'tahs get Horns

[DPK]

Starter Horne faces Ranger the danger
GREG GROWDEN
March 23, 2010

ROB HORNE is set to at last make the Waratahs starting line-up on Saturday night, where he will be up against Blues speedster Rene Ranger, who yesterday had to confront lingering off-field issues that were made public.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey yesterday revealed that Horne was likely to replace Tom Carter at outside centre after the midfielder, who has been dogged by hamstring problems, showed that his injury concerns appeared to be behind him when playing all of the second half against the Force in Perth on Saturday night.

In Horne's favour is that he will be far more settled than his opponent, who yesterday lost a New Zealand High Court appeal to maintain the suppression of his name over two charges of injuring with intent.

Ranger, 23, is accused of assaulting a man and leaving him unconscious outside a hotel in Mangawhai, north of Auckland, last August. He appeared in court in October, but was granted interim name suppression, until it was lifted on March 12. Ranger's lawyer appealed against the decision to the High Court, which rejected the appeal and had the order be lifted yesterday.

Ranger, who faces a trial, said at Blues training in Auckland yesterday he was disappointed to be ''involved in something and it's got to this stage''.

''It's not good for me, my family, and it's not fair on the team,'' he said. ''It's now in the court's hands … I have just got to get on with my job.''

Last April, the Blues stood down Ranger following an off-field incident in Matakana, also north of Auckland.

On the field, however, Ranger has been on song, enjoying a spectacular performance at outside centre against the Brumbies in Auckland last Friday night.

Hickey is concerned Ranger could be a danger to NSW at the Sydney Football Stadium this weekend.

''I was pretty impressed with him last year, and then obviously in the Brumbies game he played extremely well,'' Hickey said yesterday. ''He is a dangerous performer in the centres. I've been watching him for 12 months now, and he knows how to put in a good performance.''

When asked whether Ranger's inclusion would affect his selections for the Waratahs midfield, Hickey replied: ''He will factor in there somewhere. But you have to be very careful, particularly with Auckland, because if you focus on him, then [Stephen] Brett or [Isaia] Toeava will get you. So you have to have an awareness of their strike players all over the park.''

While Hickey will today decide whether prop Al Baxter and No.8 Wycliff Palu, who missed the Force match because of injuries, will be available for NSW, he admitted that Horne would be discussed at the selection meeting.

''Every time Rob has come onto the field he has done well,'' Hickey said. ''He has been involved in a graduated return - 10 minutes one game, 20 minutes, 30 minutes … Now that he can show he can play 40 minutes and has no hamstring problems, he is certainly an option to be selected in the starting position.''

NSW utility forward Ben Mowen, meanwhile, has ignored approaches from Queensland and decided to stay with NSW on a one-year deal.

Im not completely Anti-Carter, but I can see the positive of adding Horne to the midfield mix for the 'tahs.

Does anyone have a clear idea of who is better defensively: Carter or Horne?

 

[PhucNgo]

A hint. Horne is known around herre as the Steyn remover.

 

[Lee Grant]

Carter is a good defender at 12 but IMO is not as good a reader of opponents play at 13.

No stats please.

 

[DPK]

A hint. Horne is known around herre as the Steyn remover.

I guess Ranger is the Lealiifano Loosener, then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Ta9OfnVbM&feature=player_embedded

 

[PhucNgo]

A hint. Horne is known around herre as the Steyn remover.

I guess Ranger is the Lealiifano Loosener, then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Ta9OfnVbM&feature=player_embedded

Can we send that one to the citing commish. Ranger looks like he's competing i the paralympics...I don't see any arms there. :

 

[DPK]

A hint. Horne is known around herre as the Steyn remover.

I guess Ranger is the Lealiifano Loosener, then.

Can we send that one to the citing commish. Ranger looks like he's competing i the paralympics...I don't see any arms there. :

I agree. But anyway, it seems that Ranger's strength is his running game and the fact that in the tries ive seen him score it seems people just forget how to tackle properly and slip off.

Will Horne do this?

 

[PhucNgo]

A hint. Horne is known around herre as the Steyn remover.

I guess Ranger is the Lealiifano Loosener, then.

Can we send that one to the citing commish. Ranger looks like he's competing i the paralympics...I don't see any arms there. :

I agree. But anyway, it seems that Ranger's strength is his running game and the fact that in the tries ive seen him score it seems people just forget how to tackle properly and slip off.

Will Horne do this?

No way. He's an exemplar of the lost art of tackling around the legs. Struggling to think of a more effective defender in Aus backlines.

 

[Lee Grant]

DPK

Not to the extent that Ranger can - he's an amazing pinballer, just ask the Brumbies and Reds - but Horne could do it better than Carter, which is more to the point - whatever that is.

But if you were talking about tackling: I saw Tuitavake waltz around him once but he wouldn't be the Lone Ranger in that department. Usually he's a deadly stopper of budding moves.

 

[Epi]

This is actually dissapointing... i was really looking forward to the Carter v Ranger match up.

Unstoppable object v unmovable draft horse... or something like that.

 

[DPK]

Thanks PN and LG. Thats the way forums should work- two good answers for one ambiguous question :lmao:

 

[Henry]

Don't forget that Mitchell is leading tackle busts with 37 to Ranger's 25. And they are on equal linebreak stats...
According to Foxsports fantasy at least...

 

[PhucNgo]

This is actually dissapointing... i was really looking forward to the Carter v Ranger match up.

Unstoppable object v unmovable draft horse... or something like that.

This is becoming very "four legs good, two legs bad..."

 

[Newb]

A hint. Horne is known around herre as the Steyn remover.

I guess Ranger is the Lealiifano Loosener, then.

leals did very well to get that pass away. and to get straight up.

 

[Viking]

Horne Vs Ranger i think is the most exciting match up in the Super 14 so far. Horne known for his awesome skills in defence and Ranger for his powerful running. Both strong players. This one is gunna be good. After this the next best one will be Genia, Cooper Vs FdP, Steyn. However that one will be more a match in skills and not power.

 

[Blue]

Horne Vs Ranger i think is the most exciting match up in the Super 14 so far. Horne known for his awesome skills in defence and Ranger for his powerful running. Both strong players. This one is gunna be good. After this the next best one will be Genia, Cooper Vs FdP, Steyn. However that one will be more a match in skills and not power.

Jacques Fourie vs Ranger. That's the one I want to see. I also would not be surprised to see the Bulls more Olivier to 13 for that Blues game.

 

[DPK]

Horne Vs Ranger i think is the most exciting match up in the Super 14 so far. Horne known for his awesome skills in defence and Ranger for his powerful running. Both strong players. This one is gunna be good. After this the next best one will be Genia, Cooper Vs FdP, Steyn. However that one will be more a match in skills and not power.

Jacques Fourie vs Ranger. That's the one I want to see. I also would not be surprised to see the Bulls more Olivier to 13 for that Blues game.

I agree Blue. Both Horne v. Ranger and Fourie v. Ranger should be crackers.

 

[Viking]

ohhhh how could i forget about fourie! Ranger V Fourie is going to be awesome.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Carter is a good defender at 12 but IMO is not as good a reader of opponents play at 13.

No stats please.

Lee, this is the second thread today where you've issued this instruction. It's fairly obvious who you're having a dig at.

Rather than playing class monitor, why don't you let other members decide what they choose to post?

 

[DPK]

Carter is a good defender at 12 but IMO is not as good a reader of opponents play at 13.

No stats please.

Lee, this is the second thread today where you've issued this instruction. It's fairly obvious who you're having a dig at.

Rather than playing class monitor, why don't you let other members decide what they choose to post?

The ironing is delicious.

 

[Ash]

This is becoming very "four legs good, two legs bad..."

Some are more equal than others...