Blues v NSW Waratahs Rd 16. Sat May 31, 2025

[Dan54]

Telea was out.

I thought he looked suspiciously like he was out too.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

True, but to my eye WOB he is missing some heart by overwhelmingly going for an intercept rather than holding his positionin the defensive line and actually making some tackles. His inept tackle attempt and miss led straight away the Telea's second try. Personally, I wouldn't have him anywhere near a Super side while he looks so chicken-hearted.

Yeah, does look a bit like he's got it into his head that the first intercept attempt having almost come off if he keeps going for them one will eventually stick.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yeah, does look a bit like he's got it into his head that the first intercept attempt having almost come off if he keeps going for them one will eventually stick.

Would be one more than the number of his tackles that stick. Hope he gets a real bollocking from MacKellar at half time.

 

[KOB1987]

I thought he looked suspiciously like he was out too.

Can’t have been because the TMO had a look at it behind the scenes and it was all good apparently.

 

[Pokinacha]

Ffs.

 

[Wilson]

Feel like that might be just about Nela's last act of the season. Very hard to see how he can be trusted against the Lions

 

[Pokinacha]

Joey Walton is this eras Tom Carter

 

[Dan54]

Anyone else get annoyed when refs let hookers stand inside the touchline when they throw the ball in? Riccitelli does it all the time, and steps to side (which a lot do) so he can throw the ball straight down his own lineout. I have noticed him standing inside the field of play a lot including when he plays for the Naki, Never seen a hooker pulled up for it!

 

[Wilson]

Anyone else get annoyed when refs let hookers stand inside the touchline when they throw the ball in? Riccitelli does it all the time, and steps to side (which a lot do) so he can throw the ball straight down his own lineout. I have noticed him standing inside the field of play a lot including when he plays for the Naki, Never seen a hooker pulled up for it!

No, I don't think it has a material impact on the throw (or the game in general) and we don't need the unnecessary pedantry of policing it, at least not when they're still more or less at the sideline.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Reilly must be hoping to get hooked, poor bastard just can't buy a trick right now.

 

[KOB1987]

Feel like that might be just about Nela's last act of the season. Very hard to see how he can be trusted against the Lions

Looking at the replay from behind he attempted to flick it up to Bowen and it was just off the mark, I dont think a tight head prop will be dumped for that.

 

[Pokinacha]

No, I don't think it has a material impact on the throw (or the game in general) and we don't need the unnecessary pedantry of policing it, at least not when they're still more or less at the sideline.

Much like being a step in front of the kicker…

 

[Wilson]

Looking at the replay from behind he attempted to flick it up to Bowen and it was just off the mark, I dont think a tight head prop will be dumped for that.

He mostly wasn't in the wrong for the play - he was on a hiding to nothing covering the kick, but he never should've thrown the last pass. It's continuing a pattern he's had in the latter half of the season where he makes at least one pretty big error each game and it's probably a bigger issue than his form dip has otherwise been - a pot plant tight head who doesn't do much around the ground can still play a role, but when they're making big errors, often unforced, it becomes too risky for test match rugby.

Looks like McKellar is going to leave him out there and give him a chance to turn it around on the field, but he's not having the best night in the scrum either which won't help his confidence.

 

[Adam84]

Had to turn it off

 

[Upthenuts]

reikos still got the gas

 

[KOB1987]

He mostly wasn't in the wrong for the play - he was on a hiding to nothing covering the kick, but he never should've thrown the last pass. It's continuing a pattern he's had in the latter half of the season where he makes at least one pretty big error each game and it's probably a bigger issue than his form dip has otherwise been - a pot plant tight head who doesn't do much around the ground can still play a role, but when they're making big errors, often unforced, it becomes too risky for test match rugby.

Looks like McKellar is going to leave him out there and give him a chance to turn it around on the field, but he's not having the best night in the scrum either which won't help his confidence.

If he didn’t try to throw the pass the blues likely would have turned it over at the ruck anyway as they had all the go forward, so he made a call under pressure. The scrum since he went off shows why he was left out there as long as possible.

 

[Yoda]

Tupou is a passenger. Tahs are basically playing with 14 men.

 

[Mule]

Botha was re-signed with an extension by Waratahs… his scrummaging is wildly inconsistent at this level IMHO

 

[Mule]

Tupou is a passenger. Tahs are basically playing with 14 men.

And who is better? Botha isn’t

 

[Yoda]

And who is better? Botha isn’t

I don’t know… but I watched him most of the game. Just walks everywhere. No urgency to do anything. Holds up a scrum and that is it. Overpaid. Surely not a wallaby again?