Bulls vs Waratahs - Super Rugby Rd11 2013

[topo]

I can't see pro teams sending players in cattle class for any flights more than 4 or 5 hours, especially if they want a quick recovery.

They fly economy to Perth and NZ but business to South Africa.

 

[I like to watch]

....Geez Willie must be going OK in Cheika's eyes to get precedence over Peterson and Atkins. Can't see it myself though he played with a bit of energy in the two games of the PNC (Pacific Nations Cup) that I saw.

Lee, very few have big wraps on Peterson.
I have only seen him play once this year in a SS trial.He did not impress me at all.

 

[qwerty51]

It's odd that Carter and Hodge are going over instead of Holloway and Lopeti. Hodge hasn't made a 22 this year and doesn't scream selection from SS. I'm guessing he's pinned in for the Kings game. Carter, well we all know what he provides, he doesn't need a look in and isn't useful off the bench. Holloway and Timani would be perfect to start the Kings game.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Those players mentioned as add-ons to the 21 left from Friday are confirmed as being with the Tahs in the RSA.

Geez Willie must be going OK in Cheika's eyes to get precedence over Peterson and Atkins. Can't see it myself though he played with a bit of energy in the two games of the PNC (Pacific Nations Cup) that I saw.

PS: IIRR SANZAR limits touring parties to 26.
.

The Saffers like bulk in their menfolk, and Willie has this in spades. He would be sensational over there.

 

[Quick Hands]

Lee, very few have big wraps on Peterson.
I have only seen him play once this year in a SS trial.He did not impress me at all.

I think Peterson might also be injured at the moment I recall something from a grade trial maybe.

He's had a few injuries and even when fit, doesn't seem to have grasped the opportunity to cement a super rugby spot.

 

[Braveheart81]

Waratahs
1 Benn Robinson
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Sitaleki Timani
5 Kane Douglass
6 Dave Dennis (C)
7 Michael Hooper
8 Wycliff Palu
9 Brendan McKibbin
10 Bernard Foley
11 Tom Kingston
12 Rob Horne
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Cam Crawford
15 Israel Folau

16 John Ulugia
17 Paddy Ryan
18 Mitchell Chapman
19 Pat McCutcheon
20 Matt Lucas
21 Ben Volavola
22 Peter Betham

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Good looking team. Probably best available.

 

[Quick Hands]

I like Kingston in. Definitely out best available 22 IMO.

 

[Richo]

I'd love to see Volavola get a run against a tired defense. Surely he'll see some minutes this tour.

 

[USARugger]

I like Kingston in. Definitely out best available 22 IMO.

I can't remember which club he was playing for the other week but he looked great.

 

[Braveheart81]

I can't remember which club he was playing for the other week but he looked great.

He plays for Sydney Uni.

 

[Quick Hands]

I'd love to see Volavola get a run against a tired defense. Surely he'll see some minutes this tour.

Like Lucas, he hasn't seen 1 minute out of the last 160. I think against the Bulls Cheika will keep his best XV on for as long as possible. The pattern seems to be that he replaces tight forwards during the second half, but that backs generally only get on for injuries. I expect that this is what we will see against the Bulls, but maybe in the Kings match, there will be more opportunity for players like Volavola and Lucas.

 

[Brisbok]

Bulls:15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Mornè Steyn, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Pierre Spies (captain), 7 Arno Botha, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Juandrè Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Dean Greyling

Substitutes: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Jacques Potgieter, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Louis Fouchè, 22 Lionel Mapoe

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Jan-Serfontein-now-a-marked-man-20130425

 

[Richo]

Good team. The Bulls are not fucking about.

 

[BPC]

I like Kingston in. Definitely out best available 22 IMO.

Betham has some skills but I prefer Kingston as a more reliable player and a better defender.

 

[Braveheart81]

Good team. The Bulls are not fucking about.

After lots of injury concerns they've now all come good and they've trotted out about their best team of the season.

Vermaak was injured last weekend and Hougaard is in his first game back after a substantial layoff so maybe halfback will be an area the Tahs can target with some physicality and strong defence.

 

[Rob42]

Betham has some skills but I prefer Kingston as a more reliable player and a better defender.

Cheika's in the press saying that he's picked Kingston because he's a hard worker off the ball, which will be particularly useful against the Bulls kicking game. "Hard worker" appears to be the highest form of Cheika praise - perhaps also a caution to Betham that he needs to pick that part of his game up.

 

[JSRF10]

The use of the bench will be crucial to this one, hopefully Cheika gives Lucas and Volavola a decent go off the bench as they could be lethal against a tiring defense. Can't argue too much with the selection, everyone gets rewarded for a good team performance against the Chiefs.

 

[Blue]

1 Dean Greyling

Almost a guaranteed card and scrum dominance handed to the Tahs on a fucking platter.

How can ANY coach pick this guy?

 

[Rassie]

It's Loftus. It's Steyn. You could have Santie Claus at 15 and he'll be getting bombs all day.

The Bulls dealt with the Kingz so easily because they dominated the collisions all day. That way Steyn get loads of time. But the did something they barely ever did on tour. Steyn took a lot of ball on the run and much, much more flat and passed or tried to offload in collision. They are also using young Serfontein as a first receiver. Completely changes the way you need to defend against the Bulls as the last time they played with any deception or variation in attack was around 1801. You can check the archives. I was so shocked that I started looking for something strong but then remembered I don't drink.

Play like they did at the breakdown over the weekend and the Tahs are a legit chance. The Tahs will have the edge in the scrums. We have been shit. Lineouts should be about even.

Bulls are carrying a bucketload of injuries. Could be without both their number 4 locks as well as Ralepele. Vermaak who was MOM against Kings also in doubt in which case we would have to start a rookie at 9.

No actually they did that when they won the Super Rugby titles and when FdP was still running the show.

The Vermaak try they made the Kings think they are going to kick Catrakilis dropped back spread it wide from deep and well really bad defending from the 15 who did not drift and gave Mapou room who was in a one on one situation with Catrakilis who did not even attempt to make a tackle or what you call it what he did but was brought down by the cover defense. Catrakilis danced around trying to get away as far as possible from play because of fear of having to make a tackle where Vermaak scored. That was the only creativity and something suprising the Bulls did.

You are running with the ball with a 3 man overlap vs one Kings defender.

What do you do?

a) Do like you been coached by the Bulls and throw it to the guy next to you to bash it up and take almost one of your wingers out of the attack?
b) bash it up yourself?
c) throw a flat pass to your winger in space who got 2 players in support and 1 defender to beat?
d)kick it

Well the answer will be A of course. Even poor Vermaak is being coached out of his sniping breaks and attacking play which he did so well at the Lions and being coached into box kicking like a controlled zombie. They booted it down the pitch for over 50 minutes and their bigger boot where their 30 kicks in 80 minutes went about 300 meters further than the Kings 33 kicks. So they relied on kick and chase then win the line out like most South African teams and like Heynecke Meyer instructed he wants the franchises to play cause thats his direction.