Australia

kevin_field says...

i would honestly swap gerrard and o'connor but otherwise a great team for the wallabies

Posted 08:21 15th July 2011

BDAUSSIE says...

proudcoconut & DBRowan, I don't understand your train of thought re: Tamani. He is eligible to play for Australia so Deans invited him to join the squad. Timani didn't have to play for Australia. If Timani says he wants to play for Australia, why is there some obligation on Aus to turn around and say "sorry mate Samoa need you more so you're playing for them"...that's just ridiculous...It's Timani's choice.

A guy like Ben Franks could have played for Australia, but he wanted to play for New Zealand. There is nothing wrong with that. Your objection is really just based on some principal that Samoa need him more, but the same could be said about Franks (we could use a few world class props).

Sounds like sour grapes.

Posted 23:58 14th July 2011

DBRowan says...

Got to agree with proudcoconut there. I didn't know about that, but if it is true then it's gutless by Australia. Although Timani is walking out with the gold jersey on by choice isn't he? Would mean that he wants to play for Australia more than Tonga, and frankly if a player wants to play for one country more than he does for another, I wouldn't want him representing me.

And JayStarr; how many tries did O'Connor score last season on the wing? At least 5, maybe more. He is a talent anywhere, and in this Aussie line up I would say he is best suited to wing. The Force needed him at centre and fly because frankly he could do it better than anyone else, but with skilled players inside him like Quade and Ashley-Cooper along with the support of Beale, he will be spectacular again this year at wing.

Posted 01:54 14th July 2011

proudcoconut says...

Sitaleki Timani was picked by Tonga to be in their RWC squad. It is quite insensitive of the Aussie Rugby Union to select him for a run on test debut against Samoa, when Australia is loaded at the second row position. The likelyhood of him making the Wallabies RWC squad is pretty slim, but Tonga will be wihout a quality second rower...Warehousing players from the islands to take them off the RWC picture is ridiculous.

Posted 17:00 13th July 2011

Kappelange says...

Deans should reconsider who his captain is. Elsom just doesnt have the qualities of a captain. Take last year as an example, everytime things werent going their way Elsom would lose his cool and start moaning with the ref and this would carry over to the rest of the team, he saps their morale and doesnt calm players down but does the opposite instead. Elsom often looks a frustrated figure on the field and he himself starts conceding needless penalties when hes in that mood.

Horwill or Sharpe would do a much better job, but their TRUE captain isnt even in the squad, MORTLOCK.

Most Saffas wont admit it but they are lucky to have a captain like John William Smit.

Posted 10:11 13th July 2011

JayStarr says...

HOW DARE THEY REST THEIR PLAYERS! That is SO disrespectful towards Samoa..!

:P

On a slightly more serious note: Elsom skippers Wallabies..? That's brave... He's played how many minutes again this year? And now he's walking straight into the starting line-up... for a test match... as captain... It's a strange risk to take - especially since they have guys like Giteau or Sharpe who could've captained the side while they brought Elsom off the bench.

Anywoo... It's a good thing they have the insurance policy of Genia, Higginbotham and Beale on the bench... because I'd be a bit worried with a team made up of 10 players from the bottom three Super Rugby teams!

And James O'Connor on the wing!? What's that all about? O'Connor is my favourite Australian player, and I have endless respect for Deans... but this is a bone-head decision - O'Connor's talents are WASTED there! He could've at least picked him at full-back... but I still think fly-half is his best position.

I hope Deans's selection is this suspect for the Boks next week..! Glad Phipps and McCabe is getting a chance though... (even though the latter is also not in his best position!)

Looking forward to this game - think it will be interesting!

Posted 07:30 13th July 2011