Australian S14 team of the week - round 4

[Ash]

Haven't seen any threads for this weeks team of the week, so let's get the ball rolling with the one from G&G, consisting of 0 Force, 10 Tahs and 5 Reds. Brumbies had a bye.

I probably would've had Pocock, one of the few standouts from the Force, and perhaps Higgenbottham from the Reds. Not sure on Burgess' selection, but it was another week of "meh" in terms of Aus halfbacks.

Australian team of the week

March 9, 2009 - 10:13AM

Each week, Greg Growden and Rupert Guinness pick the form Australian Super 14 team.

15 Sam Norton-Knight (NSW) (3)
14 Lachie Turner (NSW) (1)
13 Rob Horne (NSW) (2)
12 Berrick Barnes (Qld) (2)
11 Peter Hynes(Qld) (2)
10 Quade Cooper (Qld) (3)
9 Luke Burgess (NSW) (1)
8 Leroy Houston(Qld) (2)
7 Phil Waugh (NSW) (2)
6 Ben Mowen (NSW) (1)
5 Dean Mumm (NSW) (2)
4 Hugh McMeniman(Qld) (2)
3 Al Baxter (NSW) (3)
2 Adam Freier (NSW) (1)
1 Benn Robinson (NSW) (3)

(Number of times selected in brackets).

OK, not too bad on the team of the week selection. But there there's this WTF?! moment.

Try of the round: TIMANA TAHU. Not much to choose from, but the replacement centre was at the right spot at the right time to score.

A try scored off a nothing bomb where a ball popped loose. In the same game he had two other good choices: dominant forward play and aggressive driving for the first Tahs try, then sustained pressure and quick backline hands gives Hynes a winger's try in the corner. Interesting selection...

 

[fatprop]

How can MMM be there, his primary role is to win ball. The Reds locks failed to do that for most of the game.

I would have had Palu and Higgenbottom in the back row

 

[RugbyReg]

MMM was the best QLD forward in doing the tight work. He's the only one who tries counter rucking and really puts a lot of pressure on in tight.

 

[naza]

Was Barnes even playing for Queensland ? He's the Rueben Thorne of backs.

 

[Ash]

Yeah, I probably also would've gone with Palu over Houston.

3M deserves his place and was the pick of the Qld forwards.

 

[naza]

Van Humphries was better for the Reds. When he went off, the lineout went to pieces. McMenimen also gave away a couple of dumb penalties that wasted good field position.

 

[HG]

Van Humphries was better for the Reds. When he went off, the lineout went to pieces. McMenimen also gave away a couple of dumb penalties that wasted good field position.

It wasn't Humphries going off that created the problems it was Hooker Fainga'a that caused the problems.

M&M was the standout for the Reds. His dad died that day as well, great effort from him.

 

[formeropenside]

Van Humphries was better for the Reds. When he went off, the lineout went to pieces. McMenimen also gave away a couple of dumb penalties that wasted good field position.

It wasn't Humphries going off that created the problems it was Hooker Fainga'a that caused the problems.

M&M was the standout for the Reds. His dad died that day as well, great effort from him.

It was both, to be fair. As a retired hooker, I can tell you that you can put the ball on the right spot, but if the jumper does not jump, or the lifters dont lift (or both) things fall apart right smartly.

 

[Scarfman]

While we're on this topic, I thought TPN overthrew about 5 balls - a couple juuuust got grabbed and another couple flew into Waugh's hands, and just one went to ground.

 

[disco]

Was Barnes even playing for Queensland ? He's the Rueben Thorne of backs.

Barnes had a good game just starting to run out his injury rust & to be honest he didn't have much to beat.

Van Humphries was better for the Reds. When he went off, the lineout went to pieces. McMenimen also gave away a couple of dumb penalties that wasted good field position.

Probably poor planning from the forwards coach as they assumed that VH wouldn't come off injured so when he did there was no lineout leader as MMM hasn't trained much this season.

MMM did give away two stupid penalties for entering from the side but he made up for the 2nd penalty as the resulting lineout to the tahs ended up with MMM crunching Beale.