Australia changes for 2nd Test?

Firstly I'd like to say commiserations to Australia from the game today. Given the injuries you had during/prior to the game and the short preparation time I thought you put in a strong performance today and with some better goal kicking would have deserved a victory.

Even from a Lions perspective a big part of me actually quite enjoyed your performance in the scrum as I've got pretty sick of hearing that Australia are a terrible scrummaging side when actually they aren't (as proven today). Yes it's not a scrum that often looks to dominate other teams but it's one that more often than not holds it's own against much bigger packs allowing their backs and lighter loose forwards to flourish around the park.

Injuries obviously a worry with Leali'ifano, Barnes, McCabe and AAC all leaving the field due to various knocks - any news on these injuries would be much appreciated.

If Ashely-Cooper is fit for next weekend I'd go with the below side if not I'd look at JOC to 13 then Leali'ifano stays at 12.

1.Robinson
2.Moore
3.Alexander
4.Horwill
5.Douglas
6.Mowen
7.Hooper
8.Palu

9.Genia
10.Cooper

11.Ioane
12.O'Connor
13.Ashley-Cooper
14.Folau
15.Beale - Looked good when he came on and really felt for him with final kick, not a nice thing to see.

Given the scrummaging performance in the second half there's a big argument for Slipper or Kepu to start but I'd say stick with the experience of Robinson and Alexander starting for now to ensure a platform for the backs to work from.

Depends on their injuries, doesn't it?

Wrong thread, sorry

Find a competent goal kicker

GLove39 wrote:Find a competent goal kicker

What is Mike Harris doing?

He can play in the centres

and Wales' know how accurate his boot is

GLove39 wrote:Find a competent goal kicker

Would Leali'ifano have been kicking had he not gone of injured? Not something we can't answer with any certainty but he kicks at S15 level so may well have been first choice. Thinking about that the below backline with Christian kicking has a ridiculous amount of attacking potential.

9.Genia 10.Cooper 11.Ioane 12.Leali'ifano 13.O'Connor 14.Folau 15.Beale

GLove39 wrote:Find a competent goal kicker

They had one, he was knocked out in the first minute and JOC was nervous due to the pressure of playing 10 having lost the man who was clearly there at 12 to take the pressure off him.

Also JOC's goalkicking has been decent at S15 level and excellent previously for Aus. Just wasn't his day (or Beale's. poor Beale)

9. Genia
10. Beale
11. Ioane
12. Harris
13. AAC
14. Folau
15. O'Connor        

Is what I'd go for in the backline with Cooper and Mogg coming onto the bench. That's if no on recovers of course.

I'd go for:

9- Genia
10- Cooper/Toomua
11- Ioane
12- O'Connor
13- Horne (AAC dislocated his shoulder, don't know if he'll be ok)
14- Folau
15- Beale

Mogg and either Toomua or Cooper on the bench

just hope beale doesnt go on another bender as he was in very good form other than his kicking which he probably didnt expect to be doing. Cooper has to come in as JOCs not a 10 at this level. With Cooper, beale, JOC, Ioane and Folau on the field with a match behind them might be a different prospect.

Cooper will surely come back into the test team. Aus need him due to the injuries and I think Deans has made his point. Ben Tapuai might be in contention now.

Think Deans might be stubborn and pick Toomua though, he's also a good option at 10.

Disagree that JOC isn't a 10 at this level, but this wasn't the time to start playing him there and the circumstances of losing LLF etc really didn't help him in what was already a high pressure scenario

He isn't capped is he? Deans needs the biggest pair of balls to do that. Their options in the backline are still good when you consider the fact that Cooper, Harris, Horne and Tapuai are tried and tested. AAC is a very valuable player but unfortunately I don't think he will make it, same with Barnes and LLF.

* JOC is a brilliant 10. When he had Barnes inside him at 12 they tore Wales a new one.

There's worry that Barnes' and McCabe's injuries might be career ending

Also, Ioane apparently also injured his shoulder too

Aus have had this injury curse for 2 years now. I wanna know who cursed them and why.

Deans wouldn't accept a Rose from an old beggar woman, turned out she was Cooper's mum and he was cursed forever

Yeah and Cooper's mum was a kiwi right?

The Saint wrote:Yeah and Cooper's mum was a kiwi right?

So is Deans, tbf.

And, if I were in a WUMing mood, one could argue Ioane, O'Connor and LLF were too

No it's not that, I just knew it would be a kiwi to put this curse on them .

Apparently LLF am be available next test, for a second shot after his whopping 55 seconds today haha.

bsando wrote:Apparently LLF am be available next test, for a second shot after his whopping 55 seconds today haha.

Hello, Genia-Cooper-LLF-JOC backline

ChequeredJersey wrote:

bsando wrote:Apparently LLF am be available next test, for a second shot after his whopping 55 seconds today haha.

Hello, Genia-Cooper-LLF-JOC backline

Has JOC played 13?

I don't think Cooper will start if LLF is fit aswell as JOC.

wales606 wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:

bsando wrote:Apparently LLF am be available next test, for a second shot after his whopping 55 seconds today haha.

Hello, Genia-Cooper-LLF-JOC backline

Has JOC played 13?

I don't think Cooper will start if LLF is fit aswell as JOC.

JOC has played 13 for Australia I think. I also think people who are writing off JOC at 10 should see how he copes with LLF outside him

Do you think that Cooper will be called up? A long with Mogg, Karubeni( spelling) for the Next test.

majesticimperialman wrote:Do you think that Cooper will be called up? A long with Mogg, Karubeni( spelling) for the Next test.

Could be, depends how Barnes and McCabe go injury wise I expect

bsando wrote:Apparently LLF am be available next test, for a second shot after his whopping 55 seconds today haha.

Quality post, give yourself a pat on the back.  Would you be in hysterics if it was your brother/father/son who was concussed?  Does it matter if it happens in the first or last minute of a match?

If all 4 injured are ruled out it should be the same pack (though I would start Gill) and backs of;

Genia
Cooper
Ioane
O'Connor
Faingaa/Taps
Folau
Beale

JOC has played 12 at the Force and I think at the Rebels and would be able to run great lines off QC. However deans will never pick this and I would expect something more like;

Genia
O'Connor/Beale
Ioane
Tapuai
Horne
Folau/JOC
Beale/JOC/Folau

May even play Horne at 12, Diggers at 13 and Tomane/Morahan/Mitchell on the wing.
All in all it will be far less exciting than what it could be. Deans has ruined this series by not picking Quade. His rugby of late has been outstanding and his game management has improved masses since 2011, especially this year.
Want the Lions to win but would prefer they did it against the best Aussie team available.

Have always thought versus the Lions it should have been Cooper at 10 and JOC at 12. That way they get to use JOC's stepping and Coopers wide passing and kicking to Ioane and Folau out wide, with Beale in from Fullback all over the show as he links with Cooper and JOC so instinctively.

Genia
Cooper
JOC
AAC
Folau
Ioane
Beale

is how this match should have started.

Deans hasn't picked Cooper. Reckon we might see:

9- Genia
10- Beale
11- Ioane
12- LLF
13- Horne
14- JOC/Folau
15- Folau/JOC

Oh, forgot about Mogg: if there's no LLF:

9- Genia
10- Beale
11- Ioane
12- JOC
13- Horne
14- Folau
15- Mogg

9- Genia
10- Beale
11- Ioane
12- LLF/JOC
13- Tapuai
14- Folau
15- Mogg

21 Phipps, 22 JOC/Morahan, 23 Cummins

Deans won't drop JOC (rightly so)

No he wont but he looked lost after LLF went off so early... disrupted his plans and affected his play.

I reckon he'd be better out wide anyway. I'm still not convinced Ioane is 100% fit. No way we can afford to carry nearly fit players in this next one. Just look what happened to McCabe. Also, Barnes getting that knock from Folau is not a good sign considering his history with concussions. It's just not worth the risk, imo.

I hope Deans uses Tapuai and Cummins but you're probably right CJ... he'll most likely get Horne in the mix. I just think he is more limited than the other two possibilities... and is also prone to injury!

Linebreaker wrote:No he wont but he looked lost after LLF went off so early... disrupted his plans and affected his play.

I reckon he'd be better out wide anyway. I'm still not convinced Ioane is 100% fit. No way we can afford to carry nearly fit players in this next one. Just look what happened to McCabe. Also, Barnes getting that knock from Folau is not a good sign considering his history with concussions. It's just not worth the risk, imo.

I hope Deans uses Tapuai and Cummins but you're probably right CJ... he'll most likely get Horne in the mix. I just think he is more limited than the other two possibilities... and is also prone to injury!

Ioane might not make it anyway, he's wanted by a court for assault

ChequeredJersey wrote:

Linebreaker wrote:No he wont but he looked lost after LLF went off so early... disrupted his plans and affected his play.

I reckon he'd be better out wide anyway. I'm still not convinced Ioane is 100% fit. No way we can afford to carry nearly fit players in this next one. Just look what happened to McCabe. Also, Barnes getting that knock from Folau is not a good sign considering his history with concussions. It's just not worth the risk, imo.

I hope Deans uses Tapuai and Cummins but you're probably right CJ... he'll most likely get Horne in the mix. I just think he is more limited than the other two possibilities... and is also prone to injury!

Ioane might not make it anyway, he's wanted by a court for assault

i think he will as the date has been rescheduled.

They've rescheduled it now. ARU to the rescue again.

They're clearning the decks on this one.  Red Phone from the Prime Minister to the Police Commissioner: "Do NOT arrest that man!"

I doubt Cooper will be called up. Id say Bernard Foley has a better chance of a call up at this stage. Surely Beale or Barnes will be next in line for Oh if JOC is dropped or moved to centre for AAC.

Pat McCabe/ Digby Ioane out the rest of tour due to injury

She's from Adelaide, fly... she probably thinks 'rugby' is 'league' and the Lions are from Brisbane.

GunsGerms wrote:I doubt Cooper will be called up. Id say Bernard Foley has a better chance of a call up at this stage. Surely Beale or Barnes will be next in line for Oh if JOC is dropped or moved to centre for AAC.

Barnes is out, right?

Toomua would be a good call-up IMO, good little defender plus a real 10, knows LLF, JOC can play on the wing instead of Ioane if he's injured

ChequeredJersey wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:I doubt Cooper will be called up. Id say Bernard Foley has a better chance of a call up at this stage. Surely Beale or Barnes will be next in line for Oh if JOC is dropped or moved to centre for AAC.

Barnes is out, right?

Toomua would be a good call-up IMO, good little defender plus a real 10, knows LLF, JOC can play on the wing instead of Ioane if he's injured

He hasnt been ruled out yet. Probably will be though.

Id be happy for Joe Tomane come onto the wing.  Joe's going to be a ripper for us.

I think we could see the same pack with Smith coming onto the bench.

In terms of the backline I think we may see

Genia, Beale, Ioane, Lealiifano, Horne, Folau, O'Connor.

Is still think its a mistake though. What AUS needs to do is to smash the lions to pieces, blow them out of the water.
Playing percentages is just too risky, especially with their kickers being so poor.

At halftime I thought the game was in the bag.. not because we were ahead but because I believed when it came down to kicking, we were the better side... and little changes even with Lealiifano back.

The above game requires a chap like Cooper.

If AUS lose this match Deans will be shown the door.

Barnes confirmed out of the test. Ioane and McCabe out of the series


Tomane or JOC on the wing?

AAC is the biggest blow if he's out. He is a rock in defence and the backline general every good side needs. 

Barnes and his aimless kicking out is probably a blessing, though never good to see an injury. JOC can come in at 12. Folau can come in at fullback. The Aussies have been so used to injuries they're able to shift around. AAC is the defensive adhesive that binds them all together. JOC should be stripped of the kicking duties and Beale needs to step up and stand up in this regard. 

I can't help but be reminded of last year with all these injuries. After the SA game, Australia were like a Walking Dead set. They were fancied to be beaten by Argentina and somehow dug deep and grafted out a win. The Wallabies have an annoying knack for overcoming adversity and winning when they're written off. The injuries are far from ideal preparation and AAC's departure will notably hurt them. But conversely, it will galvanise them into a greater sum of their parts.

It'll be interesting to see what changes Deans makes but what's clear is that he has quite a few options at his disposal with Australian backs so flexible in their positioning. If AAC plays and is shifted to fullback, Deans may well be lynched before match day arrives.

AAC likely to be available apparently