Blues v NSW Waratahs @ Auckland - 2011R09

[fatprop]

You thought that first half was acceptable, FP? They get some credit for fighting back and giving the Blues a bit of a run, but they never really got close. Poor attitude, application and execution of a defensive plan in the first half.

I thought the Blues were very very good in that first half, acceptable? I didn't think we would win that one, to many key injuries, so they played beyond my expectations for this match.

It was what I expected to see of a backline with Hangers & Cross in the centres.

I did think Kingston had some good moments against top opposition

 

[Gnostic]

You thought that first half was acceptable, FP? They get some credit for fighting back and giving the Blues a bit of a run, but they never really got close. Poor attitude, application and execution of a defensive plan in the first half.

Skills execution was abysmal. Again.

WJ said something of note. Burke is obviously unable to coach kicking with Beale, Halangahu and Barnes all kicking worse since he took over and started interfering with their kicking techniques. Perhaps he had better concentrate on his writing apprenticeship under the SMH CHief Rugby Correspondant, or are we unable to understand that the falling stats of the Waratahs Kickers do not display the extreme skill and stress that kickers must deal with at Super level.

 

[cyclopath]

I didn't expect the Tahs to win, but I hoped they would have put up a better showing for the whole game. The Blues were good enough for sure. It annoys me more when they aim up in the second half and makes you wonder what might have happened if they did that all game. Blues would have won in any event, I reckon, but it might have been pretty close. The Blues were allowed to cruise a bit in that second half because they had it done by oranges.

 

[Gnostic]

I thought the Blues were very very good in that first half, acceptable? I didn't think we would win that one, to many key injuries, so they played beyond my expectations for this match.

It was what I expected to see of a backline with Hangers & Cross in the centres.

I did think Kingston had some good moments against top opposition

We all knew it, or those of us who can analyse a game/team. It is why I was dead against signing Cross. If we could see it why is it a professional coach could not? Perhaps why the Tahs regardless of their star studded roster always underperform. They are poorly managed and coached. They have poor basic skill levels and this comes out under pressure.

 

[fatprop]

Skills execution was abysmal. Again.

WJ said something of note. Burke is obviously unable to coach kicking with Beale, Halangahu and Barnes all kicking worse since he took over and started interfering with their kicking techniques. Perhaps he had better concentrate on his writing apprenticeship under the SMH CHief Rugby Correspondant, or are we unable to understand that the falling stats of the Waratahs Kickers do not display the extreme skill and stress that kickers must deal with at Super level.

Gnostic, you know you can't criticise Bourke until you have played S15 ....................................

 

[waratahjesus]

i thought cross played very well in the last 20, it came after the first time i have ever seen him step inside someone, all he ever does is stutter and go for th outside and his opposite usually just shadows him till he runs out of space or pull him slowly down, the minute he started coming inside you could tell the defender didnt think he was actually capable of it and it created so much space, its not really even inside, it was straight, something so many more backs at every aussie team could do more of.

 

[Gooch]

The only good thing to come out of that game for the Tahs, was that I had the first points to be a Blues try in a multi. Crusaders to score first with a try, into Highlanders/Highlanders half time/full time win, into Blues first try. $145 for $5 outlay. Thanks Tahs

 

[fatprop]

We all knew it, or those of us who can analyse a game/team. It is why I was dead against signing Cross. If we could see it why is it a professional coach could not? Perhaps why the Tahs regardless of their star studded roster always underperform. They are poorly managed and coached. They have poor basic skill levels and this comes out under pressure.

Who would you prefer Cross or Sidey? There aren't many 13s about to come as cover.

Cross is decent bench cover, not great, just decent but an upgrade on Sidey. They needed a mature pro as coverage for Horne whilst they bring on the younglings like Kingston

 

[Groucho]

Gnostic, you know you can't criticise Bourke until you have played S15 ....................................

Yes, but all of us can write badly.

 

[Gnostic]

Who would you prefer Cross or Sidey? There aren't many 13s about to come as cover.

Cross is decent bench cover, not great, just decent but an upgrade on Sidey. They needed a mature pro as coverage for Horne whilst they bring on the younglings like Kingston

They would have been better moving Turner to 13 and bring in another outside back. Turner is too eratic with his kicking to be long term coverage at 15. Cross was abysmal last year and if the Foirce didn't want him he didn't deserve another pro contract IMO. Shit I would take some of the Shute Shield 13s before Cross.

 

[waratahjesus]

next year we will have AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to cover horne. all is right with the world. cross was the best they could do this year really.

 

[Gnostic]

next year we will have AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to cover horne. all is right with the world. cross was the best they could do this year really.

and be without a 10, especially if Barnes gets another head knock. Surely nobody can rate Hangers as anything more than a journeyman now.

 

[waratahjesus]

as someone that has suffered concussions and had a long long battle with them, i think people are writing off barnes a bit early. what we dont know is greater than what we know. his current headknock would be worse if the 1st one hadnt fully healed. it doesnt automatically mean than a few head knocks wipe someone out, its the same as an immune system and different people heal faster/slower than others.

the tahs 10 shirt has been cursed for many many years now, with kurts going who i thought would be ten for ten years to come, we need berrick to come back strong, if he doesnt, i want to throw a youngster in to sink or swim, we need a long term backline to build together, our forward pack is there or thereabouts, maybe we need to think outside the box

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Someone, I think it was Gnostic, was lamenting the fact that Tahs haven't had a decent 10 for over a decade. I'm truly baffled as to why that would be the case. It's not like there haven't been some good ones knocking about in Aussie rugby in that time. How is it that playmakers have been so hard to come by in that franchise?

 

[Bowside]

Mark Lawrence is the best ref in the world.

He should defiantly be in charge of the world cup final (unless the saffas are in it).

 

[Gnostic]

Someone, I think it was Gnostic, was lamenting the fact that Tahs haven't had a decent 10 for over a decade. I'm truly baffled as to why that would be the case. It's not like there haven't been some good ones knocking about in Aussie rugby in that time. How is it that playmakers have been so hard to come by in that franchise?

Yes that was me TBH. The last good Waratah 10 was Scott Bowen and before him David Knox. There have been many many players come and go with the required skill set, but look at what I have posted on the Tahs coaching thread There is a culture of underperformance at the Tahs. There is also the problem that the coaches of the Tahs are required to produce immediate results and attempt to force gam plans onto players not suited to it. The irony is that two 10s suited to a territory based game plan that the Tahs have often played when trying to squeeze into a finals game were passed over - Dan Parks and Chris Malone. We instead try a running 10 like Tim Donnelly and Manny Edmonds and attack them for the failure to ignite the backline when the game plan was narrow in any event (and the pigs often failed to get across the gainline anyway). Now we have the average (and occasionaly solid) Halangahu, a broken/fragile Barnes and Beale who is not IMO a 10. Even in their period of dominance against the Blues did the Tahs produce any cohesive backline play like the Reds did? They had a dominant scrum but did they run a set move and score from set peice as the Reds did twice? No because Beale cannot pass more than 5 metres, and Burgess is as slow as a wet weekend at getting the ball away and lacks accuracy 25-50% of the time.

 

[Newter]

The Tahs weren't disorganised, they had a lot of time to prepare with this reshuffled lineup, and they had a great advantage over the Blues in the scrum. Cross was penetrating and getting offloads away. The game was there for them. Just didn't want it that much.
Dean Mumm nowhere to be seen at the rucks. Maybe the players really reacted against his captaincy? I would too. The guy's a douchebag.

The Blues would be a great team if they had a decent halfback. Their forward clean outs were at a very high standard in the first half, but Matthewson had no idea what to do with the ball. Way too hesitant. Mealamu got in there a few times and gave better service.

Also McAlister looking good for the back-up spot to Dan Carter? That was a nice kick to set up Jared Payne's try.

 

[Gooch]

Also McAlister looking good for the back-up spot to Dan Carter? That was a nice kick to set up Jared Payne's try.

I actually think he is getting better, as he gets used to playing SH footy again. I think he is going to be DC's back up in the RWC

 

[Cutter]

There was no urgency and the attitude was lacking. Even those players who did well weren't desperate. It looks to me as though the Tahs camp isn't necessarily a happy one. They're certainly not playing for each other.

Also, Mrs Carter, I'm sorry I've criticised Tom in the past. He's a rock for the Waratahs in defence and a reliable "get out of trouble man in attack (even if he does stifle their attack).

 

[tranquility]

Obviously you were too busy listening to the commentators rather than looking at the slo-mo, which clearly showed Toeava making contact before Turner hits the ground. But really, doesn't matter anyway (except for maybe two points for the Tahs).

Turner is mentally fragile, and unfortunately is not going to fulfill his potential. I am sorry to be negative, but it is shameful he didn't score that try after doing all the brilliant work to put himself in the position in the first place. Young wingers like Morahan, Davies and Cummins are all going to jump in on the Wallabies log. Which is unfortunate because he probably has the most potential out of the lot of them.