Waratahs v Force, round 1, Sunday 15 February

[matty_k]

Unfortunately there was no scoreboard at the ground, so we all had to carry the score around in our heads. There was a screen which was used to show the game, which was so small it might as well have been a portable TV.

Thanks SCG Trust.

I couldn't help but notice that the technical issues which prevented crowds being announced last year has been solved. Miraculously today the crowd figure was announced just after half-time.

But think how glorious the super screens will be!

 

[matty_k]

Discussion here on the Tahs' dominance of the lineout. They were very good on their own throws, and I can't remember any win by the Force against the throw, though there might have been. Three Force throws in a row were lost by the Force but it seemed to me that they were all knocked forward by Sam Wykes rather than being won by a Tahs' jumper. Sam had a night to forget with his handling.

I remember one where a Tah jumper got in front of a Force one but I watched this live so could be remembering differently.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Best for the Force was Hodgson. Would have been Alby M, who played a blinder but he lost out on a recount due to his Yellow Card.

Sarcasm, HJ? Or do you believe the Force were better for the fact that Hodgson was out injured? Thought the best were McCalman and Alby.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Didn't buy a programme. I meant their #8 McCalman.

Hodgson reference possibly Freudian in nature.

OP will be edited.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The execution of said plan was just plain old poor. Yes, they got plenty of ball, yes, they sort of had runners to take it up but the motion was too lateral.

The only way to stop lateral based on my less than complete knowledge of the Tahs roster is to bring Horne into 12.
They could even only have them there for the first 25-30 minutes and then got to the apparently preferred option in that position.

 

[Sully]

Better than sitting on the naughty chair for 15 minutes like some second rowers this week

What has one got to do with the other. If you have a legitimate argument I'd like to hear it.

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[Sully]

Seemed to push in the scrums alright then.

But walked between them. BTW 8 guys push a scrum.

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[Braveheart81]

You seem very keen to mark him down Sully.

I thought he was about the only Tahs forward still getting over the advantage line late in the game.

 

[Sully]

Jesus guys I was simple pointing out that skelton was rooted. I was glad he played the 80 too. Very protectionist.

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[Pfitzy]

What has one got to do with the other. If you have a legitimate argument I'd like to hear it.

The wink emoticon was a hint at a joke. I'll preface it with "THIS IS A JOKE" in future in case that didn't come through on Tapatalk or something

 

[Scrubber2050]

The sad thing for me was some of the Tahs fans booing their team.

Sure the performance was terrible and soft but FFS they won S15 last year. This is only the first game. They will get better, much better.

For those of you who booed YOUR team, you are pieces of shit !!!!!!

 

[Jagman]

I have to admit I was one of the people in the crowd who walked out in the 73rd minute as the journalist describes in that Beale article. But... It was actually more that the game clock was so small and hard to read that I thought it was the 78th minute when Van Wyk scored and with the conversion the game was pretty much over. It also felt like the 78th minute with the injury to Cowan. Regret missing Horne's second try and the fact that the Tahs supposedly played much better in the last 5 minutes. Poor form by the booers.

 

[Pfitzy]

Booing is fuct.

I did leave early though. Cowan's injury was a long period out of available drinking time before I had to trek home.

Plus that fucking chip kick bullshit by Kurtley. Seriously, fucking what?

 

[Lorenzo]

Everyone in the comp (along with England, Wales, SA and NZ but that's another thread) has to be aware of MC's views on kicking for field position and how best to exploit that isn't exactly a mystery. On anything but a very good day the tahs are going to have difficulty against anyone with a tactical kicking game and a halfway decent defence. They won't do better than 1 from 4 against the Saffa teams, I guarantee it.

 

[Jagman]

I was screaming for the Tahs to kick the ball in the second half. Later in the game the Force only had one man back in D. I know why Chieka does it though. If he allows the Tahs to skew from the ball in hand game plan they will never trust the ball in hand game plan. Once they trusted it last year they won 9 straight. I don't think it works in the sweaty summer months though and I'm concerned for the games in Melbourne and Brisbane, just quietly.

 

[Sully]

The wink emoticon was a hint at a joke. I'll preface it with "THIS IS A JOKE" in future in case that didn't come through on Tapatalk or something

You may not hsve realised this but I'M FROM NORTH QUEENSLAND! You have to make things obvious for me.

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[Tahspark]

I was screaming for the Tahs to kick the ball in the second half. Later in the game the Force only had one man back in D. I know why Chieka does it though. If he allows the Tahs to skew from the ball in hand game plan they will never trust the ball in hand game plan. Once they trusted it last year they won 9 straight. I don't think it works in the sweaty summer months though and I'm concerned for the games in Melbourne and Brisbane, just quietly.

As always with these "to kick or not to kick" discussions the salient point is the quality (or lack of) the kick. There was no shortage of kicking by the Tahs last Sunday. Regrettably it was mainly ill directed. Putting aside the dire kicking in the 1st half, in the 2nd stanza I recall Foley's chip kick down the blind side that almost came off, Folau's hoof down field straight into the arms of a Force player and Beale's desperate late chip that led to van Wyk's try.

There's clearly a place for kicking even with the emphasis remaining on the ball in hand game but the kicking must be more judicious.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Nothing wrong with KB (Kurtley Beale) chippin' - hope he performs equally as well against the Reds.

But seriously he is probably the best exponent of the chip and chase in Australia. Its just a shame that quite a few nowdays aren't coming off. therefore KB (Kurtley Beale) should can it.

 

[Jagman]

As always with these "to kick or not to kick" discussions the salient point is the quality (or lack of) the kick.

Yeah I meant I was screaming for them to just kick for territory/touch, particularly when they had possession in the middle of the field. There seemed to be so much room to kick to with only two Force players back and they were dominating the line out and scrum. A good up and under landing just in front of the 22 with chasers able to sack the fullback could have turned the game around and would have been something the Force would not have expected. But they don't do that any more. I don't mind them doing that much less than they did in 2011 but never doing it is just too predictable.

 

[Quick Hands]

But think how glorious the super screens will be!

No doubt they'll be great, but I think that the one screen that was there on Sunday should have been used as a scoreboard and only as a TV screen for replays. It was so small, surely no one was using it to watch the match?