Tahs v Canes @ SFS - Round 12

[Quick Hands]

I couldn't help but notice that Beale took a much lesser role as 1st receiver, which restored some cohesion to the backline.

What the game also showed was that we don't need wholesale changes to the laws, we need two teams playing the game in the right spirit and a referee allowing that to occur.

 

[Pfitzy]

Absolutely QH - though he did let the attacking team fly in off their feet without mercy, it made for better ball and therefore better play. On those occasions where someone was isolated he let the first defender have a decent crack at the ball.

 

[Pfitzy]

Oh and its also worth noting that Lindommer and I ended up at the Oxford Tavern in Petersham for a quick beer. A mate of mine was having a birthday party and it was a very chilled out crowd - good beer and a great vibe.

Necessarily null numbers of naked norks no doubt, but still some great people populating the place. Been so long since I was at a pub where the average age was under 35 and it wasn't bogans.

 

[boyo]

Is that a metric of your choice of pubs?

 

[Braveheart81]

After all the criticism of the team selected, our out of position wingers in Carraro and Horne really did quite well.

Horne missed an opportunity to score off the Foley grubber but the bounce he got was a shocker. He was probably a bit overzealous in chasing it through though. Foley put him in a lot of space and he could have afforded to be a step slower giving himself more time to see the bounce of the ball.

Most of the time he could have done exactly the same though and the ball would have bounced nicely into his arms for a try. He certainly got unlucky with the bounce.

Carraro showed good strength scoring his try and did the job again.

Considering they were up against two of the best wingers in the comp, it was a good result for the Tahs.

 

[Braveheart81]

The Fearless Prediction

It’s hard to split these two sides and both the form and recent success in this matchup makes it hard to go past the Hurricanes. Allianz Stadium has proven to be something of a fortress for the Tahs over the years and I think familiarity could help them across the line this weekend. They’ve talked the talk all season but the Waratahs will know that it’s now or never if they want to play with the big boys and that motivation will see them get up in a close encounter. I expect a better handling performance from the Waratahs this week and they’ll win by a try. If dry conditions prevail, I expect a few tries from each team and some exciting backline play.

Wow... the prediction in the match preview turned out to be pretty accurate.

 

[Dan54]

I meant to ask, what law was Walsh referring to when he penalised Toomaga-Allen, when he was asked he said No 3 was mucking around?? I not sure why, but I thought a slightly better explanation could of been given.

 

[Pfitzy]

Is that a metric of your choice of pubs?

My nearest pub is the Ettamogah or the Mean Fiddler. So while they're trying to be classy "family" establishments, there is an air of boganity.

 

[boyo]

My nearest pub is the Ettamogah or the Mean Fiddler. So while they're trying to be classy "family" establishments, there is an air of boganity.

Do you wear a flanno there?

 

[Braveheart81]

I meant to ask, what law was Walsh referring to when he penalised Toomaga-Allen, when he was asked he said No 3 was mucking around?? I not sure why, but I thought a slightly better explanation could of been given.

That incident is in the video attached to this story.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/10007972/Steve-Walsh-whistles-up-a-controversy-again

Looking at the replay, Toomaga-Allen is bound on the back of Robinson's jumper and trying to pull him upwards out of the scrum. Whilst it doesn't look an angle you could effectively put any great pressure on your opposing prop, it's pretty obvious and clearly not where he should be binding.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Cracking game I thought and I'm glad that the Tahs got the chocolates. Beale underplayed his hand better than he has in recent weeks and Skelton was great off the bench. The Canes kept Izzy quiet but it brought other blokes into the game, which was good. Foley had a very composed game and even Phipps was better. Hooper was unbelievably good in the loose and I think he should be given the captaincy. He seems a natural leader, judging by his body language and chat out on the paddock and he sets a fantastic example with his work rate.

One thing I'd like to see the Tahs do more of is protect the pill at the breakdown. There were numerous occasions when it was lying exposed at the back of a ruck or Phipps got mugged when trying to clear. They need to get their bloody lineout sorted too. That used to be a strength.

 

[Dan54]

That incident is in the video attached to this story.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/10007972/Steve-Walsh-whistles-up-a-controversy-again

Looking at the replay, Toomaga-Allen is bound on the back of Robinson's jumper and trying to pull him upwards out of the scrum. Whilst it doesn't look an angle you could effectively put any great pressure on your opposing prop, it's pretty obvious and clearly not where he should be binding.

I not arguing the penalty at all Braveheart, why then did Walsh say binding in wrong place, I just thought when asked why the penalty was given to say "mucking about" doesn't really help anyone!!

 

[Pfitzy]

True - he could have said "incorrect bind" but at that stage I think he'd gotten to about 10 on the Walshometer and then no-one is safe. Particularly an away team

 

[Hawko]

One thing I'd like to see the Tahs do more of is protect the pill at the breakdown. There were numerous occasions when it was lying exposed at the back of a ruck or Phipps got mugged when trying to clear. They need to get their bloody lineout sorted too. That used to be a strength.

Perhaps it would help if Phipps got to the ruck a little more quickly- about five minutes more quickly! There were times there when you could have got a beer and drunk half of it before he got to the back of a ruck. God knows where he was, smelling the roses maybe.

This is one of six key things a halfback must do to claim he is doing his job. The other five are:

1. Pass accurately in front of the man.
2. Pass hard and directly; no harbour bridges.
3. Feed the scrum intelligently.
4. Catch and pass lineout feeds.
5. Harry his opposition halfback mercilessly.

I reckon he scored one out of six on Saturday. Being generous, you could give him half a mark on two of the others. Most commentators reckon he was better than usual this week. That's not saying much.

 

[cyclopath]

Perhaps it would help if Phipps got to the ruck a little more quickly- about five minutes more quickly! There were times there when you could have got a beer and drunk half of it before he got to the back of a ruck. God knows where he was, smelling the roses maybe.

This is one of six key things a halfback must do to claim he is doing his job. The other five are:

1. Pass accurately in front of the man.
2. Pass hard and directly; no harbour bridges.
3. Feed the scrum intelligently.
4. Catch and pass lineout feeds.
5. Harry his opposition halfback mercilessly.

I reckon he scored one out of six on Saturday. Being generous, you could give him half a mark on two of the others. Most commentators reckon he was better than usual this week. That's not saying much.

You get 1/6 for numbers 'n stuff, @Hawko!

 

[Braveheart81]

I think Phipps is being marked a little harshly. I thought the speed of the breakdown was very quick on Saturday night and I can forgive a couple of the times he wasn't there quickly enough.

He does try to clear the ball very quickly and with that comes more of a loop and often misdirection to his passes. I'd prefer that right now to Genia taking a couple of steps before he passes almost every time.

When he doesn't need to rush the pass, he's passing it flat and accurately.

Overall, I think the Tahs are benefiting more from Phipps clearing the ball as quickly as possible than they're losing from the passes being a little wayward.

When he's throwing a longish pass, as long as it's in front of the man, it doesn't matter if it's a bit too high as they can adjust.

I agree that it's far from perfect, but I think he's getting marked against either impossible benchmarks (the oft mentioned Catchpole) or halfbacks that are taking far longer to release the ball and hence you'd expect to be far more accurate.

 

[Hawko]

You get 1/6 for numbers 'n stuff, @Hawko!

The six are the five others quoted as 1-5 plus getting to the back of every ruck quickly.

I think it adds up. My degree was in Mathematics, yours I think was in cutting people up.

 

[cyclopath]

The six are the five others quoted as 1-5 plus getting to the back of every ruck quickly.

I think it adds up. My degree was in Mathematics, yours I think was in cutting people up.

Degree?

 

[Hawko]

I agree that it's far from perfect, but I think he's getting marked against either impossible benchmarks (the oft mentioned Catchpole) or halfbacks that are taking far longer to release the ball and hence you'd expect to be far more accurate.

You are right that Catchpole is the benchmark. I'm a hard marker maybe because I expect Phipps to pass quickly and accurately. Its a measure of how good Foley is that he can cope with Phipps and still look good.

To play the up-tempo game the Tahs want to play, the halfback skills have to be there - its one of the fundamental underpinnings of the "Waratah" way. If you are going to kick the leather off it, then those fundamentals aren't required, the flyhalf can sit deep so he's unreachable and either of the halves can kick. That's Jakeball. Genia/Cooper play that a lot as do White/To'omua. Different gameplans require different skillsets.

I know I am asking a lot as halfbacks these days don't seem to get the basic training in juniors to enable them to play this style of game. But it comes down to a recruitment issue. If we choose to play a "Waratah" style, then halfback skills are one of the required underpinnings. I couldn't even tell you who we could recruit in Australia that would be better. I wish we could recruit Aaron Smith, I think he'd kill it.

 

[Pfitzy]

Yes Hawko, but are they going to be able to bench enough and get a good beep test score? Those are the basics that count apparently.

Overall, I think the Tahs are benefiting more from Phipps clearing the ball as quickly as possible than they're losing from the passes being a little wayward.

But embrace your inner kaizen guru for a moment BH, and think how much BETTER it could be!



Seriously, Agile is for wankers.