Wallabies - where to from here?

First topic message reminder :

The pain and disappointment of Saturday is finally dissipating, and it has left me considering where to now.  I don't have a background in rugby, but sport is sport, so I have been thinking about the more general (or non-technical I guess) actions and attitudes I hope the camp are taking.  

1.  The first thing is that I hope they haven't dropped their bundle and decided they need to become a narrower side.  This side simply isn't going to be effective at that, will be beaten by every other contender if they try, and we don't have a kicker to carry it off, so I hope they stick to what they have been developing.

2.  Accept and embrace the changed challenges ahead.  There are also positives in playing teams you know well.

3.  Get Barnes onto the field to get some practice and rhythm, but back Cooper to the hilt.  He is the best playmaker we have for bringing Beale, JOC, Ioane, and AAC into the game.  With any other playmaker, the opposition get a narrower field to defend, and that suits them more than us.  He takes a lot of flak, but people don't only obsess about him because he stole a laptop and can't tackle.  He also brings a little bit of fear.  And besides, he's one of ours now and everyone else can ...

4.  My last sentence leads me here. Id like to see them go all siege for the remainder of their time in the tourney.  I wont care if i dont hear another thing out of their mouths, if they can use the anger. While not everything, emotion is valuable and has certainly worked against us this year.   So go old school and make sure they know people from all over no longer rate them.  The hosts are showing their hate of us and our team, so tap into it and use it to advantage.

5.  Do whatever it takes to get Palu, Taf,and Mitchell up to speed.  They are players that will bend the line and we are going to need them even if only backup. Also play Horne for the next two at 13.  Where Phipps and Sai'a are there as the next best available, there really is no point in Horne unless they consider him as offering some thing to the main team.

What are you blokes thinking?  I'd be interested especially in the technical stuff that we have a chance of fixing.

surely phil waugh, would be a very good option?

He might be Cricketfan. In Super Rugby he looks a yard too slow these days, but possibly in tighter games ahead the pace won't be such as issue. There has been a lot of talk that his presence isn't wanted by Dean's. He's a warrior though, and a leader, so they could do worse (see Dean Mumm).

Team announced for Russia. Two hookers on bench, and the only two backs are scrum halves:

James O'Connor;
Radike Samo,
Adam Ashley-Cooper,
Berrick Barnes,
Drew Mitchell;
Cooper,
Luke Burgess;
Ben McCalman,
David Pocock,
Scott Higginbotham,
Nathan Sharpe,
James Horwill (c),
Sekope Kepu,
Stephen Moore,
James Slipper.

Res:
Tatafu Polota Nau,
Saia Faingaa,
Salesi Maafu,
Rob Simmons,
Rocky Elsom,
Will Genia,
Nick Phipps.

Not used: Alexander, Vickerman, McCabe (QF), Faingaa (QF), Horne (SF), Ioane (QF), Beale (QF), Someone else

Samo on the wing? Interesting....

boomeranga wrote:He might be Cricketfan. In Super Rugby he looks a yard too slow these days, but possibly in tighter games ahead the pace won't be such as issue. There has been a lot of talk that his presence isn't wanted by Dean's. He's a warrior though, and a leader, so they could do worse (see Dean Mumm).

Team announced for Russia. Two hookers on bench, and the only two backs are scrum halves:

James O'Connor;
Radike Samo,
Adam Ashley-Cooper,
Berrick Barnes,
Drew Mitchell;
Cooper,
Luke Burgess;
Ben McCalman,
David Pocock,
Scott Higginbotham,
Nathan Sharpe,
James Horwill (c),
Sekope Kepu,
Stephen Moore,
James Slipper.

Res:
Tatafu Polota Nau,
Saia Faingaa,
Salesi Maafu,
Rob Simmons,
Rocky Elsom,
Will Genia,
Nick Phipps.

Not used: Alexander, Vickerman, McCabe (QF), Faingaa (QF), Horne (SF), Ioane (QF), Beale (QF), Someone else

lol yh, whenever i have seen waugh he looks to be very good, but your right, he dosent have a lot of pace.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Samo on the wing? Interesting....

Things aren't good. Thanks be to Allah that it is Russia and not Ireland / Italy, although i believe the ruskies back three are handy.

Havent the russians got a big lump of a winger aswell...so might be a big clash.

Has samo played wing before....or is it just he's got a bit of pace and power....

Apparently he started with the Brumbies as a wing, but, well I don't quite know what to say.

samo on the wing, thats crazy.

He started out as a winger. Scored a cracker of a try in a Super Rugby final if my memory serves...

he should be a good option as long as they play to his strengths, if Russia get a lot of possesion and get to take him on 1on1 then he could be in trouble, or he might just smash them.