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Waratahs 2012

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Hawko

Tony Shaw (54)
I'm not sure, 6 does seem too high, could be lower.

Team to play Tonga this friday, very excited about that pack despite still missing 3 players. I really hope they all are injury free come the Reds game.

  1. You'd have to think that the team for the first half will be the team for round one. Its not a bad looking pack!
  2. Looks like McCutcheon has nailed the 7 jersey barring a poor performance this week.
  3. If Foley goes for a 5:2 split then I think the bench for the Reds will be Fitzpatrick, Ryan, Petersen, Timani, Alcock, McKibben and Foley. If 4:3 then Hangers will replace Timani.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
You'd have to think that the team for the first half will be the team for round one.

I'm hoping one of Pakalani and Mitchell will be fit, I don't like the idea going into the Reds game with 2 rookie wingers defending against the Reds backline. Pakalani started to put in some good hits and defended well at the backend of last season. Kingston/Cross were the culprits that led Quade in the for the decisive try in the last game.

Got no problems with McCutcheon vice-captain, I really have high hopes for him this season, he played a blinder in the Shute Shield final (basically two Super rugby packs anyway) and for the Australian Barbarians.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
Also, after Quade broke the line Beale fell off a weak attempted tackle as well. It wasn't entirely Cross.

But yeah, have to agree about the Shute Shield final - Cutch was easily my pick of the forwards on the park that day. I am unsure about the VC though; I think that should go to someone who has a more firm grip on their position. Cutch can still do the talking without the VC beside his name - it should not matter. I like Cutch more than Alcock because I think Cutch is a better scavenger, and that should balance out their pack a little better.
 

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
  1. You'd have to think that the team for the first half will be the team for round one. Its not a bad looking pack!
  2. Looks like McCutcheon has nailed the 7 jersey barring a poor performance this week.
  3. If Foley goes for a 5:2 split then I think the bench for the Reds will be Fitzpatrick, Ryan, Petersen, Timani, Alcock, McKibben and Foley. If 4:3 then Hangers will replace Timani.


Do you mean Lopeti Timani? because 2 rats isn't back until round 2
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Also, after Quade broke the line Beale fell off a weak attempted tackle as well. It wasn't entirely Cross.

But yeah, have to agree about the Shute Shield final - Cutch was easily my pick of the forwards on the park that day. I am unsure about the VC though; I think that should go to someone who has a more firm grip on their position. Cutch can still do the talking without the VC beside his name - it should not matter. I like Cutch more than Alcock because I think Cutch is a better scavenger, and that should balance out their pack a little better.


Cutch maybe a good leader, he led the Aus 7s side, Bruce would know more
 
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Bruce Ross

Ken Catchpole (46)
Cutch maybe a good leader, he led the Aus 7s side, Bruce would know more

I can't recall him filling the captain's role at Uni, given that Tim Davidson had the lock on it for so many seasons. I agree with you, fp, that his captaincy of the Aussie Sevens side would have given him relevant experience, particularly as I seem to recall the team having some success under his leadership.
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Staff member
As Hawkeye mentioned: it looks like McCutcheon has a lead in the 7s race against Alcock. He is not an explosive runner like Alcock but he reads the play defensively better. He played well against Samoa, albeit at 8 and against a weak team. It does not surprise me that he is vice-captain: as I have said a few times: he is a natural skipper.

Benn Robinson comes into start at LHP, as one mentioned before, and Kepu moves over to THP. This is a bit of a shame as I would have liked to have seen Ryan start in the main team again. He was bloody impressive in Tamworth. Mumm and Douglas continue their undeclared war for precedence when either Vickerman or Timani, or both, come back.

Palu starts and we will have our fingers crossed for him. Alcock drops to the Twos to accommodate him, and McCutcheon moves to 7.

AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) replaces Turner and BKH moves to the wing so AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) can play fullback, as expected.

In the Twos Foley moves to 15 as part of a disaster plan, and swaps with Browne, who goes to 12. THP Ryan moves into the XV and Ulugia becomes the only contracted player in the reserves.

8. Lopeti T will be trying to have another storming game in a bid to become part of a disaster plan if Cliffy gets crocked again.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
This is a bit of a shame as I would have liked to have seen Ryan start in the main team again. He was bloody impressive in Tamworth.

That is good to hear, however he needs to be tested at scrum time against a decent scrum.

This hasn't been discussed much but why did the Tahs opt to trial against Samoa and Tonga when every other side has chosen other Super rugby sides? Have we missed the ball here? The Samoans/Tongas are physical and we've already been dealt with injuries, so an injury perspective is ruled out. How would the coaches accurately assess the players by 83-5 victories? I feel as though we're already behind because of this, the Reds game in round 1 will be a massive step up and the Reds will have played the Force and Brumbies.
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Staff member
Good point qwerty but the good thing about the Tahs in Tamworth was that they didn't play down to the level of their opponents as they sometimes do. And most impressively - the Twos team didn't either. Both XVs performed good team stuff in a way that made one think they could do the same against better opponents, albeit not with the same effect on the scoreboard.

It's hard to put into words the teamwork both Tahs teams showed, especially the Ones in the downpour. Hopefully more folks will be able to see a similar exhibition in Sydney and describe it better.
 

p.Tah

John Thornett (49)
This just tweeted by Paul Cully


@whiskeycully

Massive downer if this is true, Vicks has long been one of my favourite players and I'll be sorry to see him go under any circumstances and injury just makes it worse.

Leg injury likely to force Dan Vickerman to quit
BY: BRET HARRIS From: The Australian February 15, 2012 6:01PM

WALLABIES and NSW Waratahs second-rower Dan Vickerman is expected to retire from the game after struggling to overcome a leg injury which has dogged him in recent years.

Vickerman, regarded as one of the best lineout forwards in world rugby, underwent a shoulder reconstruction after the World Cup in New Zealand last year and he was scheduled to make a return for the Waratahs in April.

But it is believed to be a stress fracture in his leg, dating back prior to his return from Cambridge University to Australia last year, that will force him to hang up his boots.

Vickerman, who will turn 33 in June, visited a surgeon today and an announcement is pending.

The South African-born Vickerman began his Super Rugby career with the Brumbies in 2001 and made his Test debut the following year.

Abrasive and highly physical, Vickerman developed into a key player for the Waratahs and the Wallabies, but left Australia in 2008 to study at Cambridge University.


He returned to Australia last May just in time to win a place in the Wallabies World Cup squad and secured a place in the starting line-up alongside captain and second-rower James Horwill.
 
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