improve is sort out their exit/kicking strategies.

Well if I was the Aussie coach, I'd start getting worried about the 10 channel. The Springboks showed against the World XV how they can exploit a bad defender in the 10 channel.

 

[goodNumber10]

Well if I was the Aussie coach, I'd start getting worried about the 10 channel. The Springboks showed against the World XV how they can exploit a bad defender in the 10 channel.

none of them defend in the 10 channel except Giteau, Foley defends at 2 on lineouts with hooper defending at 10, and rob horne at 12. Foley then tends to drop to the wing or run as a 2nd 15.

Cooper the same - so i don't think 10 channel defence is an issue - it certainly hasn't been for the Waratahs and with Nathan Grey as the Wallaby Defence coach i think we'll see similar.

 

[Dale91]

Yea I don't feel like that been a real problem for the Wallabies of late either.

 

[TRF_heineken]

none of them defend in the 10 channel except Giteau, Foley defends at 2 on lineouts with hooper defending at 10, and rob horne at 12. Foley then tends to drop to the wing or run as a 2nd 15.

Cooper the same - so i don't think 10 channel defence is an issue - it certainly hasn't been for the Waratahs and with Nathan Grey as the Wallaby Defence coach i think we'll see similar.

The thing is that when Cooper played for the Reds, they used to swap him with the fullback when the team was defending, the same with Beale at the Waratahs, shifting him into a position where he's less vulnerable.

My thinking is that if Beale and Cooper start, then the Aussies will have 2 players in the backline who are prone to miss tackles and you can't swap them out every time...

 

[goodNumber10]

The thing is that when Cooper played for the Reds, they used to swap him with the fullback when the team was defending, the same with Beale at the Waratahs, shifting him into a position where he's less vulnerable.

My thinking is that if Beale and Cooper start, then the Aussies will have 2 players in the backline who are prone to miss tackles and you can't swap them out every time...

But that's my point, the Waratahs already do this. Foley dros to 2 and hooper goes to 10, then horne comes into 12 and beale goes to the wing/fullback.

The blue print is already there and Grey si the defensive coach for both sides.

Foley only ever defends 10 off scrum ball, and then they use horne at 12 with beale out the picture.

I don't think they will play Beale and Foley/Cooper in the same midfield anyway (not to start), the 12 options are toomua and Giteau afaict.

 

[Dale91]

I dont think there is much chance of Beale being a starter to be fair

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Agree on the exit strategy - we could do that so much better

 

[Mumbles119]

Just read an article by Greg Growden on ESPN http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/story/269847.html

He mentions in his Whispers of the Week -
"Apparently Welsh referee Nigel Owens was a big hit on the public speaking circuit while he was in Brisbane for the Test. One of his best lines involved his thoughts on a former referee, who has recently departed the scene. Sadly, my editor would never allow me to reproduce the line; it is even too fruity for this cheeky column.
(Editor's Note: Greg's right; you'll have to believe me when I say the line's brilliant and reduced me to tears of laughter, but this is a family-friendly forum.)"

Anyone shed any light on this comment?
Is Steve Walsh the subject matter?

 

[Mcfadden]

Wallabies squad has been announced. Nic White and James Horwill shall not be going to the World Cup. There is also to be just 2 halfbacks and 2 hookers. Although in regards to halfback, Giteau can and has played there before at international level.

31-Man Wallabies Squad for Rugby World Cup 2015

Hookers
Stephen Moore [captain] (96 Tests)
Tatafu Polota-Nau (53 Tests)

Props
Greg Holmes (17 Tests)
Sekope Kepu (56 Tests)
Scott Sio (9 Tests)*
James Slipper (66 Tests)
Toby Smith (uncapped)*

Locks
Kane Douglas (15 Tests)*
Dean Mumm (36 Tests)
Rob Simmons (52 Tests)
Will Skelton (11 Tests)*

Backrow forwards
Scott Fardy (24 Tests)*
Michael Hooper - VC (45 Tests)*
Ben McCalman (40 Tests)
Sean McMahon (3 Tests)*
Wycliff Palu (55 Tests)
David Pocock (50 Tests)


Scrumhalves
Will Genia (59 Tests)
Nick Phipps (31 Tests)

Five-eighths
Quade Cooper (55 Tests)
Bernard Foley (17 Tests)*

Inside backs
Kurtley Beale (52 Tests)
Matt Giteau (95 Tests)
Matt Toomua (25 Tests)*

Outside backs
Adam Ashley-Cooper - VC (108 Tests)
Israel Folau (33 Tests)*
Rob Horne (26 Tests)
Drew Mitchell (65 Tests)
Henry Speight (3 Tests)*
Joe Tomane (15 Tests)*
Tevita Kuridrani (24 Tests)*

*Uncapped at a Rugby World Cup

source: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/r...all-from-wallabies-squad-20150820-gj41u0.html

 

[squirrel]

Would have James O'Connor in for Drew Mitchell and Higginbotham in for Palu.

 

[Mcfadden]

Higgs is bloody awesome defensively (he barely ever misses his tackles when he attempts them), but I'd be a bit nervous about his discipline in a World Cup if I were Australia.

 

[CaliRa1]

DONT TAKE PHIPPS…Who cares if he has familiarity with Foley…White is still better…Impactful off the bench…Lifted the tempo as soon as he jumped on the field in Sydney against the ABs…Horne is not a winger and Ashley-Cooper & Kuridrani are better options there…So Could've done without him being selected… 3 Legit FB options in Folau AAC & Beale…Littered with Quality FlyHalf options…Cooper Foley Giteau Toomua Beale… Could have had another versatile Beale- AAC- like player in the form of O'Connor but based on form understand him being overlooked…3 Specialist Wingers Speight Mitchell Tomane…Ioane is more accomplished than Tomane but has had his off-field issues and is out-of-form so I understand him not even being looked at…Midfields Giteau AAC Beale Toomua Kuridrani Horne…Didn't need to bring Horne…Props I like the selections…Hookers also…Could've done with an extra but should be OK…Locks I see Fardy as an Extra Lock…Not much of an issue but only need to take 3 specialist locks if Fardy goes…Skelton Simmons solid starting duo and Mumm and Douglas got the nod over Horwill…McMahon based on form has been quite impressive but he's still very young and his future looks promising and so I like his selection…McCalman and Palu over Higginbotham though leaves me wondering what the coaching staff are looking for…Higginbotham is the closest thing to Kieran Read in all of Oz…Size and Skill…Hooper and Pocock at their best are #1 & #2 in the world at their position IMO…Scott Fardy by far the form Blindside in Oz… Would've dropped Palu for Higginbotham…Horne for Hanson…Phipps for White… And Tomane for O'Connor