2020 Super Rugby Round 1 (REDUX): Reds v Waratahs

[Bobby Sands]

^ Solid summary. Will Harrison Is also worth a mention for his solid control in the Tah’s backline.

Thankyou mate. Yes I totally agree, he was outstanding. Clearly outpointed JOC (James O'Connor) on the night, looks like a beauty.

One of the few Waratahs I am keen to see go well. Incredibly polished for his age and Australian rugby needs him to be.

 

[TSR]

Good review Bobby.

I am surprised by some of the negativity about the game. I thought it was good watching. Good to see two teams getting stuck into each other.

 

[dillyboy]

Surely someone could do a Roy and HG style simulcast so we can watch the vision and listen to something more palatable to our ears.

Dismal & Reg to commentate perhaps?

Who do we have to pass a hat around to too make it happen....

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Good review Bobby.

I am surprised by some of the negativity about the game. I thought it was good watching. Good to see two teams getting stuck into each other.

People have just got to use to be negative on oz rugby it seems as here we have 2 local derbies in time friendly zones in close games and showcasing emerging talent with many new debutants to add to existing u20 players blooded. Yet all we get is comparing it to nz super rugby which unfortunately more reflects the broader majority of sports fans who followed oz rugby only have long since deserted the game and left us with small hard core rusted on and ex pat kiwis who bother to watch nz local derbies and who fixed a crap about those games and fixation on nz. To grow viewership we are not targeting these fans but oz fans who are sports mad watching oz sports such as nrl and afl and are not going to switch to super rugby to watch kiwi teams play kiwi teams.

This is the problem!

 

[Dan54]

People have just got to use to be negative on oz rugby it seems as here we have 2 local derbies in time friendly zones in close games and showcasing emerging talent with many new debutants to add to existing u20 players blooded. Yet all we get is comparing it to nz super rugby which unfortunately more reflects the broader majority of sports fans who followed oz rugby only have long since deserted the game and left us with small hard core rusted on and ex pat kiwis who bother to watch nz local derbies and who fixed a crap about those games and fixation on nz. To grow viewership we are not targeting these fans but oz fans who are sports mad watching oz sports such as nrl and afl and are not going to switch to super rugby to watch kiwi teams play kiwi teams.

This is the problem!

RN there really bugger all comparing it to NZ rugby, I not sure who you talking to! There may of been a couple but hardly say ALL we get is comparisons. It was plenty good enough game to be rewarded with good summaries like Bobby's and unfair of you to highjack it with a post that should be in 'where to for super'.
I think Bobby summed it up well actually, I am a bit impressed with that young Red's pack and think the loosies have got quite a future. With the Tahs I admit to not noticing quite as much as I was at game supporting the Reds, and as first game back I was really just trying to watch how our boys were looking for season.

 

[upthereds#!]

Swinton is rough - but like Swain, I love the 'cut of his jib' - great abrasive play. Swinton has that athleticism to explode for a big man, which is something that sets 195cm 110kg guys like Naisarani and Higs apart, but starkly different to similar frames of Hanigan and ASY (Angus Scott-Young) who make their efforts known through workrate, not impact.

Swinton was on a mission to hit Wilson and Tupou as hard as he could - and he did just that.

 

[dru]

People have just got to use to be negative on oz rugby it seems as here we have 2 local derbies in time friendly zones in close games and showcasing emerging talent with many new debutants to add to existing u20 players blooded. Yet all we get is comparing it to nz super rugby which unfortunately more reflects the broader majority of sports fans who followed oz rugby only have long since deserted the game and left us with small hard core rusted on and ex pat kiwis who bother to watch nz local derbies and who fixed a crap about those games and fixation on nz. To grow viewership we are not targeting these fans but oz fans who are sports mad watching oz sports such as nrl and afl and are not going to switch to super rugby to watch kiwi teams play kiwi teams.

This is the problem!

Sure. But courtesy suggests there are better threads for the topic. I agree with Reg, leave the rugby negativity in threads like RA or Super Rugby.

Let the game threads be game threads.

 

[Blue]

Call me negative but the basic skill levels when compared to the Kiwis at the moment is a big worry.

 

[fatprop]

Call me negative but the basic skill levels when compared to the Kiwis at the moment is a big worry.

Most rugby games look pretty average after just seeing a Kiwi derby

 

[Derpus]

Call me negative but the basic skill levels when compared to the Kiwis at the moment is a big worry.

Where have you been for the past 15 years?

 

[TSR]

I think the skill levels are better this year then they were last year, and they were better last year than the year before. The new brigade coming through weren’t raised solely to bash and crash like a lot of guys were 10 years ago. The basic skills pre-COVID were actually quite good across most of the teams.

The games on the weekend were the first back off a very restricted preparation.

The other thing is that we don’t have to play the same style as NZ to be successful. We do have to improve and we have to move away from the rubbish game plan we were trying to play with last year, but the beauty of rugby is there are lots of ways to be successful.

 

[Up the Guts]

Aside from the Blues, I haven’t been that enamoured with the Kiwi games. I watched one, admittedly in the wet, between the Crusaders and Chiefs and it was a drop ball fest with little attacking play. It’s true at full flight NZ provincial teams play a style of rugby unparalleled in watchability but we tend to be very harsh on our own derbies in comparisons. We’ll laud high scoring NZ derbies as examples of great attacking play but similar score lines in Australia will be met with comments about how poor the defence was.

 

[Counterattack]

One game in a bit early to be making some of these calls Q51.

Harrison has a fair way to go to displace Lolesio in the race for the 10 jersey, but in any case, Matt To'omua is aalmost certain to have that job this year.

Have been a Swinton fan since U20s WC. He likewise has a way to go yet to replace Valetini or Samu.

JOC (James O'Connor) has had a foot injury apparently that has stopped him taking kicks recently. Looks like he'll have the job now though.

Maddocks is a skillful player. Just needed to play 15.

Ramm looks good on the wing. Mark N (Nawaqanitawase) is currently only half a rugby player.

I thought the replacement lock was good. Reckon he had more touches than some of the others who had more game time.

A Wallaby backline on form this year could be...McDermott, O'Connor, To'omua, Petaia..(not form but has to be in side), Wright, Koribete and Maddocks. Thoughts.

 

[Derpus]

Call me negative but the basic skill levels when compared to the Kiwis at the moment is a big worry.

It's next to impossible to compare without actually playing each other. As far as i can tell it's just a case of 'oh the Kiwis are the bestest' hurrdurr.

And yeah, they usually are better. But it's never been a major concern in the past 100 years of rugby history so i don't know why its suddenly a problem now.