Reds vs Waratahs - 29th April RD 10

[wamberal]

Hugh Roach starting? Just don't think he has got the physique to do anything other than be a finisher at this level. Very mobile, not a bad fetcher.



(And he plays for the Mighty Woods, BTW, as does Ed Craig, future Wallaby hooker. And Damien Fitzpatrick, come to think of it).

 

[cyclopath]

It's Roach or Fitzpatrick. I'm not sure either thrill me as starters at the moment. But our reserve THP (especially) and LHP (more this year, as he seemed to be getting better at LHP last year) worry me a whole lot.

 

[ShtinaTina]

It's Roach or Fitzpatrick. I'm not sure either thrill me as starters at the moment. But our reserve THP (especially) and LHP (more this year, as he seemed to be getting better at LHP last year) worry me a whole lot.

The front row doesn't thrill me :|

 

[ShtinaTina]

I am travelling to Brisbane, going to the game and supporting the Tahs. End of.


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I'll be there, as usual, I'll keep an eye out for you Topo

 

[Beer Baron]

No excuses this weekend weatherwise - forecast looks perfect.

That's about as powerful a side as the Reds could name, probably only missing Slipper & CFS and haven't heard anything about CFS injury timeframe all season.

Hopefully the Reds smart enough to use that extra grunt effectively.

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is CFS injured or even in the country???

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[The torpedo]

Tahs will be pissed from last week. Reds will be flat from the bye.

Tahs to take it by 10 points or less.

I've watched the Reds enough over the past few years to know that they will fuck it up somehow

 

[neilc]

is CFS injured or even in the country???

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Injured - knee. Spoke to him at the Reds fan day as I was surprised to see him there and I think he said to me that he was looking at being back for the last few games of the season.

 

[neilc]

any reason why Gordon has been dropped?

Cheika probably needed Phipps to be starting so he could justify selecting him for the Wallabies...

Can't see what Gordon has done wrong, seems odd to not play your form halfback against the Reds, maybe he thinks Phipps will handle the pressure better.

 

[cyclopath]

Cheika probably needed Phipps to be starting so he could justify selecting him for the Wallabies.

Can't see what Gordon has done wrong, seems odd to not play your form halfback against the Reds, maybe he thinks Phipps will handle the pressure better.

Gibson apparently suggests it was planned rotation. Not a "form" thing. But, given our season thus far, I would think getting the best players out there would be paramount.

 

[Hawko]

It doesn't seem like he's selecting the team based on form (or talent to be fair) - otherwise Wells, Naiyavoro and Mumm would be nowhere near there.

He (Gibson) has decided to rotate the scrum-halves and this week sees Gordon dropped (rotated) and Phipps elevated. That has to be the worst decision Gibson has made on selection this year. Gordon goes out for a scrum half who cannot this season put the ball in front of the man at chest height or thereabouts. Words fail me.

McDuling has earned his spot and Mumm is in because we will need three jumpers against the Reds starters and we've put Holloway on the bench. But we sure lack grunt.

Roach starting is a mistake, Fitzpatrick is the better scrummager and we got dominated there last week. Kepu the saviour? I hope so but I'm doubtful. Roach has been selected to try to emulate Latu's heroics at the ruck because our backrow won't.

I hope Hanigan lifts this week, last week he looked to me to be exhausted from the perpetual lift in class that is Super Rugby. Most newbies go through that. I'm betting he'll come out the other side stronger for the experience.

Naiyaravoro has been selected as a battering ram. Lets just hope that someone this week has had a quiet word with the backs about releasing him to do his job. Scored two tries last week and I reckon that's all the touches he got. People put shit on him for his limitations but he has some skills that are Lomu-like. But we'd rather give Horwitz a run with the ball instead of making him the dummy runner. Shits me to tears!

I think rope-a-dope would be good for the under-8's. The Tahs are adults and would be better treated as such. A monumental Cheika spray was what's needed, not schoolboy games.

 

[TOCC]

8 of the Reds team named are 20years old or younger

 

[Dave Beat]

How Phipps is there I have no idea - the audience on here watches a bit of rugby - we all cant be that stupid.

 

[Dave Beat]

Ironically most of those guys are players NSW showed little interest in. They opted for Skelton over Coleman (bad decision) and Sam Lousi over Matt Phillip (bad decision).

RHP is realistically a 6 or 8 and thats where he wants to be. Richie Arnold a fairly big (pardon the pun) gamble.

I can't quite make sense of the NSW recruitment strategy. If I were the Tahs, I'd be driving hard to recruit James Horwill and bring back Lukhan Tui.

Reckon the Reds are doing as much if not more hogging .

EDIT: Didn't realise Horwill extended his stay in the UK.

Yes i know, no need to rub it in - we see alot of players go elsewhere and think WTF.

 

[fatprop]

How Phipps is there I have no idea - the audience on here watches a bit of rugby - we all cant be that stupid.

It may also be that both Phipps and Lucas are better forward drivers, Gordon is a great runner, but doesn't really direct the pigs in close like the other two.

 

[Scoey]

8 of the Reds team named are 20years old or younger

But we also have Smith and Moore so the average age is still 28.

 

[upthereds#!]

heard a whisper is they gave Sautia a stint in Japan to try and instill some confidence and love for the game again, and come back raring to go. It was deemed a last chance effort get him firing.....he got injured. unlucky.

 

[upthereds#!]

It may also be that both Phipps and Lucas are better forward drivers, Gordon is a great runner, but doesn't really direct the pigs in close like the other two.

Got to agree there. Probably a poor reference, but in his miked up session for kick and chase...sounded like he barely gave an instruction and took the ball into contact too many times as opposed to organising the forwards as you say.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Gordon's almost hysterical appealing to the ref was embarrassing. Lucas is the best all-round No 9 at the Tahs and one of the best in Aus. He can be seen driving the forwards and should be getting more opportunities.

 

[Dave Beat]

Gordon's almost hysterical appealing to the ref was embarrassing. Lucas is the best all-round No 9 at the Tahs and one of the best in Aus. He can be seen driving the forwards and should be getting more opportunities.

For those that saw the Highlanders game at Brookie Oval - the change when Lucas came on was notice able on the scoreboard and the park. The forwards lifted big time.

There have been games this year that it has been that noticeable - but I cant highlight which games they were.

I've had hard core league people reference his game without knowing even knowing his name. It was - gee that 9 changed the game.

 

[cyclopath]

Gordon's almost hysterical appealing to the ref was embarrassing. Lucas is the best all-round No 9 at the Tahs and one of the best in Aus. He can be seen driving the forwards and should be getting more opportunities.

No, he isn't. All have some deficiencies. Gordon has the biggest upside but needs to work on being at the breakdown a bit faster, and being more judicious with his snipes - he's good at those but gets caught on his own a bit too. Has the best box kick of any, but is let down, as ever is the case in Oz rugby, by shithouse blockers and chasers (compare to the support Aaron Smith gets at the Highlanders and ABs). Lucas gets into a bad habit of stepping sideway or even backwards before delivering the ball and also of hatching the egg, a la Genia and Gregan. I think Lucas and Phipps should be used as finishers with Gordon starting, in general. Powell is better than Lucas, as far as Oz halfbacks go.