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Thread: Connolly faces selection dilemma

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    Connolly faces selection dilemma

    Perhaps a timely spot to begin talking about your "Form XV's" for Wallaby selection as we start to wind out the Super 14 season?
    Rayner puts some pretty good arguments forward for the majority of his selections.
    Who would you select to play for Australia?
    Whack on your armchair selectors cap and get thinking!
    Please list them in the traditional (and TWF endorsed) manner of 1-22 down the page.
    If you feel the urge then round out your 33 Man squad and add any notes you feel warranted as well.
    I will list Rayners as an example and do my own later on in a seperate post.

    Rayners Wallabies:

    1. Gareth Hardy
    2. Jeremy Paul
    3. Guy Shepherdson
    4. Daniel Vickerman
    5. Daniel Heenan
    6. Hugh McMeniman
    7. George Smith
    8. David Lyons
    9. George Gregan
    10. Stephen Larkham
    11. Clyde Rathbone
    12. Matt Giteau
    13. Stirling Mortlock
    14. Lote Tuqiri
    15. Mark Gerrard
    16. Al Baxter
    17. Adam Freier
    18. From- Nathan Sharpe, Alex Kanaar, Mark Chisholm and Rocky Elsom
    19. Phil Waugh
    20. Sam Cordingley
    21. Mat Rogers
    22. Scott Staniforth

    Connolly faces selection dilemma

    By Michael Rayner

    Wallaby Forward Pack

    Choosing a Wallaby pack in the wake of the maulings it endured last year is much harder for coach John Connolly and his co-selectors than choosing the backline.

    Perhaps only Dan Vickerman and George Smith would be regarded as certainties but, even more than the backs, we need to assemble an integrated combination rather than a pack of individuals.

    Based on what I've seen to date in the Super 14 series, my pack would be Gareth Hardy, Jeremy Paul, Guy Shepherdson, Vickerman, Daniel Heenan, Hugh McMeniman, Smith and David Lyons.

    My bench would include Al Baxter, Adam Freier and Phil Waugh, although I have no idea who to choose as reserve lock from Nathan Sharpe, Alex Kanaar and Mark Chisholm, or whether Rocky Elsom should cover the bench position given McMeniman's inclusion.

    Probably the most controversial choice is Paul to start with and Freier to come on. While Freier has been the form hooker this season and is a better thrower than Paul, I still believe at Test level Paul's incredible ability to position himself to take inside passes or pounce upon spilt balls puts him in another class. Perhaps, unusual as it may be, we should try a prop out as line-out thrower.

    Hardy and Shepherdson look to me to have superior scrum skills to Al Baxter, Matt Dunning, David Fitter and the much-vaunted Rodney Blake at this stage, but I admit I'm no expert here.

    Vickerman's partner will be an equally vital choice and I'm choosing Heenan at present for his aggression which I don't see in Sharpe, Chisholm or Kanaar.

    In the back row, I'm returning Lyons to number eight because he is the most consistent in getting over the advantage line, just ahead of John Roe. McMeniman is there because he is aggressive and a third jumper, but only just ahead of Elsom and Stephen Hoiles.

    As has been said, Connolly will not put Smith and Waugh on the field at the same time. Smith gets the starting nod because of his superior attacking skills, but Waugh is still essential as a scavenger off the bench.

    Wallaby backline

    Connolly's task of selecting and preparing the right backline to tackle the World Cup is fraught with complexity.

    He has a glut of talent in the backs to choose from, but the trick will be to work out whether to go for those most individually brilliant or those who will create the best combination.

    For example, he could not do much better than to pick the entire Brumbies backline as all are in-form and all are Wallabies of stature - George Gregan, Stephen Larkham, Matt Giteau, Stirling Mortlock, Clyde Rathbone and Mark Gerrard.

    As great as this line-up appears, it would mean a provincial backline acting as a Test backline.

    The Waratahs have a number of back who must also come into consideration, in particular Mat Rogers, Lote Tuqiri, Morgan Turinui and Wendell Sailor. The Force's best chances are Scott Staniforth and Cameron Shepherd, while Reds players Chris Latham, Drew Mitchell and Sam Cordingley all have claims.

    As if sorting things from that oversupply is not difficult enough, there are other interesting possibilities like the surprise 'bolter' Gavin DeBartolo from the Force, the mercurial and near faultless goalkicker Peter Hewat from the Waratahs, and Ben Tune and Berrick Barnes from the Reds.

    Assuming there are 10 backs in the 22 to make up the Test team, I would make the following choices.

    The first pick halves combination should be Gregan and Larkham. Larkham proved against the Cheetahs on Saturday that there has possibly never been a better match-winning fly half. Gregan has heeded the warning that unless he regains unpredictability by running for the ball his days are over. He is again our best half-back.

    I like the idea that Cordingley and Rogers provide a bench combination to alternate with Gregan and Larkham. It has the added benefit of Rogers covering full-back and wing if needed.

    Giteau seems to have a mortgage on the position of inside centre as there are few others to choose from. Turinui is a reliable back-up but has been playing outside centre. I would opt for Staniforth, who has proven to be the Force's most aggressive back and he can cover wing and possibly outside centre too.

    Outside centre is the hardest choice as Mortlock and Tuqiri are arguably the world's best in that position. I would at present retain Mortlock for his classic timing ability to crash through, thus putting Tuqiri back onto the wing.

    However I would love to see Tuqiri tried at full-back, where he has time to wind up and opportunity to link in from across the field. In fact, what I would do is treat Gerrard and Tuqiri as a wing-full-back combination, able to switch positions in attack or set up for Larkham's targeted bombs.

    The other winger would be Rathbone, whose matched strength and speed put him a touch ahead of Mitchell.

    So as difficult as it is to omit some classy stalwarts, my first team would comprise Gregan, Larkham, Giteau, Mortlock, Rathbone, Tuqiri and Gerrard, with Cordingley, Rogers and Staniforth on the bench.

    This leaves out the likes of Latham and Mitchell, who I regard as too hot and cold, although they would be next choices after injury. Sailor is not there because I do not believe he has ever fully adapted to rugby, although his performances are occasionally sensational.

    I would love to have Tune around because whenever he takes the ball for Queensland there is an obvious rise in class, but unfortunately he is up against Mortlock and Tuqiri.

    Hewat would also be great on the bench should Giteau or Mortlock have off days with the boot, but he would need to displace either Gerrard, Rathbone or Staniforth, who are all in a class of their own.

    I doubt that Barnes could evolve in less than a year to challenge Rogers at fly half. Turinui is the obvious challenger for Staniforth's bench position but lacks his aggressive impact.

    Lloyd Johansson has often been described as a penetrating runner, but I have never seen anyone so incapable of holding onto the ball or unloading it accurately. I would not have him even close to being chosen.

    If there is a problem, it is what to do if either Cordingley or Giteau are injured. The next best half-back is probably still Chris Whitaker since Matt Henjak has been lacklustre for the Force to date.

    However neither choice sets the heart racing. Staniforth is untried as a Test inside centre while we know Turinui could cover the job more than adequately.

    Perhaps, as Eddie Jones found, injury will make the choices for Connolly. If that is not the case, the benefits of having a largely proven Brumbies combination and of alternating pairings at half/fly half and wing/full-back make, in my view, for a magical Wallabies backline.

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    Veteran Sagerian's Avatar
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    Overall I agree with those options (except for MnM he's out for 6 months), I've just made some small adjustments for my team...


    1. Benn Robinson
    2. Jeremy Paul
    3. Guy Shepherdson
    4. Mark Chisholm/ Al Kanaar (Sunday will prob sort this out)
    5. Daniel Vickerman
    6. Rocky Elsom
    7. George Smith
    8. Scott Fava
    9. George Gregan
    10. Stephen Larkham
    11. Lote Tuqiri
    12. Matt Giteau
    13. Stirling Mortlock
    14. Clyde Rathbone
    15. Mark Gerrard/Chris Latham (if available)

    16. Al Baxter
    17. Adam Freier
    18. Nathan Sharpe
    19. Phil Waugh
    20. Sam Cordingley
    21. Scott Staniforth/Morgan Turinui
    22. Mat Rogers/Digby Ioane


    Might be some bias in my choices but I see more Tahs games than any others. Benn Robinson and Rocky Elsom have been playing great though and deserve their chances. I don't think my squad fixes the srcum issue, we might need to sacrifise a jumper for some more beef. At least Rocky pushes hard in the scrum.

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    Last edited by Sagerian; 12-04-06 at 14:14.

  3. #3
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    Well, here's my crack at coaching genius to help Connolly out!

    Burgs' Wallabies:

    1. Nic Henderson
    2. Jeremy Paul
    3. Guy Shepherdson
    4. Mark Chisholm
    5. Daniel Vickerman
    6. Rocky Elsom
    7. Phil Waugh
    8. David Lyons
    9. George Gregan ©
    10. Stephen Larkham
    11. Mark Gerrard
    12. Matt Giteau
    13. Stirling Mortlock
    14. Lote Tuqiri
    15. Chris Latham

    16. Gareth Hardy
    17. Tatafu Polota-Nau
    18. Nathan Sharpe
    19. George Smith
    20. Brett Sheehan
    21. Mat Rogers
    22. Scott Staniforth

    Extended Squad
    Al Baxter
    David Te Moana
    Adam Freier
    Brendan Cannon
    Al Kanaar
    Daniel Heenan
    Sam Cordingley
    Berrick Barnes
    Clyde Rathbone
    Drew Mitchell
    Cameron Shepherd

    I put a lot of weight on existing combinations in this selection and in a couple of instances let that determine splitting two equals.
    I also tried to have a bench that wasn't a carbon copy of the starting XV in playing style.
    With JP being IMHO the best Australian Hooker, I have opted to maintain the so far successful entire Brumbies Front Row. Hardy has shown enough to me to be a viable option in all three positions and has proven to be pretty mobile, especially when the team is on the front foot. Although I admit to having been impressed with Freier so far this season, I feel he is too similar to JP and too small at International level with the direction the game is going towards bigger packs, so I have opted for Polota-Nau to come in as being both mobile but also adding bulk if we are getting pushed around early.
    The Locks, and especially Vickerman, pick themselves as being the best in the lineouts and solid scrummagers. Sharpe has had a flat season so far for mine however there are signs of improvement and by seasons end may well be back at #4 for my team. His experience is certainly something required, even if from the bench, and if his team had a more successful campaign he may well have demanded selection.
    I'm sure the most controversial of my selections will be Waugh in front of Smith. While I consider Smith to be the better player one on one, the reasoning behind this is threefold and is for the "greater good" of the team. Firstly Waugh is almost Smiths equal in defence and the hard grinding "pig" work that normally takes up the first half of an International. The best option then is for the player to do that with those he is most familiar, in this case the impressive Tahs combination of Elsom and Lyons. In the vital minutes of the first half these players will know how each other thinks and moves and will have a far better chance of avoiding miscommunication in defence. The second reason is that I feel Smith to be far superior to Waugh once the game has loosened up from around the 55 minute mark in the second half. I would inject him fresh and firing amongst the tiring forwards to lift our team and tear into the oppositions defence.
    For the backs I think again they have picked themselves. The experience and renewed vigor of Gregan and Larkham can not be overlooked. As with Hooker, I feel there is to much of a similarity between Gregan and the aging Cordingley so I have opted to bring in the hard ball runner in Sheehan to work as the existing combo with Rogers.
    To round out the 22 I have gone for Staniforth as an experienced Wallaby who is a heavier version of Rogers, a player that can fill in all of the outside back positions and is a reliable defender.
    I have left out McMeniman due to today’s announcement of his injury keeping him out for the domestic Test season however I would have had to of found a position otherwise.
    I have deliberately overlooked Turinui, Sailor, Dunning, Fitter, Henjak, Johannson and Roe from the last Spring touring party because I think they are not near this standard at this point however, I could understand arguments for Blake, Wallace-Harrison, Moore, Holmes, Hodgson, Brown, Hilgendorf, Pusey, Doherty and Fava to be in the extended squad.
    In a wierd way, it will almost be a relief when several of the senior players retire following the World Cup next year because there really is a whole swarm of decent juniors coming through the ranks and demanding selectors attention.
    To my eye the future of Wallaby Rugby is looking very good once we can turn the current situation around and I believe we now have the right man for that specific task.

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    Last edited by Burgs; 12-04-06 at 16:15.
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    8 and 4 were the toughest choices for mine. Lyons has been hot and cold and Palu/Hoiles have been outperforming him for the Tahs. I'd take Lyons on experience but think Fava deserves a chance also, however Burgs you would have seen more of Fava than me so I'll trust your judgment on him.

    I feel now is he time to experiment a little bit, we can't end up in a situation like 2001 onwards where it seemed we just kept the same old people and did just enough to hide some of the problems we're now facing, if that makes any sense. Existing combinations are good I agree, however the back 3 is where I'd try different combinations. Honestly I've not seen anyone break more tackles than Digby this year, I'd include him for sure.


    At the end of the day Connolly is a hardarse which is exactly who we need in charge.

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    Only down side on Digby so far is that when he does get stopped the ball is often turned over or he has a run like the clangers last match. For mine he will be a serious contender next year but still has to do a lot of the basics right. He is certainly an awesome future talent though.
    Re Experimenting: I guess mine were more with a mind to the best pick to play the Tri Nations but certainly would be worth experimenting in the first couple of the lead up Tests. Of that 22 of mine (without checking) I think there is nine players with less than 10 Caps each and five with less than five Caps.
    As a rule I am not a big fan of experimenting with Test Caps though, I think that is what S14 and Australia A are for and I would encourage the ARU towards having a forty four man squad rather than thirty three and play an extensive series of Australia A fixtures with the 2nd XV against anyone who will play them.
    The other critical thing is WE MUST WIN our next couple of matches before the doubts start creeping back in again. The rugby world and especially the media seem to be fairly positive about Australia's prospects again and we can't risk losing that again like last year.

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    I didn't realise that about Digby, that's certainly a shame cos I think he's one of the most explosive backs we have.

    We have the players capable of bringing the world cup back, that much I'm sure of. But I can't help but think we don't have a better time to give some newbies a chance and try some different combinations than right now. It's just a pity about the extended tri-nations, we usually play some softer teams and can afford to try different people while still winning the games. Although with the extended tri-nations, we'll need to rest players and rotate different people into the squad anyway.

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    I have a question for Burgs and Sagerian and their selected Squads.


    Is the Squad you selected aiming at winning every Test this year, or are you using this years Tri-Nations, and Bundy Rum Test Series directly at a slow and steady build up of a squad for a full tilt at the Rugby World Cup?

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    Mine is pretty obviously aiming at a slow and steady rebulid, with an aim to meshing a squad for the world cup.

    -edit-

    I get why you're asking now Exile, yea I think we should stick with Larkham and Gregan for the WC.

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    Last edited by Sagerian; 12-04-06 at 20:11.

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    Haven't got time ATM to think about my full squad BUT ..........what has Nathan Sharpe done to be relegated to the bench at best, by most punters. Maybe Vickerman has to be in the mix, but the others who are all showing good S14 form can fight out bench spots for mine.
    Sharpie is still the current Wallaby vice captain as far as I know, and should be in the starting 15. He hasn't put a foot wrong in the S14 this year. The one constant in the Force so far has been a solid set piece. Maybe there's a stats man among us who can enlighten me further but I don't recall too many lineouts lost on our throw so far and I reckon we'd be pretty even with our opposition on that stat overall. Nor do I remember any other scrums giving our boys a towelling. He has one other thing in his favour - Queensland "origin" in a lean year for the 'benders.

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    Vickerman is the best lineout man in oz, period. For my team I'd possibly consider putting Sharpe at 4 but I'm also mindful of putting some beef in to help push the scrum, hence a Mark Chisholm or an Al Kanaar.

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    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sagerian
    Vickerman is the best lineout man in oz, period. For my team I'd possibly consider putting Sharpe at 4 but I'm also mindful of putting some beef in to help push the scrum, hence a Mark Chisholm or an Al Kanaar.
    Well I know Sharpie has had all his hair cut off Sage, but if a little extra grunt is what you'd like why would you consider Al Kanaar @ 108kg or Chisolm at 112kg in front of Sharpie @ 115kg same as Vickerman?

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    Cos Kanaar's a mean bugger.

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