Waratahs 2011

[fatprop]

D'Arcy was always on the small and light side who I assume they thought wasn't ready to be used in a S15 match or be moved up to a full contract.

The Tahs are conservative in their development and seem to choose mature pros over the untried.

I still want to know how AFA was signed?, is he a pro acedemy or a full contract?, and how is it they can sign an Tongan U20s player to an Aus development program?

 

[inthestands]

Afa would qualify after residency, wouldn't he? Isn't it only Test, 'A' and Sevens which qualifies you for a country forever? I think U20s doesn't count anymore.

In terms of D'Arcy, consider what he would have been offered as the fifth/sixth outside back in NSW which would put him at #30 or #31 in the Waratahs squad. Surely he got offered more $$ to be a potential starter to a Heineken Cup team, and with his Irish heritage has the carrot of Test football in front of him which he wouldn't have in Australia.

At the moment the fullback options at NSW are probably, in order, Beale, Mitchell, Turner, Anesi. The wings are probably Mitchell, Turner, Karauria-Henry, Anesi, Pakalani. There's going to be far worse in Australia and the rest of the comp..

 

[Lee Grant]

Langthorne and Hawko - you birds are on fire.



On Nadolo (who was listed on the Borguin team sheet as Nasiganiyavi in an Amlin Cup game) - I've seen him play just 2 games as his team isn't on TV much. In one Top14 game he hardly got the ball and when he got it he dropped it. He played quite well in the Amlin Cup game against Newcastle including taking some high balls, but once on defence he had two coming at him but rather than go for the ball carrier and at least hoping for a forward or dropped pass, he stayed out and let the guy stroll in.

There quite a few Fijian wingers better than Nadolo playing in Europe.

On D'Arcy: he had a poor game for Ulster in September against Edinburgh (his first game?) trying too hard to impress, and got dropped. His replacement Smith (smaller than D'Arcy) played quite well; so Adam couldn't get back in. Smith got hurt the game before last but Adam wasn't picked to start against Biarritz on the weekend and they used a winger at fullback instead. The other winger got hurt after 25 minutes so Adam got some good game time from the bench, but the match wasn't on TV; so I don't know how he went.

Watch this space.

 

[RugbyReg]

here's Afa. Interesting running style. Looks like he's about to fall over.

[video=youtube;o9H2UKR1Oc4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9H2UKR1Oc4[/video]

 

[wamberal]

Too good for the Tahs. Anesi is more their speed.

 

[Hawko]

Langthorne and Hawko - you birds are on fire.



On Nadolo (who was listed on the Borguin team sheet as Nasiganiyavi in an Amlin Cup game) - I've seen him play just 2 games as his team isn't on TV much. In one Top14 game he hardly got the ball and when he got it he dropped it. He played quite well in the Amlin Cup game against Newcastle including taking some high balls, but once on defence he had two coming at him but rather than go for the ball carrier and at least hoping for a forward or dropped pass, he stayed out and let the guy stroll in.

There quite a few Fijian wingers better than Nadolo playing in Europe.

On D'Arcy: he had a poor game for Ulster in September against Edinburgh (his first game?) trying too hard to impress, and got dropped. His replacement Smith (smaller than D'Arcy) played quite well; so Adam couldn't get back in. Smith got hurt the game before last but Adam wasn't picked to start against Biarritz on the weekend and they used a winger at fullback instead. The other winger got hurt after 25 minutes so Adam got some good game time from the bench, but the match wasn't on TV; so I don't know how he went.

Watch this space.

Lee,

It was Rugby Reg who wanted Nadolo instead of Anesi. I think as a Reds fan he's just trying to rub it in. While I used to be a Nadolo fan, the Top 14 stuff I saw from him this year has put me right off. Every game I have seen him in, he has been a turnstile. Pakalani on the video highlights looks OK, but the lowlights never seem to make the highlights package.

On form this year, I still think D'Arcy is a long way in front of Anesi, especially as this will be his last year playing for us.

 

[Hawko]

Hawko - incadescent rage is about right on this one. WTF is Hickey thinking?! Is the state of rugby in NSW so bad that we have to persevere with Anesi AND bring in another Kiwi?! Utter madness. On the bright side, I'm actually feeling a bit better about RD as a Wallaby coach when I compare him with Hickey.

Yes, it does make Deans look good, but for me that's just an indicator of how bad Hickey is. Deans has strengths and weaknesses, so there are some things about the Wallaby season that are pluses (eg. Deans championed Beale long before Hickey belatedly gave him a chance). Maybe WJ can list Hickey's strengths, for me the only one I can see is that his relationships with the players seem to be OK. I'd just be wasting space if I listed all his failings. Roll on 2012!

 

[inthestands]

Yes, it does make Deans look good, but for me that's just an indicator of how bad Hickey is. Deans has strengths and weaknesses, so there are some things about the Wallaby season that are pluses (eg. Deans championed Beale long before Hickey belatedly gave him a chance). Maybe WJ can list Hickey's strengths, for me the only one I can see is that his relationships with the players seem to be OK. I'd just be wasting space if I listed all his failings. Roll on 2012!

We have short memories don't we? When the backline wasn't doing much in 2009 he dropped Beale from No.10 to the bench, then brought him back in at No.12 and at that point the team fired in South Africa. Everyone thought Beale had finally found his place. So Hickey gave Beale another chance at No.12 to start the year and he didn't go well. Hickey then tried Halangahu and Barnes at 10-12, then finally Barnes-Carter with Beale at the back... voila! They found the best use for Beale. From there, he held onto the spot and ended up with Wallaby selection.

All I'm saying is it's short-sighted to say Hickey 'belatedly' gave him a chance when we were all so impressed with KB (Kurtley Beale)'s form at 12 at the back end of the 2009 S14.

 

[Ruggo]

Tahs backline looks good.

9/ Burgess
10/ Barnes
11/ Mitchell
12/ Cross
13/ Horne
14/ Turner
15/ Beale

Cross looked good when he shifted to 12 for the Force this year. The best thing for the Tahs would be if Barnes could get his hands on that 12 Wallaby jersey and return with a attacking mindset. Should this happen, hopefully that brilliantly average coach of theirs won't piss it against the wall. The Quallity of the Tahs pack speaks for itself so this backline should see some good ball.

 

[barbarian]

That is a very good S14 backline, although our depth in the outside backs is not fantastic. I would suspect BKH or Anesi will come in if one of the back 3 go down, and thats a fair drop in talent.

Saw the S15 odds today, Waratahs on the 7th line at $15. Jeez I reckon there is no reason why we can't give the title a nudge if guys like TPN, Robbo, Palu, Beale and Mitchell stay fit. I suppose that is a big if.

 

[Jnor]

What about TC? After seeing the highlights of Cross from the last few years I have no doubt he had talent, but given his Shute form recently he seems a spent force - get it?

 

[fatprop]

Tahs backline looks good.

9/ Burgess
10/ Barnes
11/ Mitchell
12/ Cross
13/ Horne
14/ Turner
15/ Beale

Cross looked good when he shifted to 12 for the Force this year. The best thing for the Tahs would be if Barnes could get his hands on that 12 Wallaby jersey and return with a attacking mindset. Should this happen, hopefully that brilliantly average coach of theirs won't piss it against the wall. The Quallity of the Tahs pack speaks for itself so this backline should see some good ball.

I think Carter is better and more reliable than Cross

Barnes will be Barnes, attacking mindset? he will play the percentages until he sees a mis match, just as he did for uni.

 

[en_force_er]

It depends. If Barnes plays 12 on the Spring tour and if Halangahu has a good preseason, I'd play Barnes at 12.

 

[MrTimms]

Just saw my google news update, resigned Anesi...

Say it ain't so...

Posted using Tapatalk on Android.

 

[waratahjesus]

Yes, it does make Deans look good, but for me that's just an indicator of how bad Hickey is. Deans has strengths and weaknesses, so there are some things about the Wallaby season that are pluses (eg. Deans championed Beale long before Hickey belatedly gave him a chance). Maybe WJ can list Hickey's strengths, for me the only one I can see is that his relationships with the players seem to be OK. I'd just be wasting space if I listed all his failings. Roll on 2012!

how does it make deans look good that he is playing beale in a position hickey has already played him? Hickey has coached him int the wallabies, deans has used him. Hickey coached the tahs to a win over all three aussie sides last year and made the finals. Faults were not winning a title but then that puts him on equal footing with every other aussie coach including deans so he would have to be ranked better.

i think this year will provide the biggest test, the way QLD played and with the wallaby experience they have picked up due to injuries to the tahs players the reds would have o go in as favourites, therefore if hickey guides NSW to top place (int he aussie conference) he really should be offered the job for another year, if not, i htink its a foregone conclusion foley will be coach come 2012

 

[RugbyReg]

how does it make deans look good that he is playing beale in a position hickey has already played him? Hickey has coached him int the wallabies, deans has used him. Hickey coached the tahs to a win over all three aussie sides last year and made the finals. Faults were not winning a title but then that puts him on equal footing with every other aussie coach including deans so he would have to be ranked better.

i think this year will provide the biggest test, the way QLD played and with the wallaby experience they have picked up due to injuries to the tahs players the reds would have o go in as favourites, therefore if hickey guides NSW to top place (int he aussie conference) he really should be offered the job for another year, if not, i htink its a foregone conclusion foley will be coach come 2012

of the Reds once Link has taken over Robbie's spot?

 

[fatprop]

of the Reds once Link has taken over Robbie's spot?

Foley, as a good New South Welshman, is back home and happily living on the central coast. He stopped his Aus stuff to stay more with his family up there

 

[waratahjesus]

of the Reds once Link has taken over Robbie's spot?

i heard down here foley turned down the reds link now has in order to stay with nsw, but maybe times have changed, who knows. Link should be coaching the wallabies now instead of the foreign aid wannabe.

 

[RugbyReg]

Foley, as a good New South Welshman, is back home and happily living on the central coast. He stopped his Aus stuff to stay more with his family up there

and you can bet Link will want to get back to Sydney pdq as well. His family still live there, I believe, and have since he first left for Paris. I am sure he'd love to be back living in the same city as them.

 

[Richo]

And give up the frequent flyer miles?