Super Rugby Round 3, 2018 - Sharks vs Waratahs @ Durban

[Froggy]

Robertson was switched to LHP to accommodate Kepu. I hasn't really worked, but no-one seems to be prepared to acknowledge that!

 

[Up the Guts]

Miller is a tough bugger. I would pick him over Swinton. Holloway give the lineout enough to get away with two short backrowers (for the back part of the game).

The way the Herald was reporting it it seemed Swinton was almost definitely going to be on the bench to slot into 2nd row. I’m not sure whether that leaves space for Miller on the bench and if it did where Gibson would slot him into given Hooper is not going to be subbed unless he loses a leg.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

The way the Herald was reporting it it seemed Swinton was almost definitely going to be on the bench to slot into 2nd row. I’m not sure whether that leaves space for Miller on the bench and if it did where Gibson would slot him into given Hooper is not going to be subbed unless he loses a leg.

Surely Palmer stays on the bench as the lock replacement

 

[Scrubber2050]

Tahs front row pretty poor but should improve this week.

Tahs backs will slice 'em apart

Tahs by 40 - at least !

 

[Derpus]

Tahs front row pretty poor but should improve this week.

Tahs backs will slice 'em apart

Tahs by -40 at least !

Fixed.

 

[Rebels3]

The way the Herald was reporting it it seemed Swinton was almost definitely going to be on the bench to slot into 2nd row. I’m not sure whether that leaves space for Miller on the bench and if it did where Gibson would slot him into given Hooper is not going to be subbed unless he loses a leg.

Be good to see Miller in somehow, he was actually named MOM last year for the Rebels away to the Sharks, so there's a precedent.

 

[Braveheart81]

Be good to see Miller in somehow, he was actually named MOM last year for the Rebels away to the Sharks, so there's a precedent.

I think it will be hard to slot him in because I am expecting them to start a backrow of Wells, Hooper and Holloway and Holloway is the guy who won't play 80 minutes of them.

Miller makes that a tiny backrow to finish the game compared to bringing in Swinton to play 6 or lock (with Hanigan moving to 6).

Miller is obviously a more developed player than Swinton so maybe they'll just go with his experience and hope that they get away with the tiny but dynamic combination of Miller and Hooper.

 

[formerflanker]

Miller will profit this season with Cron as forwards coach. Getting game time will be the stumbling block.

 

[Up the Guts]

Miller is obviously a more developed player than Swinton so maybe they'll just go with his experience and hope that they get away with the tiny but dynamic combination of Miller and Hooper.

Given that Gibson was happy to sub his more experienced forwards last week for a number of debutants I'm not sure that the relative experience of players will enter into the selection equation too much and he'll go for Swinton over Miller, which, as you say, makes more sense given how the backrow will likely be shaped.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Fixed.

Nope Tahs are full of Wallabies with the rest to follow

Stand by the 40 margin. Flower Power

 

[Blackadder]

Tahs side

1. Tom Robertson ​

2. Damien Fitzpatrick​

3. Paddy Ryan ​

4. Ned Hanigan​

5. Tom Staniforth​

6. Michael Wells ​

7. Michael Hooper ​

8. Jed Holloway ​

9. Jake Gordon ​

10. Bernard Foley ​

11. Curtis Rona ​

12. Kurtley Beale ​

13. Lalakai Foketii​

14. Andrew Kellaway ​

15. Israel Folau​

Reserves:​

16. Hugh Roach ​

17. Harry Johnson-Holmes ​

18. Kalivati Tawake​

19. Nick Palmer ​

20. Will Miller ​

21. Mitch Short ​

22. Bryce Hegarty ​

23. Alex Newsome ​

​

​

Vui dropped? I thought he played fairly well

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

The way the Herald was reporting it it seemed Swinton was almost definitely going to be on the bench to slot into 2nd row. I’m not sure whether that leaves space for Miller on the bench and if it did where Gibson would slot him into given Hooper is not going to be subbed unless he loses a leg.

Herald. What would they know

 

[Derpus]

​

​

Vui dropped? I thought he played fairly well

I think Gibson is one of those professional coaches big on rotation, so if a player isn't in the team it's not necessarily form related/fitness related.

 

[hammertimethere]

I'm sneakily suspicious the Tahs could give the Sharks some real grief in this game. Suspicious enough to put a few quiet dollars down to that end. Go you good things.

 

[Lindommer]

Sort've 'bout the best team Gibbo could've selected from those available. I, also, thought Vui played well enough last week to keep his spot but, what would I know about the front row? Intrigued to read both fatprop and cyclopath are, now, rabbitting on about Robertson and Ryan playing on the wrong sides of the scrum. Those more attentive than this lower case pair may've glanced on my missives about this issue OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS and more and thought they'd read it elsewhere. Fair dinkum, a seer's never acknowledged on his home soil................

Tahs could/should win this match in a close finish, IF the front row stand up. Or, not stand up according to the referee. If we look at our draw the two Saffer teams we definitely wouldn't like to play away would have to be the Lions and the Bulls: we don't meet the Bulls this year and the Lions visit us in Sydney. The draw's about as good as it could be for us on that point. The Kiwis? Never easy.

Confident 'n' all as I alway am about my beloved Tahs this could be a development year; if all the young 'uns keep their heads and spots and listen to their coaches next year could be something special.

 

[Hawko]

Fairly predictable, given Gibson's way of thinking. But Kellaway and Hegarty were both pretty anonymous last week. As Hegarty is on the bench to cover Beale and Foley I basically hope he isn't required. Newsome will be pissed. When he came on he clearly added something to the backs and yet that didn't score him a promotion.

There has been much paper comment about how bad the Sharks front row is. I don't believe a word of it, especially since the Lions scrum has been a real weapon for yonks. In addition the Beast is back to start at tight head and the Sharks coaches will have spent much of the first week of the bye in opposed scrum training. I have a real bad feeling about the selections. Gibson has basically said "Let's give them another week to see how they go". But the starting three got monstered as the game went on to such an extent I was watching through my fingers with my hands over my eyes. To make just one change to the six from last week, and the best apparent scrummager being dropped, does not make for an optimistic outcome. I remember two years ago when Ta'avao was just as bad, our scrum eventually improved to a pretty good unit. But we can't afford to spend six weeks slowly getting up to speed. The other teams will be out of sight.

 

[Silverado]

Fairly predictable, given Gibson's way of thinking. But Kellaway and Hegarty were both pretty anonymous last week. As Hegarty is on the bench to cover Beale and Foley I basically hope he isn't required. Newsome will be pissed. When he came on he clearly added something to the backs and yet that didn't score him a promotion.

There has been much paper comment about how bad the Sharks front row is. I don't believe a word of it, especially since the Lions scrum has been a real weapon for yonks. In addition the Beast is back to start at tight head and the Sharks coaches will have spent much of the first week of the bye in opposed scrum training. I have a real bad feeling about the selections. Gibson has basically said "Let's give them another week to see how they go". But the starting three got monstered as the game went on to such an extent I was watching through my fingers with my hands over my eyes. To make just one change to the six from last week, and the best apparent scrummager being dropped, does not make for an optimistic outcome. I remember two years ago when Ta'avao was just as bad, our scrum eventually improved to a pretty good unit. But we can't afford to spend six weeks slowly getting up to speed. The other teams will be out of sight.

Vui has never been a great scrummager. His talents are ball running and work rate


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[fatprop]

Fairly predictable, given Gibson's way of thinking. But Kellaway and Hegarty were both pretty anonymous last week. As Hegarty is on the bench to cover Beale and Foley I basically hope he isn't required. Newsome will be pissed. When he came on he clearly added something to the backs and yet that didn't score him a promotion.

I thought Kellaway did quite well

Hegarty also looked quite good at 15

 

[dru]

There has been much paper comment about how bad the Sharks front row is. I don't believe a word of it, especially since the Lions scrum has been a real weapon for yonks. In addition the Beast is back to start at tight head and the Sharks coaches will have spent much of the first week of the bye in opposed scrum training.

I can't fathom this paper discussion either. Sharks in Round 1 were dealing with the new rules and had the same problems as everyone else. Their front row match everything in SA in the Currie Cup and the main criticism was too much focus in the forwards.

OTOH The Sharks back ups in the tight 5 are meant to less strong than general in SA.

I also don't buy this "Waratah front row is a disaster" thing on the back on a single game with the new rules. They will have learned and some of this stuff is simple head space, it shouldn't be a long fix. And of course the back ups to the tight 5 have a similar problem to the Sharks.

Sharks had a bye to give two weeks preparation which should go some way to offset the travel.

It is going to be interesting, impossible to gauge truly. But I'd suggest points victory to the Sharks in the forwards - just. Until the bench is emptied when it turns to Sharks. Line outs about even, loose forwards to Waratahs (Sharks are missing their 8 and their is a backrow shuffle to muscle rather than mobility, Hooper will love it.)

Backs SHOULD be to Waratahs, but watch the Sharks new approach.

EDIT: From an Aussie perspective, this is the game of the round.

Hard to pick, and an excellent game to show how both these teams are actually traveling.

 

[Silverado]

I also don't buy this "Waratah front row is a disaster" thing on the back on a single game with the new rules. They will have learned and some of this stuff is simple head space, it shouldn't be a long fix. And of course the back ups to the tight 5 have a similar problem to the Sharks.

I agree. The scrums were diabolical for the SA teams in round 1 (when we didn't play) but the SA tight 5s adapted well for 2nd round. And it's not just the front row at fault when a scrum folds, its the entire pack. If they get destroyed this week, have at it, but I'm happy to see how we adapt to the new laws this week before ringing in the changes. Go Tahs


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