Waratahs v Brumbies, SFS Saturday 26 July
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I reckon banter on this thread is about to go into overdrive as the residents of the Monaro and the Molonglo valley wake up and realise that they only have one more week of SupeRugby left for 2014.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Or until the Tahs fans realise the inevitable choke is just about to happen
Nah, a choke is when you lose a final after leading for most of the match.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
The Tahs were only leading for half of that match when they lost to the Crusaders........
If this constitutes "banter", it's gonna be a tedious week.
Here's a radical idea, how about some fans from each side make some reasoned, sensible points about where the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two teams might lie, how the teams might approach it and so on, rather than crapping on about who lost in 2005, 2008 or 2013, most of which information has fuck-all to do with this year.
Here's a radical idea, how about some fans from each side make some reasoned, sensible points about where the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two teams might lie, how the teams might approach it and so on, rather than crapping on about who lost in 2005, 2008 or 2013, most of which information has fuck-all to do with this year.
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Way too logical Cyclopath for Tahs and Brumbies supporters
We at the Reds hold the high logical ground but good luck with it anyway
I don't hold high hopes.
I just find the usual stuff pretty puerile.
"You lot choked"
"You lot choked more"
"You lot choked more recently"
"You never won a Super Rugby title"
"You have the crappest fans"
"You have crappier crappest fans and our beer queue is better"
and so on.
4 quality teams are left, any team that wins it has to beat a team stacked with internationals. If the first week's matches are an indicator, next weekend and beyond could be epic.
M
Moono75
Guest
This is a can't lose situation. NSW A v NSW B
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
are you planning on starting a new site?
Pfitzy
George Gregan (70)
You forgot: "My Dad is bigger than your Dad!"
Coherent thought is hard to come by, because each group of fans believe its players are inherently superior. From my point of view, if you're looking at the likely starting XV:
Robinson v Sio - Brumbies
TPN v Mann-Rea - Waratahs
Kepu v Alexander - Waratahs
Potgeiter v Carter - even
Douglas v Power - Waratahs
Hoiles v Fardy - Brumbies
Hooper v Butler - Waratahs
Palu v Mowen - even (offer different styles)
Phipps v White - even
Foley v To'omua - Brumbies
Horne v Coleman - Waratahs (suspect it will be Tomane this week though)
Beale v Lealiifano - Waratahs
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) v Kuridrani - Waratahs
Alofa v Speight - Brumbies
Folau v Mogg - Waratahs
Individual players aren't necessarily going to decide this though. You'd have to say right now that the Brumbies are ascendant at the set piece, having disrupted the Chiefs early on last night, particularly the lineout. You can basically dismiss most of the wobbles the Tahs had against the Reds - two weeks to fix that when they only need one or two sessions to be a bit smarter and quicker about their delivery.
Scrum should be fairly even - the side feeding is going to be under a lot of pressure particularly if Carter recovers from his ankle injury and Potgeiter starts (as I think he will).
While the Brumbies were limited through injury when they last played in Sydney, their key failing was their default option at the breakdown: killing the ball.Last night they really should have had another guy in the bin after Aki's try, but Joubers is a ref who tends to think a try conceded is enough. That could have really turned the game for the visitors but is history now.
With To'omua back at 10, they'll run much more than they did last time, but a few points in the game White resorted to kicking and didn't get it even close to right.
The problem the Chiefs had was only 6 fit forwards on the park - having two props who get easily tired on defence really cost them, especially as they couldn't get the ball for long stretches. When they DID attack with it, they were in constant danger of being turned over because those two blokes couldn't hack the pace.
The Waratahs suffer neither of these issues. The current hardness Cheika has drilled into this team will ensure they can play the full 80 and the replacements are similarly fit. The defence they boast is a result in part of their attack wearing the opposition out, but I hold no fears that they can scramble even if the Brumbies look likely to bust the game open early.
Goalkicking appears to be a bit of a lottery for Lilo at the moment, while Foley is striking them fairly well, but has limited range.
Though, let's be realistic: both these teams will try to score tries if the conditions allow, and crush their opponent through pressure mounting on the scoreboard, not a sniper-like ability for one of them to put it over from halfway.
The key moments could come down to injuries: without To'omua or Speight, the Brumbies backline has been a bit rough behind a grafting forward pack. Similarly without TPN or Hooper, the Tahs have two players who are key in the mix, while Palu's go-forward is also a prime weapon for gain line ball (though this can be mitigated by Potgeiter et al).
For me, the biggest surprise about last night was how well Murphy threw lineouts when he came on, though I feel the Chiefs missed a trick by not putting more pressure on him. He was bloody awful against the Tahs a few weeks back but worth re-assessing now as a solid backup to Mann-Rea.
And until the ref is appointed, I reckon that's all there is worth saying.
Forcefield
Ken Catchpole (46)
I'd have thought you would want Joubert. It always seems like the team who gets the same ref two weeks in a row always get a rough time of the calls in the second game. I guess all teams infringe (read push the boundaries) and infringe with purpose. A referee that has spent a game watching what a team does will be more receptive of it the second time around. That Brumby strategy of killing the ball will likely be more readily picked up on and more readily result in a yellow card when in the red zone. Or maybe the Brumbies would be smart enough to shift their approach.
If I were the Tahs, I'd take Joubert in a heartbeat.
If I were the Tahs, I'd take Joubert in a heartbeat.
qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
To be fair Joubert favoured the attacking rugby last night but the point still stands that he heavily defence orientated compared to someone like Steve who has no time for cynical tactics at the breakdown. I also think the big games have become too much for him, a big moments he seems flustered and loses control of when to make decisions.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
I wonder how Power is, he came off with a head knock. Carter did not look all that wonderful either, with the ankle strapping.
The Tahs forwards are going to have to earn this, the backs might get the glory, but the pigs will win it. Or lose it.
My prediction: Hooper to absolutely dominate the game. The Bumblies just do not have a legal counter to top-class pilferers like Hooper.
The Tahs forwards are going to have to earn this, the backs might get the glory, but the pigs will win it. Or lose it.
My prediction: Hooper to absolutely dominate the game. The Bumblies just do not have a legal counter to top-class pilferers like Hooper.
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