Reds vs Waratahs - the war before the war

[Swat]

Putting it out there. I've thoroughly enjoyed the banter thus far and am really looking forward to round 1. Queenslanders, you're worthy opposition, well played guys and big ups for keeping it clean. The true spirit of GAGR

 

[Ruggo]

This is going to be a great game to kick off the season. Both sides now have good trial form and looking to hit the ground running. I can't wait.

 

[#1 Tah]

By x-factor you must obviously mean the xylonite factor. Unfortunately xylonite has a tendency to soften under heat..
So in that, #1 Tah, I absolutely agree with you.

Firstly: Doesnt every plastic soften and melt under heat?
Secondly: Isn't that what Quade did in NZ?

 

[Roundawhile]

Would have preferred somebody other than the Tahs for the first game. Would have liked to meet about round five when both teams were a little more settled, but so be it.

Because both teams are so up in the air with injuries etc, It is going to be a very interesting game. The Tahs have a new coach and new players (more so than the reds) but it is still a very old rivalry, and that means passion from both sides.

For me, to close to call. Good luck to both teams and all I can say is I CAN'T WAIT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[suckerforred]

X factor is all pretty moot. If the ref allows ther eds to cheat as much as they were allowed to last year anyone will find it hard to compete.

Rrriiiiight. Bitter are we?

I think that you need to take your blue tinted glasses off my boy.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Rrriiiiight. Bitter are we?

I think that you need to take your blue tinted glasses off my boy.

Yep. Bit him too. (poor joke, I know)

But honestly, you don't remember the constant offside at the breakdown, taking defenders out off the ball, etc? Its my enduring memory of their season

 

[suckerforred]

This is going to be a great game to kick off the season. Both sides now have good trial form and looking to hit the ground running. I can't wait.

I am actually glad that I bit bullet and am going now. In the best imatation of our Prime Minister - "Bring it on".

 

[suckerforred]

Yep. Bit him too. (poor joke, I know)

But honestly, you don't remember the constant offside at the breakdown, taking defenders out off the ball, etc? Its my enduring memory of their season

Must have been watching a different team then I was. And if the ref didn't pull it up then it mustn't have happened.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Must have been watching a different team then I was. And if the ref didn't pull it up then it mustn't have happened.

RSA must have been watching the All Blecks playing

Words to live by!!

We've been watching the kiwis do it for years without it getting blown by the refs, it's just smart rugby.

 

[Godfrey]

The Reds pushed the boundaries of the rules successfully? I can't think of that ever being lauded in rugby recently... Better give last years trophy to the Tahs.

 

[suckerforred]

The Reds pushed the boundaries of the rules successfully? I can't think of that ever being lauded in rugby recently... Better give last years trophy to the Tahs.

You read it here first! Oh and I don't mean giving the trophy to the Tahs.

Yes we can all bitch about Sir Ritchie etc, but realisticly that is how the game is played. Until the ref blows the whistle. In any sport that is what happens. I did exactly the same thing when playing netball.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Because i hear you all cheer for richie when he does it against the wallabies...

Cheating is still cheating, caught or not

 

[suckerforred]

Because i hear you all cheer for richie when he does it against the wallabies...

Cheating is still cheating, caught or not

Is it? That is a bit like the tree falling in the forest question.

And there isn't anyone who has played for the Tah's that may have pushed the limits of the law? Probably shouldn't name names. A simple Yes wil do.

 

[Godfrey]

It's ok, I think they have realised that actual victory will be a bridge to far. Now it's time to go for the moral one.

 

[No4918]

It's ok, I think they have realised that actual victory will be a bridge to far. Now it's time to go for the moral one.

Can see all the Brumbies and Tahs fans waiting for SANZAR to issue the moral victory worth half points media announcement.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Because i hear you all cheer for richie when he does it against the wallabies...

Cheating is still cheating, caught or not

We certainly all bitch & moan about McCaw doing it, mainly because we never used to do it, or got caught every time! If that's the way the game is refereed (and it has been for some time) there is no percentage in throwing our hands in the air and moaning to the ref about it.

Good to see the reds getting a bit of practise to even things up

 

[suckerforred]

Any word from a Tah's supporter?????

 

[sonny crockett]

Interesting discussion on refs, and one that a couple of lines won't do justice to. However, I view it completely differently, and again most won't agree with me, as they see the laws as black and white, which they may or may not be. However, my instructions have always been, figure out how the ref is reffing, or what interpretations he is reffing to and play to that. The ref is part of the game. If you think about the breakdown, count the decisions the ref has to make, and the time he has to make them, quite a few, very quickly. force the timeframe on those decisions, ie, do things quickly, and make him work. As he fatigues, as players do, that decision process will become more difficult and flawed. Use the ref as an advantage. Even in this day of largely programmed athletes, I don't see this happening as much as it should. Scrums is one area I can't quite figure out why things aren't changed as the ref makes it clear what he is policing. Very few refs know too much about the scrum, and there are plenty of advantages to be taken at scrum time. Remember, the referee is the sole judge of fact and law, and the referee shall apply all laws fairly, those two laws carry a fair bit of weight, from there it is up to his review group to decide how accurately he applied the laws. There is plenty to write on this subject, but I don't see it as cheating, just extending the referee through accelerating his decision making process and playing at the edge of his interpretations. I am sure most don't see it that way.

 

[sonny crockett]

I should have added, refs in league and union seem to have less and less understanding of the game today, probably due to a lack of playing it, and their game management and game flow really suffers due to that. Bill Harrigan kind of explains it here in an interview on "The Cream" during the rugby world cup of 2003.

Both sports today are pretty poorly refereed in my opinion, compared to the days of Paddy O'Brien, Kerry Fitzgerald.

 

[emuarse]

If anything I'm really looking forward to the genia vs Predatorius match up

Last year, Sarel (Pretorius) made some great breaks for the Cheetahs, but really only against forward packs that were large & cumbersome.
Also in the first two trial games against the virtually amateur sides of Samoa & Tonga without their test players (currently playing in Europe), Sarel performed very well.
But next weekend he has to play against a side with fast & committed forwards. I suspect he will throttle back into a more stereo type halfback game, which is going to take a lot of the gloss off his performance.
Also, he will be playing against the master, a refreshed and enthusiastic Sanchez, who has a whole repetoire of tricks in his bag.
I somehow think the master will show the newbie a thing or two.