Australia's backline in danger of being betrayed by a dodgy engine at World Cup,

[travelling_gerry]

Brendan Cannon says
The Sunday Mail (Qld) July 31, 2011 9:23AM


Australia's "Rolls-Royce" backline is in danger of being betrayed by a dodgy engine, according to former Test hooker Brendan Cannon.


The 42-Test Wallabies representative, a cornerstone of the side that reached the 2003 World Cup final, voiced his fears that Australia would be exposed up front.

Cannon pin-pointed the inexperience of tight-head prop Ben Alexander.

"The weakest link in Australian rugby right now, the one possible chink in our World Cup armour, is the scrum," Cannon said. "No question, we have a Rolls-Royce backline capable of scoring enough points to mix it with the other heavyweights, but I'm not entirely convinced Alexander is an international tight-head front-rower.

Watch the Wallabies tackle New Zealand in their Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations clash this Saturday from 4:30pm (EST) on Fox Sports 3HD or Fox Sports 3.

"If I were Wallaby coach Robbie Deans, I'd be performing major surgery on our forward pack.



"Don't forget, after the last World Cup our front-row was embarrassingly dubbed the 'Teletubbies' by English hooker Mark Regan."


Cannon said the Wallabies were still smarting from Regan's attack in 2007 after England monstered Matt Dunning, Stephen Moore and Al Baxter in the quarter-finals in France.

"Psychologically, those scars stick," he said.

Cannon rates himself well qualified to comment about international scrums being hammered.

"In 2005, I was in the middle of a front row with Dunning and Baxter who were completely touched up by the English at Twickenham," he said.

Cannon suggested switching Alexander to loosehead and playing Steve Kepu on the tighthead side.

"For mine, Alexander is an exceptional loosehead learning to play tighthead, but in a World Cup year, that's not the path I'd be going down," he said.

"In the front row, you need the immovable object. Kepu is the man to anchor our scrum and should be immediately trialled there."

Cannon said the Wallabies would have strike weapons to create turnover ball in the lineouts through the experience of second-rowers Dan Vickerman and Nathan Sharpe.

He acknowledged Queenslanders Rob Simmons, Scott Higginbotham and "reborn" Radike Samo were players for the future, but backed Vickerman's experience despite his lack of playing time this season.

By including Sharpe and Vickerman, the Wallabies then have a quality balance of youth and experience in the forwards.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wa...-1226105335901

[shasta]

Cannon suggested switching Alexander to loosehead and playing Steve Kepu on the tighthead side.

That's Toutai Kepu's little brother, right?

[TOCC]

Brendan Cannon says
The Sunday Mail (Qld) July 31, 2011 9:23AM
He acknowledged Queenslanders Rob Simmons, Scott Higginbotham and "reborn" Radike Samo were players for the future, but backed Vickerman's experience despite his lack of playing time this season.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wa...-1226105335901

shit, Samo's practically in his 40's and his been touted as a 'player for the future'?

[mudskipper]

shit, Samo's practically in his 40's and his been touted as a 'player for the future'?

loose Canon... does he read what he writes?

[Hoolly Doolly]

Poorly written and expressed but I agree that Kepu should be starting ahead of both alexander and Slipper at tighthead.

[Ecky]

That's Toutai Kepu's little brother, right?

If you meant Toutai Kefu, the ex-wallaby, then they're probably not as related as you first thought.

[shasta]

If you meant Toutai Kefu, the ex-wallaby, then they're probably not as related as you first thought.

Read it again, Sir. Maybe I should have used the sarcasm smiley or maybe you really do need that white cane.

[Rex Messup]

Sekope Kepu for the referees amongst us. How many scrum penalties did you get wrong on the weekend Ecky? Police escort again?

Kepu should play tighthead. gees he's got wide. He's perfect for it and good at it.

Hopefully Ben Robinson will do the Phoenix and rise from the ashes. Robinson was the key to us winning the big games. His scrummaging is dominant.No such thing as parity for the fat cat. he rips it up em and gets away with boring in better than anyone in the game.

The kiwis looked mighty up front against the Bokke. The Poms will target us here as usual.

Wallaby scrum the achilles heel.............nothing new under the sun

dead set

[zed]

How is Robinson able to play with a ruptured ACL? Has it repaired?

[shasta]

How is Robinson able to play with a ruptured ACL? Has it repaired?

Good question. I thought it must have been a slight tear. But I saw an interview with him and they were talking about him playing "without" an ACL. Never heard of that - which means jack, I suppose.

[PerthGirl]

I read somewhere that he is one of the few people that doesn't "need" a ACL

[zed]

I read somewhere that he is one of the few people that doesn't "need" a ACL

Ha ha I'd love to hear what medical specialists have to say about that! I'm guessing he can probably run on it, but if he takes a big knock he runs the risk of a career ending injury. Surely it must be significantly weaker and less stable than before the injury.

[mudskipper]

Franky I happy for Noreiga, Williams and Deans to select their frontrow... as long as the work is done...

[TOCC]

Ha ha I'd love to hear what medical specialists have to say about that! I'm guessing he can probably run on it, but if he takes a big knock he runs the risk of a career ending injury. Surely it must be significantly weaker and less stable than before the injury.

apparently 10% of the population dont need there ACL.. i guess its sort of like been double jointed or something..

[palitu]

interesting