T
Train Without a Station
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I don't understand we he cannot be an 8. He plays more of that style of game than a lock really. He's just 2m tall so people say he has to be a lock.
Springboks vs Wallabies @ Newlands 27/9/2014
- Thread starter PaarlBok
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Does Skelton have the speed and acceleration to be a number 8? He certainly doesn't have the motor at this stage.
I think a player who is over 2m tall and weighs over 130kg is always going to be a lock. It's just about working his skills and weaknesses around his teammates. To an extent we do this with every player.
We don't really know if he will continue to improve, we can can only hope
What we don't know is if his "poor" use in the NRC is because of the Stars game plan or instructions from Link (improve his crash ball then ball popping)
And if his fitness has waned and weight has increased then he needs to learn how to manage that. With his size he is going to have to because that issue isn't going to go away
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
boyo - exactly right.
The bloke is just too big to be a SERIOUS lineout option at lock. He is pretty average at scrumtime and at that size will never be an absolute workhorse at rucks and mauls. HOWEVER he has some quality running skills, offloads and the ability to make dominant tackles, not because of his technique but pure size.
Reckon if he bypasses Woolies store, drops to 130-135, increases fitness he COULD be a fantastic 8 option sooner than most think.
Dctarget
Tim Horan (67)
Ewen has basically confirmed what most people on here are saying.
“We think it’s better if he plays full matches. If you look at the way we have been playing, we cover a lot of territory and that’s physically challenging,” McKenzie said.
“The cameo bit is good but we have players doing that who have different skills, too.
“He is a guy we like ... but he is still a young player, so he doesn’t tick every box. We have been working on various skills, and part of that is also match fitness, and getting time on the field. We’ve pretty much made a decision that the best thing for him at the moment is to play.”
Asked if he felt Skelton was carrying excess weight due to a lack of game time, McKenzie said he was “still growing”.
“He has a bigger challenge because he is just a massive guy. That’s a plus for us, but also, if you’re not playing football it makes it harder to maintain your match condition,” McKenzie said.
“We have to make sure we can control … and he has to learn to control his condition. His body is growing whether he likes it or not. We have to manage that.
“The game is aerobic. It needs skill, it needs power, it needs aerobic, it needs all of those things, so we have to manage players on and off the field.”
This came from foxsports
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
“We think it’s better if he plays full matches. If you look at the way we have been playing, we cover a lot of territory and that’s physically challenging,” McKenzie said.
“The cameo bit is good but we have players doing that who have different skills, too.
“He is a guy we like ... but he is still a young player, so he doesn’t tick every box. We have been working on various skills, and part of that is also match fitness, and getting time on the field. We’ve pretty much made a decision that the best thing for him at the moment is to play.”
Asked if he felt Skelton was carrying excess weight due to a lack of game time, McKenzie said he was “still growing”.
“He has a bigger challenge because he is just a massive guy. That’s a plus for us, but also, if you’re not playing football it makes it harder to maintain your match condition,” McKenzie said.
“We have to make sure we can control … and he has to learn to control his condition. His body is growing whether he likes it or not. We have to manage that.
“The game is aerobic. It needs skill, it needs power, it needs aerobic, it needs all of those things, so we have to manage players on and off the field.”
This came from foxsports
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
He might only be a 4 or 6 cyl ATM but maybe he is capable of some fine tuning in the workshop and turn the bloke into a V8
boyo
Mark Ella (57)
T
Tip
Guest
I'd say he already has a v8 engine, it's just his fuel ecobomy is shithouse
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
I don't think Will has the motor or the pace to play at eight. If he were ever to be a chance to play in that position he'd have to be substantially fitter than he is now. Look at the three best in the world right now: Vermuelen, Read and Parisse. They are all supreme athletes, as well as being powerful men.
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
And yet, was still absolutely monstered in performance by the 175cm, 105kg openside playing at 8.
S'UP
Bill Watson (15)
"It's a bit of a cycle. As you go along you explore the depths of your positions and at some point in time you recognise you can't keep going deeper and deeper. You have to invest in some experience," McKenzie said.
"I think we are a bit deeper in the hooking position and we brought Benn Robinson in last week to see where he's up to [and] we were pleased with what we saw. It's adding a bit of experience onto the front-row group, particularly around tactics."
Does this mean Robbo will be playing hooker?"I think we are a bit deeper in the hooking position and we brought Benn Robinson in last week to see where he's up to [and] we were pleased with what we saw. It's adding a bit of experience onto the front-row group, particularly around tactics."
No, but it potentially means that McKenzie underestimated Robinson's conditioning and form a little when he previously overlooked him.
It definitely suggests that the lack of top line options at hooker has resulted in him recalling our most experienced prop. Maybe if Moore and TPN were both available McKenzie would have called up a new LHP such as Toby Smith or someone.
It definitely suggests that the lack of top line options at hooker has resulted in him recalling our most experienced prop. Maybe if Moore and TPN were both available McKenzie would have called up a new LHP such as Toby Smith or someone.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
I agree. Endurance improves with age just as you lose those lightning reflexes and top end speed. I think at 125kg and some more endurance and experience he will be a first pick for the Wallabies in two years time.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Totally agree and I can speak to personal experience on the 2 vs 4 positioning. I was (I thought) a very effective jumper at 2 because of the ability to jump explosively (I was a sprinter as well as a rugby player), but absolutely rubbish at 4 or at the back, because I just couldn't get the timing right all the time. As a result I was too easy to mark further back. At the front though, I hardly ever lost a throw and stole a bunch of the oppositions pill.
Skelton, if he's to ever be an effective international lock, needs to jump in the lineout or at least provide an option and it probably needs to be at the front.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
Skelton The Younger has been sent to the Chiefs. He needs to learn a lot.
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