Blues v Tahs, round 11 2014

[Dan54]

At least it wasn't the worst performance at Eden Park. That goes to fucking Sky Sport producers who played that music during the game. What the actual fuck.

Geez Gwerty,I'll have to watch replay, I didn't even notice the music being played, actually doubt whetehr Sky TV play it, would be Blues people wouldn't it??

 

[Pfitzy]

Ground staff have control over ground music

 

[Dan54]

Not a good sign for the Wobs in the Bled Cup, with Kaino playing a dominant game got the Blues.

He sure looks like he did in 2011 doesn't HJ?? And was arguably the best player in world that year!!

 

[ChargerWA]

And the bitter pill to swallow was the Saili try, they threw 3 x 50/50 offloads in one phase and they all went to hand leading to a try. But that wasn't their entire game plan. Tahs need to come up with something more substantial in attack and leave those miracle ball offload plays as the icing on the cake, not the whole cake.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

He didn't have a great game but they made plenty of breaks, the whole team should concentrate on patience and ball handling skills before Beale's lateral game gets called into question.

Get out the protractor and have a look at the angle he was running when Kaino rang his number: I could have cleaned him up.
Now there's no doubt that was a shit phase - it should never have had to go to Beale: the FBI should be called in to find the players who were missing from that phase but that is precisely why as an experienced test player he needed to straighten and probably head back inside to where the loafer were likely to be.
But instead he is always on the hunt for the miracle ball - which is more like power ball given the number of times it comes off

 

[Hugh Jarse]

He sure looks like he did in 2011 doesn't HJ?? And was arguably the best player in world that year!!

He should have stayed in Japan as far as I am concerned.

Failing that, he could have done a Tamiti Ellison and signed with one of our mobs.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

If they can just hang on the ball they're going to tear the Blues a new one.

My sympathies to the tahs supporters. Jesus they butchered some opportunities.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

My sympathies to the tahs supporters. Jesus they butchered some opportunities.

do you mean just tonight or over the last 19 seasons?

 

[Gnostic]

Tahs now looking very much the pretenders they've been for far too many years.

1. Change captains to Hooper.
2. Drop Fat Cat - provides no go forward with the ball in hand and saunters around the field.
3. Dennis to the bench until he develops some aggro
4. Clone Potgeiter
5. Look up "patience" in the dictionary and blend it with flare
6. Get some real speed back on the wings.
7. FFS get somebody on the field in the refs ear about opponents transgressions

You forgot 8. Drop Beale to bench. At most on the wing. He isn't a 12 and IMO isnt a 10.The fact that Phipps was left looking for somebody to pass to when there is two alleged 10s playing so that there is a lack of communication or the system just isnt working. Also start looking now for a half back that can pass and kick with accuracy.

 

[Dan54]

Yep HJ, believe he was thinking about it
By geez who says Nonu doen't play well at super level should perhaps watch this game too!! I do like the look of that young winger Visinia too.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Certainly Phipps worst game but they played like the kids at half time in a test who only have about 7 minutes to get the job done.

 

[CTPE]

I think you left out 4A.
Which is clone Potgeiter

Did consider making it 5,6, 7 & 8 actually ...

 

[tigerland12]

Did consider making it 5,6, 7 & 8 actually .

Shotgun 3 of them for the Reds!

 

[Pedrolicus]

Only watched the last quarter and the Tahs fought both ferociously and with real intent to win. That's harder to do when chasing the game. They should feel proud and tahs fans should be not too disheartened.

We all knew if the Blues played to their potential they would be tough.

 

[CTPE]

You forgot 8. Drop Beale to bench. At most on the wing. He isn't a 12 and IMO isnt a 10.The fact that Phipps was left looking for somebody to pass to when there is two alleged 10s playing so that there is a lack of communication or the system just isnt working. Also start looking now for a half back that can pass and kick with accuracy.

Let's not forget Cheika's culpability in this display as well....

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Not a good sign for the Wobs in the Bled Cup, with Kaino playing a dominant game got the Blues.

Indeed. He was MOTM for mine, he was everywhere.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Only watched the last quarter and the Tahs fought both ferociously and with real intent to win. That's harder to do when chasing the game. They should feel proud and tahs fans should be not too disheartened.

We all knew if the Blues played to their potential they would be tough.

Keep the dream alive: don't watch the first 3/4

 

[Quick Hands]

The worst Waratahs performance in the Cheika era. They spent the first 20 minutes playing the Blues into the match by making so many basic handling errors it was comical. They seem to drift around the field with little leadership, it's almost like they are running an unopposed training session.

Beale cannot be in the team as 12 for a variety of reasons: he runs too high and too lateral for that position - it's inside centre 101 and he can't/won't do it, his defence is not up to standard at 12 so he gets hidden on the wing, he seems to create confusion in the backline by going to 1st receiver far too often - you can only have one playmaker in charge on the field, the alternate 1st receiver is only successful when it's used sparingly and he won't accept his own errors (which all players make) - his immediate reaction is to berate his closest team mate.

Horne has to play 12, I prefer Foley at 10 but if Beale is to play he must play 10 or come from the bench. Phipps not up to this level at all.

The Blues thoroughly deserved the win, once they got momentum after the first 20 minute mistakefest, they were never going to lose this game. (As I predicted in my first or second post after the match started)

One other thing - why is AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) now receiving the kick-offs? Aren't there forwards to fulfil this farily crucial role? Could they find anything else for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to do - load the gear, hose out the change room, mow the grass, mark the field.

All positions on a rugby field have certain core functions and IMO our downfall at the moment is that we have lost sight of this and are trying to pick players who aren't capable of fulfilling their core role, so someone else covers and thus 2 positions are weakened.

It's back to the drawing board as far as selections are concerned.

 

[CTPE]

Foley made a number of line breaks in the game but I didn't see Izzy looming up on the inside as he usually does with Beale?

 

[Dave Beat]

Dennis to fall off the bench all the way back to Uni.
Beale to the bench for his utility.
Horne to 12.
Palu to 8.