Tahs v Canes @ SFS - Round 12

[wamberal]

Worlds slowest wingers and a 12 who gets stuck on the wing in defense

A fly half who cannot kick, an invisible captain, a half-back with very little talent.

 

[JSRF10]

Waratahs: Israel Folau, Matt Carraro, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Rob Horne, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis (c), Jacques Potgieter, Kane Douglas, Paddy Ryan, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Res: Tolu Latu, Jeremy Tilse, Sekope Kepu, Will Skelton, Stephen Hoiles or Pat McCutcheon, Brendan McKibbin, Jono Lance, Alofa Alofa or Cam Crawford.

 

[Pfitzy]

Late Oirish - late!

Right fuckers: who is going, and where are you sitting? I've still got Bays 54-55 written on my membership, but fuck that. @Badger and @Lindommer and I will go the sneaky just like last time.


End thus time therz gunna be a shutload uv kuywuys cherrung theer tuym eh?

 

[JSRF10]

Late Oirish - late!

Right fuckers: who is going, and where are you sitting? I've still got Bays 54-55 written on my membership, but fuck that. @Badger and @Lindommer and I will go the sneaky just like last time.


End thus time therz gunna be a shutload uv kuywuys cherrung theer tuym eh?

Doh, should have checked the first page.

In the space of 2 months we've gone from one of the quickest back lines in the comp to one of the slowest. Not that it matters game plan in attack will still be pass it around like a hot potato! Bring back some pick and drives and don't for the love of god kick the ball badly to the Canes back 3.

 

[Pfitzy]

Taphouse for beers beforehand Oirish. You're home to Quins this weekend so I expect you and a dozen other degenerates with funny accents to front up and support the Tahs. Bring that nice young lady from WA with you so she can at least understand someone in the room.

 

[JSRF10]

Taphouse for beers beforehand Oirish. You're home to Quins this weekend so I expect you and a dozen other degenerates with funny accents to front up and support the Tahs. Bring that nice young lady from WA with you so she can at least understand someone in the room.

Nice stroll Taxi up Anzac Parade for us to the game, its our ladies day so there'll be a crowd of us heading to the game afterwards all sober as a judge no doubt. 50:50 on the Taphouse at this stage, depends what time the festivities in Coogee wrap up at but I hope to make some sort of appearance. No doubt you'll give me a sly dig inside the ground at some stage anyways.

 

[Quick Hands]

Worlds slowest wingers and a 12 who gets stuck on the wing in defense

Correct, so how does this fit in with the stated plan to speed up the game? Baffling on so many fronts.

 

[Dave Beat]

Beale still at 12????
Looks like I'll be staying in Manly then

 

[Quick Hands]

Beale still at 12????
Looks like I'll be staying in Manly then

A back line straight out of the Robbie Deans Coaching Manual. I've had to check it 4 or 5 times to make sure I'm reading what I think I'm reading.

 

[Pfitzy]

I'm not thrilled either, but fucking bar up lads! You sound like those dickheads over the TheBore who are bitching about the NRC setup.

Sun Tzu once said: "Just get the fuck along and support your team, you weak prick!"

Maybe it was the Dalai Lama, I forget.

Anywayyyyyyy

You blokes AREN'T dickheads - I just said so, therefore it's the truth. And once we've reduced these kiwis to a twitching puddle we can go get a beer and you can tell me stories about how awesome I am, and I'll pretend I haven't heard it all before to humour you.

Win-win!

 

[ShtinaTina]

Sun Tzu once said: "Just get the fuck along and support your team, you weak prick!"

Maybe it was the Dalai Lama, I forget.

Anywayyyyyyy

You blokes AREN'T dickheads - I just said so, therefore it's the truth.

Win-win!

Oh that Lama man always speaks sense.

Umm I'm not a bloke but also happy I'm not a dickhead

 

[Hawko]

Waratahs: Israel Folau, Matt Carraro, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Rob Horne, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis (c), Jacques Potgieter, Kane Douglas, Paddy Ryan, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Res: Tolu Latu, Jeremy Tilse, Sekope Kepu, Will Skelton, Stephen Hoiles or Pat McCutcheon, Brendan McKibbin, Jono Lance, Alofa Alofa or Cam Crawford.

This is a pretty baffling team, though the squad is what it is:

1. I didn't see what Cam Crawford did wrong last week - maybe I need to re-watch the game, but it hurts too much to do that. Carraro is a back-up 13 who can fill in on the wing. Crawford is an up-and-coming young winger who is likely to be pretty pissed off by now and unless he's given a decent shot soon will probably leave next year. Crawford has got a decent boot on him too, not like our first choice line-penalty kicker.
2. After last week I wanted to see KB (Kurtley Beale) stay at 11 and come into flyhalf occasionally to spring a surprise. He would be very good as the inside runner to Foley. That would lead to running a 12 who can really make the gain line and then recycle safely.
3. Phipps has had heaps of chances and at the beginning of the season was looking great, but its all been downhill from there. McKibbin or Lucas had to start this week, my vote would go to McKibbin who is usually a reliable kicker from penalties (notwithstanding the disastrous box kick last week).
4. Dennis may be captain and lineout king, but Pots was good in the lineout last week and Skelton has had a series of good games and for a game as important as this one Skelton should be starting. With Douglas, Potgeiter and Palu as the main jumpers we would not lose too much to the Canes, who don't have a great lineout.
5. Dennis was loud in his criticism of the handling last week but that criticism was needed after 20 minutes on the field, not in the press conference after the game. Hooper to captain.
6. That front row with Ryan is a penalty magnet, but with Kepu totally out of form what else is there to do? At least the Canes scrum is average. I would bring Tilse on at 50 though, he has not disgraced himself in his game time this year. Maybe at a mature 27 he might at last come into his own?
7. Encouraging to see Alofa Bread is almost ready to come back.

There is talent to burn in this team and if they can just eliminate the rubbish they have been serving up for the last month they can go terrific. Although they threw away the game last week, there were parts of their play that were very impressive. I have never seen a Waratah team with this level of forward physicality; there's a lot to like if we can just get the game plan right.

 

[Dave Beat]

Dennis has done nothing he stays.
Skelton has been one of the stronger forwards and he's not starting.
Beale who has been poor at 12 stays at 12.
We have a centre on each wing.

Did I read that right?
Am I having a dream?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Worlds slowest wingers and a 12 who gets stuck on the wing in defense

I think you'll find if you have a look at the Badger's intercept that Crawford spots him 5-7m and runs him down.

 

[Dave Beat]

I think you'll find if you have a look at the Badger's intercept that Crawford spots him 5-7m and runs him down.

But crawford is on the bench

 

[Inside Shoulder]

But crawford is on the bench

So Carraro was the point of that? My apologies.
But I would like to just make the point that Crawford is quicker, certainly, than I thought: his long term career is enhanced by not playing on the end of this presently dysfunctional backline.

 

[CTPE]

I went looking for alternatives and the cupboard is pretty bare!

NSW Waratahs 2014 squad (one to be added)

Forwards (senior club, age)
Mitchell Chapman (Eastern Suburbs, 30)
Dave Dennis (Sydney University, 27)
Kane Douglas (Southern Districts, 24)
Tala Gray (Eastern Suburbs, 23)*
Jed Holloway (Southern Districts, 20)
Michael Hooper (Manly, 21)
Sekope Kepu (Randwick, 27)
Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University, 26)
Tolu Latu (Sydney University, 20)*
Wycliff Palu (Manly, 31)
Tatafu Polota Nau (Parramatta, 28)
Jacques Potgieter (27)*
Benn Robinson (Eastwood, 29)
Paddy Ryan (Sydney University, 25)
Will Skelton (Sydney University, 21)
Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University, 27)

Backs
Adam Ashley-Cooper (Northern Suburbs, 29)
Matt Carraro (29)*
Kurtley Beale (24)*
Peter Betham (Sydney University, 24)
Cam Crawford (Northern Suburbs, 24)
Bernard Foley (Sydney University, 24)
Israel Folau (Sydney University, 24)
Michael Hodge (Sydney University, 24)
Rob Horne (Southern Districts, 24)
Jono Lance (23)*
Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs, 28)
Nick Phipps (Sydney University, 24)
Ben Volavola (Southern Districts, 22)

 

[Dave Beat]

I went looking for alternatives and the cupboard is pretty bare!

NSW Waratahs 2014 squad (one to be added)

Forwards (senior club, age)
Mitchell Chapman (Eastern Suburbs, 30)
Dave Dennis (Sydney University, 27)
Kane Douglas (Southern Districts, 24)
Tala Gray (Eastern Suburbs, 23)*
Jed Holloway (Southern Districts, 20)
Michael Hooper (Manly, 21)
Sekope Kepu (Randwick, 27)
Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University, 26)
Tolu Latu (Sydney University, 20)*
Wycliff Palu (Manly, 31)
Tatafu Polota Nau (Parramatta, 28)
Jacques Potgieter (27)*
Benn Robinson (Eastwood, 29)
Paddy Ryan (Sydney University, 25)
Will Skelton (Sydney University, 21)
Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University, 27)

Backs
Adam Ashley-Cooper (Northern Suburbs, 29)
Matt Carraro (29)*
Kurtley Beale (24)*
Peter Betham (Sydney University, 24)
Cam Crawford (Northern Suburbs, 24)
Bernard Foley (Sydney University, 24)
Israel Folau (Sydney University, 24)
Michael Hodge (Sydney University, 24)
Rob Horne (Southern Districts, 24)
Jono Lance (23)*
Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs, 28)
Nick Phipps (Sydney University, 24)
Ben Volavola (Southern Districts, 22)

Bare???
Do you mean for wingers?
Last year Bread was playing Shute - this year it appears he is first choice if not injured.
Could there be another SS winger who could step up?
I think Beale FB, and Izzy wing is better than the structure selected this week.
With regards to # 6
I'd prefer Jackpot @ 6, and Skelton in the second row, with Dennis able to cover either off the bench.

 

[A mutterer]

Wow that team sheet is a head scratcher

 

[Braveheart81]

Bare???
Do you mean for wingers?
Last year Bread was playing Shute - this year it appears he is first choice if not injured.
Could there be another SS winger who could step up?
I think Beale FB, and Izzy wing is better than the structure selected this week.

Alofa has been part of the squad since late last year (initially as an invited player before being given an EPS spot).

Whilst there could definitely be wingers in the Shute Shield that could achieve the same standard it's not like you can draft one into the team for a single week and expect it to work out.

I too would have shuffled the backline around and am not sure why Crawford has been dropped. Carraro is fine on the wing though. He's had some good cameos, particularly early in the season.

I think this team will get the job done against the Hurricanes.