Wallabies named for first test (is it confirmed?)

[Gruffalo]

A fairly adventurous selection for Deans.
Barnes O'Connor Beale and Folau are all interchangeable to varying degrees. Digby is our best attacking player. Hopefully his knee is fixed. Mowen finally gets the call, well deserved and will be calling lineout and hopefully counteracting Croft for the Lions who is very good there.
What else did we expect from Deans?
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[JediKnight]

No Force players & one Scot (unwanted Kiwi) on the bench...hmmm, my interest is waning somewhat!!!
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[jargan83]

one Scot
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That's good news for Australia
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[jono]

Is it me or does everybody here think this team is pretty shite.

The reserves are a litany of everything that's wrong with Robbie Deans IMHO, being heavily populated with his favourite bum-boys like S Finger and Pat McDon't cross the Advantage line whilst simultaneously holding some players who deserve the start like Slipper and Kepu (aren't they both Tight Heads?)

to back up Barnes with Beale (or is it O'Connor with Beale?) is incredibly risky, Ioane is coming back off injury, Simmons is ........ crap, there just isn't a lot to get excited about.

The joy of seeing a Super rugby b side roll the Lions b side is being tarnished by the names we see in the "A" side.

ps Why is Australia so short on flankers that we still pick Palu in big games? surely even Samo is better?

Only positive about this side is that mcabe isn't starting.
My run of never having been to a game where the wallabies have lost is going to be soured i think

[Invictus]

Anyone recall what Ranger did to O'Connor in Super Rugby? Prepare for deja vu - except it will be North/Cuthbert carrying the ball.

An watch for Parling to shred out lineout once he gets on.

Our lack of discipline will be what kills us. Halfpenny will have a field day with the boot.

[Gruffalo]

Why is everyone so down on the wallabies ? I think the team is a better one than the teams which beat Wales in previous years. O'Connor is a much better defender than Cooper and Beale is not ready to start at 10. Everyone gets caught off balance in the tackle, doesn't make Him A shit defender suddenly. Get behind your national team instead of whingeing like a bunch of Poms !
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[GAFFA]

Anyone recall what Ranger did to O'Connor in Super Rugby? Prepare for deja vu - except it will be North/Cuthbert carrying the ball.An watch for Parling to shred out lineout once he gets on.

Our lack of discipline will be what kills us. Halfpenny will have a field day with the boot.

That’s a bit harsh

O’Conner has made something like 95 tackles this year and missed 5. The one against Ranger he missed he had a fucked sternum most players wouldn’t have even attempted to make it. he was in the trainers arms pushed him away and tried to make the tackle. Kudos to him i say. His defence will be fine.

anyone remember him putting Spies on his hole during i think the tri nations a couple o years ago. One on one picked him up and drove him into touch....How quick our memory’s fail us.

[GIGS20]

Yep.....let it be known I always thought James was brave in defense and he usually made the tackle. I just don't think he's a world class ten is all.....much more of a 12, but unfortunately stricken by the Matt Giteau bug which said #10 is the most important position on the field and I'm the most important player on the team therefore we're made for each other!

Stick O'Connor in 12 and find a decent 10 for God's sake!

[Invictus]

That’s a bit harsh

O’Conner has made something like 95 tackles this year and missed 5. The one against Ranger he missed he had a fucked sternum most players wouldn’t have even attempted to make it. he was in the trainers arms pushed him away and tried to make the tackle. Kudos to him i say. His defence will be fine.

anyone remember him putting Spies on his hole during i think the tri nations a couple o years ago. One on one picked him up and drove him into touch....How quick our memory’s fail us.

It probably does sound harsher than intended. I was trying to illicit a certain mental image rather than say that O'Connor has a suspect technique or no ticker (probably too much ticker as the Ranger tackle cost him 2 or 3 weeks on the sidelines). If the Lions play the way I expect them to then the 9/10/12 channels will need to be on the money defensively and they will need to stop the ball carrier on the advantage line. I am uncertain that the wallabies can maintain that level of defensive intensity for 80 minutes. It is also a new 10/12/13 combination with a debutant at 14. Not what you would call a firm foundation.

[WF2006]

Lions by 15

Is that points or tries??

[Buddha Handy]

Yep.....let it be known I always thought James was brave in defense and he usually made the tackle. I just don't think he's a world class ten is all.....much more of a 12, but unfortunately stricken by the Matt Giteau bug which said #10 is the most important position on the field and I'm the most important player on the team therefore we're made for each other!

Stick O'Connor in 12 and find a decent 10 for God's sake!

I would have loved to have seem Toomua at 10, Lilo 12, Folau 15 and O'Connor and digby on the wings.

[Gruffalo]

Maybe Sias ?
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[Gruffalo]

Maybe Sias ?
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[chibi]

He's picked three potential fly-halves in his starting XV; I wonder if he's up to something? We'll see tomorrow, but we may have some role-changing depending where the ball is on-field.Three playmakers available on-the-fly, so to speak.