Bruce Ross
Ken Catchpole (46)
People perceive what they choose to perceive. Reality has little to do with it.
.
Waratahs Blues Sunday 24th March, SFS
- Thread starter JSRF10
- Start date
- Status
.
ShtinaTina
Alex Ross (28)
Tah Members or Life Members bar probably.
ShtinaTina
Alex Ross (28)
He's hoping to be back for the Force game.
The Tahs forwards are really going to have to stand up and monster the Blues pack on Sunday for us to have any chance.
The Blues backline is red hot and the only way that I think we can gain parity there is to starve them of quality front foot ball.
Without Palu and TPN, we're really going to need Dennis, Timani and Douglas to be more physical than they have been so far. Paddy Ryan's performance last week and Robbo's a couple of weeks before against the Rebels need to be the benchmarks that other players aim for.
The Blues backline is red hot and the only way that I think we can gain parity there is to starve them of quality front foot ball.
Without Palu and TPN, we're really going to need Dennis, Timani and Douglas to be more physical than they have been so far. Paddy Ryan's performance last week and Robbo's a couple of weeks before against the Rebels need to be the benchmarks that other players aim for.
BPC
Phil Hardcastle (33)
Be fair, the two interns that are actually running the entire operation have their hands full.
HSBC Waratahs team to play the Blues
Sunday March 24, 2013
Allianz Stadium (kick off 4.05pm)
1. Benn Robinson (Eastwood)
2. John Ulugia (Eastern Suburbs)
3. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University)
4. Sitaleki Timani (Southern Districts)
5. Kane Douglas (Southern Districts)
6. Dave Dennis (Sydney University, captain)
7. Michael Hooper (Manly)
8. Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University)
9. Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs)
10. Bernard Foley (Sydney University)
11. Drew Mitchell (Balmain)
12. Rob Horne (Southern Districts)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Northern Suburbs)
14. Peter Betham (Sydney University)
15. Israel Folau (Sydney University)
Replacements
16. Luke Holmes (Warringah)
17. Sekope Kepu (Randwick)
18. Mitchell Chapman (Eastern Suburbs)
19. Jed Holloway (Southern Districts)
20. Matt Lucas (Manly)
21. Ben Volavola (Southern Districts)
22. Tom Kingston (Sydney University)
Lucas still can't get into the starting side. Hopefully McKibbin plays a better game this week. He would have been torn a new one by Cheika for failing to shut down the two chip and chases that led to try last Friday.
Lachie Turner is probably unlucky to be totally outside the 22 this week. Good to see Drew back though. Hopefully he shows that he is the best winger in the team.
Good to see Jed Holloway getting a run off the bench.
Horne has a big job to do at 12 to get our attack going. Hopefully he is up to it.
Sunday March 24, 2013
Allianz Stadium (kick off 4.05pm)
1. Benn Robinson (Eastwood)
2. John Ulugia (Eastern Suburbs)
3. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University)
4. Sitaleki Timani (Southern Districts)
5. Kane Douglas (Southern Districts)
6. Dave Dennis (Sydney University, captain)
7. Michael Hooper (Manly)
8. Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University)
9. Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs)
10. Bernard Foley (Sydney University)
11. Drew Mitchell (Balmain)
12. Rob Horne (Southern Districts)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Northern Suburbs)
14. Peter Betham (Sydney University)
15. Israel Folau (Sydney University)
Replacements
16. Luke Holmes (Warringah)
17. Sekope Kepu (Randwick)
18. Mitchell Chapman (Eastern Suburbs)
19. Jed Holloway (Southern Districts)
20. Matt Lucas (Manly)
21. Ben Volavola (Southern Districts)
22. Tom Kingston (Sydney University)
Lucas still can't get into the starting side. Hopefully McKibbin plays a better game this week. He would have been torn a new one by Cheika for failing to shut down the two chip and chases that led to try last Friday.
Lachie Turner is probably unlucky to be totally outside the 22 this week. Good to see Drew back though. Hopefully he shows that he is the best winger in the team.
Good to see Jed Holloway getting a run off the bench.
Horne has a big job to do at 12 to get our attack going. Hopefully he is up to it.
JSRF10
Dick Tooth (41)
The pack need to rack up the intensity this week. If the Blues et anywhere near parity up front they'll tear us to shreds given the form their backs are in. Looking for big games from the back row, they've yet to really dominate anyone this year.
McKibben needs a good game this week, he has been poor all season.
McKibben needs a good game this week, he has been poor all season.
Bullrush
John Hipwell (52)
The Blues forwards have mostly been very good so far. They let themselves down against the Bulls but hopefully they get back on their 'A' game this week.
.
Agree on Hollaway. If he gets onto the park it will his first Super game - but it won't be his last. On the bench he replaces Lopeti Timani who has had problems holding onto the ball, but such is Cheika's nature - he will get another chance if he shows improvement at training.
Jed played 8 or lock in schools rugby but his future in pro rugby is as a 6, or a 6 who can play lock. He could be anything in our game, but talk is cheap - let's see how he goes.
So the dropping of Mitchell last week was just a Cheika rocket - ya gotta love that in a coach who is trying to turn things around - and despite the results to date I can't think of anyone better to do so.
I will be looking forward to seeing Horne play at 12. I haven't seen him play there as a senior player and nor would many others unless they were at Manly Oval a couple of years ago and saw him playing inside centre for Southern Districts.
He was a good inside centre playing for NSW Schools, though that was a while ago now. For two years he had to wear the 12 jersey to make room for other outside centres who were limited to playing in that position.
As others have said: the Tahs forwards will have to front up to deny the Blues front foot ball which will release the rain makers in their back line. R. Ranger comes to mind.
Good luck to the Tahs though I have to see some evidence of effective BMT before I tip them. A preview of the game is included in my blog here:
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/aussie-super-teams-at-crossroads/
.
Agree on Hollaway. If he gets onto the park it will his first Super game - but it won't be his last. On the bench he replaces Lopeti Timani who has had problems holding onto the ball, but such is Cheika's nature - he will get another chance if he shows improvement at training.
Jed played 8 or lock in schools rugby but his future in pro rugby is as a 6, or a 6 who can play lock. He could be anything in our game, but talk is cheap - let's see how he goes.
So the dropping of Mitchell last week was just a Cheika rocket - ya gotta love that in a coach who is trying to turn things around - and despite the results to date I can't think of anyone better to do so.
I will be looking forward to seeing Horne play at 12. I haven't seen him play there as a senior player and nor would many others unless they were at Manly Oval a couple of years ago and saw him playing inside centre for Southern Districts.
He was a good inside centre playing for NSW Schools, though that was a while ago now. For two years he had to wear the 12 jersey to make room for other outside centres who were limited to playing in that position.
As others have said: the Tahs forwards will have to front up to deny the Blues front foot ball which will release the rain makers in their back line. R. Ranger comes to mind.
Good luck to the Tahs though I have to see some evidence of effective BMT before I tip them. A preview of the game is included in my blog here:
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/aussie-super-teams-at-crossroads/
.
Blues: Charles Piutau, Frank Halai, Rene Ranger, Francis Saili, George Moala, Chris Noakes, Piri Weepu, Peter Saili, Luke Braid, Steven Luatua, Ali Williams ©, Culum Retallick, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Tom McCartney.
Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Angus Ta'avao, Anthony Boric, Brendon O'Connor, Jamison Gibson-Park, Baden Kerr, Jackson Willison.
That 12 to 15 list is formidable and the return of greatly improved no. 8 Peter Saili will not help the Tahs either.
It's great to see Boric fit and ready to play again. All rugby lovers will hope that he has a problem-free return to the game after a long absence.
.
Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Angus Ta'avao, Anthony Boric, Brendon O'Connor, Jamison Gibson-Park, Baden Kerr, Jackson Willison.
That 12 to 15 list is formidable and the return of greatly improved no. 8 Peter Saili will not help the Tahs either.
It's great to see Boric fit and ready to play again. All rugby lovers will hope that he has a problem-free return to the game after a long absence.
.
I always say never to trust a person with two first names (or three for that matter).
What about people with no first names?
Froggy
John Solomon (38)
What is the go with the reserves for the Tahs, is it some sort of rotation, is it how they perform at training? Not being close to the team, we see this week Kepu back on the bench replacing Tilse, Holoway replacing L Timani, Turner, who I thought was okay last week, drops out altogether for Mitchell who wasn't in the 22, and Kingston comes onto the bench.
I'm not criticising these selections, just wondering what the thought process behind them is.
I'm not criticising these selections, just wondering what the thought process behind them is.
Froggy - I'm guessing there is an element of rotation as well as rewarding people for training well and also trying to get people to lift their game by leaving them out for a week.
Kepu was out of the 22 last Friday mostly because of the birth of a child. Otherwise it is likely that he would have been on the bench instead of Tilse.
Mitchell was dropped last week to presumably put some fire in his belly and try to get him to lift his game. I think Turner is the unfortunate one to miss out on his return.
Kingston was playing well and didn't do a lot to deserve being left out the last couple of weeks. Presumably it has been decided that he deserves another shot so this is probably more of a rotation.
Lopeti Timani has been making too many mistakes so he has probably been left out to send the message that he has to improve. Holloway is yet to get a crack so it makes sense to put him onto the bench.
Kepu was out of the 22 last Friday mostly because of the birth of a child. Otherwise it is likely that he would have been on the bench instead of Tilse.
Mitchell was dropped last week to presumably put some fire in his belly and try to get him to lift his game. I think Turner is the unfortunate one to miss out on his return.
Kingston was playing well and didn't do a lot to deserve being left out the last couple of weeks. Presumably it has been decided that he deserves another shot so this is probably more of a rotation.
Lopeti Timani has been making too many mistakes so he has probably been left out to send the message that he has to improve. Holloway is yet to get a crack so it makes sense to put him onto the bench.
It is a much better option then getting a couple of injuries and bringing in units who haven't played since the trials
Agree, Bh. If Cheika's going to keep the entire squad on their toes it's about time McKibbin's passing was held against him.
If Brendan doesn't play who takes the kicks?
Foley. He was fine in the first game against the Reds when McKibbin was ditched as kicker after missing a couple.
McKibbin's biggest folly last week was his defence as the sweeper. If he'd had just an average game we would have won.
Athilnaur
Arch Winning (36)
The insight of the jaded cynic. And as a fellow jaded cynic, one of the reasons I like to keep my hands in on the stats. But having said that I do think TC will struggle, simply because the Aussie punter wants moments of excellence, especially from our centres. And moments of excellence are the crucial part of rugby stats don't catch, but are why George Smith is lauded, while Sitaleki Timani (who, remarkably, has had a better workrate on paper) is not. Tom needs to work on his moments of excellence, and make them visible.
- Status