Reds vs Waratahs - 29th April RD 10

[JJJ]

Watching George Smith play is such a pleasure. He seems to know exactly where the ball is going and is able to get there early and with a minimum of effort. He picks his moments to get involved and picks them well.

I know that he's a one of a kind, but to me he shows that you don't need the much-lauded 'mongrel' quality in order to be an effective and dangerous forward. I don't know how much of what he does he can teach, but I hope all the forwards in the reds are picking his brain every chance they get, not just the flankers.

 

[I like to watch]

He's still got plenty of mongrel.
He deadset flogged a few guys last night

 

[KOB1987]

It's the best crop of locks Australia has had coming through in over a decade IMO

Things change pretty quickly, it was only 2 seasons ago that everyone on here was rueing our lack of lock options

 

[Gnostic]

I watched the game and having a look at the thread this evening I should not be surprised that even with the looming death of professional rugby in Australia we cannot get over the shitty one-eye parochialism. SO many posts being hyper critical of the referee. Lets just have a look at some facts without even examining the game:-
1) Referees like players prepare for the games, they will watch videos of the teams and be looking for the usual tactics a team produces in terms of illegalities, and some players have their favourites as well.
2) The Reds have had a very poor disciplinary record this year. How many times has Stiles spoken poor discipline. It hasn't changed and when you look at the penalties given away and the rate of them it is in keeping with the trend.

Add 1 and 2 together and you have IMO a pretty accurate view of what took place.

That said the Tahs handling and skills accuracy was woeful. As I said if you tried to hand them the wooden spoon they drop it, only the ineptitude of the Rebels will save them from that ignominy. The fact that the Reds could not and did not fix their disciplinary issues to capitalise on what is a disgrace (or should be to Tahs fans) should be a concern for Reds fans.

One last thing the intercept by Cooper was a brilliant example of his vision, aided admittedly by woeful attack and a brilliantly telegraphed move, but he executed the intercept, the running line to draw the defenders away from the corner and then put in a beautiful kick for the try.

 

[ChargerWA]

1) Referees like players prepare for the games, they will watch videos of the teams and be looking for the usual tactics a team produces in terms of illegalities, and some players have their favourites as well.

Do they really?

Seems like a perfect way to deliver a one sided performance. Like a jury getting to study an accused' prior record.

 

[TSR]

I could be wrong, but I thought the referees were specifically not supposed to do pre game analysis to reduce the likelihood of preconceived ideas.

The Reds discipline has been a recurring problem though and it cost them dearly last night.

 

[Gnostic]

Do they really?



Seems like a perfect way to deliver a one sided performance. Like a jury getting to study an accused' prior record.

Why if you look at both sides, there isn't one accused, and it is no different and certainly better than getting presentations and meetings with coaches and captains before the games. In fact I would argue such reviews and critiquing of other referees performances in games is a perfect way to improve performance.

In this case though all the Ref needed to do regarding the Tahs was look for the ball on the ground and call a scrum as 99% chance they dropped it.

 

[ChargerWA]

Why if you look at both sides, there isn't one accused, and it is no different and certainly better than getting presentations and meetings with coaches and captains before the games. In fact I would argue such reviews and critiquing of other referees performances in games is a perfect way to improve performance.

In this case though all the Ref needed to do regarding the Tahs was look for the ball on the ground and call a scrum as 99% chance they dropped it.

I suppose that makes sense considering there are 2 teams. Still sits a bit uneasy with me.

 

[Gnostic]

I suppose that makes sense considering there are 2 teams. Still sits a bit uneasy with me.

Why? They still have to see the offence, and on balance what was blown in the Tahs V Reds game has been characteristic for both sides all year.

 

[Dan54]

Things change pretty quickly, it was only 2 seasons ago that everyone on here was rueing our lack of lock options

Funny thing is before Whitelock, Thorn and company everyone in NZ was concerned about lock depth too, these things change quickly.

 

[TSR]

Lock depth is looking up. Jury is still out on the next generation of
9s, but there is some promise there.

Our options/depth at 10 are dire.

 

[KOB1987]

Funny thing is before Whitelock, Thorn and company everyone in NZ was concerned about lock depth too, these things change quickly.

Thorn? As in brad? That was last century!

 

[KOB1987]

It's not really for this thread but it's on topic so I'll put it here anyway.

I went to a session where mick Byrne spoke, and he was talking about how retallick and whitelock, the latter in particular, are pretty innocuous for their super teams, but they are the backbone for the all blacks, the whole game plan is structured around them. And went so far as to point out they weren't playing when Ireland beat them.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Scrums have changed too much to have straight feeds. There is so much pressure now that if the ball goes in straight it is a 50/50. The idea is the scrum feed is supposed to advantage the team that has it. Its why World Rugby quietly abandoned the straight feed directive after a few months last year. It wasn't working.

I don't think they abandoned the straight feed, just redefined it.

I recall some information coming out a year or so ago that required the ball to be fed in a straight line to which the No 9 was facing. That meant that the No 9 could face towards his side of the scrum (as they all do) and feed the ball in a straight line towards his side of the scrum (as they all do). Whatever, it is probably better that the feeding side have a bit of an advantage seeing that the opposing side made the error that led to the scrum in the first place.

We have seen quite regularly that a dominant scrum can still win a tight head with the current arrangements.

 

[liquor box]

There were 3 Wallabies locks on the pitch last night, yet a 20yr old with 4 Super Rugby caps played better then all of them

and he just seems to have "it". cant say what but he just seems to have something about his game that could turn into greatness given a chance.

 

[liquor box]

If that's true then there's serious bloody issues with the game

that is why there are laws and not rules, they are open to interpretation and are not designed for replay.

I try not to blame referees and can usually pint out when an opposition team receives bad decisions.

I have always noticed that things even out over a season, usually my team in every sport loses as many games as they win from bad decisions and I can live with that.

I dont know why but this season we seem to be on the receiving end, we are due for it to swing our way and get some of the so called 50/50 calls.

 

[Lee Grant]

Some thoughts on the game:

Wow, it was good to see a good Aussie derby match for a change. It may not have had all the thrills and skills of a NZ derby but it was good stuff in my eyes.

Like others I thought NSW got the rub of the green from the ref but the Reds could have overcome that by having more composure in the second half. Silly to say, but they looked almost too scared to be leading in the last quarter of the game, and, among other things, their clearances were poor.

On the other hand the Waratahs, who fell into a heap of crap after being 17-0 in front of the Kings the week before, showed steely resolve - not least in the final phase of the match.

It was a pity that Karmichael Hunt was injured at the end. I haven't seen or heard any news, but he looked a shoo-in to be fullback for the Wallabies, given they are not playing against top-ranked teams in June, which is the ideal time to be blooded. And DHP is in injury doubt and Izzy could do with a long break in June, anyway.

(Yeah, I know that Scotland beat us here last time, I was at the ground - alas.)

Am excited about Lukhan Tui's progress. I was watching some NSW school trials in 2014 at the Curugal ground and this big bloke playing no. 8 for the CHS IIs was running over folks. I was told later that he came from league but had only few games in that code and not many in union either.

Apparently the CHS guys discovered him playing 2nd Grade Colts in one of those union games and found out he was still at school.

He was in the Aussie U20s in 2015, and the year after.

He has a great future but he moves around a bit - switching codes, switching rugby clubs and switching states.

I hope he doesn't switch countries because I'm sure the Top 14 clubs will be all over him already.

Cheika should put him into the Wallabies' squad pronto.

Izaia Perese has gone up another step since his rousing 2016 NRC performances - he will make some difference to the Aussie Under 20 team, hopefully at outside centre, as they lack rainmakers in the group.

PS - how good was George Smith? He's showing the form that got him voted the Players' Player Award in the Aviva Premiership last season.

He's like the Mississippi - he just keeps rolling along.
.

 

[fatprop]

Watching George Smith play is such a pleasure. He seems to know exactly where the ball is going and is able to get there early and with a minimum of effort. He picks his moments to get involved and picks them well.

I know that he's a one of a kind, but to me he shows that you don't need the much-lauded 'mongrel' quality in order to be an effective and dangerous forward. I don't know how much of what he does he can teach, but I hope all the forwards in the reds are picking his brain every chance they get, not just the flankers.

you need balance, Smith needs those "mogrel" guys making dominant tackles and cleanouts to give him the opportunity to do his job

 

[fatprop]

If that's true then there's serious bloody issues with the game

it is life mate, every day I expect I could be fined or arrested if every stupid law on the books was used. (jay walking, speeding, crossing a lane without signalling etc etc)

You can watch every ruck, lineout or scrum with slow motion video and find "issues" on both attack or defense

How many cleanouts are actually bound? etc etc

 

[Strewthcobber]

you need balance, Smith needs those "mogrel" guys making dominant tackles and cleanouts to give him the opportunity to do his job

And unfortunately, Reds are just about last in the comp for dominant tackles. And probably hence, are low in turnovers too

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