Wallabies squad for Lions tour

[Ken Gargett]

worth noting a few stats from spiro zavos - a cooper detractor and deans apologist and for decades, the worst rugby writer on the planet (once described lynagh as an experiment gone wrong, calling for him to be dropped - and presumably replaced by that shining star, david knox or worse, lloyd walker - still worships ella's farts and is convinced he is the second coming, and has described horan and little as not good centres and not a good centre pairing). the only person in australia less deserving of a job than spiro is deans (and that includes our current PM and all the pollies).

the wallabies under deans have won 59% of their 71 tests (horrifying when you think of the easy beats one plays at world cups and so on). cooper did not play in 44 of those tests. when cooper does not play, we won just 52% of those. so the glorious wallabies basically have a winning rate of one in two. how has this bloke still got a job? most coaches would have slunk away in shame. not deans.

it would never happen with sides like the all blacks. can anyone seriously imagine an all black coach keeping his job for 70 tests with a one in two record? they'd be in strife with a 4 in 5 record. yet we accept, not mediocrity, but dismal failure.

home tests? we have won 70% but this rises to 80% when cooper plays.

mind you, spiro still supports deans on cooper.

says it all.

[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.

for what it is worth, after saia's game last night, hard to argue. terrific defence but shocking lineout work. appalling. and gave away a few penalties. i'd have hooked him well before mckenzie did.

that said, brother ant was again disappointing. no idea in attack. cooper puts him through holes and you just know he'll go nowhere. also some knock ons and a tackle or two missed.

the reds might have gone down but i thought cooper again superb. that try save in the corner, coming from nowhere at top speed in front of charging defence, scooping up that ball, and then getting his kick away in the middle of a thumping tackle, from right in the corner, and finding touch over the half way line was sheer magic.

interesting deans so criticaal of cooper being last line of defence and yet the reds, having played a game more than almost all other teams, has allowed few tries than every other team bar the stormers (who match their great defence with the worst scoring record in the game - though they scored enough to beat us).

[michaelhealy]

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

In that situation i would rather see it look like

9. Genia

10. Leai'ifano

11. Cummins

12. Barnes

13. AAC

14. Tomane

15. JOC

No way Izzy starts the first test

[Ken Gargett]

In that situation i would rather see it look like

9. Genia

10. Leai'ifano

11. Cummins

12. Barnes

13. AAC

14. Tomane

15. JOC

No way Izzy starts the first test

if izzy is good enough, i have no issue with him starting but imagine -

9. genia

10. cooper

12. o'connor

13. AAC

11. ?

14. ? digby when fit

15. izzy?

love to see cooper putting o'connor through gaps. someone with pace and skill to take advantage of it.

anthony faingaa last night - solid defence - god save us. was given 30 metres clear space and run down by a prop.

[michaelhealy]

I think the team for the first test will be (1-15)

Robinson, Moore, Slipper, Simmons, Horwill©, Dennis, Hooper, Palu, Genia, Cooper, Cummins, Barnes, AAC, Tomane, JOC

Reserves- Folau, Phipps, Horne, Fainga'a, Kepu, Gill, Douglas

[michaelhealy]

How does McCalman even figure?

http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1516/ArticleID/9362/Default.aspx

[michaelhealy]

if izzy is good enough, i have no issue with him starting but imagine -

9. genia

10. cooper

12. o'connor

13. AAC

11. ?

14. ? digby when fit

15. izzy?

love to see cooper putting o'connor through gaps. someone with pace and skill to take advantage of it.

anthony faingaa last night - solid defence - god save us. was given 30 metres clear space and run down by a prop.

A fit Digby would be first picked. Work rate for a wing is phenomenal. Fainga'a's speed is his biggest liability. I dont think JOC's defence is good enough to play outside QC. Cooper looked like he was trying too hard last night for about 60 mins. Then he bloody scores the winning try. Go figure! He will play out of his skin this sat against the Lions and force Deans to pick him.

[Ken Gargett]

I think the team for the first test will be (1-15)

Robinson, Moore, Slipper, Simmons, Horwill©, Dennis, Hooper, Palu, Genia, Cooper, Cummins, Barnes, AAC, Tomane, JOC

Reserves- Folau, Phipps, Horne, Fainga'a, Kepu, Gill, Douglas

so that assumes higgers injured?

i'd suspect slipper more likely on the bench as can fit either side.

simmons only if injuries. if mcmeniman is fit, he'll start. cooper is about as much chance as me. he would have to lead the reds to a 30 point win over the lions, score them all himself, top the tackle count and still have to hope for a lot of injuries.

i am sure izzy will start - the ARU website describes him as a wallaby. you'd think our own admin could get it right. he is not. you are not a wallaby because you get picked in one of the many squads this inept moron has assembled. but i think it might just be a smidge premature only. where then o'connor? i think fly half and lea'fano in centre.

that back row is so utterly depressing that i can't even get fired up about pointing out how absurd it is. hooper a good player but he is NOT as good as gill. he gives away so many penalties. like a small version of finnegan tho a better player than him. gill is the true superstar we could have in our pack. palu must have photos of deans and sheep. what a joke. but he looks like mark loane compared to dave dennis. that will be the ultimate disgrace. it will almost have me reaching for a red jersey on the night.

expect cooper not to make the squad but beale to be on the bench for the first game.

i really think i have more contempt for that kiwi moron than i do for the PM. line ball.

[Ken Gargett]

and before i get accused of reds bias with gill, you'll note that i have knocked three reds out of the suggested team.

[Ken Gargett]

one quick thing on gill/hooper. gill has played a bit less then hooper this season yet almost twice the turnovers and more than anyone else in the competition from any nation.

hooper has also missed far more tackles than anyone else from australia and nearly anywhere. he misses about one in every six. the lions will have a field day.

[michaelhealy]

The only reason i like Slipper to stat is that he is an 80 minute prop, and he is a QLDer (i dont mind being biased Ken). I think Gill will start one of the three tests but not the first. I would like Jake Schatz to be one of the 6 guys named. Has has a solid 2 seasons now and deserves it. If Higginbotham is fit to go, then Dennis goes to the bench naturally. I would rather have seen James Hanson in the squad over Fainga'a. I think he offers more off the bench and has more ticker. I am a massive Wallaby fan but i really think they will struggle up front. At least there is no Jason Robinson on the wing this time around to burn the Aussies down the edges.

[El Presidente]

Izzy a certainty. That put's O'connor at 10 for the first at least. Fair..no. A special...I would think yes.

You would like to see Cooper on the bench, but I can't see how they can fit him in as Beale will likely take that role in terms of versatility. That is a disgrace for someone who has played so little rugby of late, let alone his recent off field indiscretions. Cooper could easily cover fullback in a flash, Izzy to centre or wing, rotate the Izzy/cooper/ O'connor combination.

Forwards are in a little bit of dissaray with Higgers gone for the first.

Wrap up.

• Lions achieve dominance in the forwards game one.
  
• Wallabies backline as rusty as all buggery. O'connnor goes missing after 20 mins of trying to "square the attack". lions blitz at 12/13 and force Izzy to run into the forwards. the chip kicks start.
  
• Lions by 12.
  

[Ken Gargett]

i assume you mean lions by 12 at half time and then the deluge!

further to your argument, cooper did play some in-centre back when we had that spineless turncoat barnes with the reds. so a bench position a good option.

if beale is picked and cooper not, then deans is a complete gibbering imbecile or utterly dishonest in his claims that the toxic comments are forgotten.

mind you, those two options are hardly mutually exclusive.

on a far happoer note, i saw an ad on aussie tv the other night featuring RG3! now we know he is a star.

[michaelhealy]

i assume you mean lions by 12 at half time and then the deluge!

further to your argument, cooper did play some in-centre back when we had that spineless turncoat barnes with the reds. so a bench position a good option.

if beale is picked and cooper not, then deans is a complete gibbering imbecile or utterly dishonest in his claims that the toxic comments are forgotten.

mind you, those two options are hardly mutually exclusive.

on a far happoer note, i saw an ad on aussie tv the other night featuring RG3! now we know he is a star.

Did you buy him a wedding present like the other RG3 fanatics Ken?

[Ken Gargett]

Did you buy him a wedding present like the other RG3 fanatics Ken?

seriously, how stupid to you think i am?

bloke making millions and they run and buy him presents.

nice stuff but seriously?????

okay, in truth, the registry was fully sold out by the time i got to it.... so pretty stupid.

[ARRV]

Izzy a certainty. That put's O'connor at 10 for the first at least. Fair..no. A special...I would think yes.

You would like to see Cooper on the bench, but I can't see how they can fit him in as Beale will likely take that role in terms of versatility. That is a disgrace for someone who has played so little rugby of late, let alone his recent off field indiscretions. Cooper could easily cover fullback in a flash, Izzy to centre or wing, rotate the Izzy/cooper/ O'connor combination.

Forwards are in a little bit of dissaray with Higgers gone for the first.

Wrap up.

• Lions achieve dominance in the forwards game one.
  
• Wallabies backline as rusty as all buggery. O'connnor goes missing after 20 mins of trying to "square the attack". lions blitz at 12/13 and force Izzy to run into the forwards. the chip kicks start.
  
• Lions by 12.
  

Spot on

How depressing

[michaelhealy]

Something for you Ken.

Dear Robbie

Congratulations on reaching your 50th Test as Coach of the Wallabies.

Can I start by saying what a choice job you’ve been doing since you first started working for New Zealand Rugby in 2008. It has been a long-term task, but the plan to ensure the All Blacks win the World Cup at home in 2011 is coming together perfectly.

My idea of getting you to be hired by Australian Rugby as their national coach and then sabotage the Wallabiesfrom within, in my own modest opinion, was an absolute masterstroke.

While our plan had many doubters, I always knew in my heart that the Aussies would fall for it. After reaching 50 tests as coach on the weekend, I think its only fitting to mention what I think is your top 10 highlights of sabotage to date:

1. Losing to Ireland

2. Giving Rocky the captaincy of the country he hadn’t played for in over two years, then stripping it off him right before the World Cup

3. Losing to Scotland

4. Not even getting close to winning the Bledisloe Cup back

5. Not picking a backup for Pocock in the World Cup squad

6. Never using the Wallaby bench effectively

7. Not having a back-up game plan

8. Using words like “contest, willing, collision, contact-zone, adaptation” to describe rugby

9. Losing to Samoa

10. Winning only 54% of all your games as coach of historically one of the mostsuccessful teams in Rugby

I can’t believe after all this they then extended your contract for a further two years?!?!?! How they didn’t work out our plan after you coached them to 10 Bledisloe cup losses in a row is full credit to you and were all very proud of you back at home bro.

Well done once again and as planned we’ll see you at Ritchie’s after the World Cup to celebrate pulling the wool over the Aussies' eyes.

Cheers

Graham Henry

[Ken Gargett]

says it all.

to be fair, i have never thought of this as a kiwi plot (they are not that clever) but rather our own stuff up, proving we are just as dumb.

[frenchkiwi]

wonder if we get any of this ... maybe a bit more tactful ...

speaking of which, higginbotham please get better in time for the first test, for the fans sake. his form is out of this world and the rebels were quite literally half the side when he left the pitch.

i thought quade cooper showed again the full spectrum of his qualities the other night, useful around the paddock and better vision and wide passing than o'connor but giving away not one but two chargedown tries on simple clearances. too big a cardinal sin for test rugby but then again so is having a first XV without a bona fide first five.

o'connor does make defences think twice cos he will threatens the line but he still runs sideways a lot... which would make him a handy first five IF Jamie Roberts or SBW were running onto his ball ... rarely makes a mistake though... suppose he'll do

anyone see the lions baabaas game? lions weren't far off their first XV. Cuthbert might usurp North's spot on that form, and BoD is probably safe but Davies is playing well as usual. Schalk Brits should be called up by the Reds to do some more softening up work.

at this stage the lions' whole team looks a lot bigger size wise than wallabies... if it rains heavily it might not be a competitive game (oh for the nous of a george smith in that kind of situation).

[El Presidente]

i thought quade cooper showed again the full spectrum of his qualities the other night, useful around the paddock and better vision and wide passing than o'connor but giving away not one but two chargedown tries on simple clearances. too big a cardinal sin for test rugby but then again so is having a first XV without a bona fide first five.

Cooper was woeful that first half. Yet I watched Carter do the same thing last weekend leading to a try against Canterbury under the posts. Not boo was said.

[Ken Gargett]

a hypothetical.

if cooper had horan and little outside him, not that well meaning tree stump faingaa, would he already be considered one of the greats?

just imagine those two running off his passes into the gaps he makes and following up his breaks.

[mazolaman]

wonder if we get any of this ... maybe a bit more tactful ...

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I would suspect so.

I recall watch South Africa do it last time, typically unsubtley. The local teams were as rough as chuff, and twice as dirty.

[Ken Gargett]

sort of stuff you'd expect from nsw. watch for it tomorrow night!

[frenchkiwi]

a hypothetical.

if cooper had horan and little outside him, not that well meaning tree stump faingaa, would he already be considered one of the greats?

just imagine those two running off his passes into the gaps he makes and following up his breaks.

cooper has one of the best long passing games in world rugby, but not the best at putting short-ball runners into gaps, i say give him an outside centre like mortlock or better a fullback like cullen who hit gaps at speed

[frenchkiwi]

Cooper was woeful that first half. Yet I watched Carter do the same thing last weekend leading to a try against Canterbury under the posts. Not boo was said.

no 1st5 is immune to a charge down, but two within minutes? surely you'd adjust and step back or pay attention? the 2nd one hit a player who wasn't looking / didn't even have his arms up.