Waratahs 2011
- Thread starter fatprop
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Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
After the first trial and given the games where I have seen Turner at 13 a great Tahs backline would be:-
15. Beale
14. Pakalani
11. Mitchell
13.Turner
12. Horne
10. Barnes
9. Burgess
Bench centre would go to Cross the highlights I saw he impressed much more than he did in the entirety of last year.
15. Beale
14. Pakalani
11. Mitchell
13.Turner
12. Horne
10. Barnes
9. Burgess
Bench centre would go to Cross the highlights I saw he impressed much more than he did in the entirety of last year.
And I thought Pandas were peaceful creatures...
Could be interesting - 9,10,12,13 all good defenders. I would be cautious to see how Pakalani goes when tested in that discipline. Certainly plenty of attacking potential. Especially if Barnes doesn't drift back into the pocket too much.
I thought Cross was still too lateral; Carter was more direct. Carter really needs to work on off-loading better. But if they can get Cross going straighter, I would agree.
RugbyFuture
Lord Logo
They said the same thing about rabbits...
[video=youtube;m2qbWctMx9w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2qbWctMx9w[/video]
not if get between them and a pie .........
I would still go with Carter until I see clear evidence that Cross's lateral defence is decent again and that he can run straight and not take the Gits approach. Carter was less showy, but his passing was effective and whilst some may get annoyed with him not chucking that 50/50 pass, I prefer to see some focus on catching the ball and keeping possession in proper rugby.
#1 Tah
Chilla Wilson (44)
Our backline was brilliant at the end of last year (Burgess-Barnes-Carter-Horne-Turner-Beale) and the same goes with moving beale to 12 or 10, If it aint broken, dont fix it. Turner is a short term solution to 13 while Horne is injured, and speaking to Lachie after the game, he says he is still learning to play 13, and IMO he looked more at home on the wing or at fullback.
I would suggest if Tom hasn't twigged after five or six years of Super Rugby offloading's required he's never going to pick it up.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
From the brief highlights package I thought Carter had a great game. In the third try he ran a good line, was fast and offloaded well to Kurtley. He seemed to be in good positions for some of the other tries (one good decoy run, one good offload). I would be surprised if after the game he wasn't pencilled in at 12 on Hickeys run-on team, particularly given Cross's ball-dropping exploits.
I'd love to see Horne get a game at 12 at some stage during the season (Cheetahs or Highlanders maybe) just to see how he went. But right now Tom Carter looks the goods in a very impressive backline, albeit only one trial.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Horne hasn't played 12 since he played there for NSW schools apart for one or two games for Southern Districts. And for NSW Schools he played there more or less to let others who were specialist 13s to play outside. He had the skill set at school for 12 but I don't think a coach is going to change things in a short season like the S15 especially if there is no evidence that he can play there now.
In a long season as they have in Europe you can try guys out in other spots where there is a weakness and when the spot he usually plays in is a strength. I wrote a while back that I hoped that Horne would get a go at 12 in the trials, but that was thinking that they would have 3 of them as was usual and he could play inside centre in the first one which is usually a run for the wannabies.
I think Horne will be eased back and not even start in the first game. There is more to the Tahs agenda for Horne than playing him in a different spot.
Not to the point but I have been watching a few Super games from last year recently. Horne would have to be the best defensive outside centre in the country. I'm not just talking about how hard he can hit - others can hit just as hard, or harder - but more how intelligent he is in where to be, and in reading the play, and assessing what he can do best at an instant. Jason Little comes to mind and that is high praise.
Geez Horan was the same in his 12 position. We talk about these two from time to time but I think most folks think of their combination in attack. It was great, but their combination in defence was not appreciated enough.
But I digress.
In a long season as they have in Europe you can try guys out in other spots where there is a weakness and when the spot he usually plays in is a strength. I wrote a while back that I hoped that Horne would get a go at 12 in the trials, but that was thinking that they would have 3 of them as was usual and he could play inside centre in the first one which is usually a run for the wannabies.
I think Horne will be eased back and not even start in the first game. There is more to the Tahs agenda for Horne than playing him in a different spot.
Not to the point but I have been watching a few Super games from last year recently. Horne would have to be the best defensive outside centre in the country. I'm not just talking about how hard he can hit - others can hit just as hard, or harder - but more how intelligent he is in where to be, and in reading the play, and assessing what he can do best at an instant. Jason Little comes to mind and that is high praise.
Geez Horan was the same in his 12 position. We talk about these two from time to time but I think most folks think of their combination in attack. It was great, but their combination in defence was not appreciated enough.
But I digress.
Hawko
Tony Shaw (54)
I too hope Horne comes off the bench for the first two games. Then he can have a full go at Robbie Fruean in the third week if he's OK in the first two. From the look of the highlights reel I would like to see a backline of Barnes, Mitchell, Carter, Turner, Pakalani, Beale with Horne and one other on the bench for first two games. While Fiji weren't Crusaders class, I was pretty impressed with the backline and I reckon at least three of those tries would have been scored against most Super teams' defences. I think Turner defensively can hold both Morty and Chambers and I reckon all we need is parity in the backs up to round three because the Tah pack is significantly better than the Reds and Rebels. Round three against the Crusaders at Christchurch (bloody biased draw - we played them away last year) will be like a final in intensity and could possibly decide who gets a home final in the long run. For that game we have to have our very best team on the park, ergo Horne at 13 and Turner at 14.
Bruce Ross
Ken Catchpole (46)
Were either of you at the trial by any chance? Or perhaps in the bar with Growden?
Elsewhere there was criticism of Carter for not passing to Waugh with the line open. The fact that there was a Fijian between them might have caused him to have second thoughts.
DPK
Peter Sullivan (51)
Geez, that one's against the grain Lee.
I like to watch
David Codey (61)
There was a Fijian in the vicinity, but he should have still got the ball to Waugh.Carter has no idea how to add value to support runners, he is just a crash baller with has a good kick chase.It's either catch pass or go into contact & see what happens.
I cannot think of a less skillful 12 in the super comp.
His footwork is similiar to some of the slower locks in the comp.
Make him captain of the Uni side.
P
Parra GM
Guest
Me neither
Ham
Sydney Middleton (9)
I went down to the Force vs Sydney Barbarians and it was interesting to note the performance of Halangahu. He was totally shut down Ripia and the Force forwards. He didn't threathen the line at all, had poor decision making (that kick pass was not on) and the execution of his tactical kicking was appalling. When the replacement 10 from Gordon came on the second half the backline was a lot more cohesive. Hangers has a long way to go if he ever wants to play for the Tahs again.
Yeah, I was there, Bruce. I thought Carter did well - ran hard and straight (as I have commented earlier). BUT, he made a couple of half-breaks where an offload would have been a great play, and did offload once well (so he can do it). Would add a string to his bow if he did it more. I did not have a great view of the Waugh episode, but that was not one that sprang to mind, actually.
I was closer to the action than Grumbles Growden too.
Langthorne
Phil Hardcastle (33)
How did the others go Ham?
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