Scrum Talk

[Marcelo]

I. Meant the bad news part.

He's a world class tight head, he's Aussie, he could solve our problems in the scrum. If I were the CEO of ARU, I would put money to bring him back, he's better than Ben Alexander, undoubtedly

 

[Sully]

I completely disagree. He's never been world class and he's a pot plant around the field.

 

[Marcelo]

I completely disagree. He's never been world class and he's a pot plant around the field.

Wallabies need a true scrummager at 3, not an Greg Inglis. He has been playing in one of the most powerful English teams, and the Poms destroyed our scrum on several occasions. And now the most powerful French team looking him.

Sekope Kepu - Salesi Ma'afu

Are better than

Sekope Kepu - Ben Alexander

Ben Alexander has been the main problem of Wallabies in recent years, we lost many games for his fault

 

[Sully]

But he's not the first choice prop at his english club and he won't be the first choice prop at his French club. You are seriously over rating him.

 

[fatprop]

I completely disagree. He's never been world class and he's a pot plant around the field.

This is the challenge, do we carry a real cornerstone THP who is a liability around the field or someone who is stable under pressure "most of the time" and contributes elsewhere?

 

[Braveheart81]

He's a world class tight head, he's Aussie, he could solve our problems in the scrum. If I were the CEO of ARU, I would put money to bring him back, he's better than Ben Alexander, undoubtedly

He would need to have improved substantially since he left Australia to be of that much value to us. He was a good scrummager but by no means excellent before he left.

Certainly he wasn't better than Ben Alexander as an overall player. That may have changed not but it's very hard to tell from a player overseas.

I certainly don't accept the argument that we should be throwing money at him (that we don't have) to get him back to Australia.

He's a player who might show himself over the course of the season to be our reserve tight head option. That is nowhere near enough to suggest the ARU should be chasing him hard.

 

[Sully]

If we found a pot plant to anchor our tight head I'd be more than happy to have him

 

[Marcelo]

If we found a pot plant to anchor our tight head I'd be more than happy to have him

Then?

 

[Bairdy]

The problem with Ma'afu wasn't his scrummaging - he was a cog in a Force scrum that was one of the strongest in the Aus conference, and the Super Rugby comp overall - it is the fact he is a penalty magnet.

Ma'afu is generally the first choice tighthead for Northampton, so he must be half decent if the English rate him.

He has a quarter of the caps of our most capped Australian tighthead but he won't come back for a fraction of the money he gets in the NH to get overlooked for Alexander.

 

[fatprop]

How is a pot plant going to fit into Cheika's workrate philosophy

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[Sully]

I did say I'd be happy. The wallabies coach may have different priorities

 

[fatprop]

I did say I'd be happy. The wallabies coach may have different priorities

Happy until his laziness means he comes in from the side (Kepu blowing mode) or doesn't get into position quickly enough leaving us a pillar short in defense?

If we aren't going to play set piece to set piece rugby, the units won't be "true" specialists, we will compromise

 

[Ruggo]

How is a pot plant going to fit into Cheika's workrate philosophy

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I'm not sure you can get away with a pot plant these days. Players simply have to have both attributes. I think the bench props are strategically more important than ever.

 

[Pfitzy]

Fat Kid Ma'afu?

Fuck if you're rating him, I'll play for $5k per test.

Let me know now though - I'll have to get started on the Maccas if I'm going to fit his jersey and drop enough aerobic fitness. I went for a walk this morning so that will need to be reversed quick smart.

 

[kiap]

Ma'afu is a pot plant and still fat, although trimmed a bit from his peak.

But he is a very solid anchor at THP. We could do worse.

The chances of him returning are probably not high, though. Toulon are rumoured to be interested in him as a Hayman replacement.

The right pillar Northampton Salesi Ma'afu would have agreed to the RCT​

Published: December 4, 2014​

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The RCT seeks a right pillar​

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Hayman often injured his back and as Castrogiovanni out of contract, Toulon should renew at right pillar​

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According to L'Equipe, the RCT would have obtained the agreement of the right pillar of Northampton Salesi Ma'afu (31)​

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Australian International 14 times, he has become one of the best prop in England​

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To be continued​

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http://www.parcequetoulon.com/actua...si-ma-afu-aurait-donne-son-accord-au-rct.html​

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[boyo]

Fat Kid Ma'afu?

Fuck if you're rating him, I'll play for $5k per test.

Let me know now though - I'll have to get started on the Maccas if I'm going to fit his jersey and drop enough aerobic fitness. I went for a walk this morning so that will need to be reversed quick smart.

His nickname isn't "More food" for nothing.

 

[Bairdy]

To be fair, Australian props are not exactly svelte are they, compared to their professional counterparts in other countries.

 

[fatprop]

To be fair, Australian props are not exactly svelte are they, compared to their professional counterparts in other countries.

It is interesting to see the lack of gym rats in Aus props.

Compare them to the ABs units who appear leaner, stronger as well as technically more effective

Or the NH exponents with focus on big weights and strength

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[Quick Hands]

Ma'afu is a pot plant and still fat, although trimmed a bit from his peak.

But he is a very solid anchor at THP. We could do worse.

The chances of him returning are probably not high, though. Toulon are rumoured to be interested in him as a Hayman replacement.

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http://www.parcequetoulon.com/actua...si-ma-afu-aurait-donne-son-accord-au-rct.html​

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I agree we could do worse (and we already have a few worse than him).

Dare I suggest that he might have actually been coached in how to play in the front row while at Northampton and thus is now a more than competent THP (or pilier droit). Toulon only chase high quality foreign players, so maybe some of the criticism of him is a bit dated?

 

[fatprop]

I agree we could do worse (and we already have a few worse than him).

Dare I suggest that he might have actually been coached in how to play in the front row while at Northampton and thus is now a more than competent THP (or pilier droit). Toulon only chase high quality foreign players, so maybe some of the criticism of him is a bit dated?

French props are not required to do much else, the general standard of top 14 play is pretty slow and ponderous

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