Waratahs 2011

[DPK]

Even if I must speak to the NSWRU directly.

NSWRU speaking directly with a member of the Reds training squad? Here come the accusations of poaching... :

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

ok, so my son (as many of you know) is a big Tahs fan. I slowly have him coming around to the reds to the point that he says he does like the Reds, just the Tahs a little better. Ironically it was the Tahs under Link that he first 'fell in love' with. He has now put a couple of Reds and a Wallaby posters up in his room, but he would like a Tahs poster. So if any of my Sydney based friends comes across a spare Tahs poster, at a game or something, and is prepared to send it up to me you can rest assured that you've made one young boy very happy, but you've also pissed off his Reds loving dad.

Cheers

Found a Waratahs bumper sticker you could have. Slap it on your car and drive him around with pride.

 

[MrTimms]

I am pretty sure I have some stuff. I know I have a 2008 poster that is laminated, has link front and centre.

Might have a couple of other things too.

Sent from my Android using Tapatalk

 

[RugbyReg]

As long as Lacky Turner is there (oh, and preferably Drew Mitchell) he'd be a happy camper.

 

[topo]

I haven't seen the 2011 one yet, but I'm pretty sure I have a couple of the 2010 squad posters somewhere. I'll have a look around.

 

[MrTimms]

Lacky yes, Schmoo no.

 

[fatprop]

Shirvo's speed sessions will put Waratahs in the running - Hickey
Daniel Lewis
February 14, 2011

NSW Waratahs coach Chris Hickey says his players will go into the Super Rugby season this week physically more powerful than they were last year thanks to speed training from former sprinter Matt Shirvington.

''Our athletic preparation was really important,'' Hickey said yesterday of pre-season training. ''We looked to make some progress in that area and full credit to the players. They have worked really hard over the past six or seven months to achieve those goals.

''We wanted to improve our athletic development. That was a matter of being more powerful, it was a matter of being quicker - and we have done a lot of work with Matt Shirvington in that regard.
Advertisement: Story continues below

''[He has] been looking at developing their technique and their speed, and their ability to put back-to-back efforts together and not lose good running form.

''That complements the other physical development we were looking for. Power is about being stronger and faster, and we think we've been able to achieve that.

''Once you get to this level of football, there's not a hell of a lot between any of the players in terms of sheer speed. Quite often it comes down to your ability to put back-to-back efforts together at pace, so we hope the work we've done with Matt Shirvington will have prepared us for that.''

The Waratahs had their first training run at Victoria Barracks yesterday after beating the Western Force 38-22 in a pre-season game in Nowra on Thursday.

NSW will open their Super Rugby season against newcomers the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday night. Hickey has plenty of talent to pick from - particularly in the backs, thanks to the recruitment of players such as Ryan Cross, although there are some injury concerns. ''We've got really good depth and some players who have performed well in our trial games,'' Hickey said. ''We'll probably name a squad on Tuesday, which is our training-free day. There's still few a few players we're assessing with injuries and we'll look at them on Wednesday.''

One of those being assessed is Rob Horne, who had his first 40 minutes of game time since having elbow surgery in August, playing for the Junior Waratahs against an Australian Barbarians in Thursday's curtain-raiser.

Benn Robinson is another. He didn't play on Thursday because he is overcoming a calf strain picked up three weeks ago. Wycliff Palu played but has a slight hamstring injury.

Hickey said Horne had completed his rehabilitation and in Thursday's match ''he had a good work rate in terms of defence and attack and the elbow seemed to come off OK. If Robbie Horne's not available, we have got Ryan Cross who can play [outside centre], we've got a new young player to the squad, Afa Pakalani, who performed really well in the trials.''

Hickey believes the Rebels will be competitive under former Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen. ''They have recruited some really experienced players,'' he said. ''I think that is very clever. Starting a new team, you don't want to start with a lot of inexperienced players, so I see that as a real strength in their game. I think they'll surprise a lot of teams .''

 

[Hawko]

When is the team announced for Friday?

 

[RugbyReg]

ahhhh Cliffy. Injured again? It is probably my biggest concern about the Tahs this year. They have a core group of players who just don't seen 100% anymore and are constantly struggling with injuries - TPN, Fat Cat, Cliffy and Horne.

How often will we see a full strength Tah team?

 

[fatprop]

I think most of these guys have injuries for most of the season.

I remember Nathan Hindmarsh talking about playing wounded, he reckoned it was the test of a pro player, because after a couple of weeks everyone is carrying something and it was how you played wounded/needled up.

 

[RugbyReg]

agree, in that most players would have a niggle most of the time.

But for that 4...it seems more prominent.

 

[fatprop]

Fat Cat has had some niggles, but I bet he would have played a S15 game or a Test, he has actually had a history of durability

TPN plays like a wrecking ball so yeah he will always be battered, he will either change of have a shorter career.

Palu? he has been out for a while, being taken off in a trial doesn't mean he wouldn't have continued if it mattered

Horne, yeah at least it appears he has sorted his hamstrings, I do wonder how long he was wounded with that elbow in the test series.

 

[qwerty51]

Rest them all up if carrying niggles, it is the Rebels after all. We will need to be full-strength at Christchurch.

 

[topo]

I hear Cliffy's injury is a problem and he is likely to be out for a couple of weeks.

 

[RugbyReg]

So back up there is Mowen to 8 and Dennis or McCutcheon at 6?

 

[fatprop]

McCutcheon is wounded

 

[Crow]

Fat Cat has had some niggles, but I bet he would have played a S15 game or a Test, he has actually had a history of durability

TPN plays like a wrecking ball so yeah he will always be battered, he will either change of have a shorter career.

Palu? he has been out for a while, being taken off in a trial doesn't mean he wouldn't have continued if it mattered

Horne, yeah at least it appears he has sorted his hamstrings, I do wonder how long he was wounded with that elbow in the test series.

This may be a question for someone who knows more about the training regime (hint hint, Mr. Ross , Would the change in the training to (what seems to be) a more strength and bulk based scheme account for an increase in injuries? I would think with the sizable list of senior players close to retirement the 'tahs would be trying to get every last game out of them and employing vast amounts of cotton wool. Especially for those players with hopes of attending the WC as part of the squad.

 

[Groucho]

NSW Waratahs coach Chris Hickey says his players will go into the Super Rugby season this week physically more powerful than they were last year thanks to speed training from former sprinter Matt Shirvington.

There is so much wrong with that statement, I'm not going to begin.

 

[qwerty51]

Is there? If they're focused on speed training to get more powerful that's good to hear, the Tahs were poor in the collisions last year.

 

[topo]

So back up there is Mowen to 8 and Dennis or McCutcheon at 6?

Cutch has a disc problem in his back. Won't be ready. Mowen to 8 and Dennis to 6.