Round 12: Waratahs v Brumbies Sat 11th 7.35PM @ ALLIANZ STADIUM

[Rudderless]

 

[KOB1987]

KOB's power rankings:

1. Blues
2. Hurricanes
3. Chiefs
4. Reds
5. Brumbies
(the above are the only deserved finalists IMO, at this stage)
6. Crusaders
7. Drua
8. Highlanders
9. Rebels
10. Tahs
11. Force
12. Moana

Edit: its probably more relevant in the SRP24 thread but its a response to the table here, feel free to move it mods.

Back to the game: Brumbies by 16

 

[Dctarget]

KOB's power rankings:

1. Blues
2. Hurricanes
3. Chiefs
4. Reds
5. Brumbies
(the above are the only deserved finalists IMO, at this stage)
6. Crusaders
7. Drua
8. Highlanders
9. Rebels
10. Tahs
11. Force
12. Moana

I'd have Rebels above Highlanders (having beaten them) but yeah agree with that.

 

[John S]

I'm planning on heading up - last chance I'll get to see Tahs at home this year (sooo much other stuff on!).

I'm not getting hopes up, but hopefully it's a good game, well, at least not like the shelacking from last week.

 

[cyclopath]

KOB's power rankings:

1. Blues
2. Hurricanes
3. Chiefs
4. Reds
5. Brumbies
(the above are the only deserved finalists IMO, at this stage)
6. Crusaders
7. Drua
8. Highlanders
9. Rebels
10. Tahs
11. Force
12. Moana

Edit: its probably more relevant in the SRP24 thread but its a response to the table here, feel free to move it mods.

Back to the game: Brumbies by 16

They'll cover that by oranges, I reckon.

 

[Brumby Runner]

KOB's power rankings:

1. Blues
2. Hurricanes
3. Chiefs
4. Reds
5. Brumbies
(the above are the only deserved finalists IMO, at this stage)
6. Crusaders
7. Drua
8. Highlanders
9. Rebels
10. Tahs
11. Force
12. Moana

Edit: its probably more relevant in the SRP24 thread but its a response to the table here, feel free to move it mods.

Back to the game: Brumbies by 16

Consistent KOB. The only two sides to beat the Brumbies have been two of the top 4, both on the ladder and in your mind-game power rankings. The Reds otoh have been beaten by both the top two, by the Brumbies and by one or two sides below them in the competition. Your anti-Brumbies stance is showing up again. Ah well, these ranking are of no use at all to anyone else, so go for it.

 

[KOB1987]

Consistent KOB. The only two sides to beat the Brumbies have been two of the top 4, both on the ladder and in your mind-game power rankings. The Reds otoh have been beaten by both the top two, by the Brumbies and by one or two sides below them in the competition. Your anti-Brumbies stance is showing up again. Ah well, these ranking are of no use at all to anyone else, so go for it.

It's not an anti-Brumbies stance at all, it's a stance about how they limped home against the Drua at home, 'power rankings' have a higher weighting on the more recent performances. It's only my opinion and I don't really care whether it turns out I'm wrong or right that I have the Reds rated higher than them. It's also probably worth pointing out that I mention those 5 teams as being the only ones worthy of finals contention out of the 12 teams in the comp, and that I have the Brumbies winning by a fair margin, a margin which is only that close due to the fact they are playing in Sydney and the Tahs generally lift for this fixture at home.

 

[John S]

It's not an anti-Brumbies stance at all, it's a stance about how they limped home against the Drua at home, 'power rankings' have a higher weighting on the more recent performances. It's only my opinion and I don't really care whether it turns out I'm wrong or right that I have the Reds rated higher than them. It's also probably worth pointing out that I mention those 5 teams as being the only ones worthy of finals contention out of the 12 teams in the comp, and that I have the Brumbies winning by a fair margin, a margin which is only that close due to the fact they are playing in Sydney and the Tahs generally lift for this fixture at home.

Yeah, but look at the Tah's squad that's out injured etc - there's no way we're lifting by that much to get over the Brums

 

[KOB1987]

Yeah, but look at the Tah's squad that's out injured etc - there's no way we're lifting by that much to get over the Brums

I didn't say we are getting over them, I have Brumbies by 16

 

[Dismal Pillock]

KOB's power rankings:

1. Blues

KOB = GAGR's preeminent authority on rugby football.

 

[Steve_Grey]

I didn't say we are getting over them, I have Brumbies by 16

Could be that by halftime - betting has that @6.

 

[KOB1987]

Yeah I just don't think the Brumbies are going that well that they are going to thump us. Will the Brumbies win? In all probability, yes. Will they flog us? No I don't think so. The guys have a bit of heart, they won't capitulate easily.

 

[KOB1987]

Could be that by halftime - betting has that @6.

which means play this game 6 times and once out of those 6 games the Brumbies will be 15+ ahead. 5 times out of 6 they won't be.

 

[Steve_Grey]

which means play this game 6 times and once out of those 6 games the Brumbies will be 15+ ahead. 5 times out of 6 they won't be.

Saturday is that one (not that your stats are valid - but no issues!) .

I am a Waratahs member, but I have taken the bet.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I'm just hoping the weather is nice. Going on Saturday for the double header and while I'll be happy to see us close the gap on the Canadians in the women's regardless of the weather it will be plenty miserable if I have to sit through a Tahs drubbing in the wet.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yeah I just don't think the Brumbies are going that well that they are going to thump us. Will the Brumbies win? In all probability, yes. Will they flog us? No I don't think so. The guys have a bit of heart, they won't capitulate easily.

KOB it is a bit of a truism but there's not a lot between the teams in SRP (Super Rugby Pacific). It's true that results often reflect the team that turns up on the day to get the win. In this case, however, the Tahs also have to contend with an horrific injury roster. I think the Brumbies will be fronting a side that looks more like a SS team than a Super Rugby team. I will be very disappointed if they (the Brums) don't come away with a bonus point win. The Tahs have had a catastrophic year with injuries, especially in the engine room.

 

[KOB1987]

KOB it is a bit of a truism but there's not a lot between the teams in SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific). It's true that results often reflect the team that turns up on the day to get the win. In this case, however, the Tahs also have to contend with an horrific injury roster. I think the Brumbies will be fronting a side that looks more like a SS team than a Super Rugby team. I will be very disappointed if they (the Brums) don't come away with a bonus point win. The Tahs have had a catastrophic year with injuries, especially in the engine room.

I'm not quite sure it's that bad. The centres are the critical point, and I doubt all 3 of them are injured that badly that at least one of them can't play. We will roll out something like:

1. Thompson-Stringer
2. Fonokalafi
3. Johnson-Holmes
4. Sinclair
5. Amotesero
6. Swinton
7. Gamble
8. Holloway
9. Gordon
10. Harrison
11. Pietsch
12. Edmed
13. (the one who's not injured!)
14. Reilly
15. Nawaqantawase


I'm not claiming that is a vintage lineup but its certainly better than SS. The bench will be the worry.

 

[Hawko]

I'm not quite sure it's that bad. The centres are the critical point, and I doubt all 3 of them are injured that badly that at least one of them can't play. We will roll out something like:

1. Thompson-Stringer
2. Fonokalafi
3. Johnson-Holmes
4. Sinclair
5. Amotesero
6. Swinton
7. Gamble
8. Holloway
9. Gordon
10. Harrison
11. Pietsch
12. Edmed
13. (the one who's not injured!)
14. Reilly
15. Nawaqantawase


I'm not claiming that is a vintage lineup but its certainly better than SS. The bench will be the worry.

Is there anyone in the squad who could be selected for 16-23 or will they all be ring-ins. I suppose they could select Tuipolotu and Wilson at 12 and 13, but given what the coach thinks of them based on the rest of the season, that's dubious.

Is this just unbelievably bad luck (again) or do we have a need for better S & C. We seem to have ended every season of the last four or five with about half our squad unavailable. Needless to say this has not been the NZ teams' experience.

 

[KOB1987]

Is there anyone in the squad who could be selected for 16-23 or will they all be ring-ins. I suppose they could select Tuipolotu and Wilson at 12 and 13, but given what the coach thinks of them based on the rest of the season, that's dubious.

Is this just unbelievably bad luck (again) or do we have a need for better S & C. We seem to have ended every season of the last four or five with about half our squad unavailable. Needless to say this has not been the NZ teams' experience.

I wondered about those two as well, I'm sure if they are asked to play they will. I think the bench will nearly all be SS players ex Grant, and if Jorgensen is OK and maybe another centre it won't be too bad unless one of the starting front row needs to get replaced early. The silver lining here is that players who weren't expecting to be called upon are going to get some decent experience.

 

[Hawko]

I wondered about those two as well, I'm sure if they are asked to play they will. I think the bench will nearly all be SS players ex Grant, and if Jorgensen is OK and maybe another centre it won't be too bad unless one of the starting front row needs to get replaced early. The silver lining here is that players who weren't expecting to be called upon are going to get some decent experience.

That's not a silver lining. Those players that were not expecting to be called upon are, in the coaches opinion, not ready to play Super. Assuming the coach's opinion is correct, all this will do is put players on the field who are not properly prepared and who could be severely damaged career-wise by being exposed too soon.