Out-of-form Waratahs could be snubbed in Wallabies shake-up

With Australia struggling ahead of the World Cup, now is not the time to be playing favourites — and that means only one Waratah can be confident of holding his place ahead of the showpiece event in Japan, writes JULIAN LINDEN.

• Israel Folau unloads on Rugby Australia board
• Done and dusted: End of the line for Tahs

Israel Folau may not be the only big-name Waratah to miss out on going to the World Cup this year.

Nor should he be.

As the Waratahs admitted themselves after they lost their ninth match of the season on Saturday, they’re close but not good enough.

Let’s hope the national selectors take note because this is not a year to play favourites.

Israel Folau won’t be lining up for the Wallabies at this year’s World Cup — but he’s not the only Waratahs on the chopping block. Picture: Getty

Currently ranked sixth in the world and rated a $17 chance to win the World Cup, the Wallabies are already up against it and if the past three seasons have shown anything, it’s that reputations count for nothing in Test rugby and the only reliable form guide is current form.

So if the new Australian selection panel, which has promised to shake things up and pick players in form, sticks true to its word, then they have to look beyond the faltering Waratahs.

Even cutting them some slack because of the Folau circus, no more than two NSW players should be in the Australian starting XV, because there are better options elsewhere.

Dejected Waratahs players look on during their defeat to the Brumbies. Are World Cup spots on the line? Picture: AAP

They can start with the Brumbies, who are not only the form Australian team in Super Rugby, but they’ve got the best functioning forward pack in the country and are providing a free template on what the Wallabies need to do.

The rolling maul might not be the most exciting tactic in rugby but when it’s done properly, there are few weapons that are more effective.

The form hooker of the competition in both set pieces and loose play, Folau Fainga’a has scored 11 tries this season and should be an automatic pack for the Wallabies.

So should tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa and you can throw in Scott Sio and James Slipper as alternating loose-heads to make it an all-Brumbies front row.

Allan Alaalatoa (C) should be an automatic pick for Wallabies selectors. Picture: AAP

Rory Arnold also has to be picked because he’s the form second rower, as he showed once again in the Brumbies’ win over the Waratahs, their fifth in a row.

So that’s four Brumbies in the pack, plus David Pocock and, if the selectors want to take a punt on youth, they need look no further than Brumbies’ blindside flanker Rob Valetini.

So Michael Hooper may be the only Waratahs who will start for the Wallabies this year, assuming the selectors decide to pick and him Pocock together, even though it’s been a failed plot and it’s time to bite the bullet and pick one or the other.

Bernard Foley has struggled to find his best form... but there’s not much playmaking depth in the Australian ranks. Picture: Getty

The strength of the Waratahs is in their backs but they just haven’t fired at all this season and with Foley out of a job and Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale both struggling to get back to their best, it’s possible not one NSW player will make the run-on side.

That’s unlikely because no-one has emerged as an obvious replacement for Foley so he’ll probably get another chance but Beale is less certain.

With Queensland’s Samu Kerevi the standout inside centre, Beale’s best hope is at fullback but after making a decent start he’s dropped off so Dane Haylett-Petty and Tom Banks are the two frontrunners, meaning the Waratahs will the price for their failure this season long after Super Rugby ends.

Originally published as Out-of-form Waratahs could be snubbed in Wallabies shake-up