Waratahs 2013

[Torn Hammy]

Malietoa Hingano - a young 12 with alot of class that I hope is not lost to another province.

People's thoughts?

He is one for the future DB, although I've always thought he plays like a 13. He is only 19 years old.

Playing 12 in S15 is recipe for getting smashed in both attack and defense. Carter's crash balls and defense are better than others, but I think the heavy stuff and injuries slow him down over the season. I'm a big fan of Chris Tuatara-Morrison from Norths and won't be surprised to see him playing for the Waratahs this year.

 

[barbarian]

I'm not. Half the squad are winger/fullbacks and we have a severe dearth of inside backs and flankers. Piukala amd Hingano are inside backs.

10s- Barnes, Foley, Lane, Volavola
12s- Barnes, Carter, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Horne, plus more if needed.

Sure we have plenty of outside back cover, but we also have three Super capped 10s and a good young 10 as backup. We have plenty of guys who can play 12 too.

There are always going to be positions where you may not have 3 top liners in your squad. In the positions you are worried about we have Wallaby frontliners, and Super quality backups. Other sides would kill for that depth.
.

 

[barbarian]

. I'm a big fan of Chris Tuatara-Morrison from Norths and won't be surprised to see him playing for the Waratahs this year.

He's been contracted by the Force.
.

 

[I like to watch]

10s- Barnes, Foley, Lane, Volavola
12s- Barnes, Carter, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Horne, plus more if needed.

Sure we have plenty of outside back cover, but we also have three Super capped 10s and a good young 10 as backup. We have plenty of guys who can play 12 too.

There are always going to be positions where you may not have 3 top liners in your squad. In the positions you are worried about we have Wallaby frontliners, and Super quality backups. Other sides would kill for that depth.
.

At 10 you nominate Barnes and Foley as well as 2 rookies who are unknown quantities at this stage.
At 12 you again nominate Barnes with Carter,along with 2 outside backs who might be adequate fill ins in an emergency.
That is not example of depth other sides would kill for.

 

[cyclopath]

At 10 you nominate Barnes and Foley as well as 2 rookies who are unknown quantities at this stage.
At 12 you again nominate Barnes with Carter,along with 2 outside backs who might be adequate fill ins in an emergency.
That is not example of depth other sides would kill for.

I'd agree that looks skinny at 10, a perennial Waratah problem, but the players nominated at 12 are all very good Super Rugby level players, with only AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) not really having played much 12; Horne played a fair bit there as a junior and was apparently quite good. I would call that pretty good depth at Super Rugby level. I agree none of them are top of the tree internationally.
10 will let us down, I fear, but I don't think 12 will be a big problem.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[fatprop]

He is one for the future DB, although I've always thought he plays like a 13. He is only 19 years old.

Playing 12 in S15 is recipe for getting smashed in both attack and defense. Carter's crash balls and defense are better than others, but I think the heavy stuff and injuries slow him down over the season. I'm a big fan of Chris Tuatara-Morrison from Norths and won't be surprised to see him playing for the Waratahs this year.

I would, he was signed by the Force

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[I like to watch]

...10 will let us down, I fear, but I don't think 12 will be a big problem.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Is that the same as "depth other sides would kill for"?

 

[cyclopath]

Is that the same as "depth other sides would kill for"?

Clearly not, but better than you inferred. Which was obviously my point.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[barbarian]

At 10 you nominate Barnes and Foley as well as 2 rookies who are unknown quantities at this stage.
At 12 you again nominate Barnes with Carter,along with 2 outside backs who might be adequate fill ins in an emergency.
That is not example of depth other sides would kill for.

OK maybe I overstated it a touch, but I still don't think it is a real problem. Your 4th string in any position is never going to be a world beater, all you can hope is he can come in and do a job if you have mass injury/suspension. The Tahs have that at both 10 and 12. So as much as I would like one more in each spot, I can't see a scenario where they would need to play.
.

 

[Ruggo]

10 seems the weak link for the Tahs. Those players mentioned seem serviceable at best. Ball distribution looks to be a big issue for the players listed in the Tahs backline. If they can work on this there is a shitload of attacking threat on the roster. I think Tom Carter showed that he made some really positive improvements in this regard in 2012. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) shows it on occaisions with the Wallabies but needs to be doing it consistantly. This could be a good centre pairing going forward.

 

[I like to watch]

OK maybe I overstated it a touch, but I still don't think it is a real problem. Your 4th string in any position is never going to be a world beater, all you can hope is he can come in and do a job if you have mass injury/suspension. The Tahs have that at both 10 and 12. So as much as I would like one more in each spot, I can't see a scenario where they would need to play.
.

Yeah, we should be OK @ 10,12 with all things being equal.
But it won't take much for it to be an issue.
Let's say that Foley is very disappointing in his first 2 games @ 10,and Carter pulls a hamstring.
We are immediately down to a rookie @ 10 or an outside back @12.

The 10,12 depth was raised originally,when a poster queried why Izzie.
The point was made that we have much more depth in outside backs than we do @ 10,12, and if we were seeking a more balanced squad we would be better served with another option @ 10,12 rather than another outside back.
I think it's a valid point.

 

[TOCC]

Completely off topic, but.....

The use of '@' bemuses me... In most keyboards you need to hit two keys to type this symbol(shift and 2)...

Since you are already hitting two keys why not just type 'at'?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Completely off topic, but...

The use of '@' bemuses me. In most keyboards you need to hit two keys to type this symbol(shift and 2).

Since you are already hitting two keys why not just type 'at'?

Pedant.

But, yeah. It's one of those baffling uses of language where it just seems as easy to spell it as intended.

 

[Lindommer]

Back to the rugger, please boys.

 

[howyagoin]

Flankers - Hooper, Ale, Gilbert, I think the shute sheild has some depth there if required (I would have like NSW to pick up Jordy Ried).
Inside backs - I'm concerned about 12.
5/8 Lane / Volavola and the to fullbacks in Foley and Barnes.

Jordy Reid is at the Rebels... well deserved too

 

[Dave Beat]

Jordy Reid is at the Rebels. well deserved too

I know and totally agree, i think he will get some good game time down there.
Only made the point because someone said we were short on flankers, and he was one NSW should have paid attention to.

 

[I like to watch]

He has a spot with the Rebels,so the Tah's would have to cut someone to accommodate him.Who should they have cut?
It's not easy settling on your final squad, there are always plenty that you would like to keep that you have to let go.
As an aside Manly are not short on flankers are they?
Hooper,Alo and Reid.

 

[Dave Beat]

He has a spot with the Rebels,so the Tah's would have to cut someone to accommodate him.Who should they have cut?
It's not easy settling on your final squad, there are always plenty that you would like to keep that you have to let go.
As an aside Manly are not short on flankers are they?
Hooper,Alo and Reid.

Something in the water, throw in Luke Jones at 6 as well?

 

[Braveheart81]

Can someone confirm if membership cards have been sent out yet?

I got my hat and other crap just before Christmas but there were no membership cards in the package. Is that correct or did something go wrong with mine?

 

[Lee Grant]

I know and totally agree, i think he will get some good game time down there.
Only made the point because someone said we were short on flankers, and he was one NSW should have paid attention to.

Agree on that Jordy Reid would have been a good get in the Tahs EPS with McCutcheon having complications and needing a second operation. He's still not running.

I have seen the Tahs training frequently recently and one of the invited players, AJ Gilbert, has been one of the ace trainers - and Sydney folks will know that he has been one of the best Shute Shield players in the last two seasons.

I know that he is an 8 in club rugby but Eddie Jones thought a lot about AJ's versatility when he was up at the Reds.

He is just an invited player; so doesn't have EPS status even, but, with McCutcheon still crocked I wouldn't be surprised if he is kept handy as a backup for Hooper.

Fetcher Kotoni Ale was also in the invited players group but he was a no show in the first 2013 training session on Monday. Another opensider was there though - Dave Hickey.

Whilst the Wallabies were doing some hill running on Monday the others had a one on one contact contest. AJ and Hickey were in the final and AJ won.

There is more on the Tahs training session here:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/waratahs-coaches-take-no-prisoners/


PS
David Hickey was not the only new invited player at training on Monday.

Also there were:

- Agile Manly LHP Dane Marakai, who used to be in the Otago stable.

- Sydney Uni LHP Silatolu Latu, who is just 19 years old and will likely be selected again for the Oz Under 20 squad, in 2013.

Incidentally, he is the cousin of Lotu Taukeiaho who was in the Tahs EPS last year.
.