Waratahs V Brumbies @ Homebush

It's been 10 years...

2002 semi final... The Brumbies gave 'em a flogging...

Really looking forward to the match. Great match ups across the teams. Particularly looking forward to Alexander-Moore-Palmer/Robinson-TPN/Kepu, Kimlin/Dennis, Mowen/Palu, and particularly Barnes/McCabe.

Now wasn't that one week after the Crusaders put 90 odd points on the Tahs.

mjw I think you are referring to the HSBC Waratahs.

Highest Score By Crusaders.

Sydney Olympic Park is OK (barely) when sold out (or close) for an atmosphere venue.

Anything crowd less than 60 000 seems to be empty and soulless, and 40000 looks rather barren from a TV perspective.

Anyone hazard a guess as to the likely Crowd?

Apart from certain contractual arrangements with SOP, this game would probably be better off being played in Moore Park.

Yes, yes it was

I'm certainly not optimistic about the likely attendance, HJ, but it's going a bit far to suggest that it "would probably be better off being played in Moore Park." Admittedly it would provide a bit of a carnival atmosphere, having the crowd standing two or even three deep around one of the many fields at the Park, and the fixture would certainly be likely to lose less money than if it were held in the nearby Football Stadium.

And given the trend line of attendances this year there would be no problem with closing off quite a large section from car parking.

Had you given more notice, and if the Marketing Department were not preoccupied with announcing Michael Foley's contract extension, it could have been promoted as a Back to the Colony fixture, honouring the fact that games were played on the open fields at Moore Park one hundred and forty or so years ago. Instead of having idiots in blow up suits having races at half time the spirit of the times would be best captured by having a triangle set up and having blokes in convict uniform being lashed. If a couple of the longstanding directors could be persuaded to take part in the festivities I would be very happy to volunteer to be the flogger.
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That's a very good question.

Reports suggest Grayson Hart Is starting at 9 with foley at 10 for the Tahs.

He was given plenty of chances in the NSW A games and didn't impress.

I don't think McKibbon or Sarel have impressed, worth a try.

I don't understand how certain brumbies fans who in certain Tahs threads have talked about the Tahs being failures from day one of superugby can then call themselves underdogs. NSW with its inherent problems of an amateur board surely make it the underdog of the entire Australian rugby system.

Tahs by 10

Surely the players confidence has been boosted by being mainly responsible for beating Wales, and they will just come back into the Tahs fold and take control?

Unless you don't think Wales was as good as what was stated?

I said above I hope they bring the confidence, especially in the 2nd half were the Tahs have faded back from the test matches. I rate the Tahs better than wales, just the Tahs have been a bit unlucky.

The main question for Saturday night is, will the ref allow Ben Mowen to give away cynical penalties all night to break momentum like when these teams met in Canberra or will he card him.

If the brumbies aren't allowed to spoil, as their defensive game plan seems to be. Tahs by 22.

Will be an interesting match up front - Moore will outperform TPN (overall) Palmer will even Kepu at scrum with Kepu much better around the field. Alexander will be under some pressure at scrums but will work much harder than Robo around park.

Would love to see the Tahs actually play to their ability and, from a Reds point of view belt the Brums but probably the Brums will continue their march towards winning the Aussie Conference

Who is reffing? Please don't say Steve Walsh.

Waratah Jesus, calm down a bit. The Brumbies were woeful last year and copped a lot of shite.

It's Keith Brown, who has done well this year...

Are you heading up the Hume Slim?