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Now with the Tri Nations behind us to judge on, I'll pose the some Poll as pre 3N here: http://thewholeforce.com/showthread.php?t=3185
Rate how you think they have performed in a post (10 great - 1 crud) and cast a vote in the options as to where you feel they are in the build up to France.
I'm glad we still have another 12 months to go..... :S
Im with Happy!
larkham needs to go on last nights performance.who to replace him you say?surely when giteau went to 5/8 and spanner to inside, and sheehan to half the whole backline looked so much more impressive.imagine the centres being spanner and mortlock.not much fun for attackers or defenders alike.sheehan may not be the final answer but surely its goodbye george?
Would have to disagree re Gregan leck, I think that was a great match from him and he showed far greater variety than in recent times.
Personally (and this is only at Test level, not at the Force) I would shift Giteau to #21 and bring Staniforth to #12 to play out the opening 50 odd minutes of the match.
International Rugby has moved from having two 5/8's with passing finese and skills, to having two Outside Centres hitting it up and with strong defence.
Rathbone offers little except for meathead running up into the brick wall so would drop him for Gerrard and Shepherd on the bench when Tuqiri returns.
I really can't understand why Smith is being left on the bench for so long when there remains no time to have an impact on the outcome. I have touted him being a bench starter for quite some time but that was with the intent of having him come on around the 50 minute mark to bust the match wide open.
Knuckles is certainly no idiot so I can only summise that there is a "greater plan" in place for this decision.
My first pick side including injuries/suspensions at the moment would be:
- Greg Holmes
- Jeremy Paul
- Rodney Blake
- Nathan Sharpe
- Daniel Vickerman
- Mark Chisholm
- Phil Waugh
- Wycliff Palu
- George Gregan
- Stephen Larkham
- Lote Tuqiri
- Scott Staniforth
- Stirling Mortlock
- Mark Gerrard
- Chris Latham
- Tai McIsaac
- Guy Shepherdson
- Daniel Heenan
- George Smith
- Sam Cordingley
- Matt Giteau
- Cameron Shepherd
I can't see Gits not being in the startling line up sorry, he is awesome. His breaks last night had me shouting "dammit, tackle that rabbit!"!!!! because when he attacks he bursts onto the ball at such pase...
to jump on the bandwagon....i think giteau needs to be more involved and needs to dictate play more. he's a fantastic player but is wasted doing what he curretly is doing and there is no way that he should start on the bench. I mean stanners is a good player but giteau cains it up in comparisson
* I think Larkham had a shocker and his kicking game was rubbish. He has to go.
* Smith on the sideline was a disgrace and you have to think that he and Mr Connolly arent the best of mates at the moment.
* I think the scrum has a long way to go, Benn Robinson had a very quiet game, and did nothing to impress.
* Gregan had a fine game, but I will still continue to say that he should be retired and we need a young scrum half leading us towards RWC 2007.
I agree fully with all of them. Despite my comments above, burgs, i think that gregan cannot be around come september next year. Why not leave gits in the pivot and put spanner in the centres; the game flowed so much better there in the last five minutes. The only point i don't agree with is the benn robinson bit, but that it because i am a biased and loyal kings boy. Toughest debut imaginable for a young prop to play 78 minutes at altitiude marking Os du Rant. Another chance?Quote:
Originally Posted by Exile
Have some serious doubts about knuckles, and the aussie pack is a shambles. Other than that fine.
Compared to your line out, I think our scrum is reasonable, just. Certainly needs some work before RWC 2007.
Didn't know there were "Pies" in NZ, looks like I have an NPC team as well now, Emirates don't sponsor them do they?
Our line out is indeed a major weakness at the moment, Henry needs to work on that stat. But an aussie scrum being pushed back 25 meters, that should be a concern.Quote:
Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr
I never discount either the Aussies or Saffas in terms of a World Cup, prediction is one of the southern three to leave France with the silverware ;)
www.magpierugby.com for all the news from the Bay. Wouldn't get too excited we're got a 1-1-5 record thus far this season :verysad: We should notch up win 2 this evening over the hopeless sheep herders from Manawatu.
Still a faint chance of making the finals if we can knock over the next three games. :iconrofl: