Wallabies team for Scotland announced

The Wallabies squad to take on Scotland on Tuesday...

Luke Morahan
Digby Ioane
Anthony Faingaa
Mike Harris
Joe Tomane
Berrick Barnes
Will Genia
Scott Higginbotham
David Pocock (c)
Dave Dennis
Nathan Sharpe
Sitaleki Timani
Dan Palmer
Stephen Moore
James Slipper

Replacements

Saia Faingaa
Ben Alexander
Rob Simmons
Michael Hooper
Nick Phipps
Pat McCabe
Adam Ashley-Cooper


Five new caps in the side: Palmer, Dennis, Harris, Tomane, and Morahan. Pocock's been named as captain. Hopefully he won't have to give one of his patented 'we're very disappointed with the result' Western Force style post match interviews after this game. The backrow of Dennis, Pocock, and Higgers looks pretty strong. In the second row Timani's a bit of a risk but if he manages to hold the ball and throws his weight around productively he could make an impact. Sharpe's experience and lineout skills are a good counter balance. Palmer in at prop should harden up our scrum.

Given the tight turn around Dingo's been forced to stick with tried and tested combinations hence the almost all Reds backline Genia, Harris, Faingaa, Ioane, and Morahan. Barnes at 10 must surely be a misprint. Quade's been overlooked as he's deemed not yet ready to return to test match rugby but Quade on crutches would be better than Barnes, as would Ben Lucas. I'd even settle for Zac Holmes from the Brumbies. Barnes just hasn't been right since his head knocks last year. His first option is always to kick. When he forgets to kick and passes it is usually behind the man, stifling any momentum. I'd like to see our outside backs do something all night other than chase incontestable up and unders. I hope for his sake that it's just bad Waratah tactics and culture causing him to be so awful and that he comes out and has a blinder but I wouldn't count on it, he's too in the habit.

It looks like we'll be in for wet weather in Newcastle on Tuesday which would probably suit Scotland. Given 5 new caps and Barnes at 10 this is shaping up to be a close game.

Full Credit - it would ordinarily be the case that the wet weather would suit us, but I don't think that it's the case this time. Due to suspension and injury, we have a far more lightweight pack than usual (Big Jim Hamilton suspended, Denton injured, Brown injured) and so we'd probably look to keep offloading and the pill alive.

This is going to be an interesting one and you've hit the nail on the head. Can Barnes play a heads-up game and stop kicking the damn thing away? He has a great strike running line outside him but may well be unable to stop playing with the tactics that have helped the Tahs have a truly terrible season so far.

Not giving Cooper a bench has to be a mistake - if the Wallabies are out of sight at the hour mark, why not put him on to give him some game time? He's got almost his entire backline there, so what's the problem? Are they really going to throw him in against Warbuton and Lydiate with no game time?

I am also quite worried about the back row battle (I actually think that a lot of European fans would say that Higgs is overrated and Dennis is underrated but they're certainly a solid looking unit).

Scotland team is:

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
14 Joe Ansbro (London Irish)
13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby)
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby)
11 Sean Lamont (Scarlets)

10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby)
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby)

1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors)
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) CAPTAIN
3 Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors)
5 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
6 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester)
7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby)
8 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors)

Substitutes

16 Scott Lawson (Gloucester)
17 Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors)
18 Tom Ryder (Glasgow Warriors)
19 Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks)
20 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors)
21 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Tom Brown (Edinburgh Rugby)

Loads of new caps in there (or those with only a couple).

In summary, weakest Scotland pack in three years, strongest Scottish backline in five years plus (at least on paper).

Why are Scotland persisting with selecting an open side flanker at 8? Scotlans have allways produced great no 8s, there must still be some out there.

George Carlin wrote:In summary, weakest Scotland pack in three years, strongest Scottish backline in five years plus (at least on paper).

Sounds like Scotland have selected a strong backline to combat our strength and taken it easy on the forwards, similarly we've selected a strong pack to combat Scotlands strength and taken it easy on the backs.

I also think it's strange not to have a backup playmaker for Barnes given the big question mark over his form. If he has a shocker (or gets injured) all we can do is move Harris to 10 which isn't his normal position. I'm still not convinced Deans isn't a kiwi double agent.

Full Credit wrote:
It looks like we'll be in for wet weather in Newcastle on Tuesday which would probably suit Scotland. Given 5 new caps and Barnes at 10 this is shaping up to be a close game.

It has an ominous feel about it doesn't it?

I like the look of the team given the injuries but definitely would have like to have seen Zac Holmes start in this one.
BB looked so frustrated/devastated at the end of the Cheetahs match... but he'd forgotten how much ball he'd kicked away during the previous 79 mins. I'd have him on the bench though and give Holmes the opportunity to create better plays with his outside backs.

If it's a kicking duel in the wet, slippery conditions then I can see us falling into the trap of trying to control an unfamiliar game plan on the back foot and making a meal of it again like we did against Ireland. I just hope those lessons have been heeded and we come out firing to our full potential.

I think that is a decent side that.

The new guys have shown their form this Super Xv and deserve to be tested.

I think scotland will have to play well to win this one.

It is still a proper forward pack for australia, and their backs aren't bad.

Berrick Barnes may have kicked some posession away against the cheetahs, but he was also very accurate with his execution, I wouldn't put the blame of the cheetahs match on him.

Yeah, he's done some massive touch finders... and a few ordinary ones too.

I've sort of lost confidence in his decision making since he's returned from his time out of the side with injury. I'd like to see him run more but that part of his game seems to have diminished. He's not that bad a runner either... that's what makes it more frustrating sometimes.

I think you are a little over critical there LB.

You are comparing him to O'Connor, Beale and Cooper. He is really about your 4th best choice at 10, so not fair to compare him to others, he is still solid and good enough to take on most teams.

As a Scotland fan this Aussie team doesn't worry me quite as much as i thought it would. I actually think the forwards look pretty strong but normally the strongest area the backs i don't think look that great and a couple of the selections aren't in the greatest form. Berrick Barnes has been pretty awful this season and I know many aussie fans are surprised and bewildered by his selection. Anthony Faiinga at 13 hasn't played alot for the reds this season due to injury and hasn't looked at his best when he has. Defensively he is pretty solid but wouldn't say he is the biggest threat going forward.
Even Digby Ioane isn't having the best of seasons, I've thought he has looked a bit sluggish compared to normal and is missing that spark he had last year.
Joe Tomane on the wing however is in good form and I think will be the biggest threat in the backs for Australia, scored some pretty decent tries for the brumbies this season and Lamont will have to watch him closely but again Tomane has a few weaknesses that Scotland can easily expose for example he doesn't seem the greatest on the turn when defending or under the high ball.

Think it will be a close game but I can see Scotland snatching a win in this game.

majestic I think that backline will surprise you.

The fact is the australian conference started real slow this year, after 7 rounds by memory only the Brumbies were in the top half of the log, and then only just.

The Australian teams have struggled with injuries and form, but the last few weeks has been looking a lot better.

Ioane over the past few weeks have been catching form, Genia has always been a stand out, the newbies may not have made name for themselves but have all got individual skills too burn.

They may start slow in the first 40, as they have had no time to gel, but barbarian stlys rugby suits australian players, it should be close, but don't under estimate these newbies.

I'm slightly surprised Pocock is playing two games in a few days. Wouldn't it have been better to give Liam Gill a chance. I've heard good reviews of him in the Super XV.

biltongbek wrote:I think that is a decent side that.

The new guys have shown their form this Super Xv and deserve to be tested.

I think scotland will have to play well to win this one.

It is still a proper forward pack for australia, and their backs aren't bad.

Berrick Barnes may have kicked some posession away against the cheetahs, but he was also very accurate with his execution, I wouldn't put the blame of the cheetahs match on him.

Barnes has had some sharp criticism recently. He is a good player though.!

biltongbek wrote:majestic I think that backline will surprise you.

The fact is the australian conference started real slow this year, after 7 rounds by memory only the Brumbies were in the top half of the log, and then only just.

The Australian teams have struggled with injuries and form, but the last few weeks has been looking a lot better.

Ioane over the past few weeks have been catching form, Genia has always been a stand out, the newbies may not have made name for themselves but have all got individual skills too burn.

They may start slow in the first 40, as they have had no time to gel, but barbarian stlys rugby suits australian players, it should be close, but don't under estimate these newbies.

Not underestimating the newbies, been watching all the super rugby esepcially the aussie teams having lived out there and from what i have seen apart from the brumbies the backs have not impressed and have not been their usual free flowing attacking rugby that the aussie sides normally play like.
The only australian team that is winning consistently has been the Brumbies with reds having a bit of form.
As i said i think the pack for australia looks strong but the backs just don't look that threatning apart from the back 3 and even then i ain't convinced by Ioane's form this season, the past couple of games for the reds he has been fairly quiet and the main go to men to get momentum and tries for them have been dom shipperly and Luke Morahan.

Zander,

Liam Gill is away at the JWC just now as captain. They do have other options instead of Pocock like Hooper, Robinson and Matt Hodgson but he is more than capable of playing 2 games in a few days and also being captain they'll want him to put down a marker from the start plus openside is where the biggest contest will be with Ross Rennie who can more than match Pocock.

I don't particularly understand the criticisms of Dingo here with his selection - aside from a couple of left-fielders, what else was he meant to do?

From Scotland perspective - I am moderately happy with this side:

1. I was worried about facing Shipperley or Vuna and neither of those speedsters are there. Ioane has been poor by his standards this season but has been showing signs of improvements. Tomane definitely the biggest threat.

2. Barnes looks terrified at the moment. I was expecting Harris to start at 10 and I think that he'll swap with Barnes at first receiver if BB is having a 'mare, which he is currently showing every signs of having.

3. I presume also that Mike will be taking the kicks at goal? No real problem with that but obviously I am hoping that BB will shank a few for the lads along the way. If I was Matt Gitau, I would have moved to Edinburgh. You'd never have to buy yourself a drink in a bar ever again.

4. Barnes is going to boot possession straight to Hogg. Absolutely fine by me.

5. WTF is Phipps doing there?

There are just a lot of questions about this Aussie side. Unfortuantely the quality of this loose forward trio (which should be the Wallaby's first choice 6-8 IMHO) is not one of them.

We'll need to be playing very well to win.

I think that it's been scientifically proven now that the average Wallaby fan could not possibly give less of a sh!t about this game (hence it taking place on a Tuesday in a League heartland in the boonies), which should hopefully help us.

I nearly did a Barnes like dummy spit when I saw his name on the team sheet at 10. He just doesn't seem to be enjoying his footy anymore and always has a pained look on his face. The Reds showed just how important having a good (or even half decent) 10 is. We get down to our 5th choice 10 and get hammered by all and sundry, we get some good 10's back and do the table topping Chiefs.

LB, it's definitely got a touch of the Samoas about it. But unlike Samoa, the team, barring a few here and there, is about the best we could hope to put out given we effectively need to field another team 4 days later. Less than a week to prepare for an international, then another in 4 days time... what was the ARU thinking?

Zander, Liam Gill is with the U20 squad. That boy could have a big future.

Don't sound so happy, George...
Much rather it were played on a sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon than at 8 o'clock on a miserable & wet Tuesday night though.

Majestic83 wrote:

biltongbek wrote:majestic I think that backline will surprise you.

The fact is the australian conference started real slow this year, after 7 rounds by memory only the Brumbies were in the top half of the log, and then only just.

The Australian teams have struggled with injuries and form, but the last few weeks has been looking a lot better.

Ioane over the past few weeks have been catching form, Genia has always been a stand out, the newbies may not have made name for themselves but have all got individual skills too burn.

They may start slow in the first 40, as they have had no time to gel, but barbarian stlys rugby suits australian players, it should be close, but don't under estimate these newbies.

Not underestimating the newbies, been watching all the super rugby esepcially the aussie teams having lived out there and from what i have seen apart from the brumbies the backs have not impressed and have not been their usual free flowing attacking rugby that the aussie sides normally play like.
The only australian team that is winning consistently has been the Brumbies with reds having a bit of form.
As i said i think the pack for australia looks strong but the backs just don't look that threatning apart from the back 3 and even then i ain't convinced by Ioane's form this season, the past couple of games for the reds he has been fairly quiet and the main go to men to get momentum and tries for them have been dom shipperly and Luke Morahan.

Problem for the Ozzies are that they spread their star players over 5 franchises, and often it presents a situation whereby the individul stars may not shine as much because they play with no names.

Look at beale and O'Connor, moved to Melbourne, Beale looked average the whole season at full back, becuase he never got the opportunity to express himself, then he moves to fly half where he gets ball and opportuntiy and viola, all of a sudden he is a star again.

Linebreaker wrote:Don't sound so happy, George...
Much rather it were played on a sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon than at 8 o'clock on a miserable & wet Tuesday night though.

Linebreaker - as a Scotland fan, I get to see a backline that may accidentally score a try if they're not careful. This is rare.

Will always look forward to a game against the Wallabies. Just wish that Roy and HG were doing the commentary.

Pretty much what I expected, except I am confused about no Quade Cooper.. I thought he'd be a certain start or bench at very least. Perhaps with O'connor and Beale out Dingo's giving Barnes as much preparation as possible for Wales tests.

Bench is pretty strong, I guess that will be handy incase any sort of disaster occurs. I wouldn't be surprised if Aus use all their subs in the end.

Should be a pretty close game, hard to call it but I think Aus still have the better side and should win comfortably. Scotland will have their chances though, they have to make the most of them if they want to get anywhere close to a victory.

Looks like it's the back 3 I predicted .

I think this game could work in Australia's favour. The Wales team for the weekend will not have played a game so may lack cohesion and perhaps match fitness. What changes would any Aussie expect for the first Wales test? Perhap AAC at full back with Morahan moving to wing, McCabe at 12, Cooper on the bench?

Should be a good game, anyone think the scots could upset the cart?

maestegmafia wrote:Should be a good game, anyone think the scots could upset the cart?

Maesteg - not really, to be honest. I think that most Scots fans would be looking for it to be close with some decent scores and good performances amongst the newbies. It's actually really annoying because if the Scotland forwards were a fully fit and to form line up which looked like this:

1. Low
2. Ford
3. Welsh
4. Hamilton
5. Gray
6. Brown
7. Rennie
8. Denton

then I would have been tempted to answer that question in the affirmative.

..

George Carlin wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Should be a good game, anyone think the scots could upset the cart?

Maesteg - not really, to be honest. I think that most Scots fans would be looking for it to be close with some decent scores and good performances amongst the newbies. It's actually really annoying because if the Scotland forwards were a fully fit and to form line up which looked like this:

1. Low
2. Ford
3. Welsh
4. Hamilton
5. Gray
6. Brown
7. Rennie
8. Denton

then I would have been tempted to answer that question in the affirmative.

Maes
I agree with George.... Not overly confident however few nuggets of optimism

Grant has had a good end to the season he more or less kept Welsh out of the side, as as loose head he is ideal, clearing out the rucks and setting up platforms for the back five so I have no problems with him starting needs to improve his scrummaging a tad though , Rennie can get the ball moving for our exciting (on paper) midfield.

Would have liked Ryder to have started, and I hope Brown and Weir gets more than 20 mins in the second half.

Please Murray you are are smiling too much lately, its about time you got your derriere in gear we need you to crank it up

maestegmafia wrote:Should be a good game, anyone think the scots could upset the cart?

Noif they cant beat Italy, they cant beat the Australian A team

Some of these player (Barnes, Moore, Robinson, AAC, McCabe) were playing Super Rugby this weekend.

They will just have recovered and will now be playing a test in a different hemispere.

Then they have 4 days before Australia face Wales back in the SH hemisphere - Surely none of those 5 will be able to play against Wales? - Moore and Barnes especially as they start (AAC must play?)

Even for the other players, they are playing 2 test matches in 2 hemispheres in the space of 5 days. Thats a hard task.

Wales and Scotland will have a big opportunity as I think that the players involved in this game will tire over 80minutes if they face Wales - and the Super rugby contingent will tire against Scotland (and they will have very little time to get over jet-lag)

606, the test is in Australia.

Otherwise, some excellent points!

IanBru wrote:606, the test is in Australia.

Otherwise, some excellent points!

Hahaha, my bad - Newcastle, New South Wales

Still, 3 games in a week or 2 test in 4 days is really pushing it.

Ha ha - no worries buddy!

Both barns and jdv seem to be coming under ttack where I think theybe both performed admirably even though they tend to have limited capacity on attack.

These two will by the absence of other players be seen as the backline leaders in the upcoming tests. JDV I thought has been fiercely competitive and Barnes has neen steady with the potential to be a gamebreaker as he did against wales last year.

Barnes was probably Barnes best 10 during the WC - JOC has played once at 10 for the Wallabies and Beale has never played there.

If Barnes can perform like he did against Wales in the 3/4th then the Aussies will be dangerous.

There's still enough Aussie power there to rack up at least 4 trys IMO

I think people predicting an easy Ozzie win are going to be a bit suprised to be honest.

The Scottish tight five are more than capable of winning parity on the setpiece if not better. The backrow battle will be tight and Pocock vs Rennie is going to be very interesting.

In the backs the Ozzies dont look convincing to me and the scottish backs will have had some time to with Scott J who will have them running some good lines. Aussie defence is going to have to be spot on. Basically if the Ozzies think this is going to be an easy introduction to the summer tests I think they are in for a suprise.

I think this is going to be a great little game, If the scottish go out to really take it to the ozzies then we may see a bit of an upset.

Aus 25 Scotland 17

Scotland 32-18 Australia

TycroesOsprey wrote:I think people predicting an easy Ozzie win are going to be a bit suprised to be honest.

The Scottish tight five are more than capable of winning parity on the setpiece if not better. The backrow battle will be tight and Pocock vs Rennie is going to be very interesting.

In the backs the Ozzies dont look convincing to me and the scottish backs will have had some time to with Scott J who will have them running some good lines. Aussie defence is going to have to be spot on. Basically if the Ozzies think this is going to be an easy introduction to the summer tests I think they are in for a suprise.

I think this is going to be a great little game, If the scottish go out to really take it to the ozzies then we may see a bit of an upset.

totally agree with you. I think a lot of people are underestimating Scotland especially with a few of the new really talented players that will be playing.
Key battle will definitely be Rennie v Pocock. Big fan of both these guys but actually think Rennie can match Pocock and possibly have the upper hand.
I think it will be close but Scotland will sneak this one, there will only be a couple points in it though.

Australia 30- Scotland 22

Yes looking at that team I reckon Scotland have a show, especially with half their minds on a few days later due to this terrible scheduling.

A repeat of Samoa may be on the cards...

I don't think scotland will get close. Just read a robinson interview and he is going for tactics of kicking to touch and going for lineouts. Wrong half backs in the Scotland team for that tactic. Scotland should be all about speed and moving the ball around and leaving australia chasing shadows.

Heavy rain and gale force winds expected for Newcastle tonight. There won't be much in this game either way.

Full Credit wrote:Heavy rain and gale force winds expected for Newcastle tonight. There won't be much in this game either way.

Horrible isn't it? I've just had 4 pot plants blown over. Getting battered again right now as I type.

It will be a close match for sure. I feel so stupid picking the Wallies by 23 in SG... what an eediot I am!

I think I went for 14

20 pt win to aus sounds right to me.

Scotland look to be either playing the wrong tactics for the players or the wrong players fr the tactics. Whats the point in having a backline packed with small fast guys and telling the 10 to hoof it for touch all the time?

Any links to the game would be much appreciated!

Is this on this morning?

Come on Scotland!

Kick off in about an hour, rodders.

The heavy rain has eased for a moment in Sydney but all those gales were heading north... up to the Central Coast and Newcastle. Severe weather warnings everywhere - half of Gippsland (eastern Victoria) was flooded today!

Thanks breaker...bollix can't watch it in here, will have to do with live text.... this one has gone under the radar a bit......

LB, sounds like it should arrive in Newcastle in time for kickoff.
Of all the nights to have atrocious weather...

Hi guys, I've just gone to see if the game's on livesport.tv, but it isn't. I only have poor mans telly. Any ideas on where I can get the match if I can't get to see Sky?