SuperRugby Waratahs V Crusaders, Rd 10 2012

Well done Palu, game on!

Very good interchanges between Fruean, Dagg, Guildford.

Some matador defence by Carter on Fruean.

TC TOP defence

Haha McCaw's first tackle and those immortal words from Kaplan, "rollaway 7". He's wearing 19.

I don't think the Crusaders can win the title outright. The Stormers or Chiefs look the strongest (with the Stormers having an easier run in).
I don't know if the Crusaders are "building".

Classic from Phil.

Kearns - I tell you what guys, McCaw has only been on the field 5 minutes and already the ref is saying - "Leave it alone 7")

Kafer - Ah, Phil, McCaw isn't playing 7.

Tom Carter And there are people who want him in a Gold jersey.

Pretorius is wasted on the wood.

we can debate 3 but this is spot on - unfortunately I think the reason can actually be encapsulated in one incident: Fruen's first try. Done for pace and position - after that not much else matters.

I hope for the coach's sake that Barnes came off because he was injured: it made no difference to the outcome as events transpired but surely you wouldnt bench him at that point in the game?

Carter was poor today but not as poor as the Tahs on restarts shouldn't be that bad at them at the halfway point of the season.

On attack they looked good especially when they mixed it up. A few times in the first 40 especially they went with a series of skip passes that only served to move the tackle area 10 metres behind the gain line because they were standing so deep. Crusaders were able to rush up in defence because it was all the Tahs were doing. Looked much better in the 2nd 40 when they brought some variety to the attack.

On defence it was too easy for the Crusaders to get outside them and once in behind there wasn't much of a scramble defence.

Crusaders were good value for their win and good luck to them. However the Tahs shouldn't be happy with a home losing bonus point against anyone at this point in the season.

Let me start with the statement that Kaplan in no way cost the Tahs this game. No let me add there is no way he should ever referee the Tahs. Just as Bryce isn't allowed in the Republic so should Kaplan be dealt with. The last series of scrums were a joke and the last breakdown just highlighted the issue of my previous statement regarding Kaplan.

There should never again be a thread or post suggesting Tom Carter for a Wallabies position. He showed why IMO he has never been selected at that level, when confronted with something or someone that little step above he just doesn't match it. Yes he had a poor game, and TC is a good and very consistant player, but that is it.

Foley as usual "we aren't happy going down by four points" (doesn't sound it - sounds more like we can't be criticised for our performance here we did OK.) How about the total lack of ability to contest a kick off. How about the continued lack of any ability to kick from hand with any effectiveness either to pressure the reciever or find touch. Case in point, Halangahu with 2 minutes to go kicks from inside the 22 directly to the Saders winger, so he could run it back. Once again the Tahs pass execution was poor at critical times. Barnes was a good passer once I seem to recall? I must say however that there were glimpses of some brilliant execution. Why can't they do that consistantly. It is all I have wanted for more than a decade. Forget the flashy stuff just pass accurately and kick effectively.

Firstly, how does Betham get a start? and secondly what a great tackle by Carter on Fruen when he was 10cm from the sideline.

Could you expand on that? I was a bit puzzled by that last play. Tah's had the ball (and a fair bit of momentum), took it into a ruck but couldn't seem to recycle it..what happened?

Kaplan decided it was a maul so when the ball didn't come back on the Tahs side, turnover ball.

The Crusaders tackler got in the way of the Tahs no.9 so he couldn't get to the ball quickly.

That's what I saw from the footage - no replay to confirm.

Carter had a shocker today. Every player has them occaisionally so it would be poor form to rub it in with spite.

Shame the Tahs can't play the full 80 consistantly as for most of the game they looked good. Saders are just a team that knows how to take their chances. Tahs line speed was good and only individual tackling let them down. Saders had trouble getting over the advantage line for large parts of that game.

Should have been a Tahs put in as I stated so in the shoutbox here, as the players weren't standing up a la maul.they were lying down, hence a ruck, and ball was unplayable so Tahs put in!