WE Need another Captain SACK Elsom

[GIGS20]

A fully fit and in form Elsom is better than a fully fit and in form Higginbotham or probably any of our other sixes for that matter. Who would you have in his place?

And a fully fit and in form Giteau is better than a fully fit and in form McCabe....the question isn't about overall capability it's about what has been delivered over the last two years....both Elsom and Giteau have been struck by the same disease, causing them to be lazy, pretentious and ineffective.

I don't care how high the highs are James, he needs to go back to club rugby and find some form before he pulls on the hallowed jersey!

[jono]

he needs to earn the jersey, captain or not.
this is international rugby, the best 22 players from across the nation based on form throughout the super season should be the ones rewarded - because it is a reward - with the honour of a wallabies spot on game day

[James]

You guys have given me plenty of good reasons not to have Elsom in the side, but you haven't answered the question: Who would you have in his place?

[jono]

6 macalman
7 pocock
8 higgers

or braid at 6

[James]

Braid? Daniel Braid who is capped for New Zealand?

I think you would complain about exactly the same things with Higginbotham in the starting line-up. Through the whole S15 he was lambasted for sea-gulling on the wing and that was at a level below Test level. Elsom will come good. Trust me.

[jono]

sorry not braid.

robinson the other red's dude

[James]

I think I would have Samo in sooner. I know the Reds tried Horwill at 6 to limited success but I think that failed because they didn't use a proper 7. We have Pocock for tests. Why not try out 4. Vickerman 5. Sharpe 6. Horwill 7. Pocock 8. Higginbotham/Elsom and have Elsom/Higginbotham and Hodgson on the bench. To Elsom's credit, he at least hit a lot of rucks, although I can't remember how effectively, so what you would lose in workrate with Horwill at 6, you somewhat make up for with Elsom. Strip him off the captaincy sure but he'll come good in time.

[Tonkar]

Hey James have you not watched the super rugby season.....
Loose forwards are a plenty
options
6 Higgenbottom / Benny Mac / Hodgson /beau robinson
7 Pocock //Beau Robinson
8 Benny Mac / Samo / palu / Wykes
I dont see Rocky's name there and if Brown dog was not having surgey he would be on that list These guys would be alot hungrier if they had the chance to play Yes some may be a little inexperienced but they would run rings around fat lazy Elsom
I have also heard that Elsom has a contract with his name on the captaincy or i wont come back and play... well shows he is not worried about his position win or loose he still gets paid, Sorry ARU we want results not lazy players... The Coach is like ya Mum and Dad, the Teacher ,, so do what ya told orr get out ... He is no different to Matt Giteau stirs up trouble thats why gits left the force,,, leaving the Brumbies,, and not inthe wallabies he wont be told as he knows best well the rugby public want results BYE BYE rocky

[James]

I have watched a lot of the Super Rugby season.

Cliffy Palu is injured. I'd have him starting if he wasn't but he is injured and isn't likely to make it back to fitness or form for the World Cup.

Don't get me wrong because I am a huge fan but Matt Hodgson is not a blindside flanker at test level. He isn't big enough, or good enough a line-out option for height reasons. He is a very good bench option though.

Sam Wykes has no test experience and has played all season at 4, why put it him in an unfamiliar position? He might be great in the future but it would be madness to play him now.

Beau Robinson is an openside flanker or bench utility forward only. He doesn't have the physical presence or skill set for to be a good blindside flanker.

I think Samo deserves a run. Having said that, I would bet a lot of money that he disappoints in whatever game time he gets.

Higginbotham probably also deserves a start but people have selective memories and he won't last two games before everyone starts bagging him for not making enough tackles, seagulling on the wing and being ineffective at the breakdown.

Maybe we can convince TQ1 or Gerry to put up a book on Elsom's performance (whether or not he gets MOM, number of breakdown turnovers won, whether he has the highest tackle count, etc) for this weekend against South Africa.

[Sheikh]

The trouble is Elsom gets to play in every game in an effort to get him back to match pace and form.

Samo, Hodgson and Robinson (even Wykes - he played 6 for us in 2010 due to injuries and was damn good) get no game time to even show their abilities.

And it's not as if Deans isn't experimenting with new players, as Timani was getting game time.

Deans isn't being consistent with selections - some players get to regularly under-perform while others get pulled after good games. When was the last time the Wallabies played an unchanged side when changes weren't enforced by injuries?

[Burgs]

...others get pulled after good games...

Sounds like fair reward...

[Fullback]

Poor performance from the Wallabies. The win was always going to be a long shot for them, but I was hoping for a disciplined performance and a smaller loss margin.

On the subject of Elsom...

Not that I hate the guy, but I am worried about wether Elsom is really fit and ready to walk back into the Wallabies side and international rugby, come to think of it maybe even ever. It seems the only reason he is there is because he has the captaincy, which I believe was a questionable choice anyway.

etc....continued >>>http://twf.com.au/showthread.php?p=291679#post291679

Sure others had a bad performance, the key word being bad. Elsom had a normal performance.

IMO the captaincy and Elsoms place in the Wallabies side needs to be looked at.

[Darren]

Take a look at the TWF ratings for the last 2 tests:

Wallabies -v- Spring Boks

All Blacks -v- Wallabies

[James]

Tell you what, give him a chance this Saturday and view his performance with an open mind. If he is still dreadful then you can bag him until the cows come home.

[Burgs]

Nah, I'll start now and "risk" eating humble pie