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Waratahs vs Brumbies RD 14 Saturday 18th May

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Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
I was under the impression that the Force had only beaten the Reds and the Crusaders thus far this year and the Highlanders only recently just notched up their first win against the Sharks?

Force and Highlanders?? Cheetahs loss and no bonus points vs Hurricanes/Bulls/Reds are the killer.

You have both spotted the deliberate mistake :). Put it down to the lateness of hour and excitement of victory.

Of course Hurricanes and Cheetahs losses were what I meant. Bulls and Red BPs as well.
 

JSRF10

Dick Tooth (41)
Just saw Kearns on Fox saying we could win the comp, think that may be taking it too far this year anyway. Really impressed with how we came back into in the game, Barnes was particularly impressive. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) had a good 2nd half as well made some big carries, is he the most consistent player available to the Wallabies?

Was disappointed to see McKibben take another step back tonight, some of his passing was woeful. It beggars belief that a 9's core skill can just fall apart one occasion. Lucas did a decent job but still looks a bit headless at times, will be interesting to see who Cheika goes for against the Rebels.

As for Steve Walsh he did what he usually does and turned it into the Steve Walsh Show with the rugby game as an after thought. Not a fan of his in the slightest, although in fairness he was equally dire for both teams.

Disappointed for Smith, hope the injury isn't too serious. That said Hooper would be my starting 7 for Australia he won the battle of the 7s tonight.
 

Richo

John Thornett (49)
I don't think either won, really. Smith was better attacking the ball, Hooper was better running and linking.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
Steve Walsh... What a dog c...

Why? Watching the game live I reckon he was very even-handed. Mind you, I was mightily pissed off at those three penalties against Palu (all thoroughly deserved, BTW) which resulted in nine points to the Ponies. What'd he give against the Ponies which wasn't deserved, Slim?

Smith was better attacking the ball, Hooper was better running and linking.

As is always the way with these two. I've commented elsewhere Smith's better when the other side have the ball while Hooper's better with ball in hand. He's bloody fast for a flanker.

Fantastic game from Barnes, his rubbish short aimless kicks were gone, and he through some nice passes and created his own try.

There was one passage of play late in the second half when Folau caught a kick on the left hand side in his 22, and passed the ball into the middle to Barnes. Berrick ran diagonally across to the right hand side with a wall of Brumbies' defenders in front of him. "He's going to kick it", I thought, but, bugger me, the new Berrick didn't. He passed to someone on the right, recycled the ball AND KEPT THE BLOODY THING! Well done, Berrick.
 
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Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
Ged is not eligible for the Wallabies having being 'capped' for NZ. As others have mentioned, for the Wallabies I'd probably favour Hanson for the game he provides, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Saia.

Reports are that G. Smith is out for 6-8.
Ged has never been capped for NZ, he is going back to NZ at end of season to play for Hawkes Bay, think he hopes to get a crack at ABs, not going to happen though, he have to find a S15 team first!!
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
‘‘Berrick changed the shape of the game for us, gave [five-eighth] Bernard Foley a bit more room to manoeuvre as well, so we could attack from both sides of the field,’’ Cheika said.
‘‘Rob Horne was doing absolutely nothing wrong, in fact he was playing a pretty good game I thought. He made some breaks, but I had to say to him at half-time that I needed to change the shape of the game with the two playmakers. We needed a different look about us.’’

In Cheika's interview he also said that for that game they needed Barnes's kicking option as the Brumbies were pushing up so hard and he wanted them thinking more, get them on their heals, then attack ball in hand
 

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
At the 70th minute Mogg took a short drop out from the 22. He regathered and charged off. About 7 Brumbies were wandering back and were not behind Mogg when he kicked.

Should the Brumbies have been behind Mogg?
No
View attachment 3556 how did the refs miss that? 9 Brumbies offside
Because there not very good.
Brumbies weren't offside, a quick kick can be taken with players in front of kicker, as long as they retreat behind the player that did kick before taking part in any play....(I think). So perhaps the refs aren't as bad as some as some as us think..........
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
A somewhat disappointing game and downright disappointing result. Tahs are improving every game and I really like their attacking, ball-in-hand attitude. Can see them getting more wins as the season winds down, and will be among the top next year.

Brumbies lost this game through their reticence to attack when in the Tahs' half. On three or four occasions Nic White and Matt To'omua were guilty of kicking for position when on the attack, and Matt's poor kick following Jesse Mogg's quick 22 was the turning point to me. The Tahs defence was at sixes and sevens and it would have been the ideal situation to push forward with ball in hand. Otherwise, the Brumbies are playing (and have done so all year) finals brand football and will be well placed if they can make the playoffs, but to get there they have to start wanting to win games rather than trying to close the opposition out with smothering defence.
 

James Buchanan

Trevor Allan (34)
Ged has never been capped for NZ, he is going back to NZ at end of season to play for Hawkes Bay, think he hopes to get a crack at ABs, not going to happen though, he have to find a S15 team first!!

Ged has played for the Junior All Blacks. Given that is NZ B so to speak, he is 'capped' for international duties. Hence why I used the the word as such. He's never played for the All Blacks, but he can never play for the Wallabies.
 

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
OK James, I surely don't remember him making Juniors, but that just probably means I losing memory, I also thought even if he did, it still didn't make him ineligble, but once again that probaly just means I haven't checked rules........:confused:
 

Purce

Jim Clark (26)
I found that to be quite an entertaining game of footy. Tahs are certainly trending in the right direction and will win a few more before the season is over and done with. Brumbies hmmmm not sure... they can play some great rugby but then just lose their heads a little/over step the line.

My thoughts...
Moore > TPN
Mowen > Dennis
Smith > Hooper
To'omua ~ Foley
Lealiiafano ~ Horne (not a Horne fan but he has impressed in the past few games)
Folau ~ Mogg

Barnes, Robbo, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), White, Tomane all had pretty good games.

That game matched with the poor showing from the Reds could make for some a few last minute changes in the Wallabies (though probably not). Sook-face is looking the goods
 

Hawko

Tony Shaw (54)
Personally I love Walsh because he doesn't tolerate crap from festering spoiling teams like the Brumbies and Force. Fantastic. People like Glen Jackson are great for games where you know both teams are going to turn up and play footy, but when one/both team is going to try and kill the game you need Walsh. Outstanding ref

I agree with this. Its almost a replay of the Stu Dickenson situation, who the Kiwi's hated with a passion, where he was the go-to referee for a match that was likely to get out of hand. The Blues/Crusaders match might have been a lot closer had he been reffing that one instead of this.

Great to see the side trying to play positive rugby, win the game; even better to see that team being the Tahs

Watching the game live, I was surprised how much offside stuff there was from the Brumbies; after getting home and watching the tape, I now understand that Walsh had to focus so much on the breakdown as they were taking out the half and slowing down were ever possible, they were able to get away with it.

In a game with a team like the Brumbies, who base their whole defensive strategy on tying up the rucks and getting off the defensive line quickly (early), I do not understand why the assistant referees can't/don't watch the offside lines while the referee looks after the ruck area. At least one of them could concentrate on that if they are lined up at the back of the defensive ruck.

I thought the offside line from set piece was particularly poorly policed. First phase usually is a chance to develop attacking moves but tonight the Brumbies backline got up to the attacking line so quickly you'd swear the whole backline was faster than Usain Bolt.
 

Scotty

David Codey (61)
Funny to see a lot of Tahs fans now having issues with the Brumbies tactics. I don't remember this support when they were cynical against the reds.

The referee makes a big difference in this type of game. I have no doubt that if Walsh was in the centre in the reds brumbies game the reds would have got the win.
 

Country Kid

Chris McKivat (8)
Brumbies lost this game through their reticence to attack when in the Tahs' half.


Certainly a competitive match with shifts in momentum. Hard to fault the Brumbies in the 1st half where their field position, attacking defence, scrambling defence countered all that the Waratahs threw at them (and that was plenty).

The first Waratahs try was great attacking play and hard to finger anyone one for a defensive error. Brumbies mistakes contributed to the 2nd and 3rd tries but good passing and 'gap' running by the Waratahs made the 3rd try.

But the Brumbies attack is a worry. Nic White has the kicking game but what about his passing - it seems most of his passes force the receiver to catch on the back foot, at head height or above head height. Mid way through the 2nd half he passed a couple of times to To'omua running on to the ball - about the only ones I saw that looked right.

Then there is one out running by the team in general. A pass from the ruck to a stationary forward who runs into a defensive wall, or the stationary forward passes to another stationary forwards who runs into the defence.

Was there one sweeping backline move by the Brumbies last night? Not that I can recall. Plenty of individual runs by backs but no teamwork that I could see - such a sharp contrast to the Waratahs.

Ball runners like Kuridrani and Auelua would be devastating if they ran into gaps (rather than smash into defenders) and if they could rely on the inside backs (the so called play makers) to time their passes so they can run into gaps. This lack of cohesion in attack has been around for quite a while - and it is disappointing given the amazing individual talent in the back line.

Yes, the outside backs regularly score tries but mostly through individual talent and this seems to mask the problem of poor teamwork in attack.
 

Richo

John Thornett (49)
Funny to see a lot of Tahs fans now having issues with the Brumbies tactics. I don't remember this support when they were cynical against the reds.

The referee makes a big difference in this type of game. I have no doubt that if Walsh was in the centre in the reds brumbies game the reds would have got the win.

I don't have an issue with their tactics as such. It doesn't make for great rugby all the time, but a good reffing team should be able to keep the game flowing. Last night Walsh did a good job but was let down by his ARs who failed to police the offside line.
 
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