Tag Archives: wallabies

Bledisloe Cup: Keys to Victory

August 17, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Game 1 of the Rugby Championship tonight and there is no bigger contest than that between the Wallabies and the All Blacks which also doubles as the first of three Bledisloe Cup games.

Here are my keys to victory for tonight’s game:

1. Wild Horses

Even McKenzie has named 10 Brumbies in his first Wallabies line up since taking over from Robbie Deans. Obviously this is a play for consistency and combination in the team. The Brumbies were the best team from the Australian conference of Super Rugby and if they can replicate that form on the biggest stage that will put Australia in prime position in this game.

2. The Cruden factor

Aaron Cruden comes into the All Blacks lineup in place of Dan Carter who has a calf injury. Cruden is a different style of fly half to Carter: he is more direct where Carter could be described as sublime. Equally Cruden got the better of Carter in the semi final of Super Rugby and then led his Chiefs team to victory against the Brumbies in the final. A solid game for Cruden will go a long way to securing an All Blacks victory.

3. Lord Richie: fitness a question?

The All Black’s captain is three games back from his sabbatical and I wonder if his match fitness is a little lacking? He only appeared off the bench in the Super Rugby play offs and played only 40 minutes of a practice game last Friday. There must be a question mark over his fitness. His presence on the field is a massive plus for the All Blacks but if he can not make it through the full 80 minutes every minute he is off the field will be to Australia’s advantage.

4. O’Connor v Smith

Bizarre as it maybe to suggest that the battle between two wingers might settle the outcome of this game, it seems to me that one of the ways the All Blacks will look to attack the Wallabies will be in the air aimed at J O’Connor. This is particularly so given the prowess of the former AFL player on the other wing in a gold jersey. If O’Connor can shut down the likely All Blacks aerial assault on his wing, other options will need to be looked at by the All Blacks.

5. The Sydney Hoodoo

ANZ Stadium has not been a good hunting ground for the Wallabies having lost six of their last seven fixture at the venue. Included in that is three consecutive losses at the venue against the All Blacks. They will need to break that hoodoo obviously to win here!

This will be a cracking game of rugby: my heart says the Wallabies and my head says the All Blacks. In just under 4 hours we will know which part of me was right!

Rugby Union: Wallabies team to face the All Blacks announced

August 15, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Ewen McKenzie has named his team for the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney this weekend.

The full team is:

Jesse Mogg, Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Christian Leali’ifano, James O’Connor, Matt Toomua, Will Genia, Ben Mowen, Michael Hooper, Hugh McMeniman, James Horwill (C), Rob Simmons, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, James Slipper. Res: Saia Faingaa, Scott Sio, Sekope Kepu, Scott Fardy, Liam Gill, Nic White, Quade Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani

Coach McKenzie has made seven (7) changes to the run on side that Australia last ran out against the British and Irish Lions on 6 July 2013. There are eleven changes in all from the time Robbie Deans last picked a team.

Rugby Union: My Wallabies Team to face the All Blacks

August 13, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , Leave a comment

As there is a break is hostilities in the Ashes, it is time to focus on other sporting events coming up this weekend and there is no big sporting event upcoming that the first Bledisloe Cup Test match between the Australia Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks on Saturday night.

Ewen McKenzie has named of squad of 30 for the game and has suggested that he will wait until just before game time to name his number 10. Given that delay, it is time to look into the crystal ball and make my own selections for this weekend’s test match. So here is Shumpty’s Wallabies XXII:

1. Scott Sio

2. Stephen Moore

3. Ben Alexander

4. James Horwill

5. Scott Fardy

6. Ben Mowen

7. Michael Hooper

8. Jake Schatz

9. Will Genia

10. Quade Cooper

11. Nick Cummins

12. Christian Lealiifano

13. Adam Ashley-Cooper

14. Israel Folau

15. Jesse Mogg

16. Albert Anae

17. Sekope Kepu

18. Rob Simmons

19. Liam Gill

20. Nic White

21. Matt Toomua

22. Joe Tomane

In picking this squad I have looked for combinations and form over reputations and thus it will be no surprise that I am picking mainly Brumbies and Reds players. Matt Toomua only misses out because of the form of Genia and Cooper together for the Reds. The Brumbies front row gets my nod and I have put Albert Anae on the bench because of his versatility in being able to play all three positions up front. Jake Schatz is my bolter: I have a preference for Ben Mowen at number but given the squad to choose from it is pretty obvious that Coach McKenzie will be playing him at 6 so Schatz gets rewarded for a brilliant season at the back of the scrum for the Reds.

I find no place for James O’Connor in my team. The reason is simple: he is out of form and needs some time in club rugby to regain same.

It will be a fantastic test match in Sydney to kick of the Rugby Championship and, if Australia is to have any hope of getting back the trophy, one that Australia must win given that the last two fixtures between the teams will be played in New Zealand (Westpac Stadium and Forsyth Barr Stadium).

Rugby: Wallabies Squad for the 1st Bledisloe Test named

August 9, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , , Leave a comment

Ewen McKenzie has named a squad of 30 for the first test match against New Zealand on 17 August as follows:

James Horwill (capt), Albert Anae, Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Quade Cooper, Nick Cummins, Kane Douglas, Saia Faingaa, Scott Fardy, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Liam Gill, Michael Hooper, Sekope Kepu, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Ben McCalman, Hugh McMeniman, Jesse Mogg, Stephen Moore, Ben Mowen, James O’Connor, Jake Schatz, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua, Nic White

It is a heartbreaking statistic for Australia fans that not one of these players has played in a victorious Bledisloe Cup campaign.

McKenzie has been quoted as saying: “We don’t need to make a decision publicly about the play-making role until one hour before the game” so Australian fans will be nonethewiser as to the number 10 to be chosen until close to game time it would seem.

Wallabies Squad Named for the Rugby Championship

July 26, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , Leave a comment

Ewen McKenzie has named his 40 man squad for the Rugby Championship this morning. The squad is:

Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Betham, Quade Cooper, Nick Cummins, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Scott Fardy, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Liam Gill, Mike Harris, Michael Hooper, James Horwill, Sekope Kepu, Peter Kimlin, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Leali’ifano, Ben McCalman, Hugh McMeniman, Jesse Mogg, Stephen Moore, Ben Mowen, James O’Connor, Nick Phipps, Tatafu Polota Nau, Hugh Pyle, Benn Robinson, Paddy Ryan, Jake Schatz, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua, Nic White.

This squad will be parred back to a 30 man squad in advance of the first test on 17 August.

The Lions Tour: what did we learn about the Wallabies?

July 6, 2013 By in Shumpty Speaks Tags: , , Leave a comment

Well the Lions your has ended with the pummelling many fair minded fans expected at some point during this series. This is a time to reflect on the Australian performance and learn from it with an eye on the upcoming Rugby Championship and the next World Cup. Here are the 5 key learnings, for mine, arising from this series:

1. Australia MUST have a better preparation than a 3 week training camp before the first test of a series. Stopping the players from playing for their franchises in the weeks preceding the first test was a mistake with the Wallabies often looking disjointed and unorganised in that first test.

2. Ben Mowan is a future captain of Australia. Has there been a more composed and purposeful start to a career in a Wallabies jumper than that of B Mowan? What a brilliant commencement to a career: was in everything and never took a backward step.

3. James O’Connor is not a test fly half. Yes he set up our only try in the second test and yes he scored in the third test. That does not mean he gets a pass mark for his performance in this series. O’Connor is a centre or a winger and he played like one.

4. Jesse Mogg is Chris Latham reincarnate. Mogg’s long period on the field after Folau’s injury was enough for me to be certain that Mogg’s booming left boot and excellent positional play are a must for future test matches. He must be our fullback.

5. James Horwill is an innovative captain but MUST learn to take the points. All too often this series the Wallabies were in attacking position and without a penetrative attack and yet still Horwill chose to go for tries rather than easy points on offer. This must stop.

I am not going to talk about Cooper or Deans or Beale or the scrum. These are all issues that are obvious. The lessons above transcend those obvious issues.

The Wallabies were competitive but never really threatened. Some dark days are ahead if the Wallabies do not learn from this!