2021 Wallabies
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Kerevi, McMahon out as Wallabies eye Beale
Kurtley Beale has been sounded out for a Wallabies return as coach Dave Rennie grapples with the late Spring Tour withdrawal of Samu Kerevi, Sean McMahon and possibly Quade Cooper.
Japan-based centre Kerevi and backrower McMahon were both selected for Tests against Scotland, England and Wales next month after the loosening of Rugby Australia's eligibility rules allowed them to return for the Rugby Championship.
But on Tuesday Rennie confirmed the "nervous" pair would instead honour their Suntory club's wishes and remain in Japan ahead of a January kick-off with the Top League powerhouse.
Cooper too remains in Japan and Rennie will speak with his Kintetsu Liners club on Wednesday in the hope of gaining access to the five-eighth.With Reece Hodge joining fellow fullback Tom Banks on the long-term injury list, the Wallabies backline stocks are thin.
Rennie said he'd spoken with France-based Beale, who played the last of 92 Tests for the Wallabies in 2019, on Monday about joining the squad as one of potentially several overseas-based reinforcements.
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I liked watching Kurtley Beale, are they thinking of 15, 10 or 12 for him? He's 32 now though, how is his speed and form?
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@nostrildamus if KB (as much as i love him) makes it into the side we are pretty much screwed.
Actually, without Kerevi or Quade we are screwed. RIP tour. I say send a semi-professional development side to Europe. Fuck 'em.
And veto any attempt for Japan to join the RC until their clubs follow Reg 9.
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@derpus said in 2021 Wallabies:
@nostrildamus if KB (as much as i love him) makes it into the side we are pretty much screwed.
Actually, without Kerevi or Quade we are screwed. RIP tour. I say send a semi-professional development side to Europe. Fuck 'em.
Urgh, jesus mate. Why do you do this to yourself? Always doom and gloom.
Sure, we've lost a few inside backs but on the other hand we're getting to see Latu, Skelton and Arnold.
JOC will be a fine enough cover at 10 and Paisami will be better for the run at 12. They will do a good job.
I can't see any reason why we can't aim for 2/3 wins.
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@barbarian Quade and Kerevi were huge parts of the massive improvement last month
but there was definite development everywhere and this should be a pretty exciting tour for Wallaby fans
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@barbarian said in 2021 Wallabies:
Sure, we've lost a few inside backs but on the other hand we're getting to see Latu, Skelton and Arnold.
No downside. If you win, it's a bonus - if not ... /shrugs
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@barbarian said in 2021 Wallabies:
JOC will be a fine enough cover at 10
With Hodge and Quade goneskis, we've got no bench cover at 10. Sure it is only 3 matches and you'd hope JOC is up for ~240 minutes of footy, one wrong tackle or step, and we're looking pretty thin.
It maybe comes down to what the French do occasionally: send a scrum half out to the 10 channel and play a distribution game late in the piece. Could work out with the pace on White or McDermott, and Gordon is no midget.
At this point we've won 50% of our Tests this year, so I'm happy either way. The improvement is there across the park as @mariner4life points out.
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@kiwimurph said in 2021 Wallabies:
@bovidae I'm not so sure - I think Rennie is really keen to have Lolesio and some other young guys (Harry Wilson) take a break and take the EOYT off.
Agreed - the need for those guys to be at their provinces, getting the work done in a home environment, and building combinations, is important for SR Pacific.
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Gotta say tho: Scotland loom large as setting the tone for the tour, and they're a canny lot under Townsend. That will be a good test for JOC who hasn't looked at his best in the few minutes he's been given.
We need to really stomp the opposition up front - not just parity - if we're going to do this. White and McDermott just got more important.
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@nta said in 2021 Wallabies:
Gotta say tho: Scotland loom large as setting the tone for the tour, and they're a canny lot under Townsend. That will be a good test for JOC who hasn't looked at his best in the few minutes he's been given.
We need to really stomp the opposition up front - not just parity - if we're going to do this. White and McDermott just got more important.
I think JOC will be ok and you should win comfortably in the end.
Scotland only seem to beat Australia when I land in Scotland the same day, and I'm not flying for some weeks, so you should be fine.