Waratahs 2010

[RugbyReg]

and for playing for brothers...

 

[Scotty]

I was a bit surprised that he made the Wallabies tour group but thought it was fair enough to take him over as a development player to use in the 2 mid week games. Unlike Dave Dennis I haven't seen enough of him in the 15 man game in senior rugby to form an opinion that he's a crook choice. And if I had I would, as in the case of Dennis, suspect that my opinion was probably bunk.

I reckon Kingi has all the skills required, but is still looking like a 7s rather than 15s player. Development reasons can be the only reasons he was selected, because he isn't up to starting at 9 for the Reds let alone the Wallabies (yet).

 

[cheezel]

I thought they put him in the squad to lock him up for the Wallabies so he doesn't get pinched by the kiwis. They'll play him for 5 minutes at the end of the Scot game to seal the deal.

 

[Lee Grant]

I reckon Kingi has all the skills required, but is still looking like a 7s rather than 15s player.

That's what I thought when I saw him playing for Oz in the U/20 tournament this year.

Kingi is already locked into Oz because he has played for Oz 7s.

 

[TOCC]

i dont like McKibbon, he is a reasonably solid player but from what i have encountered he is a bit of a wanka as well

I thought being a wanka was a pre requisite for playing 9.

on the field yes, but he has been a solid wanka attitude off the field as well

 

[Biffo]

Stop worrying, Q'landers. He can't play. If he could the saviour holy trinity of advisers would have retained him

 

[Lee Grant]

Anyone see this guy play?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Stapleton

He's now in Japan.

Saw him quite a few times for Qld and Oz Schools, in the ARC and for Oz 7s. That Wikipedia time as a 16 y.o. was actually 10.27 secs. Apparently he bulked up to play rugby. He still looked fast as a 17 y.o. but didn't look as fast as 10.27.

The last time I saw him play it was for Oz 7s and he must have bulked up more because he didn't look any faster that your average quick winger.

 

[RugbyReg]

just dug up my write up on Stapo after a schoolboys test v Samoa:

Brett Stapleton. Ok After 3 quarters of the match I was prepared to write this guy off as a one trick pony. He is fast as hell. But he showed nothing else. Tried a few chip and chases with embarrassing results. Very poor. But then the last 15 minutes or so scored 2 and set up another which was disallowed. Showed some obvious class. Not ready for S14 yet I don’t think, but one to watch. Commonwealth Games and 7s next year at least.

interesting few other names from that game:

2 James Hanson. Conflict of Interest. He goes to my old school. I thought he was very impressive around the field. Particularly early on with some big hits and burrowing runs. As per a lot of modern hookers his throwing was wayward and so will his career be if he doesn’t improve it.

3 Ben Daly. More your workhorse. A very good work rate. Always getting to the rucks and mauls early. How productive he was I am not positive. Al Baxterish perhaps?


7 David Pocock. This guy was my man of the match. He was everywhere. Big hits, strong runs, stolen ball. Non stop.

15. Lachlan Turner. Tried hard. Has some ability but fooked up a lot. Beale was doing everything to put him into gaps but he kept dropping it.

22 Quade Cooper. The other 16 year old flyhalf in the squad. And a QLDer this time. Played ace v Japan apparently and when he came on Beale went to fullback. It seems they enjoyed each others play as Cooper became the playmaker and Beale played around a bit wider. Cooper is another Larkham like character who seems like he has ample time and is only jogging, takes the ball to the line and then delivers a quality flat ball to his runners. Will be interesting to see how he develops.

At the time most of what I wrote was about Beale. I still hold high hopes for Kurtley. This match was the first time I saw him play and said:

One of a natural flyhalf’s best qualities, and one his most unheralded, is the support play particularly in looping his outside men. Beale was just always there. Whenever his centre, fullback or wing was able to get the ball away, or when the scrummie got quick ball from a ruck, Beale was there.

There was one early play when it put on a monster cut out pass which found his outside man perfectly. He looped beautifully and had the ball on a short blind with plenty of defence. He shimmied, showed the ball and beat men. He looked set to be taken out in the corner but threw a cracking dummy and tip toed down the sideline only to be ruled to have taken the corner post out when he dived. He did score a try (maybe two) later, and set up plenty. His kicking game out of hand was average so I would be interested to hear what others have thought of it previously. But his passing is sublime. His reading of play just simply natural. His pace is decent, evidenced by him finishing the match at fullback. His defence was never really tested, I think more because he had a fantastic open side flanker and inside centre doing a lot of work for him.

 

[Lee Grant]

That brought back memories Noddy. That game you mentioned was probably in 2005 when Beale was the flyhalf in the starting team and Cooper was on the bench.

One memory your post brought back was of a year later when they were both in the starting team and of how well Cooper and Beale played together in the Oz Schools v Tonga Schools match at Hunters Hill. Bloody hell - that was only 3 years ago and didn't they enjoy playing with each other. What a lot of water has flowed under the rugby bridge for the two lads since then; but I always thought it would.

Yeah, you hardly ever see the backing up moves of Beale these days. He was like Mark Ella in that respect at the schools level. Maybe it was because he was the best player in the backline at school and he had licence to hog the ball a bit.

He was a good fullback at school, wasn't he? He often switched to fullback for Joeys when the other team had the pill. It wasn't because of weak defence: he was a big schools back in Yr 12 and he could stop most kids standing up. He went to fullback because the Joeys forwards turned over so much pill that they counter attacked a lot and Beale was like an predatory outside back on those occasions.

He was to play fullback for the Oz U/20 team this year and he looked good there in a trial, but he got crocked early on in the tournament.

In that 2006 game at Hunters Hill Beale at 10 put Cooper at 12 through gaps all day, and especially in the 1st half. They were giggling together too afterwards, much like the Ella boys did at Coogee Oval all those years ago.

In a couple of weeks' time they could be both on the park for the same side again; this time for the Wallabies in a mid-week game, and if they are it will probably be Cooper at 10 and Beale at 12. I hope they giggle again.


I used to write some posts on a word processor; so I'll have to look them up to see if I have anything of that era.

 

[RugbyReg]

NSW site has an article on Waratah training starts.

They have this pic:

with the caption:

Nemani Nadolo on day one of the 2010 pre-season.

Can anyone provide any info on this lad?

 

[fatprop]

No idea and as the Tahs website has gone to shit over the last months there are no details.

 

[naza]

NSW site has an article on Waratah training starts.

They have this pic:

with the caption:

Nemani Nadolo on day one of the 2010 pre-season.

Can anyone provide any info on this lad?

That's Ratu Nasiganiyavi. Nemani is his middle name. He looks like he's been on Kurtley Beale's diet.

 

[RugbyReg]

Nemani is his middle name.

and the Nadolo bit?

 

[Scarfman]

Can anyone provide any info on this lad?

Yep, sure.

He's a big, Christian, Islander lad who isn't too concerned about UV rays.

 

[RugbyReg]

Interesting signing by the Tahs.

The HSBC Waratahs have further improved the depth in their already impressive forward pack with the signing of New Zealand-born second rower Cam Jowitt.

Jowitt, 26, returned to New Zealand earlier this year following four seasons with reigning European Champions Leinster. He will arrive in Sydney later this month after completing the 2010 season with New Zealand provincial side Northland.

At 201cm Jowitt will be used primarily as a lock, however his impressive ball-carrying skills and speed around the park enable him to play at flanker as well.

"We're a lot more comfortable with our forwards now that we've been able to secure Cam Jowitt for 2010," said HSBC Waratahs Head Coach Chris Hickey. "His addition will further strengthen our forward pack next season.

"We feel we're in a stronger situation to 2009 and we're confident the increased second row depth will further improve our tight five."

Jowitt will join Will Caldwell, Chris Thomson, and former Emerging Springbok Hendrik Roodt as specialist second rowers in the squad, Kane Douglas provides further depth from the HSBC Junior Waratahs while Dean Mumm has the ability to play as a blindside flanker or lock.

"Will Caldwell and Dean Mumm did a great job for us in 2009, but we needed to strengthen the team in the lock position to cover for possible injury," said Hickey. "The depth we have now is certainly going to provide some selection headaches, but they're the type of headaches you like to have as a coach."

A New Zealand Schools representative in 2001, Jowitt went on to represent New Zealand Universities in 2003 before making his NPC debut for Auckland in 2004.

In 2005 Jowitt was signed to Irish side Leinster where he played 57 matches in four seasons alongside players such as Irish internationals Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Malcolm O'Kelly, and former HSBC Waratahs Chris Whitaker and Rocky Elsom.

Following the 2008/09 Heineken Cup and Magners League Seasons, Jowitt returned to New Zealand where he played in the NPC for Northland. At just 26 years of age Jowitt is already a veteran of 70 provincial caps and will join the NSW squad in late November.

Due to his Australian ancestry, Jowitt does not require exemption to play for New South Wales under either the developing foreign player or marquee player rules.

Name: Cameron Jowitt
Position: Lock/Backrow
Physical: 201cm, 113kg
Born: 5 February 1983, Auckland NZL
Club / Province: Waipu / Northland
Provincial Caps: 70 (Auckland 3, Leinster 57, Northland 10)
Provincial Points: 30 [Leinster 30 (6t)]
Provincial Debut: 2004 v Poverty Bay (Auckland)

 

[RugbyReg]

yep, Naza is right the pic is Ratu. Going by his mum's maiden name now too.

 

[Lindommer]

yep, Naza is right the pic is Ratu. Going by his mum's maiden name now too.

Well, it's a damned sight easier to spell. And say.

 

[fatprop]

Cam Jowitt didn't get a very favourable review from the Leinster supporters on PR. We will see.

 

[Moses]

Cam Jowitt didn't get a very favourable review from the Leinster supporters on PR. We will see.

nor did he make Lindommer's list!

 

[Biffo]

Cam Jowitt didn't get a very favourable review from the Leinster supporters on PR. We will see.

nor did he make Lindommer's list!

Lindommer not guilty. The bloke was a kiwi until he signed with the Tahs.