Spring Tour: Australia vs Wales - 1st Test (09/06/2012, 10:00 GMT)

[Darwin]

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (09/06/2012, 10:00 GMT)

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 360, align: center"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="align: center"]Australia[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Wales[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Adam Ashley-Cooper[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Leigh Halfpenny[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cooper Vuna[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Alex Cuthbert[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Rob Horne[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Jonathan Davies[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Pat McCabe[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Scott Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Digby Ioane[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]George North[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Berrick Barnes[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Rhys Priestland[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Will Genia[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Mike Phillips[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Wycliff Palu[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Toby Faletau[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]David Pocock (c)[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Sam Warburton (c)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Scott Higginbotham[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Dan Lydiate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Nathan Sharpe[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Luke Charteris[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Rob Simmons[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Bradley Davies[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sekope Kepu[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Adam Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tatafu Polota-Nau[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Ken Owens[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Benn Robinson[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Gethin Jenkins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Stephen Moore[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Matthew Rees[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ben Alexander[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Paul James[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dave Dennis[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Alun Wyn Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Michael Hooper[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Ryan Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Nic White[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Llyod Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anthony Fainga'a[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]James Hook[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Mike Harris[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Ashley Beck[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
​

 

[TNT88]

I like that team. Just hope Barnes and Horne leave their Waratahs form at home. I'll be betting on either team by 2 or 3 points.

 

[Darwin]

Wales team named:
Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, George North, Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, Ken Owens, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (capt), Toby Faletau. Res: Matthew Rees, Paul James, Alun Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Ashley Beck.

Strong looking Welsh team - I'm a massive fan of their loose-trio.

A largely predictable Aussie team. The only surprise in the starting XV for me is Joe Tomane - not necessarily because I don't think he should be there (as he has had a great debut season) but rather this will be his 3rd start in a week! I was expecting to see Morahan or Shipperly instead. I'm very surprised that Deans has opted against specialist lock cover on the bench, with Dennis presumably covering lock. Glad to see Hooper on the bench, as he could be a real force in combination with Pocock with 20 mins to go. I can't quite see the reasoning for having both Fainga'a and Harris on the bench, as both a best suited to the midfield (though Harris can cover 10 & 15 too). I would have thought Harris + an outside back would have brought a better balance to the bench (personally I would have been tempted to go with Lucas, Faingaa, and Morahan on the bench.... though I suppose they need Harris as a second goal-kicker..)

 

[TPenn]

Really would have liked to see Beck start given how impressive he's been this season.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

That lock pairing (Oz's) is an odd choice. Both are crappy scrummagers... and they're really to similar. Plus, no lock on the bench... Any one of the other three locks should have started, and one of those starters should have been on the bench.

Edit: Tomane out six weeks, rumor says Vuna comes in at 11.

 

[SelimNiai]

Very good team, very near full strength, something we rarely see on a summer tour from Wales

 

[Focus]

Where can i watch this match on the internet? In polish TV doesn't broadcast unfortunatly :/

Welsh team is pretty strong now. i'm not interested in australian rugby, so i don't know about strenght of their team, but im sure it will be good game.

 

[Darwin]

That lock pairing (Oz's) is an odd choice. Both are crappy scrummagers... and they're really to similar. Plus, no lock on the bench... Any one of the other three locks should have started, and one of those starters should have been on the bench.

I don't consider Australia's locking pairing odd at all - I wouldn't consider them remotely similar either (apart from the fact they are both locks!). Sharpe is a loosehead lock, who is great in the lineouts, and carries a lot of ball (often in midfield), but can shirk his work at the breakdown. In contrast Simmons is a genuine tighthead lock, who is regarded as a pretty good scrummager (as you would expect from a tighthead lock!), doesn't carry that much ball, does a lot of work cleaning out the breakdown, but is probably only an average lineout jumper (for a lock). I personally think they complement each other very well as a combination - indeed it would have been the combination I personally would have picked. I would have been very tempted to play Pyle in the 5 jersey over Sharpe, but I think Sharpe's experience could be vital in a game like this. Timani comes across very much a 'flat track bully' to me - he looks great with ball in hand against weaker teams (when he managed to catch the ball!), but struggles against the top teams (and isn't even really an option in the lineout...). Douglas is a solid player, and Neville looks really promising as a genuine tighthead locking option, but needs a full season of Super Rugby before he is ready for test rugby in my opinion.

Anyways... Tomane is in serious doubt after injuring his left ankle at training, with fellow league convert Cooper Vuna predicted to take his spot if he is ruled out.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Where can i watch this match on the internet? In polish TV doesn't broadcast unfortunatly :/

Welsh team is pretty strong now. i'm not interested in australian rugby, so i don't know about strenght of their team, but im sure it will be good game.

Just a polite reminder if anyone posts any streams / links to stream sites, a punishment will be handed out.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I don't consider Australia's locking pairing odd at all - I wouldn't consider them remotely similar either (apart from the fact they are both locks!). Sharpe is a loosehead lock, who is great in the lineouts, and carries a lot of ball (often in midfield), but can shirk his work at the breakdown. In contrast Simmons is a genuine tighthead lock, who is regarded as a pretty good scrummager (as you would expect from a tighthead lock!), doesn't carry that much ball, does a lot of work cleaning out the breakdown, but is probably only an average lineout jumper (for a lock). I personally think they complement each other very well as a combination - indeed it would have been the combination I personally would have picked. I would have been very tempted to play Pyle in the 5 jersey over Sharpe, but I think Sharpe's experience could be vital in a game like this. Timani comes across very much a 'flat track bully' to me - he looks great with ball in hand against weaker teams (when he managed to catch the ball!), but struggles against the top teams (and isn't even really an option in the lineout...). Douglas is a solid player, and Neville looks really promising as a genuine tighthead locking option, but needs a full season of Super Rugby before he is ready for test rugby in my opinion.

Anyways... Tomane is in serious doubt after injuring his left ankle at training, with fellow league convert Cooper Vuna predicted to take his spot if he is ruled out.

I may have gotten a wrong impression, then, but I thought Simmons was a LH lock. Horwill is the one I considered TH for the Reds, plus Simmons calls the lineouts.
Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Darwin]

I may have gotten a wrong impression, then, but I thought Simmons was a LH lock. Horwill is the one I considered TH for the Reds, plus Simmons calls the lineouts.
Thanks for the clarification.

That is alright. Simmons definitely plays on the tight-head side for the Reds (I just watched a couple of Reds highlights on youtube to confirm this, as you had me doubting myself for a second!)- Horwill only plays on the tighthead for Australia when paired with Sharpe.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

This is a question that has little to do with this thread, but I'll just ask given that the topic is being brought up. I don't really get this "TH lock" thing. I mean, I get the "good cop/bad cop" in open play, as in Matfield/Botha or Whitelock/Thorn but, IIRC, Thorn scrummages on the left side of the scrum whereas Botha on the right, as does Sharpe usually... so that doesn't really add up in my mind.

 

[Big Ewis]

Oh boy, Wales must be feeling super confident now !...
Aussies succumbed to the Wooden Spoon owners, and must face the Grand Slam champs now...yikes.

Hopefully this'll be a nice big high-scoring test...don't think so though...

 

[madflyhalf]

Vuna in for injuried Tomane.

Dunno... few option btw, I prefer Morahan.

 

[Draggs]

Really would have liked to see Beck start given how impressive he's been this season.

Agreed. Scott Williams isn't a bad player, but I don't see him as a starter. He seems to be more of an impact player.
Beck, I feel, has a greater skillset to offer.

 

[SelimNiai]

Agreed. Scott Williams isn't a bad player, but I don't see him as a starter. He seems to be more of an impact player.
Beck, I feel, has a greater skillset to offer.

Agree but after Twickenham I can't complain about him starting, the man can do what he wants :lol:

 

[Peat]

Welshers - is the Owen starting, Rees benching thing permanent or temporary?

 

[TrueSlawter]

Is this game on any UK channel? BBC aint showing it had a look then only coverage they have is radio.. is it on S4C?

EDIT - Appears S4C has the highlights at 9pm :/ So anyone know what UK channel (if there is one) showing this?

 

[dullonien]

Good looking Welsh team. As others have said, would have preferred to see Beck starting with Williams on the bench, but its not a massive problem.

Glad to see Owens starting (Peat, whether or not its permanent depends on Rees' form, but I think it could be a permanent thing with Owens better in pretty much every department), I would have gone one step further and had Hibbard on the bench over Rees. Hibbard is in better form and would offer much more impact. Suppose having someone of Rees' experience on the bench could be considered a good thing though.

A little surprised that Tipuric isn't on the bench, just in case something happens to Warburton. Must have been difficult to chose two from Alun Wyn, Ryan Jones and Tipuric though. Having Alun Wyn and Ryan there to come on and make an impact is nice, as both are in great form.

Finally, I might have been tempted to have Webb on the bench over Lloyd Williams. I feel Williams is struggling to hit top form, and Webb offers a bigger impact from the bench with his running game. Little in it though, so not going to complain too much.

Strongest team I can remember for a Summer game, quite hopeful of getting a result now.

Edit. TrueSlawter. Like all Summer tours, Sky has the right to this. S4C have a full replay later in the night at 9pm, not just highlights.

 

[psychic duck]

the changes I would have made would be:

Beck at 12, as others have said

Hibbard on the bench, credit to him as he was seriously out of shape around January and nowhere near consideration, but has got himself together and been on good form, a great scrummager and also started Shane's first try in the final with a nice offload

also would have started Alun-Wyn Jones ahead of Bradley Davies, but he's not there because he flew out later I think?