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Waratahs 2012

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James Buchanan

James Buchanan

Trevor Allan (34)
light said:
If Fatcat is injured it will have to be Barnes or Mitchell. Dennis could be an option, Horne is just too young, TPN gets injured too often, Palu is the same as TPN, Vickerman could be an option but referee's hate him, Carter doesn't come across as a leader.

hmm AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)?
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Bit of a case of "anyone but Mumm" eh?
 
Lee Grant

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
I usually like the captain of any team to be a forward and next best is a scrumhalf.

I wouldn't have thought Fat Cat would be a good prospect as a captain. He's too happy-go-lucky.

Of all the Tahs forwards who will be fit at the start of the season, the most natural captain is McCutcheon IMO, but his place is not assured and neither is Mumm's when others return to the side. Dennis is too much of a dark horse to form an opinion.

In the backs Barnes is the only option though Turner would be next best.

In the absence of Elsom, therefore, I would pick Barnes.
 
Slim 293

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
#1 Tah said:
[video=youtube;v_F7neLMNzU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_F7neLMNzU[/video]
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Well...

Unless you want to give Reds' fans the greatest, and most entertaining meltdown in the SupeRugby season...

I recently went back and revisited the match thread for a laugh... :yay
 
PaarlBok

PaarlBok

Rod McCall (65)
Super Sarel on his Tah journey
R365
Super Sarel on the front foot in Sydney

Nippy South African scrumhalf and new Waratahs recruit Sarel Pretorius is salivating at the prospect of playing behind a pack littered with Wallaby stars in the Super Rugby competition next year.

Pretorius enjoyed an outstanding season with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein earlier this year, finishing the competition as joint top try-scorer, and he is looking forward to even better times in Sydney next year.

The speedy halfback told AAP: "They've got a good base of forwards and I think that's the main thing that struck me.

"The last Super Rugby season, I won't say our (the Cheetahs) forwards were struggling, but I would like to play behind a pack that is going forward, so I'm looking forward to that."

Pretorius expressed his admiration for his predecessor at the Waratahs Luke Burgess, and revealed that he is keen to play a similar style to the Wallabies scrumhalf by taking defenders on with the ball in hand.

He said: "When I was looking at the Waratahs games, I followed a bit of Luke Burgess' game and liked his running from the base and players running off him.

"He was creating for other players and that's what I love and that's what I did at the Cheetahs as well, so hopefully I can fulfil that role."

The pocket dynamo explained that he will also be looking to use his searing pace to ensure that his side can capitalise on the opportunities that they manage to create.

"When someone cuts the line, I always want to be there for support, to be that link," Pretorius said. "I think my first ten metres off the mark is one of my strong points as well."

New Waratahs coach Michael Foley has got some important decisions to make regarding the make-up of the backline that Pretorius will service, and he revealed that versatile Wallaby star Adam Ashley-Cooper is likely to replace Kurtley Beale at fullback - a position he spent some time in during the World Cup.

"We've got some pretty handy centres there and we've also got some pretty good wingers, but I think Adam would probably fit in best for us at 15," he said.

The departure of Beale to the Melbourne Rebels left a fairly big hole at the back for the Waratahs as he was the star of their campaign last season, and with Tom Carter and Rob Horne in the midfield and Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner out wide it would seem that Ashley-Cooper's experience would be best utilised at fullback.

Apart from Pretorius and Ashley-Cooper another new face in the Waratahs camp is former Wallabies skipper and hard working flank Rocky Elsom who will be viewed as one of the favourites to take the captaincy reins following the retirement of Phil Waugh.

The Waratahs are hopeful that big lock Dan Vickerman recovers well from his shoulder reconstruction that he underwent last week, but it looks likely that he will miss the start of the season.

Other players who are continuing their off-season rehabilitation include Wallabies Elsom, Drew Mitchell, Benn Robinson and Wycliff Palu.

Foley said that while Waugh's replacement as captain will not be named until next year it is not a major worry for him with so many senior players in the group.

He said: "I think Phil being such a wonderful captain in previous years there's probably been a tendency for guys within the squad to defer to him and may not necessarily embrace the full role they have in influencing things.

"We will announce a leadership group, but within our team there will be different roles given to each guy of what the expectation is in terms of their influence," explained Foley.
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T

TOCC

Guest
Slim 293 said:
Well...

Unless you want to give Reds' fans the greatest, and most entertaining meltdown in the SupeRugby season...

I recently went back and revisited the match thread for a laugh... :yay
Click to expand...

Your little vandetta against the Reds since this day is the real humour value out of the match....
 
Gnostic

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
I hope AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't get the 15 spot. I have been less than impressd with his high ball work. It is a blight on the Australian game in general, even players who take spectacular catches in one movement will drop it cold the next. Maybe the Tahs and Wallabies would do well to have some training by a top level AFL coach.

Anyway I hope to see a player who can attack on both sides of the field get the 15 for the Tahs. We have seen it become patently obvious over the last few years that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) while competent on the right side of the field he is only really effective on the left when he can fend the inside player with his right hand. That will make it easy to defend against him, kick to his left and stack the defence to make him run right. Add to that the fact I think he has seriously lost pace in the last two years (got run down easily with a big lead in last year's Super Comp.) I would prefer AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as a utility on the bench allowing a possible 5:2 split. Backthree would be Turner/Mitchell 15/Wing (who also need work on the high ball) and Pakalani. Horne 13 and TC/Barnes 12, Foley/Barnes 10.
 
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