Waratahs 2011

[Moses]

Tickets for Sydney trial on sale tomorrow

Tickets for the opening trial of the season will go on sale tomorrow with affordable prices for all fans to have a sneak preview of the 2011 HSBC Waratahs squad.

The Tahs kick-off their pre-season program on Friday 4 February when they face the Fiji Warriors at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The entire stadium will be thrown open to general admission tickets at just $10 each, or $20 for a family of four (2 Adults, 2 Children).

Ticketed Members who join on or before Tuesday 11 January will be able to see the fixture for free upon presentation of their Membership Card.

Gates will open at 7pm before a 7:40pm kick-off.

It is the first of two pre-season fixtures for the HSBC Waratahs who will take on the Western Force at Shoalhaven Rugby Park in Nowra on Thursday 10 February.

Tickets will be on sale through Ticketek (www.ticketek.com) on Friday 7 January from 9:00am.

* Tickets are already on sale for the HSBC Waratahs second and final pre-season match against the Western Force at Shoalhaven Rugby Park, Nowra on Thursday 10 February. Purchase now through Ticketek or www.shoalhavenentertainment.com.au .


2011 Pre-Season Fixture
HSBC WARATAHS v FIJI WARRIORS
Friday 4 February 2011
Sydney Football Stadium

Timings
7:00pm – Gates open
7:40pm – Kick-off

Ticket Prices
General Admission $10
Family $20 (2 Adults, 2 Children)

 

[observer]

I think each franchise has a career advisor to assist the players. I know the Tahs are big on this

 

[topo]

I think each franchise has a career advisor to assist the players. I know the Tahs are big on this

I know Berrick Barnes commented on the number of tahs players on computers doing Uni assignments during their breaks in training. The only laptops they saw at the Reds were in Quade's locker!

 

[RugbyReg]

I know Berrick Barnes commented on the number of tahs players on computers doing Uni assignments during their breaks in training. The only laptops they saw at the Reds were in Quade's locker!

harsh. They have to be either earning or learning. The thing is most are doing/have done the real estate course. Following in Ben Wakely's footsteps.

 

[Bruce Ross]

I know Berrick Barnes commented on the number of tahs players on computers doing Uni assignments during their breaks in training. The only laptops they saw at the Reds were in Quade's locker!

You're a bit rough on poor Quade, topo, although you are partially excused on the basis that that line was too good to waste.

 

[#1 Tah]

so devo i cant make the Nowra game... going from Sydney to Nowra on a school night.... wasnt going to happen, and with my luck it will probably rain that night if i went.........

 

[inthestands]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...e-back-wallaby-contingent-20110108-19jaw.html

Tahs welcome back Wallaby contingent
Josh Rakic
January 9, 2011

BERRICK BARNES and Kurtley Beale will make their long-awaited returns to Waratahs training with the rest of the eight-strong Wallabies contingent before the franchise's first trial of the season, against Fiji on February 4.

While the Waratahs have been training since November, tomorrow will mark the first time any of the Wallabies have joined the squad since returning from Europe last year.

And with international forward Wycliff Palu all but back to his best after training through the Christmas break following an ankle reconstruction, plus five-eighth Daniel Halangahu and centre Rob Horne returning from shoulder/hip and elbow surgery respectively, coach Chris Hickey told The Sun-Herald he will likely be in a position to name a full-strength squad for the Sydney Football Stadium encounter.

This year marks the introduction of the Melbourne Rebels - who the Waratahs will have the honour of meeting in round one - and the new Super Rugby format, in which every Australian side will play the remaining four twice in an extended season.

Hickey said given his side's major improvement in attack last season and the experience gained by his Wallabies contingent in the off-season, the Waratahs will start the season in the best possible condition since his three-year tenure began.

''There are a couple of players who won't be available such as Lachie McCaffrey and Cam Jowitt with leg injuries and they won't be available until March, but the rest of the squad will be available at this stage on the fourth of February.

''Rob Horne had made really good progress and is able to do a fair bit with his elbow now. He's training with us without contact but will see his specialist in the days leading up to the Fiji game and hopefully he'll get the all-clear. He's certainly fit. All the Wallabies boys will be back on the 10th and it's a real plus for us that no one came back with any significant injuries. As it sits, we're happy where we are at. The work the players put in before Christmas was really impressive and they've created a really good base to work from in January.''

The Waratahs' first Super Rugby clash will be against the Rebels in Melbourne on February 18, and despite conversations with the ARU and Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, Hickey said he would be fielding his best squad in their best positions for the Waratahs - not the Wallabies. That meant not committing Barnes to either the No.10 or 12 jumpers.

''The great thing for us is we've kept basically the same squad together from last year without any really major changes and if anything we've been able to add a bit of depth to that with the likes of Ryan Cross and Pat O'Connor,'' Hickey said.

''We are where we need to be and in a much better position than this time last year. There won't be as much shuffling. We know what everyone is capable of and what combinations have worked best for us.

''Berrick had a strong [Wallabies] tour and he's really fitted in now to Sydney and the Waratahs and he can enjoy it without the pressure he had last year. If combinations can keep improving from last year then it could be an exciting season.''

Hickey refused to place expectations on his side, but did say: ''We have a really strong focus on improving our attack again on last year.''

Good news on Horne and good news on where the pre-season focus is: attack!

 

[qwerty51]

Horne is the key for us going far or no where. I hope they don't rush him back too quickly like Robinson and TPN were.

 

[Lee Grant]

inthestands

Thanks for posting that but we should take what coaches say at this time of the year with a grain of salt.

It rings true though. Many times in the last 10 years the Tahs have had good seasons with different coaches. With unexciting, prosaic rugby they've made the semis and the final, but not won the chockies. It's time to focus on attack, as Hickey says, and if they don't win the title again - a least they have tried something different.

The forwards will have to improve in their physicality because they allowed teams to spoil their ball too often last year, and most miserably: in Invercargill. Backs can't operate in that environment.

That done, they have get the ball out to their Wallaby backs: Horne, Mitchell, Turner and Beale more often. Not using them sufficiently is like a general not using his artillery enough. The Tahs found a way to do it at the end of the 2010 S14 against the Chiefs and Canes (and even with Carter back in the team at 12, folks). That should be their pick up point for 2011.

If Hickey wasn't aware of the need for attack focus himself, he may have got a suggestion from above that a better brand of rugby was needed. If the Tahs aren't going to win the Super15, they may as well get a few more bums on seats playing rugby that folks want to watch. Hickey will keep his job if the first happens and may also if just the second thing happens, but he won't keep it again if neither happens.

 

[TOCC]

will the Waratahs be wearing that unique 'checkered' jersey at any point in 2011, i actually thought that looked pretty cool, very 'stade de francais'

 

[en_force_er]

will the Waratahs be wearing that unique 'checkered' jersey at any point in 2011, i actually thought that looked pretty cool, very 'stade de francais'

http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs/News/NewsArticle/tabid/157/ArticleID/879/Default.aspx

I presume so (if this is the jersey you mean).

The article doesn't give a specific round and the jersey is a bit different.

 

[Richard D. James]

It looks good, better than last years .

 

[inthestands]

The article doesn't give a specific round and the jersey is a bit different.

The article says: Waratahs Rugby today unveiled the 2011 Charity Jersey which will be used in the round seven clash against the Chiefs at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday 1 April.

 

[inthestands]

inthestands

Thanks for posting that but we should take what coaches say at this time of the year with a grain of salt.

Agreed Lee, but at least he's putting it out there, right? If they don't improve their attack, then he can certainly be brought to task for not achieving what they set out to do. From memory, last year (at this time of year) was all about getting a settled squad given the departures of Lyons, Vickerman, Kanaar, Jacobs, Harris, Dunning, Sheehan, Tuqiri, Tahu and the addition of players like Anesi, Barnes and Mitchell (3 of the 7 in a backline is a decent change; don't think any side other than the Rebels will have that this year).

It took them a while (particularly given Barnes' early season 'form' and the willingness to keep Beale at 12 where he hit his straps at the end of '09), but they got there at times.

With that in mind, I think they can pretty much trot out what most would consider to be their strongest pack and backline from 2010, with some variety available through recruiting. Alcock, Caldwell, Coridas, Freier, Nadolo, Palmer, Roodt, Sidey and Thomson are their departures from last year. I think Palmer was the one who started the most matches in that list so unless some players have a drastic loss of form or other recruits really put their hand up, they should have the combinations and cohesiveness right from the start rather than having to develop it.

Let's not forget the Tahs had their best attacking year ever last season... let's start with the glass half full and keep filling it up!

 

[en_force_er]

The article says: Waratahs Rugby today unveiled the 2011 Charity Jersey which will be used in the round seven clash against the Chiefs at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday 1 April.

Haha, looks like my skim reading abilities are far from up to scratch.

 

[Groucho]

I think each franchise has a career advisor to assist the players. I know the Tahs are big on this

How many were advised to be rugby players?

 

[Lee Grant]

inthestands

A good reply. Hickey has put it out there and I think he will fall on his sword if the Tahs don't produce that kind rugby, because they proved in the last pool games that they were capable of it against 2 fairly decent Kiwi teams on their day. The Tahs played some dreary rugby last year in Sydney, not counting the victories against the two South African easybeats, and folks were staying away in droves. I couldn't blame them either.

The standard response to this would be to ask: "Would you rather the Tahs lose playing attacking rugby or win playing ugly?" but it's the wrong question. The right question is: "If the Tahs win a game playing ugly, are they also capable of winning the game playing like they did against the Canes and the Chiefs last year?"

I thought one of their better games last year was a loss at Loftus. Their plan was to run the Bulls of their feet and then dish the ball out to the backs. It was working a treat until they ran out of gas. I hate the Tahs losing a game but that loss was easier to take because they had a go.

I have congratulated the Tahs for grinding out some close games last year but IMO the games were close sometimes because they played too conservatively in most of them.

 

[lily]

Took my son for a surf at Freshie this arvo. As I was leaving Tatafu passed me carrying a stand up paddleboard. The man looked good to go.

 

[Cutter]

My favourite current Wallaby. I like that, footballing abilities aside, he's a good man.

 

[fatprop]

Took my son for a surf at Freshie this arvo. As I was leaving Tatafu passed me carrying a stand up paddleboard. The man looked good to go.

still with the afro?