Pressure on the Waratahs to make the Finals

[cyclopath]

Why is it that whether it's a 4 team final or 6, the tahs do only just enough to get there

To torment us. Nothing more or less.

 

[Gnostic]

The stats will say they played well and met their KPIs and we just do not understand or are unqualified to comment.

 

[chriscullen]

I think Tahs or highlanders will finish 6th, other will miss out . Reds and Blues should finish 1 and 2 but wouldn't surprise me if the blues didn't win another game as they play 3 kiwi teams.
Tahs(6th) could well be playing stormers(3rd) away week 1 and winner would face blues the following week. They may have played shit most of the year but Tahs fans have hope unlike fans of hurricanes brumbies and chiefs.

 

[Richo]

Gnostic, Cyclo... There just might be some kind of link between those theories.

 

[Scarfman]

The Waratahs' game plan almost guarantees this kind of result. Without Beale and Mitchell doing things outside of the game plan they would come exactly middle.

 

[cyclopath]

The Waratahs' game plan almost guarantees this kind of result. Without Beale and Mitchell doing things outside of the game plan they would come exactly middle.

Are you therefore suggesting the Tahs are over-achievers by actually making finals on a semi-regular basis? Scarfy has found an upside!!

 

[RedsHappy]

Are you therefore suggesting the Tahs are over-achievers by actually making finals on a semi-regular basis? Scarfy has found an upside!!

I took Scarfie to be saying something re the Tahs' core game strategies (and player attributes) that is IMO both central to their situation over many years, and also very astute: namely, the Tahs have developed a formula for winning more games than they lose, and, yes, often making the top 4 or 6, but they have no strategy, culture, game plan, coaches etc that can breakthrough and build a true championship team capable of doing a (long ago) Brumbies, or a Bulls, or a Crusaders, and getting to the very top repetitively.

 

[cyclopath]

I took Scarfie to be saying something re the Tahs' core game strategies (and player attributes) that is IMO both central to their situation over many years, and also very astute: namely, the Tahs have developed a formula for winning more games than they lose, and, yes, often making the top 4 or 6, but they have no strategy, culture, game plan, coaches etc that can breakthrough and build a true championship team capable of doing a (long ago) Brumbies, or a Bulls, or a Crusaders, and getting to the very top repetitively.

I know, I was having a giggle, and you are right. Sorry, must be more serious about the Tahs!

 

[Richo]

Sorry, must be more serious about the Tahs!

Better for your health not to be, I reckon.

 

[Langthorne]

Looking at the remaining games I think the most likely order is

4. Crusaders (they are the Crusaders FFS!)
5. Sharks (Cheetahs, Lions, doesn't matter if they beat the Bulls)
6. Bulls (lose to Stormers but win the other two)
7. Waratahs (went to shit when they lost to the Cheetahs and the Reds, both games they could and should have won - which is not to say the Cheetahs and Reds didn't 'deserve' the wins)
8. Highlanders (already behind and running out of gas, but they may bump the Waratahs down to 8th)

with 5-7 being seperated by a point or so

Even if the Tahs do make the 6, there is slim chance they'll be there more than a week.

 

[fatprop]

The Tahs look so much better when they move the ball in contact with short passing, support from depth and effort to get back into the play. That gives Burgess go forward and front foot ball for the backs

But you can get turned over having a go

So then they go into their shell, protect the pill and truck it up. That slows down the ball and allows the defense to set. The Backs then get the ball behind the advantage line and kick it away from the pocket in desperation - so no chase is allowed to move forward.

 

[waratahjesus]

I think the tahsseason has been pretty positive, apart from the cheetahs game,with the amount of injuries and reshuffling to be in the finals hunt is a credit to the Coaches and players really. Would the reds be anywhere near where they are with the same amount of players out.

With kepu and cross going down for the rest of the year I dontthink the tahs will scrape in, we reallyneed barnes back but his Heath comes first and it may be unlikely we see him again as well.

A couple of wins will see the boys in but even then, where are the injured boys, is anyone at risk of returning? Horne, palu, fitzy

 

[Bullrush]

Looking at the remaining games I think the most likely order is

4. Crusaders (they are the Crusaders FFS!)
5. Sharks (Cheetahs, Lions, doesn't matter if they beat the Bulls)
6. Bulls (lose to Stormers but win the other two)
7. Waratahs (went to shit when they lost to the Cheetahs and the Reds, both games they could and should have won - which is not to say the Cheetahs and Reds didn't 'deserve' the wins)
8. Highlanders (already behind and running out of gas, but they may bump the Waratahs down to 8th)

with 5-7 being seperated by a point or so

Even if the Tahs do make the 6, there is slim chance they'll be there more than a week.

I love that everyone seems to think that the Blues will be in the Top 3 but geez....I'm worried.

We have the Chiefs, the Highlanders and the Crusaders....all of those teams can beat us if we don't play well.

 

[Richo]

Yep, the Cru could very easily end up on top of the NZ conference.

The more I think about, the more likely it is that the Waratahs finish 7th.

 

[Scarfman]

I think the tahsseason has been pretty positive, apart from the cheetahs game,with the amount of injuries and reshuffling to be in the finals hunt is a credit to the Coaches and players really. Would the reds be anywhere near where they are with the same amount of players out.

With kepu and cross going down for the rest of the year I dontthink the tahs will scrape in, we reallyneed barnes back but his Heath comes first and it may be unlikely we see him again as well.

A couple of wins will see the boys in but even then, where are the injured boys, is anyone at risk of returning? Horne, palu, fitzy

Mate, I know you like to stay positive about the Tahs, but you were spruiking them for a finals place a short time ago. Whatever happens next, do you think 7th out of 15 is good enough? Please don't tell me how many players are injured - the Tahs have better depth than most teams.

For me, 7th is an utter disgrace. This is a side/team/franchise that ought to win the damn competition.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

On paper, they definitely should be a contender Scarfy.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

The Tahs look so much better when they move the ball in contact with short passing, support from depth and effort to get back into the play. That gives Burgess go forward and front foot ball for the backs

I agree 100% with that, and thought that the tahs were looking great in the first 20 minutes or so when they held possession and built momentum. They sucked in sharks and opened up gaps around the ruck with quick recycle. They almost looked like last years tahs. Then I read this from Hickey

''We needed to be smart with how we played with the eight-point lead, and … in the whole game we played way too much football in our own half. We didn't build any sustained pressure on the Sharks, from forcing them to try to carry the ball out from their own half. In the 80-minute picture, that was the significant factor."

So I assume the play that I thought was representative of a quality forwards based rugby game plan was potentially against coaches orders, who would have like to see the ball hoofed downfield to keep "sustained pressure" on a team who looked like tearing us up with each possession.

I swear up and down if Hickey is reappointed I will support someone else next year.

 

[fatprop]

Mate, I know you like to stay positive about the Tahs, but you were spruiking them for a finals place a short time ago. Whatever happens next, do you think 7th out of 15 is good enough? Please don't tell me how many players are injured - the Tahs have better depth than most teams.

For me, 7th is an utter disgrace. This is a side/team/franchise that ought to win the damn competition.

Win the thing, nah

Too many injuries in key positions - right down the spine of the side

2 Nau has been in and out, with his back up wounded as well
8 Palu .................... how many games has he started?
9 Stable, solid
10 Barnes has been in and out, and hasn't finished a game - their key problem. Barnes playing big minutes of every game would have/could have changed the season
15 Beale, has been moved around to cover Barnes

And the strike weapons are gone and the defending solid players fit, and more "solid" and "safe" players filling in. So the defense is OK, but we don't have the threats to scare any of the decent sides.

and that doesn't take into account how much the side relies on Waugh at the those tough it out moments

 

[Blue]

Fatprop all true. The Tahs have had more critical injuries than any other team. However, if the season review at Moore Park goes something along the lines of "tough shit, boys, we have a bad injury run so let's just forget a bad season and look ahead," then all I can say is good luck Tah fans, stock up on your 2012 valium now. The competition will be tougher next year because most teams will improve.

 

[waratahjesus]

Mate, I know you like to stay positive about the Tahs, but you were spruiking them for a finals place a short time ago. Whatever happens next, do you think 7th out of 15 is good enough? Please don't tell me how many players are injured - the Tahs have better depth than most teams.

For me, 7th is an utter disgrace. This is a side/team/franchise that ought to win the damn competition.

Even with decent depth scarfie, they have been exposed by injuries. To be in the position they are with three rounds to go is testament to the side. If the first 15 that started the season had stayed fit I this aus would have had two teams dominating the comp. But super rugby has never been won by aide that didn't have consistent players and combinations and the injuries have meant this hasn't happened this year.

The team that's named for this weekends game would never win a comp, your comment that this franchise should win a competition surely doesn't stack up with the players available