Waratahs 2014

[barbarian]

Seem to remember Phil Waugh was also pretty fleet of foot at school.

Was a part of the Shore team which held the GPS Open 4x100m record for over a decade.
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[Eyes and Ears]

Was a part of the Shore team which held the GPS Open 4x100m record for over a decade.
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Looks like it was a Shore record not a GPS record.

"The final race of the day was the
Open 4 x 100m relay. Shore's team of
Phil Waugh, Rob Knox, Mark Hutchinson
and Andrew Renkert had been training
hard for this event and it paid off.
Coming second at the final change by
three metres, the team won the event in
front of Scots, Joeys and Riverview in a
time of 42.7 sees — a new School record
by 0.7 sees and a best for the team by
0.9 sees. This run was also a fraction of a
second off the GPS record."

 

[barbarian]

Ah yes, that's right. Apologies, got my wires crossed.

 

[Intruder]

Back onto the 2014 squad this week sees the return of a few Wallabies. Does anyone know of the final spots yet to be filled ?

 

[Pfitzy]

As I've said elsewhere: Happy New Year fuckers.

Welcome to the Year of the Tah. This is the one. We've got the talent, we've got the coach, we've got the burning fucking desire to Van Humphries it and smash some fluffybunnys.

The only problem is: where do we fit all these pricks? The forward pack should be pretty easy to pick, but I just tried that and found that the addition of Potgeiter throws up some tasty options. At least Cheika will have some rotation and injury cover options.

Here's what I'm thinking for Round 1 - you don't have to agree, but you seriously risk being wrong:

1 Robinson
2 TPN
3 Kepu
4 Douglas
5 Skelton
6 Dennis (c)
7 Hooper
8 Palu
9 Phipps
10 Foley
11 Betham
12 Horne
13 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
14 Crawford
15 Folau

16 Latu
17 Tilse (I register my annual disgust)
18 Ryan
19 Potgeiter
20 Chapman
21 Lucas
22 Lance
23 Beale

Yep, some of you are already jumping up and down, waving your arms, and calling into question my ancestry.

But I can think of nothing more devastating that unleashing Beale and Potgeiter on a tiring opposition, letting the young Seffrican bash it up and make holes for Beale to waltz through. Alternatively, Kurtley takes it to the line and pops a pass to the raven-haired dynamo steaming onto the ball at pace.

Bring Jono Lance in to replace Horne at 12, who has good feet and hands, and you've got a trio of devastation.

Jeez I'm wetting myself already.

 

[Braveheart81]

I just like that you described someone as a raven-haired dynamo.

 

[suckerforred]

Actually Pfitzy that is a pretty schmick side. I am just hopeing they don't get it together until the 3rd round.....

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Latest ever for the first outrageous Tahs prediction.
This could be the one.

 

[Braveheart81]

I'm hoping this is the first season where people finally stop compaining that the Tahs let Mowen leave.

 

[Lee Grant]

But I can think of nothing more devastating that unleashing Beale and Potgeiter on a tiring opposition, letting the young Seffrican bash it up and make holes for Beale to waltz through.

Well, I suppose he is young compared to me.

This kerfuffle about the back line will probably be decided in unexpected circumstances. There is nothing like an injury or two to put paid to nice opinions.

Or, it could be an unexpected drop in form—and Cheika has been known to drop Wallabies to the bench.

He wasn't afraid to drop a few princesses in big games when he was in charge of the zoo at Stade Français either, which is probably the reason why he ended up back home. They love their princesses in Paris.

But Cliffy Palu got it right when they shoved him in front of a press conference yesterday and was asked about the matter.

Read his reply in the blog:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/palu-ready-to-rumble/
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[Braveheart81]

@Lee Grant - any updates on the last two squad spots?

The Tahs said previously that the EPS should have been settled prior to this year as 31 December was the deadline but no information has been released so far.

 

[Lee Grant]

Edited

No - he's not saying though the individuals might know already. Or, knowing Cheika, he may be keeping the tension in there.

They will save the announcement for a press conference—it's the thing to do these days.
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[Hawko]

Lee posted in the Rebels 2014 thread: "And Randwick flanker Lala Lam has been training at hooker in lineouts and scrums since October also; not that there has been a lot of scrum practice.

That Lam has been training at 2 seems a good move. Just another flanker making the transition. BUT! Why has there not been much scrum practise?

I hope its because so many of our front rowers have been on International duty and that now it will be full-on. We have potentially the best scrum of all the Australian sides, though the Brumbies are pretty good. We should be using that as a weapon, not just a restart technique.

 

[Lee Grant]

Yeah there is no use practising scrums without the heavies there.

Maybe they had scrums the days I wasn't there, but it was the same last year and the year before.

Not many technical lineout sessions either - just more starting training moves from the lineouts. General skills has been the rule in the sessions I have watched over the years, pre-New Year.

Heaps of breakdown work including choke tackles that wasn't there in the pre-holiday period last season. They don't miss a day.

I will be disappointed if the Tahs breakdown work isn't better in 2014—and their goal line defence and attack.

Talk is cheap though; let's see.
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[Bruce Ross]

Yeah there is no use practising scrums without the heavies there.

Why, LG? If you have squad front rowers and locks available, I believe they should be scrummaging on a regular basis. Shouldn't the franchise be focussed on developing them so that they can step up when the "heavies" aren't available or even contest their positions.
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[Lee Grant]

Why, LG? If you have squad front rowers and locks available, I believe they should be scrummaging on a regular basis. Shouldn't the franchise be focussed on developing them so that they can step up when the "heavies" aren't available or even contest their positions.
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You could be right Bruce. They seemed to have trouble with this first scrummaging effort on Thursday.

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[Intruder]

On the notion of scrums @LeeGrant I've seen photos posted up and no sign of 'The Hill' Falefa, how is he looking since coming from France

 

[Lee Grant]

He hasn't been seen at Tahs practice for a while.

I understand that his missus had trouble with a pregnancy or birth, but I never followed it up.
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[Bruce Ross]

You could be right Bruce. They seemed to have trouble with this first scrummaging effort on Thursday.

Brilliant, LG. Obviously they need the "heavies" back in order to help move the machine.
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[Inside Shoulder]

Brilliant, LG. Obviously they need the "heavies" back in order to help move the machine.
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Looks to me like Robinson is pulling while everyone else is pushing - get the backs out of the way