Waratahs 2012

[#1 Tah]

The only real candidate, I reckon. TPN should be his off-sider.

And when TPN breaks himself, it should be Vicks.

 

[Braveheart81]

Sydney Uni should be stronger next year. I imagine Dean Mumm will play more club rugby games in the first half of the season.

 

[darkhorse]

The only real candidate, I reckon. TPN should be his off-sider.

Why do you think that? Because Mumm won't be starting or he isn't captain material?

I must say I wasn't entirely convinced by him.

A smokey, but how about Vickerman?

Edit: you beat me to it #1

 

[Bruce Ross]

Sydney Uni should be stronger next year. I imagine Dean Mumm will play more club rugby games in the first half of the season.

I'll be surprised if he plays any club games, Braveheart. I've thought for some time that Dean looked as if he needed freshening up. Missing the World Cup Squad should see him back to his best next season.

 

[Braveheart81]

I hope so for the Tahs sake. He was superb in 2009 S14, followed it with an excellent Spring Tour, a good 2010 and then didn't really have an impact for the Tahs in 2011.

Hopefully Mumm and Douglas bounce back for massive 2012 seasons.

 

[Antony]

I'm sure this has been canvassed somewhere in the 64 pages of this thread, but I'm really keen to see Alcock get an extended chance to show what he can do. He's good and combative - like Beau Robinson with his socks rolled down. Forgive the kiwi-centrism, but he reminds me of players like Chris Masoe who aren't that great over the ball, but are sufficiently annoying to warrant the occasional handbag-slap.

 

[tigerland12]

You wouldn't want Mumm as your captain would you? It could create a John Smit-like situation, with Vickerman and Timani returning, and Elsom signing.

 

[inthestands]

Assuming Timani is the last piece in the puzzle:

15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Sitaleki Timani, 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson. 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Paddy Ryan, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Brendan McKibbin, 21 Daniel Halangahu, 22 Tom Kingston.
PLUS: Jeremy Tilse, John Ulugia, Greg Peterson, Kane Douglas, Pat McCutcheon, Bernard Foley, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Atieli Pakalani (8)

 

[cyclopath]

Dean Mumm has been a very good and consistent Super rugby player. I would be amazed if he is not a big part of the Tahs next year. Those writing him off are way off the mark, methinks. Tahs scrum has been very solid with him at lock, Vickerman will boost that. Timani is still up in the air.

 

[waratahjesus]

Dean Mumm has been a very good and consistent Super rugby player. I would be amazed if he is not a big part of the Tahs next year. Those writing him off are way off the mark, methinks. Tahs scrum has been very solid with him at lock, Vickerman will boost that. Timani is still up in the air.

im not writing him off, his versatility for mine will see him at least on the bench, but the fact is, Rocky will be 6, which only leaves the row for Mumm. Vickerman, Timani, Douglas are competing with him, i dont think he will be consitantly on the park for 80 mins in order to captain.

 

[qwerty51]

Dean Mumm has been a very good and consistent Super rugby player. I would be amazed if he is not a big part of the Tahs next year. Those writing him off are way off the mark, methinks. Tahs scrum has been very solid with him at lock, Vickerman will boost that. Timani is still up in the air.

I wouldn't write him off either, I rate him very highly at Super rugby level however our lock depth is excellent, it's by not fault of his own that he might not find himself starting. Vickerman is a given seeing as he's the starting lock for the Wallabies so you have to partner a suitable lock next to him. I'm more inclined to think that's Timani rather than Mumm due to his running game. I wouldn't partner Douglass with Vicks so that could work in Mumm's favour if Timani isn't available.

 

[Cutter]

Whichever way it goes, it's good for the Waratahs and, hopefully, the Wallabies, to have this kind of depth. Douglas has been spoken of in Wallaby dispatches. Timani, Vicks and Mumm are Wallabies. I'd be disappointed if Dennis didn't get more game time next year. I think he's a very good player.

 

[waratahjesus]

Just watching FSN and they had an interview with rocky. Interesting that he seemed to suggest that the option for the second year is about off field rather than on field factors. Maybe a few administrators did the big guy wrong a few years ago.

 

[cyclopath]

Has Timani signed? It keeps getting assumed, but should we be so sure. I would be happy with Elsom as captain, rather than Mumm, but I'd be damn tempted to start Mumm (providing he has a good off season) with Vickerman until Timani shows consistency (which I hope, and think, he will with time). In any event, I too think Dennis should get a good amount of time.

 

[waratahjesus]

Dennis will be 6/8 cover.
Mumm 6/4

Tamani has such a huge upside if he continues to develop, this s one he Tahs can't lose as far as I'm concerned. In two years Douglas/Timani should be starting with Vicks retiring, would love to see the Tahs hold onto them both.

 

[Hawko]

There's some interesting comments on Alan Gaffney on the Oz vs Ireland thread. Not saying I agree, far from it, but interesting to see at least.

 

[kiap]

Tahs will have a monster pack under Foley.

Tamani has such a huge upside if he continues to develop, this s one he Tahs can't lose as far as I'm concerned. In two years Douglas/Timani should be starting with Vicks retiring, would love to see the Tahs hold onto them both.

Yup, Sitaleki has plenty of upside and is huge.

 

[Lee Grant]

Dean Mumm has been a very good and consistent Super rugby player. I would be amazed if he is not a big part of the Tahs next year. Those writing him off are way off the mark, methinks.

I wasn't writing him off when I was talking about the captaincy; just that his starting every week isn't as certain as it used to be. Or so it appears at the minute. I guess it depends on whether Timani is coming back and when. Vickerman will be the first lock picked given his Wallaby status now, though he will be rested a lot at his age. The form of Douglas is a consideration too. I didn't think he was too bad last season and it was the inevitable rise of Timani that marginalised him. Peterson will get some snippets from the bench too.

On paper the 2nd row of the Tahs looks good though a few injuries makes a nonsense of such comments, doesn't it?

 

[jay-c]

very happy with elsom @ tahs> now him or vicks as captain for me

 

[Slim 293]

Elsom apparently set to rotate between no 8 and blindside flanker:

Waratahs plan numbers game for Rocky Elsom
Bret Harris From: The Australian September 14, 2011 12:00AM

WALLABIES blindside flanker Rocky Elsom will revert to his original position at number eight when he returns to the NSW Waratahs in the Super Rugby competition next year.

After spending two years at the Brumbies, Elsom has signed with the Waratahs for the next two seasons, re-joining the team he played for from 2003 to 2008.

While Wycliff Palu will remain NSW's first-choice number eight, new Waratahs coach Michael Foley is expected to play Elsom at both number eight and blindside flanker as part of a backrow rotation policy.

Foley wants to manage the fitness of Elsom and Palu and to exploit the depth and flexibility of a backrow unit that also includes Wallabies forward Dave Dennis.

Elsom started out as a number eight with the St Joseph's Nudgee College first XV in 1999, drawing comparisons with the great Queensland and Wallabies number eight Mark Loane, an old boy of the school.

After a stint with the Canterbury Bulldogs Jersey Flegg team, Elsom returned to rugby with the Waratahs and secured the starting blindside flanker position.

His ball-running ability, lineout-winning skills and physicality at the breakdown can be utilised just as effectively at number eight as at blindside flanker.

While Elsom has played the majority of his professional rugby career at blindside flanker, he has had the occasional experience at number eight at the top level.

When John Connolly was appointed Wallabies coach in 2006, Elsom played his first four Tests under him at number eight as part of the coach's plan to build a bigger, more combative Australian forward pack.

The Wallabies forwards coach at that time was Foley, who has always been a fan of playing Elsom at number eight.

Elsom also alternated between number eight and blindsider flanker when he inspired Irish province Leinster to its maiden Heineken Cup title in 2009.

Whether Elsom is at number eight or blindside flanker, his presence will strengthen an already formidable Waratahs forward pack, which also includes Benn Robinson, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Dan Vickerman, Dean Mumm and possibly Sitaleki Timani.

It is a forward pack that will provide a strong foundation for the Waratahs' attempt to win their first Super Rugby title.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has also considered Elsom as an option at number eight, although he has never played him there.

Despite losing the Wallabies captaincy, Elsom has re-confirmed his position as the team's premier blindside flanker at the World Cup.

There were fears Elsom would accept a rich offer from France, but he is committed to his Test career over the next two years.

Makes sense.

If Hoiles wasn't Brumbies' captain I would've had Elsom playing 8 for them last year.