The Honey Badger
Jim Lenehan (48)
Wouldn't the preference be taller loosey and a shorter tight head?
Good luck to the Aussie boys today. Go the Gold!
That would be my thinking and that is what they have done
Wouldn't the preference be taller loosey and a shorter tight head?
Good luck to the Aussie boys today. Go the Gold!
I don't know too much about the boy playing 3 (but be is 180 cm & 120 kg according to tour book profile), so they must think the best combination is for Ross to play 3 and Helu 1. Opeti is tall for a THP (189 cm and 125 kg).
I think they have got it right based on height difference.
Apparently Helu is a late conversion to the front row and was playing centers 2 or 3 years ago. So he probably doesn't care too much which side of the scrum he is on.
That's a road less travelled. There aren't many, if any, that have gone in that direction in the upper levels of our game.When the coaching staff made the initial conversion, they might have been better off playing him at No. 8, where his ball-running and defence would have been more effective without the constant grind of packing into the front-row. Hopefully, the less demanding loose-head spot will suit him more than tight-head, but still looks more like a No. 8 as a long-term prospect.
I have been told it was Isaac Lucas, No. 10I am told James Armstrong MOTM on Saturday
Yes, a late conversion to the front row, and not a particularly good one - has never been an effective tight-head, and in most games has been comprehensively out-scrummaged by his opposite loose-head (and that's under the U-19 laws with pushing limited to 1.5m). When the coaching staff made the initial conversion, they might have been better off playing him at No. 8, where his ball-running and defence would have been more effective without the constant grind of packing into the front-row. Hopefully, the less demanding loose-head spot will suit him more than tight-head, but still looks more like a No. 8 as a long-term prospect.
That is harsh - though no denying that it would be interesting to see the 125 kg Helu play 8 one day.
He can't be that bad as a prop: he was picked in the Green and Gold Rugby GPS Team of the Year in 2015 as a prop - though very raw in the position - and was the unanimous choice from the selection panel (or near enough) as the THP in the G&GR GPS TOTY in 2016.
Maybe all the G&GR selectors ignored his scrummaging - though I doubt it from what I saw of him this year (school, trials and nationals).
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Yes, a late conversion to the front row, and not a particularly good one - has never been an effective tight-head, and in most games has been comprehensively out-scrummaged by his opposite loose-head (and that's under the U-19 laws with pushing limited to 1.5m). When the coaching staff made the initial conversion, they might have been better off playing him at No. 8, where his ball-running and defence would have been more effective without the constant grind of packing into the front-row. Hopefully, the less demanding loose-head spot will suit him more than tight-head, but still looks more like a No. 8 as a long-term prospect.
Not a particularly good one? That must be why he made school boys I assume? Opeti is a very good prop which is why he has played 2 years in 1st XV for Newington
I'll be honest and say that I think schoolboy scrummaging bellow international level is of a low standard. The boys' body shape at scrum time is generally pretty poor. This could be the ruleset, or could be the fact that most teams are picking the best players and worrying about their positions after.
That being said, by Colts and Grade the same players have pretty good shape at scrum time. I think this is because PEOPLE LEARN.
Opeti will learn and get better, he's got the physical attributes, though currently he's not exactly an awful scrummager. For those wishing to see him at 8, I've seen plenty of guys converted to the front row, but I've never seen anyone converted out of the front row.
Does anyone have any information as to whether the Aus Schools vs Fiji game today is being streamed?
Australia defeat Fiji 39-17, come from behind effort. Great game
Is this Fijian team considered handy?