Wallaby watch
Posted by Christopher Sheil on Monday, March 27, 2006
Meanwhile, we’ve arrived at the half-way mark in the global south’s international provincial rugby tournament. This means we now have an emerging track record with which to begin assessing form, as we look to the international tests. First up in June are two tests against England, and then Ireland, followed in July and August by the Tri-Nations.
Overriding everything is the present Wallaby jam. On the one hand, Australia desperately needs a couple of wins, and so will new Coach Knuckles. On the other, this is the pre-World Cup season, which should allow for some experimentation, ideally before settling into refining a more or less finished combination next year. It’s a classic short versus long term squeeze. What to do? I’d be tempted to experiment in the first three tests against the northerners if I was Connolly. After all, he’s not going to get sacked, and the Tri-Nations is where the rubber really hits the road.
And there are some experiments begging. The good news for Wallaby fans is that the conversion of the Super 12 to the Super 14 has hardly affected Australian rugby. In the wash-up, the NSW Waratahs are stronger than last year and the ACT Brumbies are playing well. All that’s really happened as a consequence of the expanded format is that our one crap team the Queensland Reds has turned into two crap teams, thanks to the entry of the Western Farce. So, what’s happening? My game time has been limited to the Tahs’ matches, four of the Brumbies’ games, two of the Reds’ and one look at the Farce. We also need to allow for the Tahs characteristically starting like houses on fire, before snuffing out, and the Brumbies usually doing the reverse, building through the tournament. We are also yet to see the big clashes between the leading local teams, and each of them against the Crusaders. So there’s a lot more leather to be thrown around before selection time. Early days, but here are some thoughts.
For a start, I’d be tempted to take the entire Waratahs tight five. They have been sensational, displaying forward power to make old fans weep. The new prop, Ben Jacobs, looks like a chip off some ancient Wallaby block, and has displaced Matt Dunning. As the scrum has been the disaster area for the Wallabies, I’d give Jacobs a shot in the big-time and pick him for the England test. Adam Frier has been a revelation at hooker this year. Clever, relentless and tough, his time has come. Al Baxter has finally stood up, with the big man even having been sighted making runs down the middle this year. Daniel Vickerman has led the pack in perfectionist style, and new boy Al Kaanar has taken over from Justin Harrison as our resident wild dog. All up, they are a formidable outfit that has been laying platform after platform for the Tah backs, who must think they have died and gone to heaven. Take the lot of them.
OK, I’d also pick Phil Waugh and Rocky Elsom, giving us an all Tah Wallaby pack, with the exception of bringing in George Smith for David Lyons at number 8. This won’t happen, of course, but the sight of the Tah forwards putting on the big rolling maul week after week could make a believer out of anyone.
George Gregan has been playing very well and gets my cap at half-back, with Bernie Larkham at number 10. Inside centre would be the immaculate Morgan Turinui, Stirling Mortlock has been in great form, perhaps his best ever, and would play outside, with Lote Tuquiri on one wing, Clyde Rathbone on the other, and Mat Rogers at fullback. Rogers has played sensationally over the past three weeks at 10 for the Tahs, and, for mine, fullback is the second playmaking position. Bernie often goes to 15 if he finds any spare time on the field, and he and Rogers can interchange and back each other up.
This leaves Matt Giteau, who would be my all-purpose inside back on the bench, including reserve half-back (see long previous discussion). It also leaves Peter Hewat, who is in sensational form again this year. He was nothing short of imperious at fullback in the wet against the Auckland Blues on Friday night, where he picked up his second man of the match award on the trot. One of the best things about Eddie Jones being gone is that Connolly might blood this exciting player, for he also offers us the chance to properly resolve the kicking duties, where we will want a world class shooter for next year. He would be my first reserve outside back against England.
I guess I would add Bill Young in case things go wrong in the scrum, and to signal that he’s still the old guard, and Brendan Cannon to the bench. I suppose Nathan Sharpe and either John Roe or David Lyons or Stephen Hoiles would make up the balance of the forward reserves, with Mark Gerard my extra reserve back.
The big worry of course is that new Coach Knuckles is a banana bender and hence the ugly face of state parochialism will intrude to give useless Reds free spots, for the honour and glory of cane toads or whatever they drink in the water up there. The story is unfolding, but there’s a long way to go folks.
This entry was posted on Monday, March 27th, 2006 at 1:58 AM and filed under Sport - rugby.
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The first thing to remember about Knuckles is that he is a destroyer of flair. He makes good solid teams and makes them play the percentages. His most recent club gig was Bath (I think?) and he dragged them out of the mire, but killed all notion of backline play. Bath have, traditionally, had a very attacking, wide style of play. This style may suit tighter international matches, but I see it as more of a damage limitation exercise. Of course he can’t stop guys like Larkham and Mortlock playing well, but the gameplan will feature alot more tactical kicking.
With regards to your team .. no Jeremy Paul? He was the the only froward making yards for the Wallabies last year. If he is fit he is an automatic first choice I reckon. Baxter? Heh.
Giteau not starting? Can’t see it myself. How is Turinui’s kicking game? Connolly will want a first rate kicker to back up Larkham whose kicking game is not good.
George Smith has been an absolute standout at openside. He should be the first pick and let Waugh ride the pines. The rest of the loosies are a bit up in the air. Connolly will want a lineout winner at blindside, so he has to be a big bastard. I don’t know how his form is this year, but Daniel Heenan is an ex-Queenslander playing blindside for the Brumbies and he has the physical attributes Connolly will be looking for.
Don’t forget Mark Gerrard either. He is a quality player. He is probably not going to start, with Rathbone and Tuqiri ahead of him, but he isn’t far behind I reckon.
Posted on 27-Mar-06 at 1:25 pm | PermalinkWith regards to your team .. no Jeremy Paul? Jeremy can’t even get a starting position for the Brumbies this year. I’m a big fan of Paul’s mobility, but you have to see Freier this year to believe him. Kernsy said that his sidestep to score the Tahs’ first try on Friday night brought a tear to his eye. Although shorter than Paul and Cannon, he is shaping up with the mobility of the former and the robustness of the latter.
Baxter? Heh. Hmm. You haven’t seen his form this year, is my guess, Aiden. Moreover, there is at this stage a clear gap in the class of the Tahs and Brumbies up front. The Brumbies are still struggling, like the Wallabies last year, whereas the Tahs are simply braining other packs. If you don’t go along with Baxter, how do you explain the fact that the Tahs completely destroyed the Blues forwards on Friday night, the same Blues forwards who got over the Brumbies the week before?
How is Turinui’s kicking game? Excellent, especially for overhead chips, grubbers and centre-kicks. He rarely gets line-kick responsibility, but can no doubt manage them if pressed, for he has all the fine skills. Turinui is the full textbook rugby back. Rogers is no slouch in the kicking department, either. However, I also expect Giteau to start, even though I would keep him in reserve, and pull Gregan for him at some stage if he is otherwise not required. A beauty of having Bernie and Rogers in the team is that they can replace each other. If Bernie has an early shower, Rogers can take over 10, allowing Hewat to go to 15. However, again, I expect a conservative Reds-favoured selection, with Latham of Socks Down.
Posted on 27-Mar-06 at 3:38 pm | PermalinkBugger. Nested blockquotes are a no-go it seems. That comment again:
Injured calf. He is a certain starter for the Brumbies if he is fit.
Posted on 28-Mar-06 at 1:29 pm | PermalinkFrier certainly is playing inspired, attractive rugby – somewhat reminiscent of the young Kearns when he set his sights on making a difference, visible, from hooker. Long may he step, swerve, dummy, dive pass, left foot field goal, rip ball, roll maul and hold scrum with growing command.
Just a point on the halves after the last discussion. Having seen Barnes now only for fifty minutes, albeit in a purposeless “crap” miserable Reds outfit, there’d have to be a bit of concern about his predeliction for kicking. Maybe there were other reasons for him not passing it on – their backs were indeed without cohesion or blitz intent – and he chose what he thought was the safer option, but if he does that sort of thing as his natural game, it could well be hello the dreaded TenMan fizzer.
And having now caught a few more games watching Larkham, the old cripply bugger who yet still looks a bit like a club darts secretary more than the tough, mercurial playmaker he is, I’d pick him immediately. He’s been a stand out.
As for Gregan, well, he’s as good as any others running ’round, no doubt about it. On principle, however, I’d choose Sam.
That would suggest Rogers at 15, and, Mr Connelly, let’s play rugby.
Posted on 28-Mar-06 at 7:45 pm | Permalink