RUPA People's Choice Team of the Year

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“Congratulations to all players who’ve been recognised by the fans and selected in the Volvo People’s Choice Team of the Year for 2017,” said RUPA Chief Executive Officer Ross Xenos.

“This team Is voted on exclusively by the fans, and it is their continued support that gives Australian Rugby its strength. It is their contributions, from volunteering at their clubs, to buying tickets to matches or FoxSports subscriptions that makes it possible for professional Rugby to thrive all across the country."

“The selection of ten players from the Western Force and Brumbies reflects their battle for dominance in the Australian conference, and the unique stories behind the selection of every one of the fifteen players shows that they have in their own way each won fans' appreciation."

Places in the Volvo People's Choice Team of the Year were very tightly contested, with the final XV being:
Pek Cowan (Western Force)
Tatafu Polota-Nau (Western Force)
Allan Ala'alatoa (ACT Brumbies)
Rory Arnold (ACT Brumbies)
Adam Coleman (Western Force)
Ross Haylett-Petty (Western Force)
Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs)
Amanaki Mafi (Melbourne Rebels)
Michael Ruru (Western Force)
Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs)
Marika Koroibete (Melbourne Rebels)
Billy Meakes (Western Force)
Samu Kerevi (Queensland Reds)
Henry Speight (ACT Brumbies)
Dane Haylett-Petty (Western Force)

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Well done to all the Force boys!

Wow 7 in the starting XV that is telling.... Are you listening ARU?
Well done to all the boys that made it and also to the other boys who made it all happen as a team this year.

Well done to them all but especially to RHP. Just shows that Joe Public can see past some of the bullshit "journalism" and recognise a real grafter who puts in every week.

Now if he could just control that aggression in crucial moments.......;)

That actually looks like the team that the Wallabies should be fielding (switch in Timani for Mafi, and Folau for Korobeite or Speight)

Good stuff, well done to our boys

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Originally Posted by chiraag

That actually looks like the team that the Wallabies should be fielding (switch in Timani for Mafi, and Folau for Korobeite or Speight)

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Picked this team from the remainder of the squad, who would win? The RUPA team (Thumbs UP) or these Wallabies below (Thumbs DOWN)

1 Scott Sio, 32 Tests, Brumbies
2 Stephen Moore, 120 Tests, Queensland Reds
3 Sekope Kepu, 80 Tests, NSW Waratahs
4 Kane Douglas, 31 Tests, Queensland Reds
5 Rob Simmons, 71 Tests, Queensland Reds
6 Ned Hanigan, 3 Tests, NSW Waratahs
7 Sean McMahon, 15 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
8 Lopeti Timani, 7 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
9 Will Genia (vc), 78 Tests
10 Kurtley Beale, 60 Tests, NSW Waratahs
11 Izaia Perese*, Queensland Reds
12 Reece Hodge, 13 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
13 Tevita Kuridrani, 47 Tests, Brumbies
14 Curtis Rona*, Western Force
15 Israel Folau, 55 Tests, NSW Waratahs

Poor Curtis, stuck in a team of losers captained by a twat.

The wallabies would go down, but I think it might be closer than some would expect.

Front rows are nearly even RUPA has players with better attitude.

Second row, no question really RUPA is street's ahead.

Back row, timpani would battle, but hannigan has proven to go missing at crucial times, the only limiting factor is the obvious lack of a number 7 for RUPA.
Halves, genius is a child, mick Ruru is a monster, there would be blood, Foley vs Beale, Foley would win 80% of the time and be the main reason we lost for the remainder.
Centres hodge kuridrani vs makes kerevi, it would be a tight battle in the midfield, hard to pick an advantage there.
Outside backs presents is green and I haven't seen much of him, so benefit of the doubt, Rona would put in and folau is capable of better than we've seen this year, challenging koroibete Speight and DHP in his best position I think it would go to RUPA but not by much, prese and folau both have the potential to tip the balance there.

Rupa by 3

Did Cheika pick that team? Curtis is out of position ;)

To be fair I'd happily gift the Wallabies Hooper and Foley... it would probably improve both teams!

Gigs that is pretty harsh

1, 3 and then 11 to 15 are all bloody good players. And I like Beale (did you stop reading) for me he is the ideal bench player and that is not a slight on him just that he can bring so much whilst covering so many positions.

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Originally Posted by sandgroperrugby

Gigs that is pretty harsh 1, 3 and then 11 to 15 are all bloody good players. And I like Beale (did you stop reading) for me he is the ideal bench player and that is not a slight on him just that he can bring so much whilst covering so many positions.

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Opinions are like arseholes grope, I simply tried to stack up position against position and I'm prepared to stand by those judgements. I think there are plenty of good players on the wallabies team, but I have seen their frailties exposed on regular occasions at both provincial and international level. Assuming that you agree with my assessment of 2, 4,5,6,7 and 8 I'll concentrate on the backs if you don't mind. The questionable calls I could see in what I wrote might be Ruru over Genia (maybe personal bias) , but mick has proven himself second only to his team mate Ryan this year and arguably better at that. Genia is aging, and I wasn't at all impressed with what I saw in June. Foley over Beale, at 10 is a pretty easy call, Foley should win that, but has suffered the same mental fragility that all the tahs have this year. Wings, the rupa wings are big and fast, both of them. Speight looks to be slowly coming back into form and koroibete could be anything Dane vs izzy in the same position would be cool to watch, hard to call one better than the other, but if izzy lights up, Dane would likely have a hard time keeping up. I suspect none of the tahs would light up this year, might be wrong.