Wallabies squad for Lions tour

[ARRV]

PS - anyway, everyone knows that forwards make the best captains and ex-forwards the best coaches

[El Presidente]

Now with his treatment of Cooper - including the "I tried to get hold of him by phone but couldnt" when he promised to tell those who missed out of the squad personally - I mean really?? - couldnt get his mobile number? tried once and then hung up or simply pretended to dial the numbers. Just not good enough. And now he has gone and bagged him publicly to justify his exclusion when everyone is simply asking why on earth was he not picked. Hardly an unsurprising question and one he must have expected. In reality everyone knows it is because he doesn't like him and QC could score 1,000 points in his remaining Super rugby games this season and still not be picked.

great point.

Remember prior the last world cup when Wayne Bennet was appointed as "coaching assistant". In effect someone who could get inside the heads of some of our flakier players....and we have a few! Bennet knows how to talk to flakes. He has turned their football and lives around in over 20 years of coaching. I have always suspected that some on the Wallabies board new that Deans didn't have the skills to do this (get inside the heads of players when things went pear shaped).

Anyway, the appointment was rescinded 48 hours later on Deans insistence.

[Barnett107]

Yeah, I'm a bit gutted that Robshaw isn't going, but he did look knackered by the end of the season.

True, he did, but with 2 man of the match performances over the six nations I thought he had his ticket all but booked. Tindall even came out and said he could captain the side!

And yes the battle of the cousins would be fun to watch.

[Barnett107]

Then the world cup where Giteau was left out

That was a horrific error. He needed a man to step in when Quade dropped his head (which he does far too often), just to steady the ship a little. Although difficult to say whether it would have led to them beating the all blacks

[Ken Gargett]

Then the world cup where Giteau was left out and the tactics were rubbish - losing to Ireland to end up playing NZ in the semi (after having to play SA) etc etc.

the giteau mess just one more example of how this moron has stuffed aussie rugby for a decade - it will take that long to rectify things.

but the irish debacle was surely compelling evidence of a man completely out of his depth. i was at that game and it was hell.

it was obvious from the instant that the team for the tournament was announced that we were in strife. we selected one open side flanker - pocock. okay, brilliant player but he was out injured, fighting to get fit. no back-up. no brains. so obvious. it was just an insane selection, to have no back up.

sure enough - he can't make the irish game. they must have been thinking it was christmas in kiwiland. and didn't they exploit it. we were a hopelessly unbalanced side and never looked like it. it was the irish, for christ's sake (no offence to the irish). we could not even beat them. and if you asked cooper what was the team plan for that day, i'll bet he still has no idea. i bet no of them do - (possibly mccabe. "catch pass. try and go forward. hopefully forwards get there in time to retain ball. repeat".)

so one injured open flanker. to a world cup. sound like a bloke who has a clue? amongst those left behind was a young up and coming star - liam gill. sure, early days for him but it was not that long before that, when he'd played open side flanker in the reds super 14 winning side - including starring in the final, while playing against a bloke called mccaw. but apparently was not ready for the wallabies, not even as a back up. the moron thought that a better back up was no one.

and i gather, from extremely good sources - for a change - that the view in the wallaby camp at the start of this season was that hooper would be preferred ahead of pocock. injury fixed that but that is insanity.

i think hooper currently sits 2nd of all super 15 teams for tackles missed (leave quade alone - look at this bloke). just what you want in an open flanker. gill, on the other hand, is right up the top for tackles made and all the good stats for a flanker. but i guess it is okay to miss tackles if you wear puke blue.

as for the tapuai comments, i still can't believe a coach has done that. i can only think it was something that either reeks of the stink of desparation from a drowning man or it was done to distable cooper and his teammates in the hope cooper gets distracted and plays badly, therefore postdating justification for deans, or to breed distrust among reds teammates and distable them, weakening mckenzie's claim for the job when deans fails again. either are the acts of a grub.

[mazolaman]

True, he did, but with 2 man of the match performances over the six nations I thought he had his ticket all but booked. Tindall even came out and said he could captain the side!

And yes the battle of the cousins would be fun to watch.

Yep, me too, he would have been my captain, but our NZ coach prefers his own Welsh boys!

That last defeat gave him a good excuse to pick his mates.

Robshaw seems to be one of those captains who people will fight for...I'm really not sure about Warburton.

I think Lancaster is also a better coach...

Robshaw may end going out there, as someone will get injured. I think this squad will miss his versitillity at 6 or 7, and his ability at the breakdown.

fear of God ... i thought the worrying thing from a lions perspective is that probably 60odd% of the matchday squad will be from a wales outfit that found a way to lose to a heavily-injury-depleted australia about a zillion times last year.

and a welsh team that was great in '11-12 but poor in '12-13 apart from that last english win.

but apart from that i found it hard to quibble too much with the player selections... compared to 2001 i think they are solid but maybe lacking the x-factor of a robinson or a quinnell, or an electric young o'driscoll.

on the other hand, the wallabies will have less of an established squad this time

Good points.

Wales won nowt for a long time before rousing themselves at the Millenium, but it's been accepted here that the Welsh coach will pick a Welsh team!

And Wilkinson should be there, dunno if he has chosen not to, but I suspect Gatland didn't want him. He's the kind of player that would depress the oppo coming on after 60 mins, as you know he'll keep them at arms length.

Gatland claimed he wanted "all the players to depart for Australia together"...hmmmm, for what? Quiz night? Thus making Wilkinson choose between Toulon (where he won them the final and semi) and the Lions...

[frenchkiwi]

Yep, me too, he would have been my captain, but our NZ coach prefers his own Welsh boys!

That last defeat gave him a good excuse to pick his mates.

Robshaw seems to be one of those captains who people will fight for...I'm really not sure about Warburton.

I think Lancaster is also a better coach...

Robshaw may end going out there, as someone will get injured. I think this squad will miss his versitillity at 6 or 7, and his ability at the breakdown.

Good points.

Wales won nowt for a long time before rousing themselves at the Millenium, but it's been accepted here that the Welsh coach will pick a Welsh team!

And Wilkinson should be there, dunno if he has chosen not to, but I suspect Gatland didn't want him. He's the kind of player that would depress the oppo coming on after 60 mins, as you know he'll keep them at arms length.

Gatland claimed he wanted "all the players to depart for Australia together"...hmmmm, for what? Quiz night? Thus making Wilkinson choose between Toulon (where he won them the final and semi) and the Lions...

As per Robshaw, i have a feeling the welsh majority would rather fight for Warburton...

R is a clearly a player with form but recent form hasn't counted for too much in these selections, many of which were probably pencilled in after the world cup or the end of last year's 6 nations. The sake of these Lions has been well served by the welsh victory over the english, had they lost, you can bet your bottom dollar the squad would have been roughly the same, but the tabloids would have been screaming and the players would've struggled not to hear them... controversy before the plane even took off.

And Wilkinson, well, he was offered a place in the squad on the same conditions as everyone else but turned it down because Toulon is "his absolute priority"... and said that his body was currently held together by end-of-season-sticky tape and probably wouldn't cope with a 10-match tour... fair enough.

hopefully the welshmen will use all their aussie defeats (from 2009 to RWC to four defeats last year!) as fodder for motivation rather than trepidation. maybe the mighty scots can teach the rest of the home nations how to beat them (scottish rain dance seemed to work last year)

[mazolaman]

As per Robshaw, i have a feeling the welsh majority would rather fight for Warburton...

R is a clearly a player with form but recent form hasn't counted for too much in these selections, many of which were probably pencilled in after the world cup or the end of last year's 6 nations. The sake of these Lions has been well served by the welsh victory over the english, had they lost, you can bet your bottom dollar the squad would have been roughly the same, but the tabloids would have been screaming and the players would've struggled not to hear them... controversy before the plane even took off.

And Wilkinson, well, he was offered a place in the squad on the same conditions as everyone else but turned it down because Toulon is "his absolute priority"... and said that his body was currently held together by end-of-season-sticky tape and probably wouldn't cope with a 10-match tour... fair enough.

hopefully the welshmen will use all their aussie defeats (from 2009 to RWC to four defeats last year!) as fodder for motivation rather than trepidation. maybe the mighty scots can teach the rest of the home nations how to beat them (scottish rain dance seemed to work last year)

Yep, the Welsh majority will, but I would hope the other 3 nations players get a few games too!

The main advantage I can see with playing more Welsh is that they seemed fresher by the end of the season, while many of the rerst seemed tired, particularly the English. However, the Welsh form is pretty poor.....

I got the feeling Wilko had made his choice, and as you say, fair enough. I still think a talismanic player like him would be useful.

He does play deeper, and maybe Gatland will be playing a different game. Sexton and Farrel are good enough to succeed, even Halfpenny.

I'm pleased to see Parling there, and hope he gets a fair chance, as he is one of the unsung players of the season for me, unglamorous and reliable. Tom Croft is also in cracking form.

As for when the team was pencilled in...I think it would be better to pick nearer the time, picking form and fitness, rather than hoping players will fit to a pre ordained plan...but waddo I know?

Hope it's a good series. I guess the matches against the club sides will be the usual rough match to wear out the tourists!!

[dicko]

Digby looks like he could miss first test. No Beale. no quade. With Horne, McCabe and even my Force great mate Nick cummins (check this guys interviews great bloke, tough hard runner doesnt have a step though) lining up in the backs we look a little one dimensional.

[Ken Gargett]

. I guess the matches against the club sides will be the usual rough match to wear out the tourists!!

you'd think so, wouldn't you? but no, the brain dead heap of custard we have in charge thinks it would be better if they removed the top 30 players from all lions warm up games so they don't get hurt. to be honest, if i were lions management, i'd be furious that the team is going up against weak opposition (there is talk that future tours might have their warm up games in different countries so that crap doesn't happen - say nz for a lions australia tour).

not only that, the heap of custard is insisting that all those players also don't play for their super 15 teams for some three weeks before the tests so they don't get hurt. so that stuffs up things for all those aussie teams in the running for the finals. MORON!

and do we never learn? we did the rest players crap last time (or more accurately, there simply were not any games, or very few, for quite a few weeks before the tests last time. so we came out at the gabba underdone and got done.

sure, a risk of injury but match fit players will always thump poncy over-hyped pretty boys who have spent a few hours prancing around a training field.

anyone imagine someone like martin johnson preferring his team to only undergo training rather than playing?

i really hate this idiot.

[Ken Gargett]

Digby looks like he could miss first test. No Beale. no quade. With Horne, McCabe and even my Force great mate Nick cummins (check this guys interviews great bloke, tough hard runner doesnt have a step though) lining up in the backs we look a little one dimensional.

thankfully mccabe is injured. digby a knee op yesterday - not a major one - so hard to see him fit.

[ARRV]

If they don't bring Cooper back (which i doubt Deans will do as he has obviously marked his papers never to be picked) and if Digby is out injured - then the only backline they could pick based on the present squad is Genia, Barnes, Leai'ifano, AAC, then wings - JOC and Cummins and Folau at full back

Hardly going to put rocks under the pillows of the lions

[ARRV]

Actually I forgot - it's Deans so change Horne for Leai'ifano at inside

Imagine the stellar tactics:-

(a) Set piece

( crash ball at 12

© loosie hit up from one off the ruck

(d) tight forward hit up from one off the ruck

(e) repeat © and (d)

(f) back to crash ball at 12 again with Horne losing it or turnover

alternatively

(f) barnes kick for corner/touch [if beale was fit it would be beale chip kick to no one]

[El Presidente]

Hitler Finds Out About The Wallaby Squad

http://youtu.be/JYEFgoZh6as

[Ken Gargett]

Hitler Finds Out About The Wallaby Squad

that came through from a mate the other day. i wasn't game to pass it on in case someone thought i did it. seriously, after that, i could grow a mo and start goose-stepping. we are as one!

[TheBaron]

Hitler Finds Out About The Wallaby Squad

Couldn't put it better. Cooper has to be a walk up start in the Wallabies line-up, but he's not even in the squad as yet? Incredible. He's been brilliant this season (and definitely more focused than 2012). Reminds me a bit of Dean Jones in cricket—clearly in the best 11 (or 15 in this case) but spoke too much and got the coach offside. End. Of. Career.

Deans is a first grade (well, third grade) d***head. If I was a conspiracy theorist I'd suggest he was an All Blacks plant to keep the Wallabies from progressing. Plan achieved. Just wish he's given the 'coke and sars' soon so we can start plugging the numerous holes he's made in the Wallaboes ship.

And seriously, Hugh Pyle not even in a squad of 25? Are you f-ing kidding me? 'Gomer' could be the next (legendary) Eales if given the chance—arguably more dynamic. But I guess playing for the lowly Rebels (read NOT Tahs) means he doesn't get a look in.

O'Connor's a gun but needs Beale and Cooper around him; lord knows what's going on in KB's head at the minute. I'm not as critical of Barnes as you Ken (I feel for the bloke) but he's certainly not our answer any more. And, as a side note, is Saia Faingaa the worst hooker to wear a Wallabies jersey? The guy's an absolute joke. Maybe it's just me, but I cannot understand how he keeps getting a game. He's a deer in headlights with no arms or legs (but at least the dreadlocks flap so you can notice all the things he's not doing).

So, in summary, Robbie Deans is a d***head.

[Ken Gargett]

Couldn't put it better. Cooper has to be a walk up start in the Wallabies line-up, but he's not even in the squad as yet? Incredible. He's been brilliant this season (and definitely more focused than 2012). Reminds me a bit of Dean Jones in cricket—clearly in the best 11 (or 15 in this case) but spoke too much and got the coach offside. End. Of. Career.

Deans is a first grade (well, third grade) d***head. If I was a conspiracy theorist I'd suggest he was an All Blacks plant to keep the Wallabies from progressing. Plan achieved. Just wish he's given the 'coke and sars' soon so we can start plugging the numerous holes he's made in the Wallaboes ship.

And seriously, Hugh Pyle not even in a squad of 25? Are you f-ing kidding me? 'Gomer' could be the next (legendary) Eales if given the chance—arguably more dynamic. But I guess playing for the lowly Rebels (read NOT Tahs) means he doesn't get a look in.

O'Connor's a gun but needs Beale and Cooper around him; lord knows what's going on in KB's head at the minute. I'm not as critical of Barnes as you Ken (I feel for the bloke) but he's certainly not our answer any more. And, as a side note, is Saia Faingaa the worst hooker to wear a Wallabies jersey? The guy's an absolute joke. Maybe it's just me, but I cannot understand how he keeps getting a game. He's a deer in headlights with no arms or legs (but at least the dreadlocks flap so you can notice all the things he's not doing).

So, in summary, Robbie Deans is a d***head.

agreed of course re cooper but i'd say you are harsh on him re 2012. he played five games for the reds in super 15. in a poor season, they were five we won (well, i suppose getting to the finals isn't poor but not stellar).

you are only allowed to compare people to eales if they spell their name, G O D.

barnes was the great hope for a dire qld team but never performed. made all sorts of promises to the qru and his teammates and fans and then reneged on the lot to go to nsw. that alone is unforgivable. nsw? it showed he had no understanding of the reds or of qld. good riddance. but he left his betrayal so late that we had no hope of chasing other players to fill spots. a little grub. but what was fabulous was that as soon as he was gone, we saw how good cooper was (had barnes stayed, cooper would never have had the same opps). far as i am concerned, he is excrement.

very harsh on saia. his main problem is that he is not a foot taller and two stone heavier. but no one tries harder. also, he really does have great defence in close. will take on anyone. and does a lot of hard work in the pile. not the greatest ever hooker but has as much heart and determination as any. has never let qld down. lineout throwing occasionally wonky - could do better there.

[frenchkiwi]

And seriously, Hugh Pyle not even in a squad of 25? Are you f-ing kidding me? 'Gomer' could be the next (legendary) Eales if given the chance—arguably more dynamic. But I guess playing for the lowly Rebels (read NOT Tahs) means he doesn't get a look in.

ha i'd noticed that Pyle has a go-go gadget arm ...gets over the tryline every time.

so certainly catches the eye but locks are generally evaluated on how well they do in lineouts, scrums, and clearing out rucks before the fancy stuff. i've got no idea how well he rates on that scale ?

anyway looks like Cooper is looking for new pastures... Cooper Eyes Maori All Blacks

[Ken Gargett]

anyway looks like Cooper is looking for new pastures... Cooper Eyes Maori All Blacks

??????

you do know that quade cooper, reds fly half, mid 20's, grew up in brizzy etc etc, is not the same bloke as colin cooper - mid fifties, kiwi, okay player a long time ago?

mind you, with no disrespect intended, it may explain some of the comments.

[frenchkiwi]

??????

you do know that quade cooper, reds fly half, mid 20's, grew up in brizzy etc etc, is not the same bloke as colin cooper - mid fifties, kiwi, okay player a long time ago?

mind you, with no disrespect intended, it may explain some of the comments.

i dunno, check the picture on the article, pretty sure that's the same fella, just aged a bit after all that Deans is putting him through.

relax, Ken, it was a joke! of course, i thought the same thing when i saw the headline, QC being a maori boy from tokoroa and all that. timana tahu went and played for nz maori league team against england, so stranger things have happened!

[Smokin_Safari]

Given that Deans' side will be undergoing lobotomies whilst in camp to follow his single mantra of 'hurl yourself at the castle gates until they open' instead of empowering their brains, it's a good thing Gatland left out Robshaw as he's got a lobo scar also - he would have been pushing from the wrong end.

I am quite happy to only get tix for the HK Baas game as I cannot afford all the Kleenex to watch Deans' Disaster in action - at least I can turn off the TV when some whacker starts to worshsip Barnes / Dennis - I'm losing my lunch already!

As for the ARU, who's running their website now - Mr Magoo? How can they call Folau a QANTAS Wallaby when all he's done so far is turn up for the free brekkie in camp??? Last I thought, you actually had to turn a blade of grass on the hallowed Test Match turf first - let alone shed a drop of blood on the jersey - yes, a jersey, not a t-shirt!!

Marty

[Ken Gargett]

BREAKING NEWS. in news that ranks alongside such shocks as 'the sun will come up tomorrow', barnes has limped off during the super xv game v the rebels, injured again.

those bookmakers backing him not to finish a game between the under 7's and the end of his career looking good.

but the fact that he could make the field will no doubt be enough for the gibbering moron deans to make certain he is in the starting line up.

[Ken Gargett]

so the HORRORTAHS go down to the perennial cellar-dwellers, the rebels, and even their own press bagging horne, palu, barnes, and so on. hooper yet again endless penalties against him.

the lions must have at least had a few players injured this evening from laughing too hard.

[TheBaron]

so the HORRORTAHS go down to the perennial cellar-dwellers, the rebels, and even their own press bagging horne, palu, barnes, and so on. hooper yet again endless penalties against him.

the lions must have at least had a few players injured this evening from laughing too hard.

Was at the game. Your boy Barnes was horrible tonight Ken. (Might have been the old loser's limp).

That said, reckon you're being a tad harsh on the Rebels. They're not as bad as you make out - defence was incredible tonight and for a club in its third year they've established a real culture of showing plenty of ticker and fighting to the death.

Must admit, your Reds bias is a bit overwhelming at times. Only a blindly Reds fan could defend Saia with the gusto you do. The guy's a bina fide wood duck on the field - especially when in a Wallabies jersey. Stupid mistake after stupid mistake. Only gets a game at the Reds it seems cos his brother (who's a gun) says "you only ge me if you take Saia, too". Anyway, agree to disagree on him.

But if Deans doesn't wake up to the blind pigheadedness of picking Barnes ahead of Cooper after tonight's performance, the prick is going to get run out of town. (By the way, wasn't saying Cooper was poor in 2012, just that he's been better (superb, in fact) this season.)

And I dare say you haven't seen much of my boy Pyle. All I can say is watch this space mate.

[Ken Gargett]

Was at the game. Your boy Barnes was horrible tonight Ken. (Might have been the old loser's limp).

That said, reckon you're being a tad harsh on the Rebels. They're not as bad as you make out - defence was incredible tonight and for a club in its third year they've established a real culture of showing plenty of ticker and fighting to the death.

Must admit, your Reds bias is a bit overwhelming at times. Only a blindly Reds fan could defend Saia with the gusto you do. The guy's a bina fide wood duck on the field - especially when in a Wallabies jersey. Stupid mistake after stupid mistake. Only gets a game at the Reds it seems cos his brother (who's a gun) says "you only ge me if you take Saia, too". Anyway, agree to disagree on him.

But if Deans doesn't wake up to the blind pigheadedness of picking Barnes ahead of Cooper after tonight's performance, the prick is going to get run out of town. (By the way, wasn't saying Cooper was poor in 2012, just that he's been better (superb, in fact) this season.)

And I dare say you haven't seen much of my boy Pyle. All I can say is watch this space mate.

actually, i'm a fan of the rebels and love the way they are playing. very nervous re our game v them.

no bias at all. as dan ackroyd might say, just the facts, ma'am!

i am actually more of a fan of saia than i am of the brother. might have been the other way around re the signing! anthony also tries his heart out and is usually a good defender but has missed a few crucial tackles this year. he is the slowest centre to play the game since nathan grey and looks like a deer in headlights if he gets put in the clear. and really looks like he has no idea what to do with the ball. he is, gulp, slightly more dismal than mccabe. how is that for a reds bias!

kid i like is sautia. wish he would re-sign asap. huge talent.

i also think simmons lucky to be there. lineout work improved of late but misses key tackles. can be soft. and there are a few more that i have reservations about.

this reds team over the last few years has been a very good one but they would not go close to the great teams of late 70's/early 80's and some of the 90's teams. i'm now off to wash the mouth out with soap and pray for forgiveness.

genia, possibly gill, digby, possibly horwill only ones who'd challenge for a spot in those great teams. cooper has the bad luck of having to dislodge either mclean or lynagh. not yet, likely not ever.