Brumbies vs Sharks Round 6 Super Rugby 2012

[Slim 293]

I think McCabe was destined for 13 but Andrew Smith is in such good form that McCabe gets pushed out to the wing.

To'omua had some excellent moments against the Cheetahs before injury so it will be interesting to see how he compares to the way LILO has been playing.

I still think Nic White is their first chOice halfback but with his illness and Prior playing do well you have to reward Prior with another start.

 

[Brumby Jack]

NIC White really is suffering with an illness.

Having sen him last week, he was less active than he normally is and looked different physically.

 

[Slim 293]

Thankfully Prior is playing very well.

What I like about the Brumbies this year is that there is good coverage across the team, and, so far, when one player drops out we've been able to replace them with someone equally as good...

Except for at 7 I guess... but Hooper is a freak, and Colby is still out injured...

I'm keen to see how Murphy plays in his first starting match this week...

He appears to be a far better scrummager than Alexander, and if Benny's workrate wasn't so high I would be tempted to play him off the bench when Palmer returns...

 

[The Red Baron]

I must admit, I never thought much of Andrew Smith, but he is really carving up on the outside this season.

The Brumbies don't seem to lose too much at scrum time when Murphy has come on so far this season, so although Palmer is out, they should still be pretty solid.

I have the feeling this is going to be another cracker of a match.

Finally, what the hell is going on down in the Capital? Is the bubonic plague making a comeback or something?

 

[Slim 293]

Nic White and Dan Palmer live together...

Hooper is in the same house, but he was quarantined in a hotel room...

 

[Slim 293]

What's interesting is that Murphy was only promoted into the full time squad after Hoiles was given the flick, and Sio is in EPS...

Both were brought in after Jake signed on, and both have been preferred over Jerry Y and Jono Owen...

 

[rookie]

Although its obviously pretty close between White and Prior, I'm not sure why White is automatically assumed to be the obvious first choice. Did he have outstanding pre-season form? Or is this all based on his efforts with Eastwood last year? If its his club rugby form, I can report that Prior has been outstanding for the University of Queensland over the last few years, including a premiership in 2010 and a minor premiership in 2011. From what I've seen of their respective Super Rugby form, there isn't much between them - although they do have different strengths. White seems like a live wire, high tempo player, whereas Prior seems steadier and more controlled. How would you guys characterise and compare these two?

 

[Slim 293]

I guess it would come down to White's form for both Eastwood, Queanbeyan in the years before that, his stint with the Aus U20's and other performances...

The 30mins White played against the Cheetahs would be the best performance by a Brumbies scrumhalf this year (and arguably from any of the Oz 9's, but I won't go that far...).

White's combined form and xfactor places him ahead of Prior, but there's no doubt that Prior has been very good too.

I would prefer to start a game with White, particularly as he offers more in attack, and finish it with Prior as he's a steady hand..

 

[Bowside]

I think some the best rugby the brumbies have played this year was that passage of play against the cheetahs when they were attacking the opposition line for multiple phases. I think it was early in the second half and prior was the scrum half. He had excellent control of the situation.

The ponies have recruited well to have 2 good young scrummies. I am continually confused about why white was not promoted to the starting role last season - just shows how much of the cluster-fuck selections were last year.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Has Prior moved ahead of Nic White in the 9 pecking order?

Thoughts on Prior vs White at 9?

I still think Nic White is their first chOice halfback but with his illness and Prior playing do well you have to reward Prior with another start.

Although its obviously pretty close between White and Prior, I'm not sure why White is automatically assumed to be the obvious first choice. Did he have outstanding pre-season form? Or is this all based on his efforts with Eastwood last year? If its his club rugby form, I can report that Prior has been outstanding for the University of Queensland over the last few years, including a premiership in 2010 and a minor premiership in 2011.

I guess it would come down to White's form for both Eastwood, Queanbeyan in the years before that, his stint with the Aus U20's and other performances...

This is a most fascinating discussion initiated for some reason best known to himself by a South African living in Brisbane. However he has managed to focus attention on one of the really fundamental philosophical issues in rugby, which is, in comparing the current, i.e., at the present time, form of two players how far back in their past careers should you be looking. rookie opened by talking about his man's outstanding form "over the past few years". Slim's response was to highlight his champion's "form for both Eastwood, Queanbeyan in the years before that, his stint with the Aus U20's and other performances...".

It is not clear just how many years into the past either one has delved but we seem to be covering quite a few years in each case. Would it help if we could prevail on LG to dig into his notebooks and tell us how they performed at the schoolboy level, and if possible also in junior rugby?
.

 

[whatty]

Sharks will be up for this one, I expect and DEMAND a win. lambie is a tough loss though Michalak tackles and defends like a girl imo.

 

[Paradox]

I would be amazed to see White move Lilo & McCabe or drop one of the wingers. They haven't missed To'omua (actually they have looked better without him)

We have missed his kicking game big time. Nic White's kicking game was also a bonus prior to his flu.

 

[Slim 293]

Going back to Nic White, his kicking in general play had been the best in the team..

Aside from that one kick towards the end of the Chiefs game... I'm going to blame that one on illness...

 

[fatprop]

We have missed his kicking game big time. Nic White's kicking game was also a bonus prior to his flu.

you didn't last week

 

[rookie]

This is a most fascinating discussion initiated for some reason best known to himself by a South African living in Brisbane. However he has managed to focus attention on one of the really fundamental philosophical issues in rugby, which is, in comparing the current, i.e., at the present time, form of two players how far back in their past careers should you be looking. rookie opened by talking about his man's outstanding form "over the past few years". Slim's response was to highlight his champion's "form for both Eastwood, Queanbeyan in the years before that, his stint with the Aus U20's and other performances...".

It is not clear just how many years into the past either one has delved but we seem to be covering quite a few years in each case. Would it help if we could prevail on LG to dig into his notebooks and tell us how they performed at the schoolboy level, and if possible also in junior rugby?
.

Yeah it is an interesting question. The reason I brought up Prior's club form was because I had a sense that people were putting a lot of weight on White's premiership season with Eastwood. So I wanted to point out that, if that's the measure we're using, there’s still not much between them.

More broadly, I think all that background stuff gets you picked in a Super squad, and perhaps gets you the first crack at a position, but, in the end, teams need to be picked on current form. One exception might be the situation where an experienced/proven player needs time to play themselves into form, in which case I think there should be some flexibility.

What got me interested in the Prior/White contest is my sense that White often gets an automatic priority, not just on this forum but in the press. I was reading a game blog of the Highlander's match - either here or on the SMH site - and in the entire first sixty minutes Prior didn't get a mention, despite handling the ball in just about every attacking phase of play. Indeed, the first time he was mentioned was in the context of Nick White's impending entry into the game at the sixty minute mark! So, I guess that indicated to me a level of favoritisms or some such... though I wouldn't go so far as to say this is deliberate.

 

[Neil]

As a brumbies supporter, have been very happy with the performances I have witnessed this year out at Canberra Stadium. I am not getting carried away, however,as we have only beaten the Force, Cheetahs and Highlanders (minus Thompson and Slade last 20). Sharks will be different beast tomorrow night, still little sceptical about how the young brumbies pack will go against a big & combative pack that the Sharks boast. Palmer will be a big loss for the scrum, whilst i am not sold on leon Power who although looks like a big lad, looks rather clumsy and lost at times and to mine has failed to exert any physical dominance on any of the 4 games this year - will be a big test for him tomorrow night

 

[Brumby Jack]

Sharks will be different beast tomorrow night,

He's not playing

 

[Chronicle]

Yeah it is an interesting question. The reason I brought up Prior's club form was because I had a sense that people were putting a lot of weight on White's premiership season with Eastwood. So I wanted to point out that, if that's the measure we're using, there’s still not much between them.

More broadly, I think all that background stuff gets you picked in a Super squad, and perhaps gets you the first crack at a position, but, in the end, teams need to be picked on current form. One exception might be the situation where an experienced/proven player needs time to play themselves into form, in which case I think there should be some flexibility.

What got me interested in the Prior/White contest is my sense that White often gets an automatic priority, not just on this forum but in the press. I was reading a game blog of the Highlander's match - either here or on the SMH site - and in the entire first sixty minutes Prior didn't get a mention, despite handling the ball in just about every attacking phase of play. Indeed, the first time he was mentioned was in the context of Nick White's impending entry into the game at the sixty minute mark! So, I guess that indicated to me a level of favoritisms or some such... though I wouldn't go so far as to say this is deliberate.

Don’t know about any journalistic favouritism or last seasons form but White was chosen as the starting halfback for the first game of the season. He had a successful start with a good game against the Force and was outstanding in the opening 30 mins against the Cheetahs when he succumbed to illness. He has been suffering from the after effects of glandular fever and subsequent viruses which have also laid low his housemate Dan Palmer. Selection is always subjective and in the words of Robbie Deans is “just one man’s opinion” let’s not read more into then there is.

 

[spectator]

Interesting discussion around the halfback stocks. I think they are both good all round players and complement each other really well. One has major strength as an attacker with x factor, and the other one a good organiser with a superior pass. Great options to be able to utilise depending on the game required.

 

[biggsy]

Every time kerns says "a chance to run" have shot

Be pissed in no time....

Want the Bumbies to win but I dont want then to as well... This week anyway