SuperRugby Waratahs V Crusaders, Rd 10 2012
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Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
spectator
Bob Davidson (42)
Agree with you, excellent player, but Fruen would have to feature heavily in squad talk.
Brisbok
Cyril Towers (30)
I am not a fan of SBW at all, but you are dreaming if you think he's not a great rugby player.
p.Tah
John Thornett (49)
Looks out to me...
Attachments
ACT Crusader
Jim Lenehan (48)
Looks in to me. Certainly can see a blade or two between white line and [illuminated] white boot
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Conrad Smith still owns that number and rightly so for mine. He's arguably the best outside centre in the world and I'll go out on a limb and say that by the end of his career he'll be right up there with Bruce Robertson, Frank Bunce and Joe Stanley as one of NZ's best ever.
p.Tah
John Thornett (49)
nice attempt
. He's out, but its academic now.
Blue
Andrew Slack (58)
I am a big Dave Dennis fan but jeez he has suspect hands. Drops a lot of ball and seems to posses almost no passing game. Straight up the middle with little flair. That will hold him back as far as becoming the Wallaby 6.
On another point, right now SBW is the form 12 in NZ. Nonu has been patchy.
On another point, right now SBW is the form 12 in NZ. Nonu has been patchy.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
Actually I thought against the Reds the Nonu showed more leadership than the other "leaders" and longer term Blues players like Ali Williams. I still think Nonu is a better 12 than SBW. If SBW dedicated himself to his game he could be one of the greats without doubt but he hasn't and is unlikely to so.......
Badger
Bill McLean (32)
Lee's post cross my mind a few times during the game today. The Crusaders passed crisply to players running on to the ball at pace while the Tahs took their time and lumbered onto the ball. To me, it seemed Barnes was slow at times to get the ball out to the runners giving the Saders that extra time to align their defence. The Tahs support runners looked to be slower to the mark than the Crusaders as well.
A decent crowd at the SFS today and the opposition would have contributed to it as there was plenty of red and black amongst the crowd. Definitely the best support for the opposition from NZ or Sth Africa and maybe even better than for any other Aus side.
Brumby Jack
Steve Williams (59)
OK, firstly I can't be bothered reading through the other posts because I've just driven up and back in a day to watch this game.
The Waratahs were the victims of the old 'one slip of concentration and you'll get burnt' today. Robbie Fruean was 1 man highlight reel and deservedly won man of the match. I'm not sure why he got hooked towards the end but I'm not Todd Blackadder.
Missed tackles killed the Tahs today, especially Tom Carter on Fruean down the sideline in the second half and also the try he scored in the first half. The Crusaders put on a display of attacking Rugby today.
I thought Tom Taylor's kicks were quite strange today. Some of them looked barely to get above head height, but it seemed to work because they almost always regathered the kick offs, so shows what I know.
The Tahs defensive line was interesting with Barnes playing at fullback and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at outside centre. Maybe this was to help out the newer guys in the team?
And I can't go without mentioning Ruchie. The biggest cheer of the day was saved for him which is ordinary for a 'home game'. Also, it took until Pretorius B.I.G.'s try for the home fans to make any real noise. Players feed off that and it's no wonder they have a love/hate relationship.
And some photos to top off the day...
ENTERING ILLEGALLY
The Waratahs were the victims of the old 'one slip of concentration and you'll get burnt' today. Robbie Fruean was 1 man highlight reel and deservedly won man of the match. I'm not sure why he got hooked towards the end but I'm not Todd Blackadder.
Missed tackles killed the Tahs today, especially Tom Carter on Fruean down the sideline in the second half and also the try he scored in the first half. The Crusaders put on a display of attacking Rugby today.
I thought Tom Taylor's kicks were quite strange today. Some of them looked barely to get above head height, but it seemed to work because they almost always regathered the kick offs, so shows what I know.
The Tahs defensive line was interesting with Barnes playing at fullback and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at outside centre. Maybe this was to help out the newer guys in the team?
And I can't go without mentioning Ruchie. The biggest cheer of the day was saved for him which is ordinary for a 'home game'. Also, it took until Pretorius B.I.G.'s try for the home fans to make any real noise. Players feed off that and it's no wonder they have a love/hate relationship.
And some photos to top off the day...
ENTERING ILLEGALLY
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
After the game Coach Foley gave the Saders restart kicks and collection a big wrap. He said there was a bit of pinballing on reception but basically there wasn't a whole lot the Tahs could do about the Saders' kick offs; so well were they executed.
When asked about the effect of missing players in the back line: he did want to makes excuses about the disruptions or illness (to Barnes) but noted that they didn't connect effectively even though they had the numbers. The reaction when the Saders went wide was not satisfactory and they would work on that next week. They would have their work cut out with just a 6 day turn around - then had another 6 dayer after that.
He gave the his bench a big wrap for their work in the last few games and gave special mention to the Timani brothers. He also hinted that because of the 6 day turnarounds he could change players within the 22.
Crusaders' coach Blackadder had a cunning plan, (no I made that up.) He was impressed by the efforts of the Tahs in the first half for denying the Saders the gainline. He also gave their set piece a big tick.
He said the Saders backs had no brief to attack the Tahs inexperienced players because that usually never worked because players got sucked into following orders. It was better to let good players play according to what they saw unfolding.
In the 2nd half they were able to get back to their structures, something they had a problem with before oranges.
Carter would keep playing 12 to protect his leg/groin from too much kicking, including goal kicking. But, as with Dagg when he was parked on the wing to protect himself from kicking too much, then returned to fullback, there could come a time when Carter went back to 10.
No, there were no calls from All Black coach Steve Hansen requesting Todd to play Dan at 10: he knew what was going on.
.
When asked about the effect of missing players in the back line: he did want to makes excuses about the disruptions or illness (to Barnes) but noted that they didn't connect effectively even though they had the numbers. The reaction when the Saders went wide was not satisfactory and they would work on that next week. They would have their work cut out with just a 6 day turn around - then had another 6 dayer after that.
He gave the his bench a big wrap for their work in the last few games and gave special mention to the Timani brothers. He also hinted that because of the 6 day turnarounds he could change players within the 22.
Crusaders' coach Blackadder had a cunning plan, (no I made that up.) He was impressed by the efforts of the Tahs in the first half for denying the Saders the gainline. He also gave their set piece a big tick.
He said the Saders backs had no brief to attack the Tahs inexperienced players because that usually never worked because players got sucked into following orders. It was better to let good players play according to what they saw unfolding.
In the 2nd half they were able to get back to their structures, something they had a problem with before oranges.
Carter would keep playing 12 to protect his leg/groin from too much kicking, including goal kicking. But, as with Dagg when he was parked on the wing to protect himself from kicking too much, then returned to fullback, there could come a time when Carter went back to 10.
No, there were no calls from All Black coach Steve Hansen requesting Todd to play Dan at 10: he knew what was going on.
.
BJ beats me with his return Canberra drive to take in the Tahs match, my travels were a mere train ride down from and back up to the beautiful Blue Mountains. Thoughts on the game:
- Competition at the breakdown defines New Zealand rugby (OK, OK, you're sick of reading that from me and I'm even more sick of writing it. Getting a rubber stamp tomorrow), and so it proved this afternoon. The Saders physically attacked the breakdowns to an extent the Tahs pigs didn't, resulting in slow scrappy ball when we took it in. The Saders are also extremely good at getting just the right numbers to breakdowns: a couple when on attack and a couple + 1 when needed on defence. Deans' word about looking what a player does off the ball came to mind a few times, especially once when the Tahs were hard on attack in the first half over in the south-east corner. Once the tackle was made a horde of Saders forwards simply poured into the breakdown to snuff out the danger. It took a mighty effort for those pigs to get back to the breakdown and come in through the gate.
- The Saders restarts were, in a word, awesome. Their compete and collect tactic has obviously been practised at length at training, why can't we do something similar?
- It really was men against boys in the backs this arvo. Of the back five there were, what, two first choice players there today: Carter and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper). AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) was OK (he's been a bit "OK" and that's all for the Tahs this year) but Tom had a shocker. That disjointed backline simply cried out for some leadership and clear thinking and Carter didn't, or couldn't, provide it. But even more damagingly he played appallingly, two missed tackles resulted in the Saders' first two tries, allied with a couple of knockons and generally crap play. Tom, your supporters have defended you to the ends of the earth on this site and elsewhere and today you let them down. Badly. Not good enough. We all know how dangerous Robbie Fruean can be, you should've taken personal responsibility to make sure he was closed down. The new backs played reasonably well considering their lack of experience or time in a new position. Young Kingston tried a bit too hard with the ball in hand, he's a smidgeon light to take on hardened Kiwi backs on his own, I hope he learns from today's lesson. But why can't Barnes with all his experience get the Tahs' backline moving?
- The Tahs' attack has been somewhat pedestrian this year with a forwards pick-n-go interspersed with a forwards bash-n-barge variation. The Saders at least tested our outside defence with a willingness to spread the ball from side to side. But the thing which impressed me most was the Saders' ability to break out on the counter-attack. I suppose this comes from extreme pressure at the breakdown in defence.
- How come the Tahs scored Kaplan in consecutive matches considering his appalling record with them? SANZAR have, in their wisdom, not scheduled B Lawrence for any matches in SAf after last year's RWC quarter final; I don't want to sound like a Pakistani cricket administrator but WTF do we get Kaplan so often? What is it with him and the Tahs? Gagger produced some figures last year showing his results whistling the Tahs were quite abnormal, in fact inexplicable. Toady's match was no different, pinging Robinson at the scrum engagement, really. And the last five minutes when the Saders wound down the clock with pitiful scrum re-engagments was incompetent. I was that loud voice from the crowd calling for the clock to be stopped. It was cheating, plain and simple, and Kaplan let the Saders get away with it.
- Nice to see God's back in his heaven: St Richie the Invisible came on late in the second half and straight away the old instincts kicked in, got himself on the wrong side of the ruck and tried to pilfer the ball from McKibbin. Nice try, Richie. At least Kaplan saw that one.
- However, it's not all doom and gloom. Taking into account a cobbled together backline we did bloody well to get within four points of this champion team. So near but so far.
Sarel's a better runner and open field kicker than McKibbin but Brendan's a much better passer of the ball than Sarel. And he can kick goals bloody well. When Barnes's knee, groin or whatever ails him heals and he resumes place-kicking, Pretorious will start a few matches.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
One reason why McKibbin starts is because he has the best goal kicking percentage in the comp (of those who have taken 25 kicks or more) 92% - and he is more than holding his own as a player.
But Sarel is the more brilliant player and should be given more time than he is getting.
The Tahs have 6 day turnarounds for the next two games and because coach Foley has indicated that he may rotate some of the players between the bench and the starting team to even out the load, Sarel could be starting soon.
.
Country Kid
Chris McKivat (8)
Have only seen part of the 2nd half (replay) from when the Tahs led 20-17. I was struck a few things:
1. The Tahs seemed to have a 'wait and see' approach to defence so the Crusaders were not put under pressure. In the lead up to the two Crusaders 2nd half tries, it looked like a Crusaders trainiing run with the Tahs providing some passive defence.
2. before the 3rd Crusaders try, the Waratahs had a chance to counter ruck and win the ball - but the opportunity was missed because of lack urgency to win the ball, they seemed more preoccuppied with reforming the defence line
3. The Crusaders were so comfortable to play the full width of the field yet never seemed in danger of having a ball runner isolated as some other teams do when they go wide
4. accurate passing in front of the running player is the norm for the Crusaders. The Waratahs seem to struggle with this. Too often passes are head/shoulder high or force the receiver on the back foot or to slow down. You would think this is could be corrected at training
1. The Tahs seemed to have a 'wait and see' approach to defence so the Crusaders were not put under pressure. In the lead up to the two Crusaders 2nd half tries, it looked like a Crusaders trainiing run with the Tahs providing some passive defence.
2. before the 3rd Crusaders try, the Waratahs had a chance to counter ruck and win the ball - but the opportunity was missed because of lack urgency to win the ball, they seemed more preoccuppied with reforming the defence line
3. The Crusaders were so comfortable to play the full width of the field yet never seemed in danger of having a ball runner isolated as some other teams do when they go wide
4. accurate passing in front of the running player is the norm for the Crusaders. The Waratahs seem to struggle with this. Too often passes are head/shoulder high or force the receiver on the back foot or to slow down. You would think this is could be corrected at training
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