'13 WC | Semi Final | Australia 64-0 Fiji | Wembley

[PARRA_FAN]

^ Definately the biggest.

The previous biggest wouldve been in 1995, I think 26,000 when they played England at the old Central Park.

 

[DC_fan]

The score line will depend on how serious Australia is for this game. Hopefully we have our minds totally switched on.

 

[mxlegend99]

Tim Sheens is apparently going to be selecting Brent Tate on the bench to play in the second row. At club level selecting a centre/winger in the second row is ridiculous and stupid. But Tim Sheens is doing this for Australia.

He's going to use Brent Tate out of position INTENTIONALLY so that we aren't stuck using a player out of position if one of our centres gets injured. What an absolute moron. Intentionally using a player out of position to prevent us possibly having to use one out of position.

THe worst part is that Brent Tate has been very poor for Australia and shouldn't even be considered in his natural position. This move reminds me of Matt Elliott doing the exact same thing with Adrian Purtell in 2010 in a finals match. It was a huge disaster as you would expect. I don't see why we couldn't just throw Boyd Cordner into the side ahead of Sam Thaiday, and use him or Greg Bird in the centres on the off chance that someone gets injured. Rather then running into a game with a winger and a halfback on the bench... with both being used out of positon when they come onto the field.

 

[Parra Pride]

Why are you at all surprised by Sheens making a stupid selection?

 

[MrAnonymous]

Tim Sheens is apparently going to be selecting Brent Tate on the bench to play in the second row. At club level selecting a centre/winger in the second row is ridiculous and stupid. But Tim Sheens is doing this for Australia.

He's going to use Brent Tate out of position INTENTIONALLY so that we aren't stuck using a player out of position if one of our centres gets injured. What an absolute moron. Intentionally using a player out of position to prevent us possibly having to use one out of position.

THe worst part is that Brent Tate has been very poor for Australia and shouldn't even be considered in his natural position. This move reminds me of Matt Elliott doing the exact same thing with Adrian Purtell in 2010 in a finals match. It was a huge disaster as you would expect. I don't see why we couldn't just throw Boyd Cordner into the side ahead of Sam Thaiday, and use him or Greg Bird in the centres on the off chance that someone gets injured. Rather then running into a game with a winger and a halfback on the bench... with both being used out of positon when they come onto the field.

This is nothing new with Sheens pretty sure he played beau ryan in the same role of the bench once.

The guy is a complete f**kwit spastic.

 

[adamkungl]

Sheenius :lol:

 

[hutch]

Haha, sheenius strikes again! Good for Fiji anyway!

 

[RedVee]

Is there a 3rd/4th playoff this RLWC ?

 

[mxlegend99]

I just think at the international level it's a million times worse. We have plenty of quality players in the squad who could cover centre reasonably if they were needed to. But why do we need a cover at all? We have our utility player. DCE is there to cover injury. Depending on who goes down changes how he is used.

Say our team is:
1. Inglis
2. Morris
3. Hayne
4. Morris
5. Jennings
6. Thurston
7. Cronk
8. Scott
9. Smith
10. Gallen
11. Bird
12. Thaiday
13. Parker

14. Fifita
15. Papali
16. Cordner
17. DCE

Smith down. Cronk to hooker, DCE half
Centre goes down. Bird or Cordner cover it.
Winger goes down. Hayne to wing, bird or Cordner to centre
Fullback goes down. Hayne to fullback. Bird/cordner cover him.
Half goes down. DCE straight in.
Forward gets injured. We have 3 on our bench and a number who are versatile.

I don't think any of those scenarios are nearly as bad as Tate in the forwards. Who knew how nadly the Lewis injury would hurt the team?? We lose a utility second rower and Sheens is looking at replacing him with a centre as thats where he would have been needed in that game.

 

[hutch]

We don't need cover, dce on the bench is a waste as he can only play in the halves.

 

[Pierced Soul]

fifita should be the utility. he can outrun most of the backs, plays big minutes and is mobile.

i'd love to see the cross field kick into the corner for him on the wing.

surely that info regarding tate in the 2nd row is a beatup by a bored journo. what are they going to do? put dce and tate onto the bench? should also put jennings there as well in case both centres get injured :roll:

 

[Reidy87]

Tate should be the utility INSTEAD of DCE.

Why?

Because Hayne can cover halves or Fullback if cronk/JT/GI go down, and Tate can cover all the outside backs most notably centre I'd Hayne is needed elsewhere.

In the meantime you have a strong, aggressive runner sitting on the bench instead of a creative half.

 

[stormbati]

Tate should be the utility INSTEAD of DCE.

Why?

Because Hayne can cover halves or Fullback if cronk/JT/GI go down, and Tate can cover all the outside backs most notably centre I'd Hayne is needed elsewhere.

In the meantime you have a strong, aggressive runner sitting on the bench instead of a creative half.

Sheens?
On a serious note, hopefully Fiji throw the ball around give their speed men some quality ball.

 

[lockyno1]

We don't need cover, dce on the bench is a waste as he can only play in the halves.

You need a half on the bench- it is the only way we can lose this world cup if one of Thurston/Cronk goes down!

 

[ozbash]

it is the only way we can lose this world cup if one of Thurston/Cronk goes down!

lol

 

[hutch]

You need a half on the bench- it is the only way we can lose this world cup if one of Thurston/Cronk goes down!

Wrong on both accounts.

 

[lockyno1]

In your view. If Cronk goes down, who fills in at half...we have NO ONE that can. We need DCE on the bench!

 

[Sujskiez]

In your view. If Cronk goes down, who fills in at half...we have NO ONE that can. We need DCE on the bench!

He said if cronk goes down hayne can cover much as i know he can but hayne has hardly played halves with australia and its not even his position u would rather have him in the centre or FB so he can create plays if our halves were shut down. DCE is the ideal player who can cover the havles and if needed he can also play centre though i doubt if he had ever played centre but if it comes to the scenario where if cronk does get injured and u can have DCE in the havles with the same results as if cronk was on the field. I reckon in the future DCE will be known as the greatest halves in the comp the way he's going with his career

 

[Reidy87]

You don't need a half on the bench to cover for an injury that is rarely going to happen.

Your bench utility should be that - a utility. Preferably a back rower with prior outside backs experience I.e. Lewis... Who is injured so the next best thing in my view is a powerful runner, aggressive defender who can fill several roles I.e. Maybe Tate - ticks more boxes than DCE.

Say if cronk goes down, move JT to half, GI to 5/8 and Hayne to FB, or Hayne to 5/8 and Tate to centres - hell play bird at 6 he won MoM in Origin there...

Point is, 90% of the time you end up playing your utility half for 20mins, in some silly role they aren't designed for, interrupting the flow, because your starting halves are perfectly fit but you need to give no.14 some game time to justify your ridiculous bench.

The only possible argument in Sheens defence is that he has a lot of 80min players I.e. Bird, Parker, Gallen who don't really need a long rest, if at all...

 

[undertaker]

Will this be the biggest crowd for any Fiji national team to play in front of?

^ Definately the biggest.

The previous biggest wouldve been in 1995, I think 26,000 when they played England at the old Central Park.

Correct. Since Fiji made their test debut in 1992, 26263 vs England at Central Park in the '95 World Cup is the highest crowd they've played in front of.