Wallabies v South Africa 18 July 2015

[SNOB]

Forwards will be dominated. If you can't get the ball to the backs it doesn't matter how good the backs are.
The only up side is that the Boks are away from home and some combinations may not be natural yet! I hope!

[Alison]

If you need to compensate for Skelton in the line-out, what superman skills does he have in other areas that makes that worth it? Anyone??

[zimeric]

Biggerbottom and McCalman are very similar in stats regarding carried metres and tackle count and defenders beaten, Higgers has the hop this year in that hes scored 5 tries to 1 and i think its that stat that has Cheika preferring him. My biggest issue with Higgers is his inability to hold onto the pill in Tackles. McCalman has much safer hands and has a higher work rate and ruck involvement.

[Alison]

Higgers' poor discipline is an issue too!!!

[andrewg]

Biggerbottom and McCalman are very similar in stats regarding carried metres and tackle count and defenders beaten, Higgers has the hop this year in that hes scored 5 tries to 1 and i think its that stat that has Cheika preferring him. My biggest issue with Higgers is his inability to hold onto the pill in Tackles. McCalman has much safer hands and has a higher work rate and ruck involvement.

Higgers has had a very good year in 2015.
And yes, he makes 2.5 times the Handling Errors of McCalman.
McCalman misses fewer tackles and makes more Turn Overs

However, it's not just the try scoring ability of Higgers.
He is in front on other key stats as well including Line Outs and Ruck Involvements.

However, Higgers has had a big problem turning Super XV form into Test form.
Ben has a strong track record.
Obviously Higgers is being given a go to see if this has changed.

I get the impression that Cheika has decided that the RC doesn't matter and that these are Tests to trial squad options for the RWC.

[SNOB]

If you need to compensate for Skelton in the line-out, what superman skills does he have in other areas that makes that worth it? Anyone??

I must admit there are times that he shows some outstanding ball handling skills and does can have a lovely short pass. I think on a good day I'd rather see him than Horwel. Just hope he can play on the edge and not over it!

[Moono74]

I am hoping Benny Mac's exclusion is because he's a shoo-in and they are just testing out the also-rans!!!

Benny did fracture his cheekbone against the Brumbies. Can be 6 to 8 weeks recovery. Probably precautionary, save him for the AB's anyway

[GIGS20]

Biggerbottom and McCalman are very similar in stats regarding carried metres and tackle count and defenders beaten, Higgers has the hop this year in that hes scored 5 tries to 1 and i think its that stat that has Cheika preferring him. My biggest issue with Higgers is his inability to hold onto the pill in Tackles. McCalman has much safer hands and has a higher work rate and ruck involvement.

I think the selection of Higgers and Hooper in the same team are the strongest indication of Cheika's intentions than anything else. Regardless of whether Benny Mac is available, it indicates that attack is the only thing in his mind. I hope to god there is some plan to deal with (or at least respect) what the Bok bring to the table, because in comparison to the Wobs, they bring a helluva lot.

Like I said yesterday, we can't keep the ball in contact tomorrow night, now can we rely on the set piece, It's all about running the ball at them and offloading, because this team has very little to compete with any other eventuality.

I guess it's simple, don't have a team which can switch to plan B? Put all your eggs into plan A and make the substitutes your plan B.

Look for 8 replacements at 60 minutes, ore earlier if we're in the shit

[MI5_Dog]

last year Cheika had Hodgo on the bench and would bring him on in the last 10 minutes or so when we were in the shit to somehow pull off a turn over out of thin air and\or get us a penalty saving our bacon in the process.
I expect him to use Poey in the same way.

[hertryk]

Higgers' poor discipline is an issue too!!!

You took the words right out of mouth Alison.. (there's a song in there somewhere.. )

[hertryk]

Wearing my Wallaby 2011 Rugby World Cup gear today for work.. I have lost count of how many people have asked me if "they" are going to win tomorrow... Hmmmmmmmmm!!! Just said I wasn't confident..

[Macattack]

I can't remember the last time I saw Benny Mac bludging on the wing............. Higginbotham has done it more times than I could remember

[chibi]

I have lost count of how many people have asked me if "they" are going to win tomorrow...

This irritates the shit out of me too. I hate it when Australian friends say that.

Who's "they" mate? Australia? The country you live in? The country whose accent you speak with? Interesting how you refer to our national team as "they," not as "we" or "us," unless you don't consider yourself Australian, of course.

[GIGS20]

This irritates the shit out of me too. I hate it when Australian friends say that.

Who's "they?" Australia? The country you live in? The country whose accent you speak with? Interesting how you refer to our national team as "they," not as "we" or "us," unless you don't consider yourself Australian, of course.

I live south of rockingham, most people I meet use they accurately.

[jono]

I live south of rockingham, most people I meet use they accurately.

Finished the house yet?