Did Tapuai butcher a try?

[Nelse]

Its something I have noticed in the tests this year. Horne especially was a culprit. As mentioned, he didn't score one of the tries when he tried to get on the outside of his opposite. He scored a couple of tries running the same way. This had me yelling at the screen everytime. Its obvious there is space on the outside of the Welsh 13 in Horne's case and the Argies 13 in Taps case. (I'm not sure if that was the actual bloke defending, but it was in the 13 channel). Simple draw and pass puts the winger away every time. They may have to work a bit to finish, but players like Digby, HB, Shipperly have the skill to finsh it off from that distance out. I don't want to say that this means that the players just don't have that trust that they should in their team mates, but it points to selfish behaviour. It could be just old fashioned white line fever.

Also contrast it to Kurtley's touch on the ball against the boks. Tried to get around the outside (Which he is very good at) but then once he had the defender committed to him, pushed it out to Aussie Mike who went over.

 

[tigerland12]

As a side note these commentators are great.

Was just thinking that aswell, can we get them to replace our lot?

 

[daz]

Q: Did Tapuai butcher a try?

A: Yes, he did. However, like Horne before him, let's move on. Inexperience/white line fever/try glory/whatever, let's not crucify the lad for an error.

We are so very good at focusing on a single poor decision as if the fate of the world depends on it. Taps probably knows it wasn't a great finish and he will hopefully learn from it.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Taps butchered it. It should have been a case of running straight, commit the man and pass the ball or run into contact and offload. If Cummins hadn't scored in that situation, we still would have been a big chance to recycle and go over. Instead, he broke to the outside and compressed the attack too much.

 

[Braveheart81]

It wasn't until Rob Horne's head was impaled on a stake outside Suncorp Stadium that someone posted that it was time to move on.

 

[daz]

It wasn't until Rob Horne's head was impaled on a stake outside Suncorp Stadium that someone posted that it was time to move on.

I heard a rumour that there might have been a bit of NSW/QLD bias in the Horne discussion. It would be great to avoid that with Taps, unless everyone thinks we have to just to even things out.

Hmm. I just realised that I might be issued with a fatwa for putting NSW ahead of QLD. Shit, I did it again!

QLD/NSW, QLD/NSW.

Ok. Even. Are we good now?

 

[Sully]

Just wanted to point out that Hooper is probably as fast as most of our backs and had a 10 metre head start from the lineout

Sent using Tapatalk

 

[randalf8]

I used play 13 and if you freeze it at 0.35 I reckon I would have passed it straight away. The second best solution is what Taps does - there's heaps of room out there and it looks lovely to run into. But I don't think Taps butchers it at all - give credit to the tackler who prevents Taps from passing. If he had a hand free, I'm sure he would have got rid of it.

The criticism should be of Taps' performance in the tackle, not his decision-making. I'd give him 6/10.

dufuq?

why didn't he let it go at 38 seconds?

Are you aware that it's possible to make a player commit and still pass it prior to the contact?

You'd think a superstar (like we are constantly reminded Tapuai is) would have that in his bag of tricks, given that most schoolboys are capable of it.

 

[fatprop]

Q: Did Tapuai butcher a try?

A: Yes, he did. However, like Horne before him, let's move on. Inexperience/white line fever/try glory/whatever, let's not crucify the lad for an error.

We are so very good at focusing on a single poor decision as if the fate of the world depends on it. Taps probably knows it wasn't a great finish and he will hopefully learn from it.

Agreed, I look forward to seeing the same balanced, sensible approach used on other players when they make errors.

(Unlikely, but we can all live in hope)

 

[Scotty]

I used play 13 and if you freeze it at 0.35 I reckon I would have passed it straight away. The second best solution is what Taps does - there's heaps of room out there and it looks lovely to run into. But I don't think Taps butchers it at all - give credit to the tackler who prevents Taps from passing. If he had a hand free, I'm sure he would have got rid of it.

The criticism should be of Taps' performance in the tackle, not his decision-making. I'd give him 6/10.

I don't have any issue with him not passing straight away. It would have been a flat long pass onto a player not going forward, although admittedly with what should be his stronger hand.

I do have an issue that instead of straightening to draw the winger he kept angling towards the sideline. If he straightened he would have had the opportunity to either pass or dummy, and would have put the opposite winger in a more difficult situation.

In saying that he was obviously still trying to engage that winger, and pass to Cummins, but just stuffed it up.

 

[daz]

Agreed, I look forward to seeing the same balanced, sensible approach used on other players when they make errors.

(Unlikely, but we can all live in hope)

To borrow and butcher a quote from Sally Field's oscar speech: This state bias stuff shits me. It really, really shits me.

 

[Scotty]

I thought Tapuai's other crucial error was when Argentina scored their try. He was the defender a few metres out from the line and tried to hold the attacker up off the ground. This might have been the right move if he'd had a lot of support but he didn't. By holding the player up it allowed the Pumas to drive across the line for the try.

In the circumstances, Tapuai needed to bring the man to ground.

Other players may have made the same mistake. It was obviously a decision made very quickly and he chose the wrong one.

I actually thought that at first as well, but replayed it a couple of times and saw it differently. There was another wallaby who went low to tackle the ball carrier while Taps went high to wrap up the ball, problem was that the other bloke (not sure who) fell off the tackle, which then made it look like Taps was purely trying to hold up for a maul. I think it was the first missed tackle that was the mistake.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

To borrow and butcher a quote from Sally Field's oscar speech: This state bias stuff shits me. It really, really shits me.

Me too. I frankly couldn't even 0.0000001% of a fuck about old state based hatreds when it comes to Wallaby selections and yet there are posters who insist on keeping them alive. It's about assessing each player on their ability and performance. I don't care which Super Rugby franchise they play for -- if they're good enough, get 'em in there.

 

[daz]

Me too. I frankly couldn't even 0.0000001% of a fuck about old state based hatreds when it comes to Wallaby selections and yet there are posters who insist on keeping them alive. It's about assessing each player on their ability and performance. I don't care which Super Rugby franchise they play for -- if they're good enough, get 'em in there.

Nice one TBH.

In the same breath, if I criticise Taps or Horne for butchering a try (not that I would), it is not a personal attack against the QRU/NSWRU, the players, their families, the Reds/Tahs membership base and/or the entire citizenship of each state.

I am only saying that Taps or Horne butchered a try and they probably shouldn't have done that. No more, no less.

 

[wamberal]

IMHO the player who has the ball has the right to take his chances, if he believes he can make the line. This is actually a lower risk option than passing the ball - the pass might be forward, the pass might not be caught.

I do not remember this sort of bleating until fairly recently. Rugby is a game of chances, and half-chances. Some of the options taken succeed, some do not. Get used to it, chaps, it ain't going to change any time soon.

 

[Scoey]

I'm not certain that Taps butchered the try but I do think that a far more experienced 13, 14 & 15 probably would've got the 5 pointer.

I think it was a combination of the three players that led to the missed opportunity. For starters we had about 4 test caps in our three up against some very good players. I can't tell who was defending out there but there's plenty of experience in the Pumas back line - and they did exceptionally well to shut that play down.

I agree with whoever said it before, that Harris and Cummins had to check their runs which never helps with timing. Harris was also shadowing Taps to a degree and never looked like he had decided whether to cut back in or stay outside.

I support QLD but I never wanted to hang Horne for his efforts. I did expect more from him though.

 

[Nelse]

Your right Wamberal. It's a lot better than him putting ball to boot in that position too. It allows for ball retention at the very least

 

[southsider]

Really? He put his head down and ran straight. He was either going to score a try or go to ground and recycle. Much better than throwing a wild pass to someone 10m behind him and losing the ball.

i reckon if he'd kept running for the corner instead of straightening up a bit he wouldve made it

 

[What2040]

IMHO the player who has the ball has the right to take his chances, if he believes he can make the line. This is actually a lower risk option than passing the ball - the pass might be forward, the pass might not be caught.

I do not remember this sort of bleating until fairly recently. Rugby is a game of chances, and half-chances. Some of the options taken succeed, some do not. Get used to it, chaps, it ain't going to change any time soon.

Agree but if he fucks it up and should have passed he deverves to be hammered - it is not the under 7's.

 

[randalf8]

or he could have drawn his man and passed the friggen ball to the bloke scooting along outside him.

no, too risky!