Pecking order: THP
- Thread starter Biffo
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en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
NTA said:
No. Shep and Ma'afu have been playing there.
topo
Cyril Towers (30)
Happy to have Alexander at 1, even though he is playing LHP at Brumbies. I think if Jerry Yanuyanu was fit Big Ben would be THP, but atm they don't have too many LHP options.
Baxter (despite the refs I think he's playing his best footy now and think he's pretty good at clean out time and a very good counter rucker)
Weekes (I think you have to give Joeys a bit of credit for his formative years)
Palmer (this guy is an amazing scrummager for a 21 yo and solid round the park)
Fairbrother
You can keep the rest.
Has Kepu ever played THP except as a replacement? He is an ordinary LH scrummager and would be crucified at TH against decent opposition
Baxter (despite the refs I think he's playing his best footy now and think he's pretty good at clean out time and a very good counter rucker)
Weekes (I think you have to give Joeys a bit of credit for his formative years)
Palmer (this guy is an amazing scrummager for a 21 yo and solid round the park)
Fairbrother
You can keep the rest.
Has Kepu ever played THP except as a replacement? He is an ordinary LH scrummager and would be crucified at TH against decent opposition
Langthorne
Phil Hardcastle (33)
NTA said:
I probably should have said "we are considering scrummaging first" :-[ - scrummaging has to be a the 'qualifying standard' (ie up to international standard), and once those who qualify are determined the other aspects of the position come into play.
Whether or not he has played THP for the last 4 weeks, can Alexander play the position to the required standard? I think he can, and his general game has been better than the other contenders.
Baxter has been scrummaging very well of late and, as he has been playing the position every week, it could well be argued that he is the better scrummager and THP.
I also agree that if Palmer gets more game time he could come into contention (he was great last season when Baxter was out)
Pfitzy
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Baxter has been scrummaging well for the last 5 years. Dominating the S14 scene but not the Test scene. Why is this? Stupid fucking refs who give every other scrum except ours the benefit of the doubt.
A big part of this of course is Robinson - when your opposing THP is getting the shit beat out of him its quite hard for the rest of the scrum to stand up. Baxter and Alexander have both benefited from this. I just can't understand why Friend continues with Alexander at LHP when his future is as a THP
A big part of this of course is Robinson - when your opposing THP is getting the shit beat out of him its quite hard for the rest of the scrum to stand up. Baxter and Alexander have both benefited from this. I just can't understand why Friend continues with Alexander at LHP when his future is as a THP
S
Spook
Guest
Baxter wasn't even selected for the Wallaby tour. Are we talking realistic pecking order of the Wallabies here or what we feel the pecking order should be?
What I feel is in Robbie's head after round 4 of Super rugby and considering issues such as youth etc:
1. Alexander
2. Kepu
3. Ma'afu
4. Fairbrother
6. Weeks
Dustbin: Baxter, Dunning, Sheperdson
What I feel is in Robbie's head after round 4 of Super rugby and considering issues such as youth etc:
1. Alexander
2. Kepu
3. Ma'afu
4. Fairbrother
6. Weeks
Dustbin: Baxter, Dunning, Sheperdson
Pfitzy
Nathan Sharpe (72)
We're talking realistic pecking order. Baxter is currently scrumming well - I'd go so far as to suggest that he's currently playing THP better than the other Aussie-based THPs at the moment. Alexander gets there on merit because we know he can do the job, but jeez I'd like to see Friend move him across.
And you can't put Kepu in as THP ahead of Weekes. He hasn't played enough there.
And you can't put Kepu in as THP ahead of Weekes. He hasn't played enough there.
Langthorne
Phil Hardcastle (33)
Deans' preference is irrelevant to me as far as these threads go - otherwise what is the point? "I think he'll go this way" vs "I'll think he'll go that way" - guessing what someone else thinks as opposed to bouncing our own opinions around.
S
Spook
Guest
NTA said:
Nick, surely the Realistic pecking order is what Robbie wants it to be? Baxter has been the best scrummaging THP this year but I just don't think Robbie will pick him based on his actions last year.
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
A real litmus test of Baxter will be when he plays the Blues and faces Woodcock. If the Myth can collapse at will on the Tahs feed and make it looks like Baxter's fault then his time at test level is up.
BTW, Woodcock got out scrummaged by Weeks when he came off the bench. The Blues scum was awful.
BTW, Woodcock got out scrummaged by Weeks when he came off the bench. The Blues scum was awful.
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
topo said:
Thought Robinson clearly got the better of Weeks. Didn't think the Crusaders scrum was any better than the Reds really, but my memory may not be accurate on that. The Reds scrum clearly got the better of the Blues though, including Woodcock - who really struggled at scrum time when he came on.
Bruce Ross
Ken Catchpole (46)
Ash said:
I didn't see it as clear-cut, Ash. What I did see was Weeks having to readjust the position of his feet after engagement because the Reds pack was giving ground. As I have said before, I think that some of their forwards were focussed on something other than scrummaging.
They may have been simply following the coach's game plan.
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