Barnes out of Bledisloe
Australia have suffered a massive blow ahead of their Test against New Zealand with news that Berrick Barnes has been ruled out.
Barnes rolled over his left ankle in Thursday’s training, and it is not yet known whether he will take part in the Grand Slam tour of Europe as he left on crutches. He has been replaced by James O’Connor, who will start at fullback, with Adam Ashley-Cooper shifting to No 12.
Barnes’ exclusion robs the Australians of their main creator and organiser, while his right boot was crucial in trying to gain ascendancy in the territorial battle.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
goodbye dragons Sharks are first
October 29th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
massive blow…Deans also pulling his hair out i am sure!
October 30th, 2009 at 12:52 am
this has put major dent in wallabies chances tomorrow. the unsettled combination of ashely coops and ryan cross was badly exposed against the ABs. nonu and smith are going to tear holes in the aussies midfield with their eyes closed.
aussie will need to keep it tight, but that just isn’t on the cards given dean’s gameplans. ABs by 13+ i reckon.
October 30th, 2009 at 1:32 am
#3 Tomsta: Exposed as well by the Boks in Perth (see Fourie’s uncontested try off 1st phase play).
The Wallabies need to find a dedicated back-up no.12 and stick by them. Given Barnes’ injury woes they will be starting more often than not.
Ashley-Cooper is a great player, but continually dicking him around like this week by week isn’t fair on him or the rest of the backline.
If you want him at 12, then play him at 12 and get another fullback.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:59 am
#4 DonutDunning: agree. not even sure how many games barnes and mortlock have played together. for the 1st choice combo to be regularly injured deans needs to redesign his midfield strategy in time for a combination to prosper before 2011.
ashley cooper is good footballer. not sure if he is 12 material though. he is very solid at 13, and copes at 15 most of the time.
wonder if deans will take a punt with the king carlos wannabe kid, cooper, at 10 and gits at 12 or visa versa. this could be a solid combination for 2011.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:24 am
#5 Tomsta:
I personally cannot stand the thought of Quade being the starting 10 right now. Kinda like Earl Rose, for every brilliant play he pulls off there are at least 2 brain farts to cancel it out.
I actually think Ashley-Cooper would make a good 12 in the Horan or JdV mould if given time in the position. Not a classic playmaker, but strong fast and creates opportunities.
Move him to 12 permanently, and make O’Connor, Turner or Mitchell the main fullback. Or even easier, get Gerrard back from Japan ffs!!
October 30th, 2009 at 3:41 am
#6 DonutDunning: true. i dont rate quade, and he would irritate me if he was in my team. but he does have skills, and looks a good prospect. deans could coach him to be a better alround player.
ashely cooper like you say could develop into a dynamic 12. he nees game time there in super 14 to develop those skills, not at test level.
o’connor is a good long term prospect at 15, but he needs more experience round him from his wingers. someone like lote would have been good to have there to support him. turner and mitchell imo are good wingers. gerrard was solid with special talent. no idea how he got away without cheque book thrown at him.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:57 am
#7 Tomsta: I’m really looking forward to seeing Ioane get a run.
He was devastating while playing at 13 for the Reds this year, made more metres and linebreaks than any other player in the comp.
Not sure he’s ready for 13 at Test level yet (a lot of defensive differences to wing he will need to learn), but if Deans gives him some time there to develop he will be explosive.
Longterm I am thinking:
9. Genia
10. Giteau/Barnes (I guarantee one will be injured most of time).
11. Hynes
12. Ashley-Cooper
13. Ioane
14. Turner/Mitchell
15. O’Connor/Gerrard/Shepherd
Solid backline with a lot more big explosive runners than the current team, which is getting smaller and smaller.
October 30th, 2009 at 4:01 am
#7 Tomsta: Sadly I don’t think he will get the time at 12 at the Brumbies next season.
With Gerrard gone they are lacking experience in the back 3 and I think he may play fullback the whole season.
They do have Tyrone Smith at 12 though, who I also look forward to getting some time on the EOYT. He’s like a smaller faster version of his brother
October 30th, 2009 at 4:50 am
#8 DonutDunning: mate, im with you on Ioane. he was by far the most promising player in the super 14. think he is a devasting player alround. agree that given time he could be a great center.
what you make of ryan cross. i think he has good ball carrying skills. lacks some pace to be a winger, but i think he could be better suited to wing in an aussie backline setup. they need one big winger to balance the back 3. he has struggled adjusting to 13 defensive systems in test matches, but still has talent for this level.
hynes, mitchell and turner are 3 of the same and then there is o’connor as well.
yep tyrone smith is quality. totally agree. would brumbies answer national interests ahead of their own and play ashley coops there instead. like you say he more likely to stay at 15 which means deans might have to look else where for a reliable and long term 12 option ahead of injury prone barnes.
my best pick at 15 for aussie is cameron shephard. reminds me of roebuck, joe roff and an early larkham.
October 30th, 2009 at 5:04 am
#10 Tomsta: I agree Cross isn’t a world-beater, but definitely good enough to play at Test level.
I think never having the same centre combination twice has played a huge part in his struggles defensively – in 16 tests he has had at least 4 centre partners I can think of (Mortlock, Barnes, Ashley-Cooper and Quade Cooper).
I’m a big fan of Shepherd, real shame about his injuries.
On form I was looking forward to a back 3 of Ioane, Shepherd and Gerrard this year, with Shepherd and Gerrard both covering fullback depending on what the other was doing (like Roff and Walker did for the Brumbies).
Of the guys on tour, any youngsters/rookies in there that you are picking to shine?
October 30th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Don’t tell me we are all forgetting the defensive farce that occured last time Ashley-Cooper and Cross teamed up in the midfield……
October 30th, 2009 at 6:26 am
#12 jaimie: I guarantee you I have not forgotten.
Unfortunately the only other option I can think of (short of throwing a greenhorn like Tyrone Smith in there) would be move Giteau to 12 and put Quade Cooper at 10, and that isn’t something I can quite stomach at the moment…
October 30th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Dam when is barnes not injured!
October 30th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
James O’Connor at Fullback !
That should put a smile on Old Ted’s kisser.
October 30th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
#15 cane:
He really is rather ordinary and still plays like a schoolboy. I see Dingo is keen for Kurtley Beale to try his hand at 15. Yet another schoolboy star who was rocketed in above his station too soon, and played like it. Management of young players is key, hence Teds patience in leaving likes of Cruden & Robinson at home and taking Delaney instead.