Wallabies training squad for Rugby Championship

[ZeFrenchy]

No.

Kepu is a natural tighthead. He scrummages much better at tighthead

Ok, but my point is still valid.

 

[welshglory]

How does your point still stand?
He's scrummaged at both loosehead and tighthead over the past 2/3 years and he has looked much better at tighthead. If you watch videos of him you will see that he looks much more comfortable. He's only 26 as well so he has plenty of time to improve.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

My point was that they should have taken Palmer instead of Alexander. All I need is for Kepu to be able to scrummage at loosehead. Saying "Kepu is a natural tighthead, therefore taking Alexander over Palmer is right" is an argumentum ad logicam fallacy.

 

[welshglory]

How about playing Robinson and Kepu together with Palmer on the bench.

I though Palmer was injured anyway...

 

[ZeFrenchy]

How about playing Robinson and Kepu together with Palmer on the bench.

I though Palmer was injured anyway...

Well, if Palmer is injured, then I'll just stfu.

I was precisely thinking of that same combination, but for that to be possible, you need Kepu to be able to step up at loosehead, in case Robinson gets injured, as Palmer is exclusively a THP.


edit: Palmer was indeed not considered due to injury.

 

[madflyhalf]

Palmer not considered, yes, but I still think there is some other weak link in the scrummaging chain between the Super Rugby front rows (even the Waratahs looked solid in the scrum this year) and the Wallabies. Maybe in the coaching staff, maybe in the locks combo...

But now, IMHO, Robinson is by far off form, after his injury he never reached back his peak as he played in 2010, mix this with the idea of Robbie Deans to use Alexander as tighthead replacement OR as loosehead keeping Kepu on the field...

I think the Wallabies' front row is terribly tied to the combination of the club: Tahs or Brumbies (or Brumbies&Slipper).
We have still to see how Alexander, Moore and Palmer (or Slipper for now) can perform at test level and I have the idea they can bring almost the same strenght seen at SR level!
If I remember well, we have never seen the combo Alexander Moore Slipper!

Vice-versa, the f-r formed by Robinson-TPN-Kepu is maybe more experienced, but they are quite off-form now, and surely it is an injury prone combo (especially TPN).

 

[ZeFrenchy]

I'd be wary about Slipper. He's a good player, but he's far from dominant at TH. He bested Castrogiovanni once playing at LH though... He has to be tried, but I think right now Kepu is perhaps the surest starter.

 

[Darwin]

Wallabies 30-man squad confirmed:
Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Liam Gill, Mike Harris, Scott Higginbotham, Michael Hooper, Rob Horne, Digby Ioane, Sekope Kepu, Drew Mitchell, Stephen Moore, Nick Phipps, David Pocock (capt), Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, Radike Samo, Jake Schatz, Nathan Sharpe, Rob Simmons, James Slipper, Sitaleki Timani, Nic White

So (if I read that correctly) Hanson, Neville, McCabe (injured), Tapuai, Shipperly, Cummins, Vuna all drop out from the initial training squad (and S Faingaa comes in).

Probably the most interesting aspect of the squad is the make-up, with 18 forwards (including 2 specialist 7's) and only 12 backs.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I guess a lot of the backs can cover multiple positions, particularly Beale, Ashley-Cooper, Harris... O'Connor out for the whole series?

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Vuna did his shoulder on the weekend playing club rugby in melbourne. whether that affected his selection though, i'm not sure.

Neville's omission on the other hand is dissapointing, clearly Australia's best lock behind sharpe and horwill (inj.)

 

[Darwin]

I guess a lot of the backs can cover multiple positions, particularly Beale, Ashley-Cooper, Harris... O'Connor out for the whole series?

He is out for at least the first matches (both vs the AB's), but could come into the squad later if fully fit.

 

[madflyhalf]

I quite like this squad.

With Pyle, Neville and Mowen hadn't been tested early in june, I doubted they would have tested them in the RC... too much for now. I'm sure we'll seem at least Neville, Shipperley and Pyle in november!

No pure right winger, I think AAC would fill that place while waiting for JOC (who's gonna be missed so much!).

Very happy for Gill and Schatz, 2 great talent, though I think at least one of the backrows among Schatz, Gill, Hooper, Samo and Dennis would be dropped when (if...) JOC and McCabe (and maybe McCalman) will be fit!

Not sure if Samo is really fit now, but I'd like to see Dennis 6, Gill 7, Pocock 8 for 1 match (dunno what......), just to shuffle!


With this squad, I'd go with

1) Slipper
2) Moore
3) Kepu
4) Simmons
5) Sharpe
6) Dennis
7) Gill
8) Pocock
9) Genia
10) Cooper
11) Mitchell
12) Barnes
13) Ashley-Cooper
14) Ioane
15) Beale

TPN, Alexander, Douglas, Schatz, Higginbotham, White, A Fainga'a

But without no specialist for 8 and 14, I think Higginbotham and AAC will start respectively in those position, for a more settled team.

Again Dingo is fixed with Robinson who's a good prop, but IMO off form now. Alexander should play loosehead mainly, tighthead if necessary and if opposite loosehead is tired or not so good.

Don't know who's gonna be dropped when JOC and McCabe will return... with them in the squad surely I'd go with Cooper 10, Barnes 12, AAC 13 and JOC 14, with McCabe and Mitchell in the bench in a classical 4-3 split.