R7: Waratahs vs Sunwolves - Friday 29 March @ Newcastle

[KOB1987]

KOB, that's true to an extent. But it was equally, or more so, true of the Crusaders last week. If tonight's Crusaders team had player last week the result would have been significantly different.

BTW, without Hooper, the Tahs have very little going for them this year. Hooper played a tremendous hand tonight, but nobody else really stepped up.

I don’t disagree with the first comment, the saders bounced back pretty well, hope we do too. Kudos to the wolves, they saw an opportunity and took it.

Hooper was great yes but the team was rudderless without foley. The top line players in all franchises have been erratic in all franchises this year BR, not just at the Tahs. And not many of them stepped up tonight i agree with that. The direction changed momentarily when Beale went to 10, but then his blood pressure went up and that was the end of that, as is often the case. He was still our best back though.

We need to make a play for Gunter, Parker, van den Heever and Helu before someone else does.

 

[Adam84]

Just maybe, this game provides the answer?

Nah, he is a capable young fly-half who was set up to fail. If he isn’t good enough then don’t keep him in the system and re-sign him. You can’t learn game control and develop experience by not playing, game time is absolutely essential for a flyhalf.

 

[Beer Baron]

How can Mack Mason improve doing training runs... was that his first start?

I thought Sunwolves handling was excellent Parker in particular

 

[Rugbynutter39]

How can Mack Mason improve doing training runs. was that his first start?



I thought Sunwolves handling was excellent Parker in particular

I feel for Mack Mason as that game was an absolute shocker but I have also seen him in NRC and know he is not that bad and most likely confidence fell apart by putting so much pressure on himself given basically zero game time leading up to this. For sure the question mark is whether he can make the grade - especially after that game where he was pretty horrible - but only way to find out is give him more game time off the bench.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Love watching him play. Strong runner. Gets over the advantage line exactly what the Tahs need but with Gibson recruiting.…

Wow I had no idea the Sunwolves 8 was an aussie. sign him up please - he has been one of the top Sunwolves performers this season

 

[Blackadder]

Wow I had no idea the Sunwolves 8 was an aussie. sign him up please - he has been one of the top Sunwolves performers this season

Yes he is. Hard runner, strong and a good defender. Imagine him at 8 and Dempsey at 6.

 

[Rebels3]

How can Mack Mason improve doing training runs. was that his first start?

I thought Sunwolves handling was excellent Parker in particular

It’s a big issue with Aus rugby. Super Rugby lacks opportunities to blood players as the season is rather short and club rugby isn’t near the required standard to get players to the level needed. 5/6 NRC games with little pressure isn’t going to do the trick as well.

Compare the development opportunities to a sport like league and players like Cameron Munster have played almost 100 games at a similar age.

 

[Blackadder]

For people talking about resting players at the Tahs as an excuse for the loss here is something for you How many players did the sunwolves have out? Several including Mafi, Leitch and Quirk.

 

[Blackadder]

Some positives for the match. How good are Swinton and HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) going? Definitely players of the future

 

[Blackadder]

I have my nieces over tonight while my brother and sister-in-law are at a wedding. It took at lot of restraint on my behalf not to call him a STUPID C@#T!!! out loud. SEriously, so much stupid out there tonight.

Hanigan has had some good moments this year but still struggles with stupid things in his game. He was rubbish several games this year including last night. He needs to be more consistent.

 

[I like to watch]

Gibson gives Mason crumbs of minutes in the past 2 seasons, he finally gets a start and fans are upset he doesn't play well.. that's pretty ridiculous if you ask me, Gibson has managed his fringe players pretty poorly

I’m not upset he didn’t play well,that was a given.

I’m upset he was put in that situation, nothing I’ve seen suggests his game is up to this level.

If your fringe players are considerably weaker than regular squad players,how can a Gibson give them any more time than is necessary?

 

[Dan54]

Mason had quick sand tonight. When one thing went wrong, then another and so on it kept getting worse for him as he tried to pull himself out of it.

He should have gotten a bit more game time these last few years to give him the experience not expect him to save the day with no time under his belt. He had a shocker yes but hopefully he will bounce back. He looked defeated on the sidelines.

Listening to the after game review on Fox sports they were saying that he can't be expected to come in with no time then run things.

Even Foley has had a bad year.

Yep Bl, it was an awful lot like Cameron for the Crusaders last week, when things are not going smoothly it surely not the time to be a young 10, it pretty hard for them to fix the shit!!

 

[Dan54]

The Tahs could do much worse than bring tony brown in next season. Also offering some Sunwolves players contracts.

Find out if Hayden Parker has an Australian grand mother but there is the Australian made talent in Gunter and Vosayaco given a legitimate opportunity at one of the franchises.

One thing you get with almost any team that Tony Brown coaches is a team that looks like they are really enjoying their time on the field, Sunwolves looked to be having a ball last night!

 

[Adam84]

I’m not upset he didn’t play well,that was a given.

I’m upset he was put in that situation, nothing I’ve seen suggests his game is up to this level.

If your fringe players are considerably weaker than regular squad players,how can a Gibson give them any more time than is necessary?

Again, this comes back to Gibson’s recruitment and retention, if he isn’t up to it then when did they re-sign him until 2020.

 

[Brumby Runner]

It’s a big issue with Aus rugby. Super Rugby lacks opportunities to blood players as the season is rather short and club rugby isn’t near the required standard to get players to the level needed. 5/6 NRC games with little pressure isn’t going to do the trick as well.

Compare the development opportunities to a sport like league and players like Cameron Munster have played almost 100 games at a similar age.

Spot on R3. However, I would be very surprised if there are no better No 10s running around in SS who could fill in when Foley isn't playing. I wonder if Sinclair is still with Northern Suburbs?

I do realise that many Tahs' fans will have little to do with club players who haven't recently come through the private school system, so suggesting an older player like Sinclair will probably earn me their ire again as it did a year or so ago when I was lectured on the pointlessness of bringing in a 28yo or thereabouts against the potential of some young unproven colt with unrealised potential.

 

[Brumby Runner]

For people talking about resting players at the Tahs as an excuse for the loss here is something for you How many players did the sunwolves have out? Several including Mafi, Leitch and Quirk.

And Little.

 

[Quick Hands]

It wasn't the Tahs idea to mandate rests for Wallabies, obviously.

What are you blokes smoking?

They'll get plenty of rest during the super rugby finals.

 

[Quick Hands]

'un-match-fit' because they miss 1 or 2 Super games?

Fuck it, i'm going to bed.

"Rested" because they miss 1 game? That's the more ludicrous proposition.

 

[KOB1987]

They'll get plenty of rest during the super rugby finals.

Well we’re still the top of the conference as it stands at the moment. The other 4 teams in the conference are also mixing shit performances with good ones, so it will come down to who can produce the most of the latter.

Regardless, it was RA that mandated that players have a rest, the franchises just chose which games to do it. It was always going to be this game and probably one on the SA trip.

 

[Derpus]

"Rested" because they miss 1 game? That's the more ludicrous proposition.

Cheika said they aren't being rested, they are being set specific tasks/workload not possible during a game week.