Snort
Nev Cottrell (35)
Yes, correct.
CAS Rugby 2012
- Thread starter HiTh
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Yes, correct.
rtd32
Larry Dwyer (12)
anyone thinking the word upset this week?
My thoughts are Barker to win in a close match
Trinity should beat Cranbrook without too much difficulty, hopefully they can find some form as a result
Knox vs Aloys will be very interesting. On paper Knox should win easily but as I have been told Aloysius see this as their CAS rival fixture and have troubled the Knox boys in the past. Besides this years upset they snuck a win in the 2010 U16 side I believe. I think it will be a close game but would tip Knox to win
My thoughts are Barker to win in a close match
Trinity should beat Cranbrook without too much difficulty, hopefully they can find some form as a result
Knox vs Aloys will be very interesting. On paper Knox should win easily but as I have been told Aloysius see this as their CAS rival fixture and have troubled the Knox boys in the past. Besides this years upset they snuck a win in the 2010 U16 side I believe. I think it will be a close game but would tip Knox to win
J
Justin Macline
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I dont believe Cranbrook will be a pushover for Trinity watching them yesterday. They had a number of injuries in the side and competed well with Waverley and did not give up. I tip Trinity to win but they will have to fight for it
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Larry Dwyer (12)
fair call, the last i had heard of Cranbrook they lost to Barker 33-0 at full strength (I'm pretty sure), but this was about 6 weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised at a closer margin than what we've seen in the past between Trinity and Cranbrook, but if 24-5 is "competing well" by Cranbrook's standards then yes, that was the type of scoreline I had in mind
J
Justin Macline
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I see what you mean with the Barker scoreline but you got my point that the scorelines will be closer than what people think because of a perception some have of Cranbrook. Yesterday they competed all game but just 5 minutes of a lapse in concentration in the Cranbrook boys allowed Waverley to extend the score. I expect a similar game with Trinity but i think Trinity will be able to put more points on the board than Waverley did
G
G&GR News Bot
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The word before the game was that Knox was under-strength, without captain (and Combined States hooker) Sam Kitchen, NSW Seconds centre Liam Creeley and flanker Andrew Seton. The pack was reshuffled, with Angus Bownes coming in as hooker and Brett Van Zyl coming up from the 16As. No8 Oliver Nutbeen stepped up as captain.
But actually it was Trinity that had the really serious injury problems. From the regular side, prop Junior Satiu (NSW 2nd XV), second rower Malaki Tiumalu-Afele and No8 Ola Moala (both CAS 2nds) were all missing. Why, I don’t know. My assumption is that all three were injured.
Add to that the absence of powerhouse hooker Vinnie Morsello (out for the season), flanker George Corias (ill or injured, I guess) and lock Daryen Hazell (who never even made it on to the field this year) and Trinity had only two of the players who they would have expected to be in their pack when the season started.
When your game plan depends on big ball-carriers punching holes in the defence, you need to get the big men on the field. Things were so bleak that Rowland Kotobalavu, listed in the program to play wing in the seconds, started at No7.
The game had an unpromising start, with Knox fumbling the kick-off. But Knox had the better of the possession in the early stages and a few penalties went their way, mostly for infringements at the breakdown. The goal-kicking prop, Oliver Knight, knocked a couple over for a 6-0 lead. That became 13-0 after a blockbusting run by outside-centre, Michael Spain, took play within a few metres of the line, and a couple of phases later Nutbeen went over on the short side.
Trinity’s one moment of attacking promise came when one of the Knox backs had the bright idea of sending a clearing kick straight to Henry Clunies-Ross, who shredded the defence but couldn’t link up with any support.
Knox did much better than Trinity at the breakdown, turning the ball over now and then and repeatedly forcing penalties. They were simply more enthusiastic and committed. and bustled Trinity out of the game. when a Trinity back (often Jamieson
Clark) took on the defence, he was usually isolated and turned over or penalised for not releasing. Being first to the breakdown is everything in the modern game, and Trinity struggled in this aspect of the game.
Knox was much better at putting phases together, and after one sequence, fly-half Sean Handlin found himself ten metres out with a two man overlap and cut inside to score himself. 18-0, which became 21-0 before half-time through another penalty from Knight.
To say that Trinity’s lineout has been bad this year would be like saying that the Titanic got scratched by an iceberg, but really it plumbed new depths on Saturday. It was windy, in fairness, which didn’t help. But, truly, there was one long throw over the top that went straight to the Trinity back line. After that either the hooker or thrower was paralysed by indecision and at the next lineout there was an interminable delay until the referee stopped play to tell the Knox players to stop telling him to award a free kick.
When play resumed there was an even longer delay, the ball wasn’t thrown in, and so the referee did award the free kick. Next lineout the thrower overcompensated and threw the ball straight into the Knox backline. I wish I was making this up. Then there was a short throw to Cameron Orr at the front, which Orr knocked on and. it was just a mess. Lineouts are really simply these days, with lifting permitted. Trinity’s complete ineptitude in this part of the game is a real puzzle.
In the second half, Knox pretty much dominated possession again. Knight knocked over a fifth penalty, after Kotobalavu was given a yellow card for a shoulder charge. Then a string of phases created a big overlap, and Spain took advantage by strolling over: 32-0. Spain apart, there wasn’t a huge amount of penetration in the Knox backline, although they concentrated on getting the ball to the wings whenever possible.
Fullback Pierce Richards had a quiet game. New hooker Angus Bownes played strongly. The Knox scrum-half, Callum Reid, often fed the scrum like a Rugby League half-back, which not every referee will like.
For Trinity, Orr and Jackson McLean did their best to get the team moving forward and each made some strong runs. And, strangely, in a team that was hopelessly outplayed, Trinity had the best player on the field. Clunies-Ross ran well, defended bravely and produced the single most impressive moment of the match when he soared high top make a clean catch of a towering, swirling bomb.
With the last play of the game, he ran through half the Knox team before unselfishly offloading the ball to Ebeling in support for a consolation try. But when your best player is your full back, and your best play comes in the last minute, it’s been a hard day.
It ended up 32-7. Scrum half Brent Whicker went off with what looked like a shoulder injury, so Trinity’s season may not be improving any time soon.
So that’s Saturday: Knox’s first win at home all season. and the second time this year that they have disposed of Trinity by 25 points. Elsewhere, Barker beat St Aloysius 17-3, and Waverley overcame Cranbrook 24-5.
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G
G&GR News Bot
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By Snort
What to make of the season so far?
Mention 1964 to any baseball fan and at once they’ll mention the Phillies. The Phillies didn’t win the 1964 World Series – in fact. they didn’t even get there. But with ten games left in the regular season, they led the National League pennant race by six games – a virtually unblowable lead which, of course, they managed to blow, thereby writing themselves into history as the most incompetent finishers of all time. Unless Barker were to lose the Plume Shield this year, in which case we would have a new contender.
There are three games to play. Barker has won seven from seven. Mathematically, they could lose the last three games, and Waverley (five from seven) could steal the title by winning all three games. Actually, you can even concoct a scenario in which Trinity, Barker and Waverley all finish on seven wins, but on present form Trinity will be lucky to win another lineout, let alone a game. No, it’s Barker’s Shield. The only question is whether they’ll go through unbeaten.
In theory, it’s a difficult run home, with Waverley, Trinity and Knox. Knox is resurgent and the local derby usually lifts them. Waverley is a threat, and Trinity used to be. And anything can happen on any given day. But I doubt Barker will slip up. They’ve come this far by being fantastically efficient. That sounds like faint praise, I know. It isn’t meant to be. But they’re not an exhilarating side to watch. They can’t cut an opposing side to bits the way, say, Waverley can on a good day. Both Waverley and Trinity would expect to score many more than 17 points against St Aloysius.
But Barker doesn’t run up cricket scores, it just gets the job done. They have a strong front row, with two good props in Henry Pederson and Nick Ebney and a hooker, Tom Wilson, who is lively around the park, gets the set pieces right and kicks goals for good measure. Wilson has been, by some distance, the standout player in the competition this year. Marais is impressive in the second row, and the back row works well as a unit. Harry Jenkins doesn’t run as much as you’d like in a scrum-half, but has a good pass, which matters more.
When I’ve seen him, the fly-half David Smerdon has been no better than capable, but he’s in Year 10, so that’s good enough. Brendan Flaherty brings some penetration to the midfield, and the back three (George Haltmeier, Tyson Davis and Stoltz) don’t waste their opportunities. It adds up to a side in which everyone knows his job and executes it with commitment and discipline.
I haven’t mentioned their defence, which is the best in the competition by miles. They have allowed, in seven games, just 61 points – on average, less than nine points a game. Even on their worse day, they’ll score more than that. It will be their commitment and organisation in defence that will win Barker the premiership.
This Saturday, Barker can clinch the Shield by beating Waverley at home. Later this week I’ll have a few things to say about that game, about Waverley, and about a few other sides in the competition. If they let me back. [sounds reasonable - Ed]
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andrew smith
Guest
The Cranbrook forwards were the only thing that enabled them to be somewhat competitive,led by Fay and the two second rowers,they offered very little out wide and creativity of inside backs was lacking,with exception of scrumhalf Swanborough,whilst they did have a few injuries , Waverley was in the same boat,with both wingers Smith and CAS I Wileman out, and the side s best player Jack Johnson no.7 also out after Aust A duty, while no.6 O Connor played his first game in 5weeks in 2nds recovering from broken wrist.The Waverley forwards matched the Cranbrook forwards with Morton having his best game of the season as did no.8 Powter,the superior Waverley backs ran in some superb tries,some set plays and some off the cuff yet probably should have scored another couple but last pass went astray,Inside centre Farley stood out after gaining CAS I game time in the holidays while Half Whitaker and Fullback Paterson stood out with fine games,troubling the Cranbrook defence with every touch,after both represented Combined States XV at the schoolboys Championships.Next week against Barker at Barker should be the game of the season,Waverley need to win to keep CAS dream alive while Barker will tie up the Shield with a win....All roads lead to Hornsby next Saturday.
Surprised with size of Knox win over Trinity given Kitchen,Creely and Seton out,pity they have had so many crucial injuries,they may have been a real force.
rtd32
Larry Dwyer (12)
By Snort...
This Saturday, Barker can clinch the Shield by beating Waverley at home. Later this week I’ll have a few things to say about that game, about Waverley, and about a few other sides in the competition. If they let me back. [sounds reasonable - Ed]
Absolutely fantastic post! I enjoyed reading this, by far the best quality seen on this forum to date. Just so you're aware Nick Edney (double try scorer against both Aloysius and Waverly) is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury in the first CAS game. Terrible shame as I thought he may have had a shot at NSW 2's... Yes, Barker have not won yet and they need to ensure they are aware of that. However, I have been hearing the phrase "undefeated season" echoed around their grounds.
As for your defence comment, I couldn't agree more. They must be on track for some type of record, the last 2 games has only seen 3 points scored against them, with nobody yet to put 20 points on them... Amazing, last years champions with the best attacking record in CAS history, this years (supposed) champions with one of the best defensive.
J
Justin Macline
Guest
I agree with you that the Cranbrook forwards, particularly Fay, kept Cranbrook in the game. Farley and Cupitt-Osbourne's defence on the weekend was great which did not allow the ball to go to the wing which could have tested the young left winger Kaine. The loss of Smith and Wileman obviously took some firepower out of the backline but I think the wings were manned well by Worthington and Kaine, but with Patterson, Farley, Cupitt-Osbourne and O'Donnell there it always made them dangerous. Smith should be back this week for Barker. I believe all the forwards played well, and as you say Morton probably playing his best game with Powter, Budrodeen. Unfortunate injury to Wilson however. Their tries were good, particularly both of Patterson's, and as you say a couple more couldve been scored. This week is Waverley's last chance and they are the only team who can sneak past Barker if they win and results go their way. This is easier said than done however.
Since1961
Herbert Moran (7)
You could already concoct a quite brilliant CAS composite team from those on the injured lists, but there will be more surprise 'spectators' by the time that the programmes get handed out on Saturday. Now that the rep teams have been run and won, and after Barker seals the Plume Shield on Saturday, we might amuse ourselves picking a fantasy team from those top-shelf players who are sidelined .......
smokinjoe
Ward Prentice (10)
I'm sure it would be a great side but not too amusing for the lads who are probably feeling a bit disappointed.
J
Justin Macline
Guest
Waverley additions this week: Johnson, Smith, Masero-Sheridan. Changes: Wilson (injured), Stevens, Kaine (dropped)
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Can anyone enlighten me as to why the KNox 3's played Grammar 2's today - as in who were KNox playing that couldnt field a 3's?
Aloys 34 Knox 19
Aloys plucky, quicker, more aggressive and looked like they wanted to impress a big crowd - and did. They led throughout. Knox not very good and with a large, heavy, slow moving scrum were bereft of ideas. Knox had No 12 in the bin for 10 after 5 and No 2 red carded for much of the 2nd half but even with a full complement Knox would still have ended up with the same result.
Aloys plucky, quicker, more aggressive and looked like they wanted to impress a big crowd - and did. They led throughout. Knox not very good and with a large, heavy, slow moving scrum were bereft of ideas. Knox had No 12 in the bin for 10 after 5 and No 2 red carded for much of the 2nd half but even with a full complement Knox would still have ended up with the same result.
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