Waratahs v Force, round 1, Sunday 15 February

[Tahspark]

Snip.

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.

Let's just hope those technical issues remain solved all season. I fear that a few more of today's "we'll just show up & the win's ours fellas" attitude with a dollop of disregard for the opposition which has much to prove against the title holders will see a return of the technical glitches way too soon.

 

[Marcelo]

OMFG!

Is this the Rebel&Force year?

 

[TSR]

It wouldn't be a bad thing if it was.

However, I feel one game in may be a tad early to call it.

 

[Shiggins]

So so happy. First time I have been this happy at the start of the season. The force left a heap of points on the field as well! And what was with alby getting carded. The ball wasn't just out. It was almost in Perth! Yeeeeowow

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Did I dream it or did we really win our first game of the season -- against the defending champs no less! I was out for my old man's birthday today so haven't seen anything, but am looking forward to the replay.

 

[fatprop]

Not well overall - but it is worth noting that they scrumagged strongly.

As a Wallaby supporter I was happy to see that.

and won a load of defensive lineouts

Actually the pigs did OK overall while they didn't have the ball

It was the 3,000,000 drop balls on attack that stopped any pressure being developed, for this game we lost due to simple lack of execution. All game I kept thinking, well here we go, a nice rhythm is starting on attack, and then they would drop another ball, faaark

Oh, and well done to the Force, they did execute well and took their chances

 

[Pfitzy]

Force played with direction and patience. Their set piece was murdered, but they fed off mistakes and let the Tahs tire themselves out in the heat.

Speaking of heat: I had wondered on the way to the ground whether the Tahs would handle it as well as the lads from Perth, who do pre-season in quite shitty conditions.

Kurtley Fucking Beale needs to have his head checked. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) wasn't much better. As for Taqele - not a great day for a fat man on the wing. Turns like a battleship.

One thing I mentioned to @Lindommer was Phipps taking a step to pass - when the Tahs do that, the second channel gets swamped. I expected him to rectify that after the break but he didn't.

Force fans were concerned at the loss of Hodgson, but with Alcock you lose nothing. Good game from the Rams' starting openside.

Our real chance was with Mathewson off the park, but we failed to really take it. There was some headless stuff at the back that needs to be stamped out.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

One thing I mentioned to @Lindommer was Phipps taking a step to pass - when the Tahs do that, the second channel gets swamped. I expected him to rectify that after the break but he didn't.

Seemed a lot of confusion between Phipps and forwards as to whether he was supposed to pass or they were supposed to pick.
The hesitation fed into pressure around the breakdown and on it goes.
Taqele is just not up to this level: he was porous in short side defence whether he had to turn or not.

 

[Braveheart81]

How'd the Tahs pack go ?

Got spanked.

I don't think that's a realistic reflection of the game.

Tahs dominated scrums and lineouts. The Force won more turn over ball at the breakdown due to isolated runners. That's where the Tahs forward pack was inferior but spanked wasn't how I read it.

The massive number of errors by the Tahs (including two howlers that resulted directly in tries) were the major difference. The Force deserved to win the game but it was the lack of execution that let the Tahs down.

It was like the Tahs just went out there expecting the Force to roll over and let them win. There was no real plan and certainly no execution. It seemed like a surprise that they didn't just run straight through the opposition defence. Certainly a massive reality check for the Tahs.

It seemed like a mix of the terrible 2012 season where there was absolutely no plan and they played like headless chickens and early 2013 where they were trying to throw the ball around and offload yet continually getting it wrong and dropping the ball. A lot to work on between now and Friday to get the season on track in Melbourne.

 

[ChargerWA]

I don't think that's a realistic reflection of the game.

Agreed, a bit of light hearted hubris.

Set piece the Tahs took the honours. Breakdown went to the Force. Tackling in the loose pretty even.

But enthusiasm and attitude for work went to the Force also. The swarming defence even when they were tiring was pretty to watch. I still remember the painful years when we would be leading at half time and be run over the top of. Some of me still expected that to happen yesterday. But credit to Foley, the Force are in a much better spot mentally since he took over.

 

[Braveheart81]

Agreed, a bit of light hearted hubris.

Set piece the Tahs took the honours. Breakdown went to the Force. Tackling in the loose pretty even.

But enthusiasm and attitude for work went to the Force also. The swarming defence even when they were tiring was pretty to watch. I still remember the painful years when we would be leading at half time and be run over the top of. Some of me still expected that to happen yesterday. But credit to Foley, the Force are in a much better spot mentally since he took over.

I agree.

The Force continued what they did well last year. Defence was very strong and they had excellent ball retention and discipline in attack. The try to Cottrell was on the back of excellent patience close to the try line and eventually they just found a gap and he went over almost untouched.

McCalman was immense. He's obviously one of your best players and was excellent last year as well. It certainly seemed like he lifted another level in the absence of Hodgson. Bodes well for the Wallabies as he's definitely in our best 23.

 

[Brumby Runner]

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.

So, I don't think the Tahs' lineout is necessarily any stronger than it was last year, and I expect them to continue to be beaten at this aspect more often than they win the contest, especially if Dave Dennis succumbs to injury.

Their scrum, however, was a different matter. I was impressed with Will Skelton's scrummaging and that is a very good sign for the Wallabies (probably the only good sign to come out of the Tahs' performance). And that was against a Force pack that had built quite a good reputation for scrummaging last year.

Tahs will improve, but I think they'll also see most other teams will have improved against their game plan as well this year'

 

[Ash]

I thought the Tahs had issues across 9/10/12, and particularly had a lack of patience. Too much across field, which the Force picked off too easily.

Can the Tahs kicking coach get Foley to please get more than just 15 odd metres off most penalties as well?

 

[fatprop]

and I thought Skelton really stood up, when I thought he should be blowing hard in the heat, he lifted and was a real menace

 

[Braveheart81]

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.

So, I don't think the Tahs' lineout is necessarily any stronger than it was last year, and I expect them to continue to be beaten at this aspect more often than they win the contest, especially if Dave Dennis succumbs to injury.

Their scrum, however, was a different matter. I was impressed with Will Skelton's scrummaging and that is a very good sign for the Wallabies (probably the only good sign to come out of the Tahs' performance). And that was against a Force pack that had built quite a good reputation for scrummaging last year.

Tahs will improve, but I think they'll also see most other teams will have improved against their game plan as well this year'

The Force lost 4 lineouts on their own throw. Only one of those was knocked on by Wykes. Dennis stole one and Potgieter stole two.

 

[Wilson]

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.

So, I don't think the Tahs' lineout is necessarily any stronger than it was last year, and I expect them to continue to be beaten at this aspect more often than they win the contest, especially if Dave Dennis succumbs to injury.

Their scrum, however, was a different matter. I was impressed with Will Skelton's scrummaging and that is a very good sign for the Wallabies (probably the only good sign to come out of the Tahs' performance). And that was against a Force pack that had built quite a good reputation for scrummaging last year.

Tahs will improve, but I think they'll also see most other teams will have improved against their game plan as well this year'

I read it the other way to be honest, lineout looked much improved and while they clearly dominated in the scrum I need to see more to believe they've turned the corner there. First scrum I thought the force looked better and it wasn't until Cowan's injury that the tahs started to dominate. Throw in the departure of longbottom and an near debutant replacement loosehead and the strength of the force scrum is a bit of an unknown atm. That's not to say there weren't improvements, particularly with Skelton's positioning, but they weren't really tested under pressure. Will be interesting to see how it develops.

 

[formerflanker]

and I thought Skelton really stood up, when I thought he should be blowing hard in the heat, he lifted and was a real menace

I felt that the longer the game went, the fewer support players went with Skelton on his damaging runs. He seemed to be on his own in the second half.

 

[fatprop]

I felt that the longer the game went, the fewer support players went with Skelton on his damaging runs. He seemed to be on his own in the second half.

I don't think they will enjoy the video review session this morning

But I also thought Cheika could have rolled out some reserves earlier to lift the flagging workrate

 

[rugbysmartarse]

The Force lost 4 lineouts on their own throw. Only one of those was knocked on by Wykes. Dennis stole one and Potgieter stole two.

and the knock on was (IIRC) partly due to pressure from the defensive jump

 

[rugbysmartarse]

I was at one end of the ground, which gave me a perfect vantage point to see how poorly the waratah backs ran off set piece and in open play. There was only a single occasion where a back straightenend the attack and created space, and that resulted in the second try. main culprits were beale and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), but foley was also starting every play running diagonally. It just became too easy for the force to slide and use the sideline as a defender.

I thought Skelton, and Kepu were tahs best - potgeiter was also nice and hard at the ruck.

Chapman looked a bit soft, as did Bennnnnnn.

But bloody well done to the force - had a plan, stuck to it, and it worked for them. They also proved that you don't need a set piece and a goal kicker to win rugby games