Planet Rugby Forum

Caley_Red wrote:Ireland by 5-10, it'll be a lot closer than many think but Ireland are still too strong.

danny_fitz wrote:

Caley_Red wrote:Ireland by 5-10, it'll be a lot closer than many think but Ireland are still too strong.

It will be close. Ireland need to start winning test series on the road.

guy smiley wrote:Bold OP

Bindi wrote:I fear for our collective bottoms.

YOYO wrote:

Bindi wrote:Nah....Irish have got this. Just have to turn up.

I am not buying that for one moment. Cheika knows a lot about Irish rugby and on home turf it’ll be very tough for Ireland. I predict a 2-1 series victory for Aus. With an exhausted Irish squad after conquering all before then this season, I think the tour is a step too far, especially taking the fact that a lot of the core Ireland players came straight from a B&I Lions tour.

YOYO wrote:

Zakar wrote:I'd expect we'll see

1. Sio
2. Ulese or BPA
3. Kepu
4. Rodda or Simmons
5. Coleman
6. Samu
7. Hooper
8. Poey
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Hodge
12. Beale
13. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
14. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks
15. Folou

16. Ulese or BPA
17. Robertson
18. Tupou
19. Simmons or Rodda
20. Timu
21. Powell or Phipps
22. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
23. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks

What’s the story with Christian Lealiifano?
He was pretty decent during his spell at Ulster. They managed him well there.

Who is Aus’s backup 10 to Foley?

Bindi wrote:I fear for our collective bottoms.

Zakar wrote:I'd expect we'll see

1. Sio
2. Ulese or BPA
3. Kepu
4. Rodda or Simmons
5. Coleman
6. Samu
7. Hooper
8. Poey
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Hodge
12. Beale
13. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
14. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks
15. Folou

16. Ulese or BPA
17. Robertson
18. Tupou
19. Simmons or Rodda
20. Timu
21. Powell or Phipps
22. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
23. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks

FairWeather_Aussie wrote:

Zakar wrote:I'd expect we'll see

1. Sio
2. Ulese or BPA
3. Kepu
4. Rodda or Simmons
5. Coleman
6. Samu
7. Hooper
8. Poey
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Hodge
12. Beale
13. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
14. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks
15. Folou

16. Ulese or BPA
17. Robertson
18. Tupou
19. Simmons or Rodda
20. Timu
21. Powell or Phipps
22. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
23. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks

DHP is back and looked pretty good on the weekend. Hopefully he’ll be on one wing to take his peppering of up and unders.

YOYO wrote:

Zakar wrote:I'd expect we'll see

1. Sio
2. Ulese or BPA
3. Kepu
4. Rodda or Simmons
5. Coleman
6. Samu
7. Hooper
8. Poey
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Hodge
12. Beale
13. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
14. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks
15. Folou

16. Ulese or BPA
17. Robertson
18. Tupou
19. Simmons or Rodda
20. Timu
21. Powell or Phipps
22. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
23. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks

What’s the story with Christian Lealiifano?
He was pretty decent during his spell at Ulster. They managed him well there.

Who is Aus’s backup 10 to Foley?

Ali's Choice wrote:Interesting to see that Pete Samu, who has been mainly used as a bench player for the duration of his Crusaders career, is being picked to start for the Wallabies at no.6 by some posters on this thread. Pretty meteoric rise for a fella that couldn't even get a SR contract in Australia two years ago.

guy smiley wrote:Bold OP

MungoMan wrote:

FairWeather_Aussie wrote:

Zakar wrote:I'd expect we'll see

1. Sio
2. Ulese or BPA
3. Kepu
4. Rodda or Simmons
5. Coleman
6. Samu
7. Hooper
8. Poey
9. Genia
10. Foley
11. Hodge
12. Beale
13. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
14. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks
15. Folou

16. Ulese or BPA
17. Robertson
18. Tupou
19. Simmons or Rodda
20. Timu
21. Powell or Phipps
22. Kerevi/Kuridrani/Rona
23. Korobiete/Maddocks/Banks

DHP is back and looked pretty good on the weekend. Hopefully he’ll be on one wing to take his peppering of up and unders.

Provided you like slow backs whose tackling is a fúcking embarassment. He was utterly dire. DHP should be nowhere closer to the Wallabies than the crowd side of the sideline.

Ali's Choice wrote:Interesting to see that Pete Samu, who has been mainly used as a bench player for the duration of his Crusaders career, is being picked to start for the Wallabies at no.6 by some posters on this thread. Pretty meteoric rise for a fella that couldn't even get a SR contract in Australia two years ago.

Why the Wallabies can't afford to underestimate a red-hot Ireland


What is it about Ireland that produces outrageous hubris in Australian rugby fans?

Whether through a paucity of Test match-ups or a southern hemisphere bias, Wallabies supporters have had a dangerous tendency to either underestimate the quality of the Irish or overestimate the quality of any given Australian Test line-up.

If there was ever a time to pray hard to the injury gods for lenience in the final round of Super Rugby before the break, it is now.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt is bringing out the best of his grand slam-winning Six Nations champions, many of whom are also coming off a European Cup title with Leinster. On the other side, Michael Cheika is blessed with rich and exciting depth in many positions, but there are some key concerns, not least of which is hooker.

We compare the likely line-ups for what is shaping up as a belter of a three-Test series, pitting the Six Nations champions and world No.2-ranked Irish against Cheika's proud, but typically slow-starting, Wallabies.

Back three

Ireland: Rob Kearney has had a mortgage on the No.15 Ireland jersey for many years and provides Schmidt with an old head in the back three, but Schmidt has also brought along Munster's Andrew Conway, who also plays on the wing and was unlucky to miss some of the Six Nations with a knee complaint. Keith Earls and Jacob Stockdale started on the wings against England, but youngster Jordan Larmour is the 20-year-old wunderkind who caught Cheika's eye during the European season.

Australia: Daryl Gibson is not wrong; NSW fullback Israel Folau is in the form of his life and will present Schmidt's Ireland with a major containment challenge. Marika Koroibete did his selection chances no harm with a hat-trick against the Rebels on Friday and utility Reece Hodge could shape up on the other wing. Big Fijian-born Taqele Naiyaravoro will be hard to look past, given his barnstorming form for the Waratahs and Koroibete's Rebels stablemate Jack Maddocks is also peaking at the right time.

Midfield

Ireland: Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose linked up in Ireland's midfield during much of the Six Nations, but Robbie Henshaw gives Schmidt plenty of experience, albeit an injury worry, too. Henshaw will miss Scarlets' Pro14 match this weekend, but Ireland medical staff say they are confident he will travel.

and Wallabies attack coach Stephen Larkham love using Kurtley Beale inside No.10 Bernard Foley to give them that second playmaking option and Beale has shown some new-found nuance in his game for the Waratahs. Outside him, Tevita Kuridrani still shapes as the likely pick at No.13, despite a tough campaign with the Brumbies, although Curtis Rona will be pushing hard for more caps after a strong season for NSW.



Halves

Ireland: One of the most stable halves pairings running around world rugby, Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton, will be champing at the bit to test out the Wallabies. Sexton has been eyeing this tour for some time, having ticked off a Six Nations with Ireland and European Champions Cup title with Leinster. Murray was probably the only player Schmidt might have weighed up leaving at home; he started every Test for the British and Irish Lions last year and parlayed that into a full November schedule, Six Nations and Champions Cup season with Munster.


Australia: Bernard Foley has had no challengers for the No.10 jersey and Will Genia has been wrapped up in cotton wool down in Melbourne so that he may start at halfback in Brisbane. Genia v Murray will be a match-up for the ages: two players with enormous experience and mastery of their positions.

Back row


Ireland: With Sean O'Brien ruled out of the Six Nations, Schmidt turned to Dan Leavy and he did not disappoint. But he can also call on versatile back row option Jack Conan. CJ Stander will line up at No.8 and Munster's Peter O'Mahony will start at No.6.

Australia: Captain Michael Hooper will don the No.7 jersey and David Pocock will make his long-awaited return to Test rugby at No.8. Ned Hanigan is a chance at blindside flanker, but the Reds have produced plenty of options for Cheika, including Angus Scott-Young and Caleb Timu.

Second row

Ireland: James Ryan and Iain Henderson started against England in their final Six Nations showdown, but 58-Test veteran Devin Toner will present an experienced option should Schmidt need it. Tadhg Beirne will be looking to make his Ireland debut and may well make it given Henderson is also troubled by a knee injury.


Australia: Rob Simmons and Adam Coleman were the second row pairing in Australia's win against the All Blacks in Brisbane in October, but Kane Douglas is a Cheika favourite from way back and the big man is beginning to show us why up in Queensland under Brad Thorn.

Front row

Ireland: Schmidt has had a settled front row for some time in props Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong and hooker Rory Best. Leinster's Jack McGrath will push hard to usurp Healy, but on the tight-head side the young Furlong, who hilariously had his Six Nations medal pilfered by his fanatical rugby-loving granny, will be hard to push off. As for hooker, Best has proven himself a magnificient captain, and is well supported by Cork-bred Leinster No.2 Sean Cronin.

Australia: Scott Sio and Sekope Kepu will step back into the starting jerseys at loose-head and tight-head, respectively, while young Rebel Jordan Uelese looks Cheika's pick at hooker. It will be the series of his life, packing down against Best.

Bindi wrote:

Ali's Choice wrote:Interesting to see that Pete Samu, who has been mainly used as a bench player for the duration of his Crusaders career, is being picked to start for the Wallabies at no.6 by some posters on this thread. Pretty meteoric rise for a fella that couldn't even get a SR contract in Australia two years ago.

What's your point? Our 6's are either injured, similarly untested, or overseas. He's been starting @ 6 for the strongest team in Super rugby. No need to put him down as a bench player just because he's leaving.

shanky wrote:Jokes aside. The Irish will look at our videotape. They will see glaring elements of constancy in defence and attack.

They will look at each other and wonder if they should believe their own eyes. Surely no-one could be that cumbersome in attack and utterly predictable in defence?

They will conclude that this must be a ruse. They will concoct sophisticated attack patterns, assuming that our stuttering pendulum is a tricky pattern that they need to overcome via clever patterns.

As it turns out, it isn’t, and they won’t.

Ali's Choice wrote:Interesting to see that Pete Samu, who has been mainly used as a bench player for the duration of his Crusaders career, is being picked to start for the Wallabies at no.6 by some posters on this thread. Pretty meteoric rise for a fella that couldn't even get a SR contract in Australia two years ago.

Olo wrote:

Ali's Choice wrote:Interesting to see that Pete Samu, who has been mainly used as a bench player for the duration of his Crusaders career, is being picked to start for the Wallabies at no.6 by some posters on this thread. Pretty meteoric rise for a fella that couldn't even get a SR contract in Australia two years ago.

Not going to happen. He may be in or around the squad but I doubt he will play a test this series. He's good but just because he wears a Crusaders jumper does not make him a certainty, as some here think. If he is chosen it will cheapen the jersey...............further.

Kiwias wrote:

Olo wrote:

Ali's Choice wrote:Interesting to see that Pete Samu, who has been mainly used as a bench player for the duration of his Crusaders career, is being picked to start for the Wallabies at no.6 by some posters on this thread. Pretty meteoric rise for a fella that couldn't even get a SR contract in Australia two years ago.

Not going to happen. He may be in or around the squad but I doubt he will play a test this series. He's good but just because he wears a Crusaders jumper does not make him a certainty, as some here think. If he is chosen it will cheapen the jersey...............further.

Nice of you to be concerned about the impact on the Crusaders' jersey.