Tahs well and truly beaten but what I expected. Set piece was particularly disappointing, Leatigaga is a disappointing scrummager for such a huge man, and what's going on with the lineout? Being solid most of the year it's been rubbish the last two weeks. Way to many missed one-on-one tackles, no backline direction, too slow to clean out.
Looking for individual positives, I thought Porecki worked hard, Hanigan was probably the best of the Tahs, and the two wings, Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) and Pietsch both played well. I also really likes what Teddy Wilson brings when he comes on. Likewise Seu, it's a pity we're losing him.
Well each of the last two years have seen a marginal improvement in the Tahs, but gee they have a long way to go to threaten this competition.
Agree. I think most of the Tah players were working hard. Hooper really threw himself into it. Porecki & Hanigan were good.
It was a hard watch because the scoreline could have been kept more respectable. Even though the Blues were truly the dominate team, the Tahs blew their opportunities (Pietsch's bobble) and then allowed the Blues into the game with some of their mistakes (Holloway's gift to Talea summing it up). Like you said, the lineout in particular became a real issue, which is hard to understand exactly why.
The Tah's were controlling possession and territory reasonably well in the first half, but once the Blues did get their hands on the ball the gain line and clean ruck ball meant they kept plowing ahead. Defensively the Tah's had lots of elements that worked well. They cut off the offloads with their choke tackles. The folding defence and players shooting out was proving reasonably effective.
The Blues have some plays that just suit the players they have so well. The way they flood the outside channels like they did for their first try, or the offloading game they have in contact or through a soft seam. They push the boundaries with some of their movements which are boardline obstruction at times and some of their ruck work is a little questionable in places, but they're big, fit and fast players who have excellent catch pass skills.
I do wonder at where some of the Tah's players were fitness wise. Having had Edmed out for so long, Gordon out, Forketi I suspect not 100% and all the various other challenges the team has had this was always going to be a stretch to win.
For the Blues, I actually thought Barrett was rather pedestrian in this game with his passing often looking like an unwillingness to take it to the line/accept contact and his kicking being a bit meh. I'm not sure if this is him trying to evolve into a more Sexton style flyhalf, but I haven't been wowed by him this season considering the calibre of player he is.