Rebel v Tahs, round 15 2014

[qwerty51]

Right so he hasn't performed against the 'big teams'?? He played 76 mins against the Hurricanes, did very well there too. He also played the full strength Lions side last year, played 80 and more than held his own.

The fact that you have doubts about his career when he's only 22 years old and is having a great impact seems to me you just don't like the bloke.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Right so he hasn't performed against the 'big teams'?? He played 76 mins against the Hurricanes, did very well there too. He also played the full strength Lions side last year, played 80 and more than held his own.

The fact that you have doubts about his career when he's only 22 years old and is having a great impact seems to me you just don't like the bloke.

I had my doubts and he has answered many of them this season.
At 22 for tight 5 he should be a work in progress.

 

[KevinO]

I actually like what he can do, is he ready to do it internationally? I don't think so. If I had to pick 3 locks for the Wallabies would he make it, nope. Hoping Link goes with Simmonds, Jones and Carter. All three are a lot better in Defense and although they don't have the size offer more in my opinion.

 

[Hawko]

I had my doubts and he has answered many of them this season.
At 22 for tight 5 he should be a work in progress.

And that is precisely why he is in the squad. I expect Link to go with Horwill and Simmons for the first two tests with Jones off the bench. If we are two up I expect we might go Jones, Carter to start with Skelton off the bench in the third. Link is very likely to start Horwill and Simmons in the first test, maintaining continuity with the EOYT. What happens after that will be dependent on results and individual form.

Me, I'm bloody glad Skelton plays for the Tahs, he's a key performer in our power game. I wouldn't swap him for anyone in the Australian conference as our tight head lock, next year I expect him to start every game.

 

[Tex]

What excites me about Skelton is the prospect of him shedding a few more of those puppy fat kgs he seems to carry.

Imagine him with a bit more lean muscle and the mongrel to "assert" said bulk with a bit more explosive power?

He's a monster and I wish he played for my team.

 

[199madmave]

He's a monster and I wish he played for my team.

Give me Jones and Neville any day!

 

[Hawko]

Give me Jones and Neville any day!

Last weekend showed why Jones and Neville are not first choice. The Rebels pack spent the whole day getting driven back over the advantage line. They just had no answer to the power of the Waratah tight five.

 

[KevinO]

Last weekend showed why Jones and Neville are not first choice. The Rebels pack spent the whole day getting driven back over the advantage line. They just had no answer to the power of the Waratah tight five.

What game did you watch? The whole day? The last 20 minutes yes which was when Pyle was on but not all day.

 

[Hawko]

What game did you watch? The whole day? The last 20 minutes yes which was when Pyle was on but not all day.

The whole 80 minutes. Just because the score was still close after 60 doesn't mean the Tahs didn't dominate the collisions from the first whistle.

 

[KevinO]

The whole 80 minutes. Just because the score was still close after 60 doesn't mean the Tahs didn't dominate the collisions from the first whistle.

Tahs where getting penalized at the Scrum, that's not dominating. Jones actually had a pretty good game and I would take his work rate in any team.

 

[Lindommer]

Ah, KO, the old parallax error. From where I was sitting the Tahs pigs were putting huge pressure on the Rebels line from the start, bending it (nearly) every time they attacked. The Rebels defence did an heroic job containing them for 60 minutes, but the pounding was inexorable. I got a feeling of despair from the Rebels tacklers when Skelton went on at the 58th minute mark, on his first carry he collected four or five defenders as he steamed 15m up the field. Or it could've been the vibe.....

Sometimes a doppelganger'd be handy: I would've liked to've seen that other game from your viewpoint, Kev.

I, too, think Jones had a good game. For mine he'd be in a gold jumper for the first test. In fact all the second-rowers played well, Douglas particularly so in the unnoticed grunt work.

 

[swingpass]

unfortunately Kevin i was at the same game as Lindommer

 

[Highlander35]

With the exception of the starting props, man for man the Waratahs forwards outperformed their Rebels counterparts.

But you couldn't say that Jones, Neville, Fuglistaller (excluding the scrum try) or McMahon had poor games either.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

 

[Tex]

I too saw it through the same lens as Lindommer. Especially Skelton's introduction, 4-5 defenders lined him up and were still driven back.

Jones and Neville were industrious but didn't have a huge impact around the park.

But anyway, it's not fair to point the finger at any one player from wither team. Tahs utterly boshed us from start to finish and it was only Foley and Beale's shite kicking that kept the scoreline half-respectable.

Jones and Skelton are great in the contrast they offer. Different players bringing different games, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. I look forward to watching each develop over the coming few years.

 

[Hawko]

Jones and Skelton are great in the contrast they offer. Different players bringing different games, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. I look forward to watching each develop over the coming few years.

Two or three years down the track we may well see those two being first choice Wallaby locks, with Skelton on the tight head side.

 

[qwerty51]

2-3 years? It'll happen before the end of this year!

 

[fatprop]

Two or three years down the track we may well see those two being first choice Wallaby locks, with Skelton on the tight head side.

I would have Jones in the mix against the ABs where his athleticism will be needed and Skelton vs the Boks where his size and defensive mauling will be of benefit