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Waratahs 2013

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qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Tahs had 2 starting forwards (Hooper + Douglas). Blues seemed to be only missing Mealamu and Boric in the pack

It will be interesting with Kingston and Betham. Both too good to not be starting, you'd think if they don't get much game time this year one of them will go elsewhere.
 

Antony

Alex Ross (28)
Anyone else pumped to see the Saders trial on Thursday? I haven't felt this optimistic about the Waratahs since before the start of last season!

I'll be there, and I'm pretty pumped. I think I'm the only person who actually started to like the Waratahs over the past few years, so this could be pretty bitter-sweet.

Keep an eye out for a prematurely balding bloke in Crusaders kit.
 

Badger

Bill McLean (32)
Some highlights from the Blues vs Tahs trial on the weekend.


Thanks to the Blues Rugby Team which posted the video.
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
He's a Hurricane these days, and talented. Otherwise the resemblance is uncanny.
I googled him as i was posting to make sure he was a crusader (i have no faith in my memory) and when I saw he'd gone to the 'canes i thought "even better - imagine if he was there in his crusader's kit??"
 

Hawko

Tony Shaw (54)
I must be starved of Waratah rugby when I am analysing a highlights video to see what I can find! Just a fortnight more before the first game. I suspect the coaches will have seen a lot that they liked and a lot that they didn't.

The bad:
  1. I hope that 5 (Douglas?) saved all his mistakes for the highlight reel. There is one very bad tackle miss that led to a try and his maul work was totally ineffective.
  2. Rolling maul defense was poor collectively and led to a couple of Blues tries.
  3. Lack of urgency to fill a hole by 8 (AJ Gilbert?) that led to a midfield try.
  4. Kingston blotted his good day by being totally out of position for a kick-off reception to allow the easiest of tries.
  5. Bad one-on-one miss by 14 (Turner?) that led to a tryand also one by 26 (Izzy?)
  6. Overall it looks like little time has been spent on backline defensive patterns, there were lots of holes that need to be plugged before Saturday week or Cooper will have a field day.
The good:
  1. The Waratahs backs are playing with more passion and purpose than I have seen since Link's days. Folau is not the only backline star by any means and some of the backline moves were poetry in motion.
  2. The lead up work in Folau's try by the centre (Niko?) was sensational.
  3. Lovely loop by 10 (Foley?) off the lineout in the Folau/Kingston try. A fabulous set move!
  4. Hollaway has got some toe. The backs couldn't catch him till the try line from a pick-up near half way.
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
I must be starved of Waratah rugby when I am analysing a highlights video to see what I can find! Just a fortnight more before the first game. I suspect the coaches will have seen a lot that they liked and a lot that they didn't.

The bad:
  1. I hope that 5 (Douglas?) saved all his mistakes for the highlight reel. There is one very bad tackle miss that led to a try and his maul work was totally ineffective.
  2. Rolling maul defense was poor collectively and led to a couple of Blues tries.
  3. Lack of urgency to fill a hole by 8 (AJ Gilbert?) that led to a midfield try.
  4. Kingston blotted his good day by being totally out of position for a kick-off reception to allow the easiest of tries.
  5. Bad one-on-one miss by 14 (Turner?) that led to a tryand also one by 26 (Izzy?)
  6. Overall it looks like little time has been spent on backline defensive patterns, there were lots of holes that need to be plugged before Saturday week or Cooper will have a field day.
The good:

  1. The Waratahs backs are playing with more passion and purpose than I have seen since Link's days. Folau is not the only backline star by any means and some of the backline moves were poetry in motion.
  2. The lead up work in Folau's try by the centre (Niko?) was sensational.
  3. Lovely loop by 10 (Foley?) off the lineout in the Folau/Kingston try. A fabulous set move!
  4. Hollaway has got some toe. The backs couldn't catch him till the try line from a pick-up near half way.

The first try in the package showed woeful Tahs midfield defence - very bad read by the 2 but they were thin anyway.
 

kronic

John Solomon (38)
Read before that the Waratahs Faithful received no support from the club and thus will not exist in a physical sense.

What a joke. While I'd love nothing more than to take the piss out of your group (rivalry aside), it's an absolute farce that they fail to support their own fans attempting to organize.
 

Bullrush

Geoff Shaw (53)
Tahs had 2 starting forwards (Hooper + Douglas). Blues seemed to be only missing Mealamu and Boric in the pack

It will be interesting with Kingston and Betham. Both too good to not be starting, you'd think if they don't get much game time this year one of them will go elsewhere.

Charlie Faumuina is probably another starter....and Kevvy won't be staring for a few weeks yet :(
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
The highlights package suggests that both teams were playing under the optional tackle dispensation. I wonder what a lowlights package would reveal.
.

You'd think all these second stringers would be busting to prove their defensive credentials, given that its so hard to get your hands on the ball in a trial - as to which see the break down the left touchline by Tahs 6 (?): simply refusing to pass inside for 30m!
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Trials typically involve sub-optimum defence from both sides, witness the 40-36 score. Fairly standard I would have thought. I'd be extremely surprised if it continued into the season.

I like the way Cheika is trying to keep a lid on expectations, although I gather that the faithful (including me) have been so starved of positive, successful rugby that this is not really possible. It really shows not only how good a coach Cheika is, that he has been able to achieve an almost complete reversal in playing style and attitude in such a short space of time. No doubt there'll be hiccups, but everything points to a good year.

It also give another indication, if one was ever needed, of how poorly coached the team were under Hickey and Foley.
 
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