NSW Waratahs v Fijian Drua - Fri 28 Feb 2025 7:30pm Allianz Stadium

[Crashy]

i didnt see it announced at the game, but the lower tier was over 80% full around the ground, excluding those standing in front of the bars.

16150
Felt a lot more than that. Credit to the fijiian fans for making so much noise

tahs need to keep winning to see the crowds come back.

 

[dru]

They are grubby as fuck.

That is my impression. Drua are fast becoming the least enjoyable team in Super - their improvisation is fab but the stuff that comes with it is to me unacceptable.

Another Miles brain explosion that was missed by officials during the game

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/s/qexvP8wcmj

yeah the same drua fan wasnt posting the vids from their antics

In terms of grubby play that does not matter. Players need to tidy up. Miles definitely [and pretty much all the Drua].

 

[Wallabies]

Langi Gleeson was insane, ran the ball 100% every time he had it

 

[Ignoto]

The Tahs backline without JAS seems to lack anyone outside of Jorgo and Foketi that can play above their weight class.

Whn there's not much deception around a ball carrier it was quite easy for the Drua to just drill the ball carrier back in contact.

I'm bloody nervous about Kellaway being either a back up wallabies 15 or even on the wing. Feels like every game there's a defensive miss read by him when he's the last person in defence and he just gets his body and feet all wrong n

 

[Pfitzy]

Deffs a ruck. It was quick. Tupou just didn’t place it properly. Drua bloke never onside.

If it was a ruck why was Tupou playing the ball?

Wasn't a ruck as such because that requires a player from each side.

BUT the offside line is drawn as soon as one player is over the ball - in this case Jorgensen got back as Tupou was brought to deck in a tackle.

Drua 8 is about a metre offside and never retreated as the ball spills out the side. Should have been a penalty Tahs. Heck if he'd been onside he could still have grabbed the ball and scored, but that's now the Laws as they're written.

I'm also not convinced Gleeson's 2nd try was legal as the ball appeared to be dislodged from the Drua player's hands on the ground.

I think the officiating team will enjoy the review about as much as the Tahs.

 

[Derpus]

The Tahs backline without JAS seems to lack anyone outside of Jorgo and Foketi that can play above their weight class.

Whn there's not much deception around a ball carrier it was quite easy for the Drua to just drill the ball carrier back in contact.

I'm bloody nervous about Kellaway being either a back up wallabies 15 or even on the wing. Feels like every game there's a defensive miss read by him when he's the last person in defence and he just gets his body and feet all wrong n

Yeah id be more inclined to have Jorgo in the Wallabies

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Thoughts post game
- Amatosero is a flog. It's like he has been watching clips of a young Maro Itoje or Kyle Sinckler.
-Edmed has clearly been told to kick it but the kicks seem aimless and poorly executed. Nothing wrong with kicking as long as it has purpose and a good chase.
- Backline looks like a team adjusting to a new coach and new system. Timing is just off but I expect it to get better.
- O'Donnell two passes after contact. Really great. He made a poor read gave up a line break but was able to chase the Drua player down and make the tackle. Great recovery/effort.
- Lancaster was poor and will not like the review session on Monday.
-Poreki was poor again. Missing lineouts, poor maul work, passive in attack.
- Drua are a dirty team. Prime example are the two cheapies on O'Donnell after the Drua scored. Call that shit out and penalise it.
- Kiwi refs are refereeing the game like they do in the north and letting the ruck become a shit mess. Good for getting ready for test season not so good for quickball rugby which we struggled to adjust to.
-2 from 2 baby. It ain't pretty but we will get better

I’m really over this part of their game. I hate that there is a certain level of overlooking it even by commentators because we hear the “oh you know it when you play a PI team, you’ll be sore the next day hahaha ain’t that right Morgs” sore because half the damage comes from illegal shit.

 

[fatprop]

The Tahs backline without JAS seems to lack anyone outside of Jorgo and Foketi that can play above their weight class.

Whn there's not much deception around a ball carrier it was quite easy for the Drua to just drill the ball carrier back in contact.

I'm bloody nervous about Kellaway being either a back up wallabies 15 or even on the wing. Feels like every game there's a defensive miss read by him when he's the last person in defence and he just gets his body and feet all wrong n

Even with JAS, the set piece game plan is pass it to Gleeson

Foteki made more space but it was one out with no concept of a structure of working together

 

[wamberal99]

The Waratahs are a bunch of plodders. Maybe they have been over-trained?

 

[Crashy]

As in unfit? When the final whistle blew last night - it was most of the Drua who dropped to the deck, exhausted..

 

[Pfitzy]

The Waratahs are a bunch of plodders. Maybe they have been over-trained?

Two things on that:

1) Conditions were fucking hard for rugby in general - warm and humid. However we dropped too much ball for professionals.

2) The Tahs have "two first games" due to the bye in R2. Some continuity will hopefully help

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

2 games in a row they’ve won it in the last 5 mins. I don’t think they’re unfit.

I think DM is trying to build them back to competitive with a very basic game plan. It will expand as they come together more. Big chunk of key guys have played less than 5 games together.

 

[Pfitzy]

Goes without saying - but I'll say it - the Force are going to pooch us hard unless we're better than the last 2 games. A LOT better

 

[fatprop]

Two things on that:

1) Conditions were fucking hard for rugby in general - warm and humid. However we dropped too much ball for professionals.

2) The Tahs have "two first games" due to the bye in R2. Some continuity will hopefully help

The starting forwards are doing OK,

Leota started running with the ball which was a real solid growth in options

Sinclair got though a lot of work, but was splattered a lot ball in hand

Grant was good at catching lineout but was cut in half a few times

And our back up front row was toweled at scrum time

 

[Strewthcobber]

Wasn't a ruck as such because that requires a player from each side.

BUT the offside line is drawn as soon as one player is over the ball - in this case Jorgensen got back as Tupou was brought to deck in a tackle.

Drua 8 is about a metre offside and never retreated as the ball spills out the side. Should have been a penalty Tahs. Heck if he'd been onside he could still have grabbed the ball and scored, but that's now the Laws as they're written.

I'm also not convinced Gleeson's 2nd try was legal as the ball appeared to be dislodged from the Drua player's hands on the ground.

I think the officiating team will enjoy the review about as much as the Tahs.

The ball has to be on the ground for the Offside line to be created. It's a pretty niche outcome, but I think the try was OK

14.10 - Offside lines are created at a tackle when at least one player is on their feet and over the ball, which is on the ground. Each team’s offside line runs parallel to the try line through the hindmost point of any player in the tackle or on their feet over the ball. If that point is on or behind the try line, the offside line for that team is the try line.

 

[Marbig]

Miles surely gets a few weeks off for that chokehold, that’s ridiculous

 

[Heavyd]

Kellaway on current form will not make the 30 man Wallabies Lions squad. Jorgo, Pietsch, Daugano and Potter are well ahead of him in the pecking order.

 

[fatprop]

He was way better last night than he was in the first round, he was the only unit in the back line that continually puts support runners in better positions

Pietsch, Daugano and Potter to me are all competing for the (what I call) the workrate winger, Kells and Jorgo, to me are competing for the 14/18 15 hybrid

 

[Adam84]

Wasn't a ruck as such because that requires a player from each side.

BUT the offside line is drawn as soon as one player is over the ball - in this case Jorgensen got back as Tupou was brought to deck in a tackle.

Drua 8 is about a metre offside and never retreated as the ball spills out the side. Should have been a penalty Tahs. Heck if he'd been onside he could still have grabbed the ball and scored, but that's now the Laws as they're written.

I'm also not convinced Gleeson's 2nd try was legal as the ball appeared to be dislodged from the Drua player's hands on the ground.

I think the officiating team will enjoy the review about as much as the Tahs.

Jogo was the player running to get over Tupou when Tupou popped the ball into him though, that’s why Tupou popped it because Jorgo wasn’t above him at the time.

At best you could argue Tupou popped the ball simultaneously to Jorgo joining, at which point the benefit of doubt should still sit with the team who didn’t make the error.

 

[KOB1987]

He was way better last night than he was in the first round, he was the only unit in the back line that continually puts support runners in better positions

Pietsch, Daugano and Potter to me are all competing for the (what I call) the workrate winger, Kells and Jorgo, to me are competing for the 14/18 hybrid

I'm yet to see a winger that can also act as the tight head replacement. Taquele and Lomu probably went close. I certainly don't want to see either of Jorgensen or Kellaway chucked in there late in the game though.