Force Wallabies

[travelling_gerry]

Robbie Deans will probably be announcing a 40 man Wallaby Squad tomorrow.

Which Force Players will make it?

Mine :-

Fairbrother
Cowen
Sharpe
Hodgson
Pocock
Brown
Sheehan
O'Connor


Whats your thoughts?

[James]

Agree on all.

I reckon that with 40 players there is a chance for either Charles or Whittaker (since Moore is out ie TPN, Faingaa, +1) a chance for either Wykes or Hockings (Horwill out, Chisholm in abyssmal form) and for either Cummins or Shepherd. Cummins was going to get picked last year before injury but admittedly his form has been average this year. Shepherd is unlikely as he hasn't strung too many games together yet but fit and in form he would definitely be in the 22.

Maybe some of those guys will turn out for the Australian Baabaas.

[jono]

i think we can expect to see more force boys in the baabaa team than the wallabies.
then depending on how they perform, we might see a few more of them filter into the wallabies squad in the weeks following.


i'm wondering which teams, and where cooper, gits and barnes will feature...

[GIGS20]

We need to remember, it's a 40 man squad, with an eye to the World cup next year. I'd expect to see some surprises, particularly in the positions where we're thinnest (Hooker and Lock are the biggest, see James) I think there'll also be some room in the back three, but not so much for our boys. Deans needs to search for some genuine speed, not power. Rod Davies is hurt is he? He would be the first smokey I'd pick, Tommy and Wykesey didn't do themselves any favours on the Africa tour and will probably have to wait for another year at least.

I'd say there's a good chance of Whits or Charles getting a shot, They're easily the most promising of the younger crop of hookers, and I don't see much value in a Huia Edmonds or Sean Hardman sort of a backup.

The only other smokey I could even consider would be a real long shot looking well beyond next year and probably more as a training partner, rather than a genuine option of seeing game time, that would be the likes of McCalman, Turner or Inman, with McCalman being the only one who might get a crack at Fiji!

[jombi]

Hopefully none, I don't want to see them be embarrassed by the allblacks!

But probably the following;

Cowan
Fairbrother
Sharpe
Hodgson
Pocock
Brown
Sheehan
O'Connor
Shepherd

And Inman as the bolter.

[Sheikh]

If the Baa Baas are picked from the 40 in the Wallaby squad plus 4 locals (ie, not the match-day 22), then I'd say Inman, McCalman, Whittaker and Wykes might get some training time with the main squad.