Waratahs 2026

[The Ghost of Raelene]

6. Samu 7. Gamble 8. Talataina

Doyle is a 6/8 forever I think. He can play Lock but I think his best work is done in the backrow.

 

[Wilson]

I want to see maul after maul being worked on with FF (Folau Fainga'a) (Folau Fainga'a) coming on board. He's one of the great sneaks from the back of a GOOD MAUL.

It's probably a good thing there's so much changeover in the tahs pack then, because their maul this year was almost* as far from good as you can get.

*the actual title there goes to the Highlanders maul, which was truly horrendous.

 

[Homer]

We have four big locks to rotate already and Doyle is still on the short side for a lock. His work rate at 6 will be exceptional.
Talataina though showed good promise last year and will hopefully become more consistent, if Halahalo is retained then maybe they will rotate the 6 until Doyle's leg heals and he gets some senior club rugby into him.
Scott-Young to back up for Samu.
There will be no excuses for a non-functioning lineout though with the height we have in the 2nd row and the 6s.

 

[House is on Fire]

Surprised to read all this about Eamon Doyle in the back row. I've only seen him play at the U20s but he looks like a prototypical high workrate lock to me. Has he been playing in the back row for his club?

 

[BobbyD]

We have four big locks to rotate already and Doyle is still on the short side for a lock. His work rate at 6 will be exceptional.
Talataina though showed good promise last year and will hopefully become more consistent, if Halahalo is retained then maybe they will rotate the 6 until Doyle's leg heals and he gets some senior club rugby into him.
Scott-Young to back up for Samu.
There will be no excuses for a non-functioning lineout though with the height we have in the 2nd row and the 6s.

Short for a lock compared to Blyth, Amatosero, Grant, Frost etc. but at 198cm he is the same height as Jeremy Williams and Maro Itoje (to name a couple). He's played plenty of 6/8 before but the challenge will be is that the Tahs play their 6's out VERY wide and Doyle has proven to be exceptional in tight in the middle of the park. I'm sure he will do well under whatever structure he is told to play - but someone of that work rate seems wasted standing out with the wingers per the Tahs structure.

 

[Cockatoo Run]

Interesting times for the back five forwards at the Tahs:

Locks: Philip, Amatosero, Grant, Blyth
6/8’s: Samu, Scott-Young, L Hooper, Talataina, Doyle, Halaholo
7’s: Gamble, Adamson, Durbidge

On names and reputation alone, probably looks like:

4 Blyth
5 Philip
6 Scott-Young
7 Gamble
8 Samu

19 Amatosero
20 Talataina/ Adamson