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Darren Walton,
AAP
Updated August 18, 2013, 12:40 pm
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie will consider deploying Israel Folau at fullback in a bid to maximise his game-breaking attacking potential and keep Australia's Bledisloe Cup hopes alive.
The Wallabies must win Saturday's second Test in Wellington to avoid losing the trans-Tasman series for an 11th straight year and getting Folau more ball is one McKenzie's biggest challenges.
Wallabies great Tim Horan bemoaned how, for all the deadly weaponry at his disposal, Folau had "one of the quietest games I've ever seen from an Australian winger" in Saturday night's 47-29 shellacking at the hands of the All Blacks.
"They said they were going to target him. Well, one way of targeting him is to keep him out of the game," McKenzie said on Sunday.
"So it's up to us to find ways to keep him in the game."
Playing fullback for the NSW Waratahs, Folau was crowned Australia's Super Rugby rookie of the year in his debut season in the code, while Test rookie Jesse Mogg had a forgettable starting debut in Australia's No.15 jumper on Saturday night.
Mogg also lost his nerve when the Super Rugby final was on the line against the Chiefs and his Brumbies coach Jake White said before the international season that the 23-year-old wasn't yet ready for Test rugby.
McKenzie's dilemma now is striking the right balance if he reshuffles his backline for the do-or-die clash in New Zealand, where the Wallabies haven't won since 2001.
Moving Folau to fullback would probably require shifting Adam Ashley-Cooper, who's been one of Australia's shining lights at outside centre, to the wing and promoting another Test novice in Tevita Kuridrani to a midfield starting role.
McKenzie could also start James O'Connor, twice caught out defensively in the six-try first-Test drubbing and who also boasts a superior kicking game to Folau, at fullback.
But that would leave the dual international stranded on the wing and at risk of being under-utilised once again.
"He's played most of his rugby league career on the wing. The fullback bit has been obviously something the Tahs experimented with. We certainly don't rule out that he can play in that position and within a game he can play in that position," McKenzie said.
"So we'll be open-minded about that. He's a good player and we practised to have him involved in the game. It just didn't eventuate."
Refusing to panic, McKenzie ruled out sweeping changes and said the focus this week would be on improving the side's transition defence after the world champions scored three tries from turnovers, and also decision making and ball security.
"They're things we have to attend to but the good thing is they're easily fixed," the new coach said.
Halfback Will Genia insisted the Wallabies could still defy the odds and wrestle back the treasured Bledisloe Cup with successive wins over the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time in a single season since 1949.
"I don't feel deflated. Not at all. There's a lot of confidence in the fact that we scored 29 points," Genia said.
"We had a heavy emphasis on attack during the week because we wanted to reinvent and refresh a few new things.
"We've just got to go away and make sure we work hard because seven days is a long time.
"It's an old cliche, but I still feel very confident. We've lost one game. We've got two more to potentially, hopefully get a trophy.
"It's only the start of the competition. You can't dwell too much in history."
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...fullback-role/
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
I think its a good option. hes a good 15 in my opinion.
Why on earth does moving Folau to FB require moving AAC to the wing FFS!! Bring in Cummins and leave AAC where he is best suited!!!!![]()
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Originally Posted by Ewen MacKenzie defending a decision to keep Mr Nobody Folau in the team
Originally Posted by Ewen MacKenzie putting the blame on others for Folau's inactivity
Originally Posted by Ewen MacKenzie thinking about playing multiple players out of position
Originally Posted by Some useless hack attempting to justify an inclusion of James O'Connor
Originally Posted by Ewen MacKenzie refusing to drop players after they had their bottoms spanked
Originally Posted by Ewen MacKenzie sounding upbeat even though we should be in mourning
Originally Posted by Billy Genia not seeming too disappointed about getting six tries scored on them
Originally Posted by You think seven days is a long time when nothing's changed in six years and two coaches?
Originally Posted by It appears that Bill Genia is one of 25 people in Australia confident that they can win back the Bledisloe
More of the same shit after a drubbing, Is MacKenzie really any better than Deans?Originally Posted by Will Genia refusing to LEARN from history
C'mon the![]()
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Hold on Alison sensible thinking and suggestions like that I might nominate you for a job in the Wallabies set up
Multiple praises Gigs!! Great analysis :-) Rugby coaches are no different to politicians really.
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Except for when a Politician retires he isn't missed but when a great rugby man retires he is missed
How he was even allowed to leave rugby still has me puzzled that man is a national treasure
Name a side you would like to see GIGS
As a side note I too question why two dads need to shifted to the wing because Folau is being moved to 15
Ill give it a go.
1 Slipper
2 moore
3 alexander
4 simmons
5 horwill
6 mowen
7 hooper
8 mccalman
9 genia
10 cooper
11 cummins
12 lilo
13 aac
14 izzy
15 joc
16 saia
17 sio
18 kepu
19 fardy
20 gill
21 white
22 kurendrani
23 mogg
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nein nein nein the National Treasure is Kurtley Beale
I like your team GAFFA, and you cunningly solved the crisis of not moving AAC from 13 by not moving Izzy from the wing
Gawd can you imagine the bleating from over east with Benny Mac at 8?
playing Cooper at 10 over in NZ after dropping Matt Toomua from the 23? He will certainly get a razz from the cuzzy bros, it will be make or break for him.
The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor
Alot of posts i have read on other forums have actually called for ben mac to start. Even those on the east coast. They see how badly we got beat at the break down; with ben mac work rate trumping running ability. Even thought he has a decent running game he Ben Mac is a work horse who is great at the break down which we need to counter richi. MMM is a great player but a test 6 he isnt anymore.
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I wonder if Genia actually does play better with Cooper outside him? It's a precarious question to ask though, as I'm questioning his integrity by doing so. Would the Wallabies been better served with White in that position? And still no room for the guy who might become the long-term replacement for Quade, Bernard Foley? Or is he injured?
Regardless, they were thumped by the Lions in their last game, I didn't expect New Zealand to do anything less. Remember, when Rod MacQueen took over from Greg Smith, he managed to lose to Argentina.
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
I see this as a good start Genia is to slow and just got caught out to often with nowhere to go ( Lack Of Communication)
1 Slipper
2 moore
3 alexander
4 simmons Played well
5 horwill Best metres in last game
6 mowen
7 hooper
8 mccalman Good scrumager to assist hooper
9 White
10 Toomua / Foley
11 cummins
12 lilo
13 AAC
14 JOC
15 Izzy
16 saia
17 sio
18 kepu
19 fardy
20 MMM for either role Lock Loosie
21Genia
22 kurendrani
23 mogg