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Waratahs v Rebels, RD3 SR2013

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Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Staff member
Tom Carter surprised me last week, he was good. Great even.

He passed and took contact respectively at the right times and only did one thing wrong when he tried to run around the ruck after receiving the ball, which only works in U12s.

Take care enforcer else you attract the ire of Carter bashers who will think you are taking away their fair entitlement to 'Get Carter.'

I also thought he played well.

My main criticisms of him had always been that he took the ball into contact too often, and if he were in the gap or half gap, that he didn't have a good instinct of how to proceed.

A few times at Ballymore he looked the part: passing before contact then finding a remarkable thing: that he was therefore available to back up because he wasn't on the ground.

He also appeared to be more comfortable when no contact was likely and instead of looking for tacklers, looked for team mates who were in a better position than he was.

For many players wearing the 12 jersey, like Tapuai for example, these actions are intuitive, but perhaps Carter is showing an ability to acquire them.

It's a small sample but one hopes that the old dog is learning some new tricks.
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KevinO

Geoff Shaw (53)
After looking at the Tahs side, I think it will be close. A lot of pressure on both teams and I think the team that keeps there penalty count down inside there own half will win this one. Going to be a kickers game.

Waratahs: Israel Folau, Tom Kingston, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tom Carter, Drew Mitchell, Bernard Foley, Brendan McKibbin, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis (capt), Kane Douglas, Mitchell Chapman, Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Replacements: John Ulugia, Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Sitaleki Timani, Lopeti Timani, Matt Lucas, Ben Volavola.

 

Hawko

Tony Shaw (54)
After looking at the Tahs side, I think it will be close. A lot of pressure on both teams and I think the team that keeps there penalty count down inside there own half will win this one. Going to be a kickers game.

Waratahs: Israel Folau, Tom Kingston, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tom Carter, Drew Mitchell, Bernard Foley, Brendan McKibbin, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis (capt), Kane Douglas, Mitchell Chapman, Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Replacements: John Ulugia, Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Sitaleki Timani, Lopeti Timani, Matt Lucas, Ben Volavola.


Its going to be wet and the Tahs have picked all their big boppa forwards again this week. I think a modification of the "fling it wide" strategy is called for to include more pick and drives this week. We've got the cattle to do it and the Rebels visibly tired last week. A combination of the two could result in us getting a bonus point this week by tiring out the forwards and then going through the turnstyle backs.
 

Richo

John Thornett (49)
I like the team Cheika has selected. Chapman/Douglas is a more skilled and balanced combination than Timani/Douglas. Hopefully big Sita comes on for Douglas as Chapman was one of the Tahs' better players last weekend.

As for the backs, I think persisting and building combinations is a good idea. While they really, really don't want to lose this game, they also don't want to go into their shell or starting tinkering every time something doesn't go right. The last few years have dug the Tahs into a deep hole -- getting out might take a little while.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
I like the team Cheika has selected. Chapman/Douglas is a more skilled and balanced combination than Timani/Douglas. Hopefully big Sita comes on for Douglas as Chapman was one of the Tahs' better players last weekend.

As for the backs, I think persisting and building combinations is a good idea. While they really, really don't want to lose this game, they also don't want to go into their shell or starting tinkering every time something doesn't go right. The last few years have dug the Tahs into a deep hole -- getting out might take a little while.

To be honest, if the Tahs don't make the finals this year but improve their standing while coming to grips with this new style then I would consider the season a significant success. Si in essence what I am saying is that I'm prepared for the Tahs to need a few games to adapt no matter how scrappy as long as they begin to perform in around round 4 or 5.
 

Richo

John Thornett (49)
Yeah, I agree with that too.

I also think that the Tahs have accepted that becoming a contending team over the long term requires significant time and may even result in this season being merely a moderate success. I'd imagine Cheika has a long leash in that regard, although we'll see what happens if the losses mount.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Yeah, I agree with that too.

I also think that the Tahs have accepted that becoming a contending team over the long term requires significant time and may even result in this season being merely a moderate success. I'd imagine Cheika has a long leash in that regard, although we'll see what happens if the losses mount.

Well, hopefully the admin recognise cultural change takes time. Most of those involved in the playing group have spent what, 5 seasons playing really uninspiring football under negative minded coaches, it will take a season to effectively train that out of them completely and to begin to really threaten. Early signs are there and if he can do it in such a small window the man deserves a contract extension.

What I like about Cheika style, though it didn't show up on Saturday, is his focus on skills no matter how minor they may be. Being a former Randwick man he'd be well aware of the nature of how they go about it. I spent a few years there as a teen and the amount of catch pass, evasion etc drills I did at training still holds me in good steep in pick touch football games. And I'm a Prop.
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Staff member
What I like about Cheika style, though it didn't show up on Saturday, is his focus on skills no matter how minor they may be.

That's exactly right as everybody would know after watching a few training sessions and believe me: they are not perfectly executed. He doesn't mind if they can't do things yet but is almost apoplectic sometimes if they don't understand what's required.

Here's a quote (but changing the names) after a player stuffed up an exercise:

"Fred f*****g Nerk - I don't mind if you can't do it because I've got plenty of guys that can, but if you can't f*****g understand it, ask."
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WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
That's exactly right as everybody would know after watching a few training sessions and believe me: they are not perfectly executed. He doesn't mind if they can't do things yet but is almost apoplectic sometimes if they don't understand what's required.

Here's a quote (but changing the names) after a player stuffed up an exercise:

"Fred f*****g Nerk - I don't mind if you can't do it because I've got plenty of guys that can, but if you can't f*****g understand it, ask."
.

:) I'm liking him more and more.
 

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
I think the Waratahs have made the correct selection this week. Champman should hopefully shore up the lineout. Really hope that we can get our back 3 hitting the line this week, too often last week they got the ball going sideways.

Oh and McKibbin for the love of god bring your goal kicking boots, none of this missing from straight in front on the 22 this week please
 

Ruggo

Mark Ella (57)
Tom Carter surprised me last week, he was good. Great even.

He passed and took contact respectively at the right times and only did one thing wrong when he tried to run around the ruck after receiving the ball, which only works in U12s.

My observation from the Reds game last week was Chariots has added some pace and looked much quicker. Bodes well as last year he made significant improvements on his distribution game. Good on him.
 
D

daz

Guest
My main criticisms of him had always been that he took the ball into contact too often, and if he were in the gap or half gap, that he didn't have a good instinct of how to proceed.

Lee, take TC's name out of that analysis and it could just as easily apply to Mitch Inman. That has been my main criticism of Inman for some time.

I also suspect that the reason both TC and Inman suffer from this is a lack of positioning/attacking awareness on their part and, dare I say it, how the line structure gets attacking wide ball to them quickly.

They are both straight line runners, and any defender with a half decent tackling technique just has to bring them down front on; often before they have time to get a full head of steam going.

I think Carter has a bit more lateral movement than Inman, but not much.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
If he gets on that will be Peterson's Super Rugby debut.

Hopefully he has an impact if he gets on the field. He looked far better in the trials than I've ever seen him look in club rugby.
 
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