NSW Waratahs v Fijian Drua - Fri 28 Feb 2025 7:30pm Allianz Stadium
- Thread starter fatprop
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John S
Peter Fenwicke (45)
My thoughts having just watched it, and read all the above:
- neither team really deserved to win that game, so many unforced errors from both
- I really didn't like the early niggle when the tahs won a few scrums - glad the ref said enough after the second scrum
- tahs need to get some consistency in attack, some really good phases of play followed by absolute dross
- tahs need to lift their game if they expect to go further in the comp this year
- at least we've matched last year's win record
There's already been enough chat about Kellaway, Amotesero etc without my repeating a whole bunch of you
- neither team really deserved to win that game, so many unforced errors from both
- I really didn't like the early niggle when the tahs won a few scrums - glad the ref said enough after the second scrum
- tahs need to get some consistency in attack, some really good phases of play followed by absolute dross
- tahs need to lift their game if they expect to go further in the comp this year
- at least we've matched last year's win record
There's already been enough chat about Kellaway, Amotesero etc without my repeating a whole bunch of you
Froggy
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Three players for the Tahs have really started this season well, Bell, Gleeson and Jorgensen. Most others have been good in patches, dissappointing in other. If the Tahs are going to go top six, the big team issues are breakdown and handling. Positionally, the bench front row and lock are weaknesses, I don't really see edmed doing much but just shoveling the ball on, and we don't seem to have a real attacking threat in the back line. Personally I would like to see JAS, when back, move to 13 to provide that threat.
The Ghost of Raelene
Michael Lynagh (62)
I’d run it back with the same Centres and I think the pressure is on Foketi to step up as a senior player.
Edmed can play on the front foot we saw it in his ITM stint but there’s a clear kick first conservative approach right now that without JAS out there isn’t going to work. Walton almost said as much in the HT interview.
From the starting point of the season winning is great. Sounds pathetic but I want them to push and compete with the better sides and I don’t expect wins tbh. If they finished the year with 5 wins is it a good result? I’d take it if offered with so much change in a group from coach to squad. The talk of this many wallabies does nothing for me when they don’t know each other and the returning Tahs are learning a new system with an entire new set of coaches.
Edmed can play on the front foot we saw it in his ITM stint but there’s a clear kick first conservative approach right now that without JAS out there isn’t going to work. Walton almost said as much in the HT interview.
From the starting point of the season winning is great. Sounds pathetic but I want them to push and compete with the better sides and I don’t expect wins tbh. If they finished the year with 5 wins is it a good result? I’d take it if offered with so much change in a group from coach to squad. The talk of this many wallabies does nothing for me when they don’t know each other and the returning Tahs are learning a new system with an entire new set of coaches.
pissedoffihavetoregister
Alfred Walker (16)
I thought O'Donnell looked pretty good; Foketi rarely makes a break, so maybe play him (O'Donnell) at inside (Tahs needs a big strong inside center, we don't have many to run it up and get over the add line) when Jas comes back.
Last year was dire for tahs because every time there was a close game, we came second. Nice to see that at least change; need some better backs play, though.
Last year was dire for tahs because every time there was a close game, we came second. Nice to see that at least change; need some better backs play, though.
Adam84
John Eales (66)
Drua still raging about Miles action against Ikanivere even making a post about it on Instagram with a person in a neck brace and seeking a response from Super Rugby Officials about it.
Whilst I agree it was braindead by Miles and deserves some kind of punishment... the approach Drua are taking to this could best be described as 'throwing stones in glass houses', they're far from a disciplined/clean team in how they play.
www.instagram.com
Whilst I agree it was braindead by Miles and deserves some kind of punishment... the approach Drua are taking to this could best be described as 'throwing stones in glass houses', they're far from a disciplined/clean team in how they play.
Fijian Drua on Instagram: "Maybe we should wear this for added protection "
2,267 likes, 112 comments - fijian_drua_official on March 1, 2025: "Maybe we should wear this for added protection ".
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I think catching that was the right play. If you let it bounce and it goes over the 10 you're turning an easy take into a lottery.
This would only be a yellow card wouldn't it?
No action from the citing commissioner in any event it seems. The only judiciary update is the red card for Sotutu.
Homer
Darby Loudon (17)
The tahs outside defence and connection is a worry. Too many times there were big gaps in the line and it seemed like every time they were short out wide. The Drua realised this in the second half and spun it wide making huge meters. The highlanders did the same thing.
It's also odd that it isn't really a rush defence or a slide defence, more just scrambling, the kiwis will eat them up unless they get more disciplined. Mckenzie will get a hat trick.
It's also odd that it isn't really a rush defence or a slide defence, more just scrambling, the kiwis will eat them up unless they get more disciplined. Mckenzie will get a hat trick.
Strewthcobber
David Codey (61)
They should be much more proactive with the citing commissioner warning (which is the equivalent of a yellow card)
Most weeks there should be mulitples of them published
The most frustrating thing for me in this game was regularly turning down easy shots at goal.
There were several penalties that were basically 20 metres out right in front which should have a 95%+ success rate.
Your "moneyball" equation there should be that you think you are around 50% chance of scoring from kicking for the corner to turn down the 3 points. There are times in games where you may feel like the game script changes things and you need to be more aggressive, but in the first half in particular, please just accumulate points when they're on offer!
There were several penalties that were basically 20 metres out right in front which should have a 95%+ success rate.
Your "moneyball" equation there should be that you think you are around 50% chance of scoring from kicking for the corner to turn down the 3 points. There are times in games where you may feel like the game script changes things and you need to be more aggressive, but in the first half in particular, please just accumulate points when they're on offer!
Wilson
Rod McCall (65)
Yeah, with a conversion rate of 1.8 on 16 entries to the 22 the tahs left a lot of points on the board by not taking the 3, particularly when Edmed is such a reliable place kicker. Would be interesting to know what McKellar thought of the decision making there, the way he talked about it during the week it sounded like taking points on offer was the approach they were planning on.
It also wasn't consistent. They turned down a couple of penalty goal attempts, didn't score tries and then took a shot for goal a little later from a slightly more difficult position (although still not an overly difficult kick).
I wonder how much of that is confidence in their lineout maul, a bit like we saw with the Brumbies under McKellar. They figure from 5m out there's a 50% chance they score, so go for it.
The Drua defended it really well, so you have to tip your hat to them. I wonder if they could have realised this a bit earlier though and pivoted to take the points a few more times.
I actually thought the really bad call on that was in about the 60th minute when they were up by 10 with a kickable penalty. Ended up kicking to the corner, turning it over and the Drua ran it back, and it was basically the beginning of the momentum shift.
The Drua defended it really well, so you have to tip your hat to them. I wonder if they could have realised this a bit earlier though and pivoted to take the points a few more times.
I actually thought the really bad call on that was in about the 60th minute when they were up by 10 with a kickable penalty. Ended up kicking to the corner, turning it over and the Drua ran it back, and it was basically the beginning of the momentum shift.
Agree with that too. Take the points and keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Derpus
Phil Waugh (73)
Or the kickable penalty they refused when 2 or so behind that would have helped steady the ship a little and retake the lead.
Strewthcobber
David Codey (61)
This is the coach making these decisions, to go for it etc right?
There's no way they leave it up to the player's these days?
There's no way they leave it up to the player's these days?
Wilson
Rod McCall (65)
Coach sets the priorities with the captain, but it's the captain making the call in the moment. I don't think they're passing messages in time for that decision too often (though maybe in the pressure moments). If the coach disagrees with enough of those calls they're probably going to send a message down to their captain, but how interventionist they are probably varies pretty wildly. That message probably also shifts it from a nuanced and circumstantial decision to a much less flexible one too.