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Overlooked Wallabies have 'something to prove' in 2022

Liam Wright of the Wallabies walks out ahead of the 2020 Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup match between the Australian Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks at ANZ Stadium on October 31, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Bullied by the Crusaders and overlooked by Wallabies selectors, there are many motivations for Queensland Reds players next season.

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The Super Rugby AU champions were crowing in May, but quickly crashed back to earth when towelled up by their New Zealand equivalent a fortnight later.

A record 63-28 loss to the Crusaders, who led 49-7 at one stage, was the low point of a dire Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign.

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It has inspired a brutal pre-season under coach Brad Thorn, built around improving physical strength and sharpening basic skills.

“We got a humbling this year; won the AU comp then went to the Trans-Tasman and got it handed to us, especially against the Crusaders,” back-rower and captain Liam Wright told AAP.

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“That pointed our pre-season a bit, gave us things to work on because from a physical standpoint we got bullied.”

Individuals have their own drivers too with the Super Rugby Pacific season kick-off in February, before three home Tests against England.

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Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight were both controversially omitted from the Wallabies’ Spring Tour squad to instead exploit a full off-season of development.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto was not re-selected after leaving camp for the birth of his child, while Angus Scott-Young opted for a domestic season in New Zealand when it became clear he wasn’t in coach Dave Rennie’s plans.

Halfback Tate McDermott impressed when given chances but still finished the year behind Nic White in the pecking order, while the game-changing Taniela Tupou remains in a prop rotation with Allan Alaalatoa.

James O’Connor was the leading five-eighth in Australia but watched on injured as Quade Cooper shone in his remarkable Wallabies return.

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How the highly rated Hunter Paisami is used by Rennie will depend on whether Samu Kerevi is eligible to play, while wingers Filipo Daugunu and Suliasi Vunivalu were hobbled by injury.

“Pretty much everyone here does have something to prove,” Wright said.

“As a group, we want to prove Queensland can be a powerhouse in rugby and personally there is a lot of guys that have missed out on selection.

“Look at our whole back five and forward pack … there’s a lot of guys here that are looking to put their names up.”

Wright himself was shunted down the back-row depth chart after an ankle injury meant he missed the start of the season, Scott-Young’s rise now leaving him with work to do to even make the Reds’ run-on side.

“That injury really disrupted things, so a pre-season (with the Reds) was best for me rather than being on Spring Tour to make some gains that they’ve been talking about for years,” Wright said.

“I’m trying to take it positively, knowing I’m going to have to earn a spot back there and here as well.”

– Murray Wenzel

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RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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