Reds v Waratahs, round 19 2014

[qwerty51]

Reds forwards were good. Tahs quite and very surprisingly poor particularly at set piece.

But that's not a surprise at all, the scrum has been pretty shit all year and well the lineout not very good especially with Dennis gone and Skelton starting

Hoiles was outstanding around the field but I think against anyone but the Chiefs Chapman will have to start.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Will Chapman see a dramatic improvement in the line out? The line out has been a bit wonky all year and that's because your 194cm lock Jacques Potgeiter is your best lock in the line out.

Unless Chapman can take every line out and win the battle in the air, it won't really solve the problem.

 

[Pete King]

But that's not a surprise at all, the scrum has been pretty shit all year and well the lineout not very good especially with Dennis gone and Skelton starting

Hoiles was outstanding around the field but I think against anyone but the Chiefs Chapman will have to start.

The issue for the lineout is having douglas, Palu and Skelton on the field at the same time. Alot of time its the speed at which they move to space for the lift is the issue. The first half this was the rare case the last 25-30 minutes the tahs lineout was not so bad. Im tipping Poiteger to start and Chapman and Skelton to replace Douglas and Poiteger at a similar time.

 

[Braveheart81]

Aside from against the Reds on Saturday night, the lineout has been fine for the second half of the season.

Everything fell apart from Saturday night. The calls were confused and TPN got his throwing wrong which was probably partly due to bad calling.

I think the Tahs will go back to having Skelton on the bench and Potgieter starting with Hoiles at 6 calling the lineout and it will be fine.

Chapman will be on the bench to replace Palu late in most games with Hoiles moving to 8.

 

[qwerty51]

Unless Chapman can take every line out and win the battle in the air, it won't really solve the problem.

That's the idea, Dennis took something like 70% of the lineouts and was a very good jumper.

 

[Wilson]

Doesn't help that Taf's throwing went to shit, too many not straights and inaccurate throws. Hopefully he sorts it out over the next few weeks for the Wallabies sakes.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Surely a factor in the accuracy was that every straight throw was getting picked off by the Reds beating the Waratahs in the air. Would have had him pushing the boundaries on his throw.

As long as there's only one good quality option in the air, the opposition will be able to mark up their best defender on them and have their next best float between the other 3.

 

[Braveheart81]

Doesn't help that Taf's throwing went to shit, too many not straights and inaccurate throws. Hopefully he sorts it out over the next few weeks for the Wallabies sakes.

His throwing has been fine and the lineout has been working for most of the season.

I think it's a combination of the calls being messed up and no one being really sure what was going on against the Reds.

When the timing of the throw and the jumpers are all out of sync then invariably the throws end up being terrible and not straight as well.

The Tahs will return to having Hoiles and/or Chapman as the lineout caller and Skelton will only line up in the lineout when it is a full attacking lineout or a defensive one close to our line that we need his maul defence for.

They experimented in a game that wasn't pivotal to their season and it failed. They won't be trying the same thing again this season.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Skelton reduces the Tahs options at lineout time. The bloke can't jump !!!! or no-one can properly lift him - doesn't matter which

The question is does his non set-piece work outweigh his deficiency in lineouts???

Reckon opposition teams will now target him around the paddock by being all over him, again and again. His debut against the Frogs was great for him because he was an unknown quantity to them. The saffas and kiwis won't make the same mistake.

 

[Pete King]

Reds did their home work also, the week before against the Highlanders they split the pods front and back and threw alot to the middle to douglas. The space for the tahs was out the back ( 6 ball throw) and TAF was off his game.

 

[qwerty51]

Oh please this is his second year, he's had plenty of impact in games against them this year.

 

[Scrubber2050]

With Taf you get to live in the Penthouse or Shithouse. Up until recently I thought his consistency at throwing had improved dramaticly

 

[Lindommer]

I'm with Pete King, Chapman and Skelton come a la the stockbroker's spiel, "stapled securities": they both start or they both come on at 60 minutes. Injuries, of course, could mightily fuck this up. The Tahs' lineout looked a lot better when Mitch came on in the second half.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Oh please this is his second year, he's had plenty of impact in games against them this year.

Suppose time will tell and we don't have long to wait.

Don't get me wrong, I want the bloke to be a stand-out for the Wallabies !!!!!

 

[Train Without a Station]

If Skelton is good enough they can target him all they want, and he will be able to take it. Or they will have to give him so much attention it will open up opportunities for other players.

If is the question. The success of one game against France, or lack of (by lack of I mean he just played satisfactory - not badly by any stretch) in one game against the Reds doesn't do anything to answer this question so let's not jump to conclusions either way.

 

[cyclopath]

Skelton reduces the Tahs options at lineout time. The bloke can't jump !!!! or no-one can properly lift him - doesn't matter which

The question is does his non set-piece work outweigh his deficiency in lineouts???

Reckon opposition teams will now target him around the paddock by being all over him, again and again. His debut against the Frogs was great for him because he was an unknown quantity to them. The saffas and kiwis won't make the same mistake.

Given the Kiwis have had the wood on us for years and nullified most players we put out there, I'm not sure it makes a big difference. Hard to think of many Aus forwards both the Kiwis and Saffers haven't mostly got the better of in recent years. Maybe we should pick 8 unknowns?
But seriously, in any event, I'm sure McKenzie et al will have a solid plan for how to best use combos against each. I doubt we'll play 2 lineout options only against either. Remember, Super rugby franchises may have to play different ways due to player rosters and injuries, not to mention to fit a broader game plan.

 

[fatprop]

Skelton reduces the Tahs options at lineout time. The bloke can't jump !!!! or no-one can properly lift him - doesn't matter which

The question is does his non set-piece work outweigh his deficiency in lineouts???

Reckon opposition teams will now target him around the paddock by being all over him, again and again. His debut against the Frogs was great for him because he was an unknown quantity to them. The saffas and kiwis won't make the same mistake.

Nah, I just think they still don't know how to use him.

There isn't a lot precedence for units like him. A few Islander in France are near his size and they get used as lifters.

You want two or three effective jumping pods in the end how that is made up, well dunno

With the Tahs using Hooper off defensive lineouts at 10, they very rarely use a full lineout as it is

 

[qwerty51]

Btw apart from the scrum I thought Ala'alatoa looked pretty good, made some very good runs and hit the rucks hard. Promising, just like his brother.

 

[tranquility]

Pray tell, tranquility, what role the ARU played in the recruitment of JacPot from the Bulls? And Phipps's and Beale's moves up from the Rebels. Add in Hoiles's left-field selection, Chapman's prodigal son act from Japan and Lance's departure from Queensland and I'm stuck to see what the ARU have done to help the Tahs. Where they COULD'VE assisted is a coupla rakes.

I'm all ears.

Too be honest, I don't care what position you hold on this forum as you are one of the most pig-headed posters on it, albeit with a little more grace then some of the other serial offenders.

The fact of the matter is the contracting system in Australia involves a cloak, a dagger and a smoked filled room of mirrors. It is about as transient as a brick wall in fort knox.

However, we can look at the players who were recruited as opposed to those who were lost.

Accounts receivable;

Kurtley Beale
Nick Phipps
Jacques Potgeiter
Taqele Naiyaravoro
Tala Grey
Carraro
Jono Lance

Not bad for a singular offseason?

Throw Israel in the year before too for good measure.

I won't post this, without giving you at-least a tiny pat on the back. Alofa and Skelton were beautiful additions to the list, given that they were players most coaches would not have given a second look at, so kudos to Cheika.


Now moving to the outgoing component of the spreadsheet. I couldn't even tell you, I care that little, but please illuminate who you lost to make room for all these players?

Please go and find a witches hat, and sit on it.

Regards,

 

[Biffo]

Kurtley Beale
Nick Phipps
Jacques Potgeiter
Taqele Naiyaravoro
Tala Grey
Carraro
Jono Lance

... and which of those has been bought by the Tahs using ARU top-up money?

... may i ask whether you would, given an equal budget, prefer Richard Graham or Michael Cheika as your leading recruiter?