Wallaby selections . . .

I'm as surprised as everyone else that Ewen McKenzie has selected Matt Toomua ahead of Quade Cooper (especially when you consider that McKenzie had so much to say about Cooper's omission during the Lions tour) but I'm equally mystified by the selections of Jesse Mogg and James O'Connor. Surely it should be the other way around, O'Connor at fullback and Mogg on the wing?

Jesse Mogg has had another outstanding season in the S15 with the one weakness in his game being his tactical kicking. James O'Connor hasn't had the greatest of seasons by his very high standards but everyone knows what a class player he is when hes on song, the one thing he lacks is exceptional speed. So why on earth is the faster player with the dodgy boot at fullback and the slower guy with the superior kicking game on the wing?

Doesn't make much sense.

Any flyhalf looks good when he is getting front-foot ball from his forwards, which is what he got from his Reds team (mostly). However. I still believe that he has better ability than Tamooa, especially teamed up with Genia. If Genia was benched and Nic White was scrummie, then maybe started with Tamooa. I rate Bernard Foley as a better FH than Tamooa, but it is about combinations and knowing each other's play that should be considered...

@Papamoa:

Umm . . . well . . . if you take the trouble to actually read my post before launching into yet another anti-Cooper tirade you'll see that it was more about who should be at fullback and wing rather than who should be the starting flyhalf.

Actually the article is about Wallaby selections...

Secondly, the main part of your response (the part  before the comma), is about the the FH position (see below)

I'm as surprised as everyone else that Ewen McKenzie has selected Matt Toomua ahead of Quade Cooper (especially when you consider that McKenzie had so much to say about Cooper's omission during the Lions tour) but I'm equally mystified by the selections of Jesse Mogg and James O'Connor.

Thirdly, Cooper should start alongside Genia (if you read correclty)...

Well, while we're doing the firstly and secondly thing . . .

Firstly, immediately after I posted my reply to Papamoa I noticed that you had also responded, so I took the trouble to go back and edit my post and add "@Papamoa" so that only a really dull-witted idiot could possibly think that I was talking to someone else.

Secondly, I was trying to show that even though there is a lot of controversy over the non-selection of Cooper (which is being discussed on several other threads already) I also wanted to talk about the O'Connor/Mogg selections and I had hoped that my second paragraph made that clear. Obviously I failed!

Thirdly, (seeing as this has now been hijacked into yet another QC thread) I'm a known fan of Quade Cooper so you're preaching to the converted, but having said that, I can also see some sense in picking the hard-tackling Toomua to try and unsettle Aaron Cruden who has looked mentally fragile a few times this season.

Finally, I enjoyed the irony of your closing statement "if you read correclty (sic)". Gave me a chuckle.

Rooinek

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Once you get over the hill...................................................

@rooy,

i dont really have a problem with mogg at fullback and bieber on the wing and i wouldnt have a problem with it the other way round for that matter.

the bonus of having mogg at fullback is that other then the usual fullback fundamentals which he has in spades, hes got a mean power boot, good for when trying to get some distance, israel dagg and franscois steyn are all in the same boat.
his many problem is he loses alot of his all round classy game once he gets tired and is more prone to making mistakes, we saw that with the infamous touchfinder he failed to make in the final with the chiefs.

but having bieber at the wing means the wallys have two good outside backs with educated boots and the vision required to either boot it or if the opportunity should present it self, run it. pretty scary considering up their with the best when it comes to attack.

dont know if i agree about biebers lack of pace, i reckon hes got plenty. remeber that wallys vs ireland match in the RWC??? that irish dude i think it was tommy bowe intercepted the ball of a quade cooper no look back pass right on his try line and bieber who was playing wing and on the other side ran him down and tackled bowe over the touchline 5 mtrs from the try line. it was the most impressive cover tackle ive ever seen anyone do especially as he left AAC and mccabe dead in the water and both head a head start on him.
it was a holy freakamole moment.

and regarding cooper, i still reckon cooper will be playing 10 on saturday, LMAO, :oP
itsnot wishful thinking, i just dont believe mackenzie would talk up a player so much like he did cooper during the lions series and then not pick him.

mackenzie - "cooper is the best flyhalf in OZ, theres no on better then him" x 100
joe king - "so u will pick cooper against the All Blacks???"
mackenzie - "no chance in hell, im fat head, not a dumb ass"

LMAO, something just isnt right,,,,,o_O

If combos are the issue then maybe he had Toomua/Lealiifano in mind...