Waratahs 2021

[Blackadder]

George Francis is on the Bench for the Australia A team according to his profile of Ultimate Rugby he has signed with the Tahs. I wonder if this is true. 1.8m 118kg Prop

Currently representing heralded rugby club Eastwood, George's damaging ball carrying has made him a pivotal part of the club's front row. George has also had great success in rugby league, having represented Australian Schoolboys, Parramatta Eels and Canterbury Bulldogs at junior level. George now has his sights firmly on rugby, making the switch after signing with the NSW Waratahs. via - rugby.com.au

 

[Blackadder]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...rugby-chance-with-the-waratahs?cid=app-iPhone

Lets hope he can play, but he has been doing his Super Rugby apprenticeship while playing mitre 10

I a highlight video I saw he made a massive break. In that break he made more metres than Staniforth did in his three years with the Tahs

 

[Adam84]

George Francis is on the Bench for the Australia A team according to his profile of Ultimate Rugby he has signed with the Tahs. I wonder if this is true. 1.8m 118kg Prop

Currently representing heralded rugby club Eastwood, George's damaging ball carrying has made him a pivotal part of the club's front row. George has also had great success in rugby league, having represented Australian Schoolboys, Parramatta Eels and Canterbury Bulldogs at junior level. George now has his sights firmly on rugby, making the switch after signing with the NSW Waratahs. via - rugby.com.au

That was a couple of years ago, her plays for Easts now, the Reds brought him up to QLD last year to play NRC for QLD Country

 

[upthereds#!]

He looks a bit more then 118 atm....

 

[Adam84]

Article on Sam Caird

I mean he is tall, but lack of interest from kiwis own teams isn’t a great endorsement.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...land-for-super-rugby-chance-with-the-waratahs

 

[Dctarget]

Article on Sam Caird

I mean he is tall, but lack of interest from kiwis own teams isn’t a great endorsement.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...land-for-super-rugby-chance-with-the-waratahs

Watched him play yesterday in ITM - nothing special so far

 

[Sully]

Watched him play yesterday in ITM - nothing special so far

Once he's in our system I'm sure he will excel. Oh wait.....

 

[fatprop]

Reg retweeted on the tweeter

Taylah Hodson-Tomokino

@taylahtomokino
· 3h
This is a huge loss for @NZRugby
it’s a real shame he wasn’t picked up by a Super team in NZ. This man consistently has some of the top stats for any lock. No doubt Rennie will be keeping a close eye on him!
https://per-rugby/300148666/giant-l...Fazu6GhS3fmHA-cOU7Po0FJM252O0agcjq3T2OagNUotQ

 

[The Honey Badger]

Would that be two kiwi locks signed if he is though? Surely that’s not a path we want to go down, especially for a team like the Tahs who have an extensive grassroots program to select players from.

Dont we have a Kiwi coach?

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Hunt and Clark confirmed not returning.

 

[sendit]

Hunt and Clark confirmed not returning.

Ouch that hurts

 

[upthereds#!]

Hunt will get big money elsewhere I'm sure. Bit sad, leaves Moeroa as only 12 option. Would think after Godwin fell through they would make a bigger effort for Hunt.

 

[7137]

Clark was always going to struggle to find a spot. He was not head and shoulders above any of the young group so will be missing out on a Wing spot to Marky and Ramm, and I think Walton has more potential as a centre. No Hunt in the centre’s hurts for next year but we may be better for it if Moeroa can both shrink (I still think he’s too fat) and grow into the role.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Blown away by all the quality signings to cover all the departures - not!!

Seriously recruitment remains a concern ie needing players and lack of any quality signings

Ps I think it would have been good to keep hunt for a year or two but alas no

 

[eastman]

Blown away by all the quality signings to cover all the departures - not!!

Seriously recruitment remains a concern ie needing players and lack of any quality signings

Ps I think it would have been good to keep hunt for a year or two but alas no

It's probably due to not having the funds as opposed to not actually wanting the players (assuming this was the case for Simmons and Hunt).

 

[qwerty51]

Ouch that hurts

Hmm does it. Clark wouldn’t be a starter for sure and not the best bench utility. Not Hunt with Morea, Foketi, Newsome and Walton

 

[TSR]

I get why Tahs supporters would be a bit frustrated - but there must be some hope in the nucleus of the squad, isn’t there?

Bell, Horton, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), Tizzano, Harris, Swinton, Gordon, Harrison, Nawaqanitawase, Moeroa, Walton, Ramm & Maddocks is the bones of a very good side and includes some if the best young talent in Australia.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I get why Tahs supporters would be a bit frustrated - but there must be some hope in the nucleus of the squad, isn’t there?

Bell, Horton, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), Tizzano, Harris, Swinton, Gordon, Harrison, Nawaqanitawase, Moreo, Walton, Ramm & Maddocks is the bones of a very good side and includes some if the best young talent in Australia.

But is there a full super rugby side in there with a decent bench and cover - nope we need couple of extra super rugby standard locks, super rugby standard 6, centre and winger at least.

And then let’s talk to talent you referred to. Harris and naeanqanitawasse might have potential but not locked in super rugby ready regular starters. Walton did ok but what can offer in attack still uncertain. Tizzamo - yet to be super rugby starter so jury still out.

Quite a few key positions to recruit for and change of landing super rugby standard recruits at this stage would have to be assessed as low. Tahs at this pint are red hot favourites for wooden spoon.

 

[TSR]

But is there a full super rugby side in there with a decent bench and cover - nope we need couple of extra super rugby standard locks, super rugby standard 6, centre and winger at least.

And then let’s talk to talent you referred to. Harris and naeanqanitawasse might have potential but not locked in super rugby ready regular starters. Walton did ok but what can offer in attack still uncertain. Tizzamo - yet to be super rugby starter so jury still out.

Quite a few key positions to recruit for and change of landing super rugby standard recruits at this stage would have to be assessed as low. Tahs at this pint are red hot favourites for wooden spoon.

Well - I specifically said ‘some hope’ rather than ‘some confidence’. Most of your observations are valid - not the least of which the query around the need for locks. It is a big gap, as to is the need of some Super level squad players to provide depth. I do think you’re underselling Walton a little - by no means is he going to light up your attack, but he is quick, direct and hard running. But that is splitting hairs really. Mine was definitely a ‘glass half full comment’, but I believe that the comment itself is accurate. Namely, that the Tahs have the bones of a good squad (10 Super level players if you include Dempsey who I accidentally missed + Tizzano, Harris, Moeroa & Nawaqanitawase) and some of those are very high potential IMO - Bell, Horton, HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), Swinton, Harrison, Ramm & potentially Maddocks. It is questionable at this stage whether the Tahs admin can plug the holes you’ve highlighted in time for 2021 and expectations need to be realistic - but i think some reasonable forward planning the improvement could be pretty quick.

 

[Derpus]

Hmm does it. Clark wouldn’t be a starter for sure and not the best bench utility. Not Hunt with Morea, Foketi, Newsome and Walton

I think losing Hunt is a blow. I also thought, a few seasons ago, that Clarke was better than Newsome.