Wallabies Squad - Rugby Championship 2014

[goodNumber10]

Wallabies RC Squad

Speights in there:

BACKS: Burgess, Phipps, White, Beale, Foley, Kuridrani, Leali'ifano, Toomua, Ashley-Cooper, Speight, Folau, Horne, McCabe, Tomane.
FWDS: Carter, Horwill, Simmons, Skelton, Fardy, Higginbotham, Hodgson, Hooper, McCalman, Palu, Alexander, Cowan, Kepu, Sio, Slipper, Charles, Hanson, Polota-Nau,

pretty much as expected, so expect to see them being extremely competitive against SA & NZ.

***EDIT: Mods can you move this to the RC forum?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Yep shame about the Honey Badger leaving for Japan; he had become a bit of a cult hero. Speight won't be eligible until September, so he will miss the first three games. Otherwise, the squad is as expected. The quality of the props still give me hope that England can exploit this weakness come World Cup time, especially with Ben Alexander being one of the top 2 tight heads.

 

[goodNumber10]

agreed about Cummins i'm a massive fan of him (playing wise) I think they are poorer for him leaving but it's understandable under the circumstances.

Alexander has worked hard but Slipper has been very very good, but the thought of Alexander against Corbisiero, Vunipola and Marler in the tail end of a game gives me hope, and I do think Stephen Moore is a big loss for them.

Those backs though...

 

[Darwin]

Very predictable Aussie squad. Personally I would have picked Luke Jones ahead of Horwill, but I can see why the stuck with Horwill's experience. I wouldn't have included Higginbotham either, but he was always going to be picked.

Interesting to see Burgess back in the squad. I don't expect him to make the Wallabies 23 (unless their are injuries) as I don't think his passing game is up to international rugby. Speight's inclusion is no surprise - he is guaranteed that 11 jersey the moment he becomes eligible. Obviously Cummins is a loss (as he is the incumbent left wing at the moment), but I feel he will be missed more off the field than on it. Horne or McCabe could offer the same sort of attributes as Cummins on the wing (hard straight running, massive work-rate, physical defense), while Tomane could provide a more attacking option if required...

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Very predictable Aussie squad. Personally I would have picked Luke Jones ahead of Horwill, but I can see why the stuck with Horwill's experience. I wouldn't have included Higginbotham either, but he was always going to be picked.

Interesting to see Burgess back in the squad. I don't expect him to make the Wallabies 23 (unless their are injuries) as I don't think his passing game is up to international rugby. Speight's inclusion is no surprise - he is guaranteed that 11 jersey the moment he becomes eligible. Obviously Cummins is a loss (as he is the incumbent left wing at the moment), but I feel he will be missed more off the field than on it. Horne or McCabe could offer the same sort of attributes as Cummins on the wing (hard straight running, massive work-rate, physical defense), while Tomane could provide a more attacking option if required...

Isn't Speight naturally a right winger?

 

[Darwin]

Isn't Speight naturally a right winger?

He certainly has played a lot more on the right wing recently, but he is capable on either wing. I remember him playing quite a lot on the left early in his career for Waikato. The reason I suggested he has the left wing spot guaranteed is that the Aussie selectors seem quite happy with Ashley-Cooper on the right, and I imagine they will consider O'Connor an option on the right wing when he returns. Perhaps suggesting he has the left wing spot guaranteed is not quite correct though (as he would play on the right if paired with someone like Tomane) - I probably should have said he is guaranteed "one wing spot" the moment he becomes eligible.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

here did i just see Speight name in the squad ? its about time he gets called up for the wallabies a very exciting player to watch.

 

[Jaguares]

Forwards: Wycliff Palu, Ben McCalman, Scott Higginbotham, Michael Hooper (captain), Matt Hodgson, Scott Fardy, James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton, Sam Carter, Ben Alexander, Pek Cowan, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper, Scott Sio, James Hanson, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Nathan Charles.

Backs: Israel Folau, Rob Horne, Henry Speight, Joe Tomane, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Leali'ifano, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley, Luke Burgess, Nic White, Nick Phipps.

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsAr...for-2014-Castrol-Edge-Rugby-Championship.aspx

 

[InsaneAsylum]

disappointing not to have Luke Jones and Laurie Weeks in. Jones only played 10 minutes in Melbourne and Weeks looked solid at TH.

Again we are in a position where we are relying on Ben Alexander and we know how that's worked out before. he isn't bad around the park but the importance of scrummaging seems to be a low priority.

Can't argue with the rest of the squad and can't wait for Speight to make his debut.

 

[Jaguares]

disappointing not to have Luke Jones and Laurie Weeks in. Jones only played 10 minutes in Melbourne and Weeks looked solid at TH.

Again we are in a position where we are relying on Ben Alexander and we know how that's worked out before. he isn't bad around the park but the importance of scrummaging seems to be a low priority.

Can't argue with the rest of the squad and can't wait for Speight to make his debut.

Yeah, I think like you. At the moment: Luke Jones > James Horwill

 

[nickdnz]

It will be interesting to see who is the 10 and 12 in the squad.

Like everyone else I am excited to see Speight eventually get game time.

 

[goodNumber10]

could a mod merge these threads? http://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/33672-Wallabies-RC-Squad

 

[InsaneAsylum]

It will be interesting to see who is the 10 and 12 in the squad.

Like everyone else I am excited to see Speight eventually get game time.

It has to be Foley at 10 and Toomua at 12.

Let's be honest, Beale would get turnstiled by Nonu. Beale will be useful to try and manufacture some points late in the game, great attacker but so is Toomua who also tackles like a beast.

The only trouble I have with Foley is those no look pop passes to nobody that go to ground. He did about 4 or 5 of them during the french series.

 

[SomeOke]

It has to be Foley at 10 and Toomua at 12.

Let's be honest, Beale would get turnstiled by Nonu. Beale will be useful to try and manufacture some points late in the game, great attacker but so is Toomua who also tackles like a beast.

The only trouble I have with Foley is those no look pop passes to nobody that go to ground. He did about 4 or 5 of them during the french series.

Honestly I'd far rather see Toomua at 10 and Beale at 12, I don't feel that Beale's defense is any worse than Toomua. It's really a matter of Beale or Foley, but I guess the fact that they don't really have a kicker then (Nic White?) is the predominant issue.

 

[Jaguares]

What will happen to AAC when Speight will be available? Because now Kuridrani is the number 13, AAC is right winger but Speight is better right winger than him. Could AAC play at left wing? Or Speight would be at 11 and AAC would keep his position?

 

[squirrel]

I would move AAC to centre, kuridrani needs to tidy up his game abit

 

[RoosTah]

Honestly I'd far rather see Toomua at 10 and Beale at 12, I don't feel that Beale's defense is any worse than Toomua. It's really a matter of Beale or Foley, but I guess the fact that they don't really have a kicker then (Nic White?) is the predominant issue.

If there is going to be one weakness in the backline we're assembling it's definitely the clear lack of a world class kicker. Foley has been our best all year, but he's still a bit of a shocker from time to time and Lealifano has bee downright awful lately. Meanwhile Beale is kicking around the 50% mark.

 

[Jaguares]

I would move AAC to centre, kuridrani needs to tidy up his game abit

But Kuridrani is a great ball carrier, the duo: 'Toomua-Kuridrani' works well, Toomua as the solid player and Kuridrani as the explosive player.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I don't know who I'd prefer at 9/10/12 if I were a wallaby supporter. I do think they have a number of very good options but which combination would work best I wouldn't know. The Reds' Genia/Cooper duo of the last few years was a no-brainer in the Deans era or should I rather say the Link era at the Reds? Now with those two underperforming and the Reds a mmile off the pace of the Aus teams in the play-offs it just makes for head aches. If the Wallabies didn't have a ban on overseas based players I go 9White, 10Toomua, 11Speight, 12Giteau*, 13AAC, 14JO'C* 15Folau. As is though I'd probably prefer 9White, 10Foley, 11Speight, 12Toomua, 13AAC, 14Horne, 15Folau
with 20Phipps, 21Beale, 22McCabe

Crazy not to see either Genia or Cooper in the squad, particularly since McKenzie probably has the last say but I respect him taking a tough stand and dropping star players who simply havn't lived up to their names throughout the whole season.

 

[lynam1104]

Crazy not to see either Genia or Cooper in the squad, particularly since McKenzie probably has the last say but I respect him taking a tough stand and dropping star players who simply havn't lived up to their names throughout the whole season.

Aye McKenzie not picking injured players is a bit of a bold move.

My Aus backline for TRC

9.White
10.Foley
11.Speight
12.Toomua
13.Kurindrani
14.ACC
15.Folua

21. Phips
22. Beale
23. Whichever outside back is on form

My prefered Aus Backline

9.Genia (on form)
10. Cooper
11. JOC
12. Toomua
13. AAC
14. Speight
15. Folua

21. White
22. Beale
23. Whichever outside back is on form