Waratahs 2014

[Gnostic]

Of course there's improvement but the backs were outstanding last year too (led numerous attacking stats), the problem was the defence. The forwards are the one delivering the platform in 2014, the breakdown is much better and when the forwards get rolling with front foot ball it allows Foley/Beale plenty of time. Those 2 players ask plenty of questions of the defence especially when they have runners like Folau/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)/Horne to chose from. Gibson was there last too remember, the acquisition of Beale has probably played it's part more.

Last year much of the attack was opportunistic and many of the tries as well.

This year we are seeing a team craft a lot of of attacking opportunities from everywhere on the field. A key in that is the in depth support, and I see many of the running lines and support plays that were seen at the Crusaders in Gibson's heyday.

The forward play has also changed a bit with much more focus on rapid support of the ball carrier and fast presentation of the ball.

By Chieka's own admission he did not pay enough attention to the set piece, espescially the scrum, early in the season and the Tahs have conceded a lot of points and first phase possession in those areas. This point in particular clearly shows the impact of coaching on a side as an all Wallabies front row and one second rower have been penalised and conceded far more scrums than any reasonable person would have thought, in an area many would have expected to dominate.

Kicking has for far too long been neglected in Australian Rugby, both from the Tee and from hand. Such an irony given the dominance of AFL in Oz.

 

[Hawko]

Last year much of the attack was opportunistic and many of the tries as well.

This year we are seeing a team craft a lot of of attacking opportunities from everywhere on the field. A key in that is the in depth support, and I see many of the running lines and support plays that were seen at the Crusaders in Gibson's heyday.

The forward play has also changed a bit with much more focus on rapid support of the ball carrier and fast presentation of the ball.

By Chieka's own admission he did not pay enough attention to the set piece, espescially the scrum, early in the season and the Tahs have conceded a lot of points and first phase possession in those areas. This point in particular clearly shows the impact of coaching on a side as an all Wallabies front row and one second rower have been penalised and conceded far more scrums than any reasonable person would have thought, in an area many would have expected to dominate.

Kicking has for far too long been neglected in Australian Rugby, both from the Tee and from hand. Such an irony given the dominance of AFL in Oz.

Someone suggested in another thread that Cheika should sack himself as scrum coach and appoint a specialist. I concur entirely. He should also appoint a permanent kicking coach.

I know the Tahs are skint, but the first home semi should surely make enough to set aside sufficient for two specialist coaches.

 

[cyclopath]

Someone suggested in another thread that Cheika should sack himself as scrum coach and appoint a specialist. I concur entirely. He should also appoint a permanent kicking coach.

I know the Tahs are skint, but the first home semi should surely make enough to set aside sufficient for two specialist coaches.

But he isn't, they admitted it was "self-coached", mainly by Benn Robinson.
I agree they need a proper one, though!

 

[Hawko]

Last night's exceptional - indeed genuinely world-class - ensemble attack patterns by the Tahs, executed with scintillating talent, precision and intensity, must in part be due to Gibson's work. The whole display was just wonderful to behold frankly and is exactly what will hopefully induce a sustained recovery in Sydney's engagement with our great code.

I don't care if its the coaches, the players or the cleaning lady. It was just wonderful. Reminiscent of some of the best Waratah, Wallaby and Brumby ensemble attacks I've had the pleasure of watching in my nearly seven decades on the planet.

Apart from the French twenty years ago, I don't recall a NH team that could ever play like that.

 

[Braveheart81]

It seems that most of the Super Rugby sides don't employ coaches in every area they could. The Waratahs have attack, defence and a head coach who is the forwards coach.

Other teams might have the head coach doing defence (e.g. The Reds) and have a specialist forwards coach.

Maybe the teams should look at sharing some of the resources so teams can have more specialised input into the areas they lack coaches.

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk

 

[cyclopath]

It seems that most of the Super Rugby sides don't employ coaches in every area they could. The Waratahs have attack, defence and a head coach who is the forwards coach.

Other teams might have the head coach doing defence (e.g. The Reds) and have a specialist forwards coach.

Maybe the teams should look at sharing some of the resources so teams can have more specialised input into the areas they lack coaches.

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Interesting point. I know Mike Cron had a brief to oversee scrum coaching for the All Blacks and over the Super franchises to a degree too.

 

[qwerty51]

Yep you'd think Blades could be spending a few weeks with each franchise.

It's interesting with Ryan, his scrummaging is clearly woeful this year but it's a technical thing, is Kepu doing the same thng but stronger and therefore not getting in trouble? Link obviously recognises the talent and thinks he can work on him.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Interesting point. I know Mike Cron had a brief to oversee scrum coaching for the All Blacks and over the Super franchises to a degree too.

Cron's nephew is down at easts, i think: no idea what if anything he knows about scrums....but it couldn't hurt

 

[cyclopath]

Yep you'd think Blades could be spending a few weeks with each franchise.

It's interesting with Ryan, his scrummaging is clearly woeful this year but it's a technical thing, is Kepu doing the same thng but stronger and therefore not getting in trouble? Link obviously recognises the talent and thinks he can work on him.

His default "fault" seems to be packing with his feet too far back, and hips too high. I'm sure someone can correct me. @Pfitzy @fatprop

 

[RedsHappy]

It seems that most of the Super Rugby sides don't employ coaches in every area they could. The Waratahs have attack, defence and a head coach who is the forwards coach.

Other teams might have the head coach doing defence (e.g. The Reds) and have a specialist forwards coach.

Maybe the teams should look at sharing some of the resources so teams can have more specialised input into the areas they lack coaches.

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FWIW, I've been singularly unimpressed with the Tahs business management capability, and contacts I have tell me that there are plenty of 'management' positions in the Tahs HQ.

I'd opt every day of the week to swap an HQ position or two for a full set of specialist coaches for the Tahs. There'll be no Tahs to manage in a few years if the team doesn't win a Final or consistently get very close with the type of play they're now displaying so well.

Mehrtens as a (very) part time Tahs kicking coach who on weekends sings the praises of Kiwi teams on TV is just laughable given the huge importance of this game-changing skill.

 

[Gnostic]

The ARU had a perfect opportunity at both the Reds and Tahs and could have dictated to the Force and Rebels that they accept the national specialist coaches in Scrummaging and kicking in their setups for regular workshops.

It is not acceptable that key core skills are not being developed throughout the year with not only the Wallabies players but their back-ups and the next generation. Such an approach could have greatly improved outcomes for players and teams over the years.

 

[Gnostic]

But he isn't, they admitted it was "self-coached", mainly by Benn Robinson.
I agree they need a proper one, though!

That's a worry given how poor his own performance has been since the new engagement laws came in.

 

[fatprop]

That's a worry given how poor his own performance has been since the new engagement laws came in.

yeah, I think they need to go to a more old school approach, like someone who actually had to scrummage, not just win a hit

 

[Gnostic]

yeah, I think they need to go to a more old school approach, like someone who actually had to scrummage, not just win a hit

I still ask the question why did we engage the old heads in Australian Rugby when the new laws we first set. We had plenty of time to train and upskill and the Wallabies (and all the provinces) still failed to adapt. When you look at their specialist coaches it isn't surprising as none of them, as you say, ever did more than win the hit.

Where is Topo et al.

 

[Viking]

yeah, I think they need to go to a more old school approach, like someone who actually had to scrummage, not just win a hit

your profile pic is scarey as f**k.

 

[boyo]

His profile pics are usually weird

 

[Quick Hands]

Ironic considering Fairfax's background! From the article, it's poor form for no one from Tahs HQ to return the Herald's calls/messages, especially if the Tahs media unit lined it up.

Is there a standard ARU/SANZAR media policy?

This is the NFL's 2014 media policy.
http://www.profootballwriters.org/nfl-media-policy/
Exhaustive guidelines.

People are surprised by this sort of ineptitude from Waratahs HQ?

 

[Quick Hands]

I still ask the question why did we engage the old heads in Australian Rugby when the new laws we first set. We had plenty of time to train and upskill and the Wallabies (and all the provinces) still failed to adapt. When you look at their specialist coaches it isn't surprising as none of them, as you say, ever did more than win the hit.

Where is Topo et al.

He's offered his services a number of times, but no-one in Australian rugby seems interested.

 

[Lindommer]

The lack of emphasis on place-kicking at the Tahs is certainly mystifying. Obviously the old saw, "those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it", hasn't been heeded. I well recall losing three matches last year due to missed place-kicks at the death: against the Rebels in Melbourne (I was there for that one ), the Saders in Chch and the last match against the Reds. Three well-struck kicks could've reaped us 9 points and a finals spot. To not do something better this year is careless in the extreme.

 

[Quick Hands]

The lack of emphasis on place-kicking at the Tahs is certainly mystifying. Obviously the old saw, "those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it", hasn't been heeded. I well recall losing three matches last year due to missed place-kicks at the death: against the Rebels in Melbourne (I was there for that one ), the Saders in Chch and the last match against the Reds. Three well-struck kicks could've reaped us 9 points and a finals spot. To not do something better this year is careless in the extreme.

I've never been able to work out the lack of place kicking ability in Australian rugby. There's no logical reason why rugby players who grow up in Australia are less capable at this skill than those who grow up in SAF, NZ, the UK or France, but it's the reality. There just seems a lack of proper emphasis on it. It's been going on since as long as I can remember - with a few sporadic exceptions.