Oz, Benn Robinson out of WC

macman2010

Australia's prop Benn Robinson is out of the WC due to a knee injury.
I feel sorry for the guy but is this a positive from an Irish perspective.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3555_7034334,00.html

thomond2006

Gutted for the guy, that's a big blow to Australia.

macman2010

The Oz management team will be ****1ng themselfs they dont loose any more playes in the tri-nations.

ALH-06

What's the latest prognosis on Giteau, Barnes and Rocky by the way?

GerM

ALH-06 wrote: »

What's the latest prognosis on Giteau, Barnes and Rocky by the way?

Rocky and Giteau named in side for this weekend. No word on Barnes and his participation in the WC must be doubtful at this point.

thomond2006

Rocky and Giteau are starting for Oz this weekend.

wixfjord

Mike Ross and his scrummaging's importance to our WC campaign becomes even more important.

Will be incredibly interesting to see what type of game we play against the Aussies, as there's a case for starting ROG, hoping for lashing rain, and kicking the corners/scrummaging the life out of them and targeting the lineout imo.

pappyodaniel

Positive news for Ireland, Australia aren't well equipped in this area.

Phonehead

wixfjord wrote: »

Mike Ross and his scrummaging's importance to our WC campaign becomes even more important.

Will be incredibly interesting to see what type of game we play against the Aussies, as there's a case for starting ROG, hoping for lashing rain, and kicking the corners/scrummaging the life out of them and targeting the lineout imo.

Or there is a case that with a scrum going forward who better to have than your most creative 10 steering the ship. The last thing we want to do is to kick ball to that Aus backline.

wixfjord

Phonehead wrote: »

Or there is a case that with a scrum going forward who better to have than your most creative 10 steering the ship. The last thing we want to do is to kick ball to that Aus backline.

Absolutely, good point.
What I was thinking was more from the point of view that we may not be able to match them in the creative stakes, but we certainly can get the better of them in an aggressive, forward dominated, lineout and scrum dominant, tactical game.

PhatPiggins

ALH-06 wrote: »

What's the latest prognosis on Giteau, Barnes and Rocky by the way?

Giteau-past his prime and won't start in their strognest XV
Barnes- might not play again and would need to do something special to take the 12 jersey off O'Connor
Elsom - hasn't played well since the 09 HC final, Higginbotham is surely well ahead of him for the 6 jersey

GerM

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Elsom - hasn't played well since the 09 HC final, Higginbotham is surely well ahead of him for the 6 jersey

I'd agree on that except for it being unlikely that Deans will drop his captain. If RE shows decent form at the weekend I'm sure he'll be in. I wonder if Deans would play Higginbotham at 8 to get them both into the team.

Ciaran-Irl

GerM wrote: »

I'd agree on that except for it being unlikely that Deans will drop his captain. If RE shows decent form at the weekend I'm sure he'll be in. I wonder if Deans would play Higginbotham at 8 to get them both into the team.

No way will they drop Rocky.

PhatPiggins

GerM wrote: »

I'd agree on that except for it being unlikely that Deans will drop his captain. If RE shows decent form at the weekend I'm sure he'll be in. I wonder if Deans would play Higginbotham at 8 to get them both into the team.

I think he has to take the captaincy off him if he doesn't show something soon. Its a tough place for Deans as he tried so hard to lure Elsom back and used the captaincy as bait.

Higginbotham and Elsom are essentially the same style of player so personally I wouldn't play them both. Higginbotham/Palu/Pocok is a perfectly balanced back row with 3 specialist players all on form.

JustinDee

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Giteau-past his prime and won't start in their strognest XV

What a player to have off the bench. In his last season for Australia, you can bet your keyster he'll be finding some form.

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Barnes- might not play again and would need to do something special to take the 12 jersey off O'Connor

He's an option though, if fit to play. I don't think O'Connor will be playing inside centre this RWC either.

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Elsom - hasn't played well since the 09 HC final, Higginbotham is surely well ahead of him for the 6 jersey

He's the skipper and a vital backrower. Injury has been his setback but his rehab has been aimed at the RWC. If he has a decent Tri Nations, he's one of the first on Dingo's teamsheet.

profitius

Australia destroyed the Irish scrum a few years back with Robinson in it. Its good for Ireland he is not there anymore.

Morf

That was pre-Ross.

Ireland had a very poor scrum by top-tier standards.

That Oz front row was hugely built-up without ever really delivering.