2013 Waratahs under Cheika - Report Card

[boyo]

My assessment of the season, well lets see. I would give them a credit. They exceeded my expectations this year. There are clear areas for improvement and I think they will be far better next year when Chieka has more of a chance to put his mark on the squad, as I posted before round 1 this year. I will expect bigger and better things next year. As always I will not judge them on the results in terms of table position etc. I judge them on how they play, the execution of the game plans and the execution of basic skills.

They get a credit this year because they changed greatly the way they played the game and managed to execute fairly well on average, exceedingly well in a couple of games and poorly in a couple more.

Can improve in:-

1) Kicking - from the hand and the tee. Only the Brumbies in Australian Rugby execute this aspect of play in anywhere near the level required. Just think if the Tahs had a decent kicker from the tee they would have pushed for the finals.
2) Game plans - I like others would like to see a more complete game, running the ball is great but to get the best from it a Rugby side must have the threat of well execute kicks to open up that little bit more space or else they will be confronted with a flat line of defence in every game.
3) Off season recruitment - the Tahs lack depth at 10 and 2. these are seriously undermanned from what I can see.
4) Fitness - the front rowers still seem to be carrying excess weight IMO, from the bulking up season of the Tahs in 2011. If we compare the Tahs front row to any other top line front row they fill their jersey's a little bit too well.
5) Skills execution - put the sprinklers on and train on a wet field with a wet ball. No sticky spray on the hands. Maybe even drag out the old leather ball and soak it in a bucket for an hour and then do passing drills. If the players can pass that cake of soap then they will be able to execute wet or dry. I am sick to death of Australian sides turning to shit the moment the dew forms or a light shower blows over.

This.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

I agree.
So the answer is attend to the grass roots and cultivate the players you need/want.
But that's a 6 year project.

I will embark on the annual ritual of watching the Pirates season go downhill once the other clubs get their Super rugby players back. On the upside there is an increased chance of O'Conner playing...

 

[Shiggins]

I think the tahs were great this year and Izzy is probably the best signing in a Decade!

 

[It is what it is]

Great to see Cheika train the Waratahs at night and out with suburban clubs.
The majority of Super Rugby games are played at night and it was amazing to see how seldom previous year's teams trained at night.

 

[Hawko]

I am really concerned about the breakdown work this year. I think almost every team were better at the ruck than we were - often we won through other parts of our game but were still beaten at the ruck. Last Saturday I reckon we got owned there and this, not the dropsies or the penalty kicking, was the primary cause of the loss.

So, a "D" for that, a "D" for the place kicking, a "C-" for the field kicking and a "B/C" for the handling skills.

An "A+" for the running game, the rugby development of Izzy and the development of Crawford, Horne, Foley and Skelton.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Great to see Cheika train the Waratahs at night and out with suburban clubs.
The majority of Super Rugby games are played at night and it was amazing to see how seldom previous year's teams trained at night.

In the amateur days, we trained at night to play during the day. Now rugby is professional, training is during the day and games at night (mainly).

Makes sense to train at night for night games. How often do the Wobs train at night?

 

[wamberal]

Makes sense to train at night for night games. How often do the Wobs train at night?

A bit of both is the best option, I reckon. Yes, they definitely should do some of their work at night, but I would imagine for fitness and strength work daylight hours might be optimal.


I, too, have fond memories of freezing cold nights at Eastwood.

 

[fatprop]

I would like to see more units know what they are doing and fit enough to do it.

A "running" game is lovely, but just playing quickly and just shoveling the ball out isn't useful against the decent sides.

So we need more options to be shoveling the ball to, that means more work off the ball, inside and outside; and support from depth to leverage the half breaks.

That all means better fitness and effort to do the "unfancy" work that leads the ball carrier to have numerous options; and that leads to doubt from defenders.

Which leads me to the breakdown work, it got better as the season went on, but it often looked late, more accuracy required along with better timing thanks.

As for kicking, too often it was a last resort because the running wasn't working. So it had to go out to work because the chase was just non existent. Kicking is simple really, kick it into the grandstand or kick it so it can be contested. And wingers chase kicks, hard. We need our wingers to study the highlight reels of units like Doug Howlett or Zac Guildford. Great chases convert average kicks into good kicks and good kicks into great kicks.

 

[Pfitzy]

Zac Guildford's highlights reel involves a few too many beers, even for Cheik...

It was an improvement over last season. I want finals in 2014 and a title in 2015 at the least.

Easy

 

[Rob42]

Their fitness was a great improvement over 2012. Whilst their execution let them down late in a few games, they generally still had plenty of running in them at that stage. I saw a lot more bodies in motion giving the playmaker options this year compared to last.

 

[fatprop]

Zac Guildford's highlights reel involves a few too many beers, even for Cheik.

It was an improvement over last season. I want finals in 2014 and a title in 2015 at the least.

Easy

Yeah, but he works his arse off all game, off the ball; something most Aus wingers don't do enough of

If the secret to that effort during a game is a few bears (or a lot ) afterwards, drink up I say

 

[fatprop]

Their fitness was a great improvement over 2012. Whilst their execution let them down late in a few games, they generally still had plenty of running in them at that stage. I saw a lot more bodies in motion giving the playmaker options this year compared to last.

Yeah, it may come down to efficiency as much as fitness, a unit knows where to be instinctively will exert less energy getting there than the chook with no head

 

[wobbly]

Will definitely be scrutinised harder next year. It'll be his squad and he's shedding quite a lot of dead wood in Barnes, Carter, Timani, McKibbin, Mitchell, etc.

I think he needs to stick with Foley at 10, Folau or Crawford at 15, get more from his back row and find a reliable goal kicker (not Beale).

 

[boyo]

Zac Guildford's highlights reel involves a few too many beers, even for Cheik.

And it's probably "R" rated.

 

[Langthorne]

Having listened to the Royal Edition Podcast, I think Cheika's comments on the season warrant a mention.

I was very impressed with what he had to say about the things he is trying to achieve with the Waratahs. It is very refreshing to hear him talk about building from sound principals, and being concerned with the history of the team (and organisation), and being concerned with the wider impact and importance (to rugby) of how they do things.

So, having committed to some guiding principals, I have to respect that they have stuck to them.

I would still say that playing an almost exclusively running game is dangerous because it is predictable (..."no need to cover the kick - we know they are running"...). Also, it is always important to have a reliable kicker in order to stop teams from halting our running game cheaply...and kicking is often the difference between teams.