R7: Waratahs vs Sunwolves - Friday 29 March @ Newcastle

[Braveheart81]

A little disappointing this is a Friday night game instead of Saturday as it makes it harder to get to from Sydney.

The Tahs probably need to rest a couple of Wallabies unless they're planning on tanking the South African tour.

 

[RugbyReg]

Is Will Miller injured? You'd have to rest Hooper soon and, I agree, this is the match to rest some people.

Foley has played almost everything so I guess he would be a chance. Perhaps 10 Beale 12 Hunt 13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)? Or do you chuck Mason in. I don't think you can at the moment.

Folau too of course. Does that mean Beale to fullback and MAson to 10?

 

[Braveheart81]

Is Will Miller injured? You'd have to rest Hooper soon and, I agree, this is the match to rest some people.

Foley has played almost everything so I guess he would be a chance. Perhaps 10 Beale 12 Hunt 13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)? Or do you chuck Mason in. I don't think you can at the moment.

Yes, Miller is out for four weeks or thereabouts after hurting his ankle against the Reds at the SCG.

If they're going to rest Hooper before Miller gets back you'd presumably pick Michael Wells at 7 based on our squad. Jack Dempsey is the only other option really.

My thought would be to rest Foley and Folau this game and put Mason at 10, Beale at 15 and reunite Hunt and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in the centres. I think you have to give Mason a run. He's been deputising for long enough.

 

[Pfitzy]

Based on the yo-yo season we're having, resting anyone for home games would seem like madness. Give them the Saffer tour off.

But WTF would I know? This year is utterly cray-cray.

 

[Braveheart81]

So there's talk between resting some players and resting a lot of players.

Personally I think it makes sense to rest Foley and Folau this week. Your backline is:

Phipps, Mason, Clark, Hunt, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Rona, Beale Res: Gordon, Newsome, Foketi/John Folau

In the forwards, Hooper, Kepu and Simmons need to be rested. I think we have to hold off resting Hooper until Will Miller is available. If Holloway is out I wouldn't be resting Simmons this week either and would maybe just rest Kepu.

Shambeckler Vui is available again so Talakai can start and Vui can come off the bench.

This game is absolutely a must win so it's important not to rest too many players and add unnecessary risk.

 

[Froggy]

Could we see the big Saffa this week if Holloway is out?

 

[Derpus]

Is Will Miller injured? You'd have to rest Hooper soon and, I agree, this is the match to rest some people.

Foley has played almost everything so I guess he would be a chance. Perhaps 10 Beale 12 Hunt 13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)? Or do you chuck Mason in. I don't think you can at the moment.

Folau too of course. Does that mean Beale to fullback and MAson to 10?

Why not Mason? He's been in and around the squad long enough and there is no weaker team to start against. I am loathe to see Beale start at 10.

If he's not appropriate for this next match why bother having him at all?

 

[Finsbury Girl]

Yeah you'd have to assume Mason 5/8 otherwise why the hell is he in the squad.

So there's talk between resting some players and resting a lot of players.

Personally I think it makes sense to rest Foley and Folau this week. Your backline is:

Phipps, Mason, Clark, Hunt, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Rona, Beale Res: Gordon, Newsome, Foketi/John Folau

In the forwards, Hooper, Kepu and Simmons need to be rested. I think we have to hold off resting Hooper until Will Miller is available. If Holloway is out I wouldn't be resting Simmons this week either and would maybe just rest Kepu.

Shambeckler Vui is available again so Talakai can start and Vui can come off the bench.

This game is absolutely a must win so it's important not to rest too many players and add unnecessary risk.

I'd start Gordon, I like the cut of his jib. That's a pretty handy back line.

 

[fatprop]

You would think with Phipps inside him and Hunt & AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) on the outside Mason is the sensible choice for 10 (after riding the pine so much), throw Beale to 15 and the two wingers (Newsome & Clark) from last week

More concerned about the pigs, I think you could see Hanigan & Swinton at Lock with Wells coming into the back row

 

[Froggy]

I think with Holloway out Simmons has to start, to get a spell later on. You could always start Hanigan at lock and Swinton at 6, but with another three locks in the squad, being McCauley, Staniforth and Roets, surely one of them is ready to step up.

I know Phipps has plenty of haters on this site (along with Foley, Hanigan, Hooper & Beale) but I thought he injected real energy into the Tahs on Saturday night. I like Gordon, and in fact think he's probably a better WC back-up to Genia than Phipps, but he doesn't offer that ability to lift a side like Phipps does. For mine, Phipps starts.

I don't have a problem with O'Connor starting to give Kepu a rest, assuming Vui is fit.
I'm with Derpus and BH on Mason, if we're not prepared to start him, wtf have we got him for?

HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes), Fitzpatrick, O'Connor, Simmons, Roets, Hanigan, Hooper, Dempsey, Phipps, Mason, Newsome, Hunt, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Rona, Beale. Res: Tuala, Talakai, Vui, Swinton, Wells, Gordon, Foketi ? (is he fit yet), Clarke

 

[wamberal]

Of course Izzy has to get a rest, but I would like to see him play at Newcastle, for the sake of the country fans.

 

[Quick Hands]

We only beat these guys by a point a couple of weeks ago, it's a bit arrogant talking about resting players IMO.

 

[Braveheart81]

We only beat these guys by a point a couple of weeks ago, it's a bit arrogant talking about resting players IMO.

We know we have to rest a bunch of players (Kepu, Simmons, Hanigan, Hooper, Dempsey, Foley, Beale, Folau) once or twice this season.

Given the only player we have rested so far is Beale for one game and we're a third of the way through the season we need to start.

It's either a case of tanking games against the toughest teams by using those to rest players or trying to do it in matchups where you think you can still put a solid team on the park and compete.

I think it's far more reasonable to give Mason his starting debut against the Sunwolves at home than in South Africa for example.

 

[Derpus]

Tanking one away game in South Africa seems to be the go. Id be targetting this game and one tour game as good rotation games.

 

[Hawko]

We know we have to rest a bunch of players (Kepu, Simmons, Hanigan,

Hooper, Dempsey, Foley, Beale, Folau) once or twice this season.

Given the only player we have rested so far is Beale for one game and we're a third of the way through the season we need to start.

It's either a case of tanking games against the toughest teams by using those to rest players or trying to do it in matchups where you think you can still put a solid team on the park and compete.

I think it's far more reasonable to give Mason his starting debut against the Sunwolves at home than in South Africa for example.

There's way too much common sense in this post. Sure we beat them by 1 at their home but they are away this week, we are home. If we can't rest Folau, Foley, Dempsey and Kepu this week we are no chance of making the semi's. Hooper should be missing too but his rests will have to wait for Miller's return.

 

[Up the Guts]

Wonder if the axing will motivate the Sunwolves, perhaps, they'll feel they have something to prove? Anyway, the last pro rugby game I remember in Newcastle was a boilover, let's hope whoever is playing for the Tahs is switched on.

 

[Bandar]

Wonder if the axing will motivate the Sunwolves, perhaps, they'll feel they have something to prove? Anyway, the last pro rugby game I remember in Newcastle was a boilover, let's hope whoever is playing for the Tahs is switched on.

Also the last time we played against an axed team didn't go so well either

 

[Braveheart81]

Foley, Dempsey and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to be rested this week.

Mason, Swinton and Hunt into the starting side. Rona also set for a start.

 

[Braveheart81]

 

[Dctarget]

Shit, does that mean AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is in contention for gold?