Brumbies Scrum (NTA)

[Spook]

NTA, you have to admit this Bill Young has done a great job with the Brumbies scrum and Shep/Alexander this season. Come on admit it...Last year it was the worst in the S14. :-\

 

[fatprop]

Yep they did well last night, solid, worked as a unit and created pressure.

 

[cyclopath]

Well, they mullered the Blues, who despite a good front row on paper, had balsa wood for locks and got bent well over. Good effort from the Brumbies, who will be a real headache for any team if they can crack the 4. They certainly look the most likely Aus team.
But they're an Aus scrum, so will get no respect from anyone else. Blues fans would probably suggest it was all cheating. The comms last night in the Tahs / Sharks game were banging on about how much Aus scrums collapse (as it pissed down in Durban), and their weak history of scrummaging, despite the fact the Tahs pack have dealt with basically every other one they've faced this year. And they did again last night, with a couple of crucial wreckings of the Sharks.
To be honest, it's better if other sides just believe Australian teams can't scrum at all, and sometimes have to pull their heads out of their arses in surprise.
Cetainly the Brumbies have come on in leaps and bounds.

 

[Pfitzy]

NTA, you have to admit

I can only promise that I will download and watch the game

I really hope that Alexander especially comes on because having a massive loosehead who can scrum AND run the ball is always a good thing. But I get the feeling he should learn the tighthead's role, because (A) he has the size for it and (B) he's going to find it hard to beat Robinson to the spot - the smaller bloke has technique all over any other prop in this country and that's what you need. Alexander could be the ultimate bench prop - cover both sides and be an impact ball runner too.

As for Shep - I was disappointed about his slight decline over 2007-8 because what a rugby side needs more than anything else is depth at THP. When I say he's behind Baxter, its not to bag the guy as such, its because its the plain truth. I really hope he improves every year from here on in to help us cover the thin gold line we have in the front row. Good THPs are hard to find.

 

[Blue]

Well, they mullered the Blues, who despite a good front row on paper, had balsa wood for locks and got bent well over. Good effort from the Brumbies, who will be a real headache for any team if they can crack the 4. They certainly look the most likely Aus team.
But they're an Aus scrum, so will get no respect from anyone else. Blues fans would probably suggest it was all cheating. The comms last night in the Tahs / Sharks game were banging on about how much Aus scrums collapse (as it pissed down in Durban), and their weak history of scrummaging, despite the fact the Tahs pack have dealt with basically every other one they've faced this year. And they did again last night, with a couple of crucial wreckings of the Sharks.
To be honest, it's better if other sides just believe Australian teams can't scrum at all, and sometimes have to pull their heads out of their arses in surprise.
Cetainly the Brumbies have come on in leaps and bounds.

Two key things in the same post.

Bill Young and cheating.

But seriously, I dondlt expect them to cream the Blues scrum although I think the problem for the Blues was not the front row but a tight that have never worked together.

I think Alexander should bulk up a bit and get converted to a tight head.

 

[Biffo]

NTA, you have to admit this Bill Young has done a great job with the Brumbies scrum and Shep/Alexander this season. Come on admit it...Last year it was the worst in the S14. :-\

Spookie, come clean and admit that I pm'd you before the start of S14 that Andy friend would demand precision and fix the Brumbies' set pieces? He has made a very good start, but it's only a start.

 

[naza]

The comms last night in the Tahs / Sharks game were banging on about how much Aus scrums collapse (as it pissed down in Durban), and their weak history of scrummaging, despite the fact the Tahs pack have dealt with basically every other one they've faced this year. And they did again last night, with a couple of crucial wreckings of the Sharks.

Once John Smit came on at tighthead prop, the Tahs scrum became dominant. Smit should stay at hooker.

 

[Spook]

NTA, you have to admit

I can only promise that I will download and watch the game

I really hope that Alexander especially comes on because having a massive loosehead who can scrum AND run the ball is always a good thing. But I get the feeling he should learn the tighthead's role, because (A) he has the size for it and (B) he's going to find it hard to beat Robinson to the spot - the smaller bloke has technique all over any other prop in this country and that's what you need. Alexander could be the ultimate bench prop - cover both sides and be an impact ball runner too.

As for Shep - I was disappointed about his slight decline over 2007-8 because what a rugby side needs more than anything else is depth at THP. When I say he's behind Baxter, its not to bag the guy as such, its because its the plain truth. I really hope he improves every year from here on in to help us cover the thin gold line we have in the front row. Good THPs are hard to find.

Shep was shit in 2008 but he has bounced back into form and is a good backup for Baxter. I think he'd a good job if Baxter was unavailable.

Alexander's scrummaging has improved shit loads this year. I agree, he needs to learn to play both sides. Again a good backup for Robinson.

 

[Spook]

NTA, you have to admit this Bill Young has done a great job with the Brumbies scrum and Shep/Alexander this season. Come on admit it...Last year it was the worst in the S14. :-\

Spookie, come clean and admit that I pm'd you before the start of S14 that Andy friend would demand precision and fix the Brumbies' set pieces? He has made a very good start, but it's only a start.

You did mention something vaguely similar to that ;D Brownie points Biff.

 

[Scotty]

To be honest, it's better if other sides just believe Australian teams can't scrum at all, and sometimes have to pull their heads out of their arses in surprise.

As long as certain refs don't continue to believe that!