Number 7
Darby Loudon (17)
Tolu Latu off to Stade Francais:
https://www.lexvdedepart.com/2019/07/22/stade-francais-tolu-latu-sest-engage/
Waratahs 2020
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
Tolu Latu off to Stade Francais:
https://www.lexvdedepart.com/2019/07/22/stade-francais-tolu-latu-sest-engage/
molman
Peter Johnson (47)
Well that confirms what we all suspected. Shame, because we didn't get the best out of Latu at the Tah's over the last couple of years. I wonder how he will go. They seem to have a much different approach to Rugby, training etc.. over there. Be a shame for him to regress after he's just started to show so much promise.
Silverado
Dick Tooth (41)
Then how do you justify the Tahs getting that huge South African last year who turned out to be a dud? Or McCauly who is a big unit but hasn't managed to crack it yet? I think he had to play to a light and mobile game plan because that's what he had. We got Simmons from the Reds, but are there many big units looking for a home that we missed out on?
Derpus
George Gregan (70)
Fucking typical. Finally showing his potential and hes off.
Blackadder
Desmond Connor (43)
Mccauley a big unit??? He is a bean stalk. Who signed him?? Gibson.
The huge South African?? Never even got a run.
Gibson chose the light and mobile pack.
He had 4 years and moulded the pack that way. And he failed.
Even Penny sees the problems in the pack.
B
Bobby Sands
Guest
Gibson did a number on the Tahs, no doubt about it.
Silverado
Dick Tooth (41)
The South African was garbage, but gosh he was big!. Picked on size to fit your big forward mentality and couldn't make Manly team. Name the players we missed out on or who were available.
Number 7
Darby Loudon (17)
True but the Stade Francais website reports him on the 10th of October as being available from October 28. I hope you are right though.
Silverado
Dick Tooth (41)
Jimmy_Crouch
Ken Catchpole (46)
Not Really, "development" is a dubious premise. It is cyclical and complicated. The Reds promoted youth because their system was failing, they were losing and they had no other real option
That wasn't the Tahs position. The Tahs have been one of the better Aus sides for ages and their roster demonstrated that. Now they could have either cleared out current Wallabies for youth development purposes or followed the standard approach, and as spaces opens up recruited. Post RWC is where most of those spots appear as the best, but aging units head overseas
What Hore, Cheika & Gibson have done is set up a better development structure so we now see a load of those available places going to Gen Blue promotions and players from the SS
Jimmy_Crouch
Ken Catchpole (46)
My comment was specifically about where the players currently sit on their development path. Tahs squad is full of promising inexperienced players just as the Reds squad was a couple of seasons ago.
Jimmy_Crouch
Ken Catchpole (46)
Does anyone else see any correlation between Reds/Waratahs winning the Super Rugby title and the batch of kids coming through for each state?
12-14yr old kids seeing their team win and then the union putting some money into development has helped keep those kids in rugby?
12-14yr old kids seeing their team win and then the union putting some money into development has helped keep those kids in rugby?
Noted, it is why some experienced younger players need to step up who have the experience as leaders. The Robinsons, the Hanigans, the Beales, the Dempseys, the Simmons, need to step up and be those leaders supporting Hooper
and running through that list you can see why Hunt is still wanted, the Pigs will be OK, the backs ................
molman
Peter Johnson (47)
There you go. Did we have a scrum coach on the books last season?
So only the skills/performance coaching position left? After seeing Japan play the other night, I'd love to have some of those fluid skills. The speed and accuracy was very impressive.
molman
Peter Johnson (47)
Yeah, similar to fatprop, I don't feel like we're quite the same as the Reds were. They really cleaned the house when Quade, Hunt and Slippers were dropped, coupled with the players moving (or moved) on before Thorn started (Frisby etc..) and all those new QLDC boys moving up as a block. Really only had people like Higginbotham and Kerevi providing some of that experience. They were a very young team. You can see why they shipped in people like George Smith and even Jono Lance to help provide some more experience, as it felt like they had a bit of a age and experience gulf.
I think the Tahs are slightly different. Yes, particularly in the back they perhaps do not have the same depth of experience (Beale aside), but there is still a strong spine who have been around for awhile. You can see the leadership Hanigan and Gordon have been bringing in the NRC and why they (NSW Rugby/Tahs) are developing that. Likewise, with Foketi in the Sydney team. Then you have a number of other international level (or at least played that level) players still sprinkled throughout the team. The Dempseys, Simmons, Robbinsons etc.. that fatprop mentioned, not to forget the leadership of Hooper. Are they starting to skew younger and less experienced. For sure, but I still fell like there is a reasonable spread of ages and playing experience across the team. I think ideally, it's what you want. Old heads to challenge or be challenged by the younger players whilst they learn what they can from them before they move on/retire.
I agree with fatprop in that I still think it would be good to hold onto Hunt if possible. You can also see in Penny's recruitment goals he was also keen for one more experienced/skillful backline player.. I'm just not sure who is around to fit his need though.