Vickerman to play with Northampton ASAP

[Burke's Boot]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...th-waratahs-and-wallabies-20110131-1ab7j.html

Terrific news as we need him match fit after nearly three years away from the pro-game.

 

[Gagger]

Surely at the very most he's injury cover for Sharpie?

 

[Lee Grant]

In a way, nothing much has changed: things still look unlikely. Before it was the unlikelihood that he wouldn't be able to get fit enough to play for the Tahs in 2011 and thereby put his hand up for the Wallabies. Now it is the unlikelihood that he will get fit enough, soon enough, to get any time to play for the Northampton Saints.

The difference is that the new unlikelihood is something closer to the present. This makes the original unlikelihood less unlikely.

I never thought he would have the time to prove himself for the Wallabies squad by playing the odd game for the Tahs. I always thought that the only scenario wherein he could play for Oz in the RWC was if the Wallabies picked their squad for 3N this year, as normal, then added him to it as a development player, so to speak, to bring him up to speed within the group. During this time he would be playing every Saturday for his old club, Sydney Uni. After being out of pro rugby for so long that will probably still be the case.

Northampton, 2nd favourites for the premiership as we speak, will have a bigger agenda than helping Vickers to get match fit. If he can't cut the mustard, he will be lucky to get a run in their Twos. But if he can cut it; boy, if he can....

Folks will belittle his chances of making it, and there would be some sense in doing so, but watch the minds switch over if he stays healthy and others don't.

 

[TOCC]

his good insurance il grant him that... However, without been privy to what his training schedule has been over the past 2 years, il assume that his strenghts and anaerobic capacity has dropped off quite a bit.. For a bloke of his stature and age, it will take a solid 12months of training to recover his losses..

My biggest concern for Vickerman, going on his injury checkered past is that he will push himself to hard to early and injure himself, you see it happen all the time with athletes who have sojourns, there body psychically isnt prepared for the training regime that they put it through and they suffer injuries.

However, in saying that, a 3/4 fit Vickerman still ranks pretty highly in terms of Australian second row stocks.

 

[qwerty51]

You're underrating the durability of Vickerman. In 2008 he played every minute of every game up until he went off injured in the final. Safe to say that if he didn't get injured (along with Beale) the Tahs would have won that final.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

I read somewhere the wallaby strength and conditioning coach (can't remember who it is) has had bucks on am intensive targeted training schedule for some time to get him up to pro rugby condition. BUT, he is doing it alone. In my experience you always train harder in a team environment. But he should be old enough to know hard he has to go.

 

[en_force_er]

I'd have no qualms with Vickerman walking into a Wallaby game and playing some big minutes in the inbound tests so that he can prove he deserves a WC spot.

Alas we don't have a test series against Wales or someone similar this time around. In fact, we only have 1 non-3N or WC game next year.

I just don't see how we could fit him in, as I doubt he will find time to prove himself with the Tahs.

 

[en_force_er]

If he sticks around maybe he could play in 2015, he will be 35 but it's been done of the odd occasion and surely the huge break did his body some good.

 

[fatprop]

Same as William did at Nottingham

 

[Ruggo]

Vickerman is good or was a good player in his day. The whole signing of him by the ARU is a joke. By the time he is ready to play for the Tahs one would hope they had a very settled pair of locks that at are fucnctioning well. With the lock stocks available we have Vickermans attributes covered. Sharpie to run a well drilled lineout and Horwill to provide the up front aggression. The investment in Simmons is paying off. Should depth be tested we have several other options, some old and some young.

I like Vickerman but I don't see his return as a wise investment for Australian Rugby.

 

[Jets]

I think the investment in Vickerman is better use of funds that the money spent on Waugh. At least he is a chance of going to the World Cup. I also think he adds something that no other lock in Australia has. He plays with a great level of controlled aggression. Horwill is getting better at this and being captain of the Reds may help. Also Vickerman annoys the hell out of the South Africans and seems to put a lot of them off their game when he plays against them. Hickey seems to have the best outlook on him. Don't expect him to be the saviour but anything you get out of him is a bonus.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

. By the time he is ready to play for the Tahs one would hope they had a very settled pair of locks that at are fucnctioning well. .

thinking back to Samo coming into the Reds squad mid last season, and looking forward at a longer season this year, having a key forward come in at the season's climax is no bad thing, particularly in a position where the Tahs have limited depth.

 

[Ruggo]

thinking back to Samo coming into the Reds squad mid last season, and looking forward at a longer season this year, having a key forward come in at the season's climax is no bad thing, particularly in a position where the Tahs have limited depth.

I don't disagree with that at all. Hopefully all the Aussie teams have limited injuries and the Tahs will be in good enough shape not to need him. Without the game time, I just don't see the value in him for the Wallabies. Even if he does not take the field, he will be of huge value to the Tahs as I could not think of a better player to be mentoring young Kane Douglas.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think having Vicks in the mix can do nothing but help us. However, I too share the doubts that he'll be ready to go by 3N time. Still, I'd like the option of having Sharpe, Horwill, Simmons and Vicks as our locks come RWC time. That looks to have some real depth and quality.

 

[Burke's Boot]

Vickerman is good or was a good player in his day. The whole signing of him by the ARU is a joke. By the time he is ready to play for the Tahs one would hope they had a very settled pair of locks that at are fucnctioning well. With the lock stocks available we have Vickermans attributes covered. Sharpie to run a well drilled lineout and Horwill to provide the up front aggression. The investment in Simmons is paying off. Should depth be tested we have several other options, some old and some young.

I like Vickerman but I don't see his return as a wise investment for Australian Rugby.

His signature isn't just for this year. I think a lot of people have forgotten what a world class lock Dan the Man is from pushing in the scrum, lineouts, hitting the ball up, hitting the ruck. He also doesn't have a lot of miles on the clock for his age given the break. If he starts playing for the Saints soon rather than having to wait a month or two till they say he is fit, he really could be our wild card come Sept-Oct. Will bookmark this thread and give it a bump later in the year when the verdict is in and i hope im not wrong as we need him.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I don't think anyone doubts his quality, just how match fit he'll be come 3N/RWC time.

 

[en_force_er]

That being said, you need 4 locks for a WC campaign (plus an extra ready to go back home).

You could do worse then having him provide experience against Russia, USA and maybe even Italy (depending on their 6Ns performance) while the other experienced Locks (Sharpe and Horwill) rest up for the bigger games.

 

[fatprop]

We are a better squad with a fit, in form Vickerman than without him, and if he isn't - well we go with what we have now.

 

[Slim 293]

We are a better squad with a fit, in form Vickerman than without him, and if he isn't - well we go with what we have now.

I think the main concern is that even if he's not fit or in form he might get a spot over a better player based on reputation.

Wouldn't be the first time.

 

[fatprop]

A half in form/half fit Vickerman is better than Mumm & Chisholm