Waratahs 2015

[Scrubber2050]

It'll be a tough year for Chek.

If the Tahs start very well then the pressure will be lessened. However in mid season he must turn a lot of his thoughts to our RWC assault on Bill.

Ultimately the Tahs may suffer unless they sweep all before them. Big ask to get back to back titles.

 

[Quick Hands]

It'll be a tough year for Chek.

If the Tahs start very well then the pressure will be lessened. However in mid season he must turn a lot of his thoughts to our RWC assault on Bill.

Ultimately the Tahs may suffer unless they sweep all before them. Big ask to get back to back titles.

At least there's no inbound June tours to worry about. Super rugby finishes and then into TRC. But that period leading up to TRC will be hectic for him, particularly if, as hoped, the Waratahs are in the final.

 

[qwerty51]

At least there's no inbound June tours to worry about. Super rugby finishes and then into TRC. But that period leading up to TRC will be hectic for him, particularly if, as hoped, the Waratahs are in the final.

But now that means the Tahs play 10 games in a row.

 

[Quick Hands]

But now that means the Tahs play 10 games in a row.

Most professional football competions of any code play a lot more that 10 weeks in a row.

 

[TOCC]

To be fair though, very few professional competitions have to travel as much as Super Rugby..

I remember reading about an NRL team(Canterbury Bulldogs I think) who were complaining about their 2015 NRL draw because they have to fly to QLD 4 times in their season for games against Broncos, Cowboys and Titans.. Apparently it's offensive to fly out of state in the NRL...




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[Quick Hands]

To be fair though, very few professional competitions have to travel as much as Super Rugby..

I remember reading about an NRL team(Canterbury Bulldogs I think) who were complaining about their 2015 NRL draw because they have to fly to QLD 4 times in their season for games against Broncos, Cowboys and Titans.. Apparently it's offensive to fly out of state in the NRL.




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Agree 100%. It's probably the biggest issue that super rugby faces at the moment, but still playing 10 weeks in a row isn't that much even with the travel factored in.

 

[Lee Grant]

Back to back, bitchez

I am timidly confident.
.

 

[Quick Hands]

I am timidly confident.
.

Dare to dream LG

 

[Bobby Sands]

I thought backrow depth won titles. Therefore shouldn't we be favourite?

 

[Scrubber2050]

I thought backrow depth won titles. Therefore shouldn't we be favourite?

Of course you are - probably go through the comp like a dose of salts - undefeated.

Nothing like a wee bit of confidence fellas

 

[rimmerdee]

Later news.

There is a game between GenBlue (seniors) and Aus Barbarians. It's a curtain raiser to the Tahs v Chiefs trial at Campbelltown Friday 6 February and starts at 5.15.

The main game is on at 7.30pm.

I don't know whether this is a Gen Blue warm-up game for a B team tournament, or a one off.
.

Who coaches the Aus Barbarians, have they selected a squad yet


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[fatprop]

Success or failure will be down to injuries, if we can keep our starters healthy, we will be in with a show.

Last year Dennis & Nau were the only key injuries

A few key injuries and it becomes survival, the comp is just too short for many injured to get back on the field.

 

[Lee Grant]

Who coaches the Aus Barbarians, have they selected a squad yet

At Darceyville last year the coaches were attached to the ARU - if I recall correctly. There wouldn't be a squad yet. They are mainly guys from the Sydney comp not already attached to the Waratahs, but at Darceyville (against the NSW U20s) they had a couple of invited players from elsewhere.

When the Aus Baas played against the Aus U20s before they went to NZ last year, I'm not sure if they even had a training session, except pre-game.

Success or failure will be down to injuries, if we can keep our starters healthy, we will be in with a show.

Last year Dennis & Nau were the only key injuries

A few key injuries and it becomes survival, the comp is just too short for many injured to get back on the field.

The Tahs had the luck with injuries. Although Dennis missed a couple of games early he was available until he was crocked in the second-last pool game. He played in 13 of the 16 pool games but missed the finals.

TPN played in every game but was injured in the final - perhaps you were thinking of 2013 when he broke his arm against the the Brumbies at ANZ and missed the Lions' matches. That was the game when George Smith was injured also.
.

 

[Pfitzy]

The Tahs had the luck with injuries. .

There is luck, and there is good conditioning and preparation.

Based on what you've seen at many attended training sessions Lee, you'd have to agree that the Tahs were doing a lot of park work, and the indications are they were doing less gym work than has been the norm.

 

[BDA]

Luck with injuries is most definitely a big factor in winning the Super title, but that is interesting in and of itself. To win you need some luck not just on the injury front but also in terms of scheduling etc (i.e. playing certain teams at the right time of the season, when they are out of form, and playing the majority of your hardest games at home). Nevertheless you still have to take advantage of the luck you get and the Tahs did last year. Had the Sharks not lost to the Stormers towards the end of the season they may very well had been travelling to SA for the finals.

The Reds had similar luck with injuries when they won it in 2011. from memory they lost Morahan for the end of the season and Slipper missed the final, but otherwise they had a relatively clean bill.

 

[TOCC]

Kepu has signed with Bordeaux


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[Quick Hands]

although both may not play, I think SBW is boxing

The boxing match is the week before on the 31st Jan. Judging by the look of his opponent, SBW should be fine to play against the Waratahs. If he dances around the ring for long enough Welliver could collapse from exhaustion.

Chauncey Welliver is the bloke on the left.

 

[I like to watch]

People are going to pay to see that?

 

[Quick Hands]

People are going to pay to see that?

Apparently, and what's more Channel 9 are going to televise it on FTA (on the main channel)

It's a strange old world isn't it

EDIT: For those with more money than sense, tickets start at $39 for the nose bleed seats to $249 to sit ringside. (You'd want to hope that Chauncy didn't come through the ropes and land on you)
http://www.allphonesarena.com.au/Event_Calendar/The_Footy_Show.aspx

 

[Ash]

Luck with injuries is most definitely a big factor in winning the Super title, but that is interesting in and of itself. To win you need some luck not just on the injury front but also in terms of scheduling etc (i.e. playing certain teams at the right time of the season, when they are out of form, and playing the majority of your hardest games at home). Nevertheless you still have to take advantage of the luck you get and the Tahs did last year. Had the Sharks not lost to the Stormers towards the end of the season they may very well had been travelling to SA for the finals.

The Reds had similar luck with injuries when they won it in 2011. from memory they lost Morahan for the end of the season and Slipper missed the final, but otherwise they had a relatively clean bill.

Pretty sure that the Reds were hit with wingers being injured at one stage in 2011, to the extent that Caleb Ralph played a cameo game. Reds also lost a few fullbacks (Morahan, Lucas), with Lance playing fullback for the back end of the season.

No key players like Genia, Cooper, etc though went down in 2011, particularly at the business end. The Reds forward pack was particularly lucky with the few injuries they had in the year. Luck with key players is what most teams need to win the comp, and the Reds and Tahs both definitely had it.

The Tahs also had some wing injuries early on in 2014, I thought Betham was out frequently during the season, Crawford started the season injured and Alofa was gone for a few games at times.

However, Foley and Beale and Folau and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) stayed fit in the backs, and somehow TPN lasted the season, along with Hooper and Palu (I think he also somehow played the whole season?). All the Tahs really lost in the pack that maybe mattered was Chapman prior to Dennis going down.

For an Australian team to win it this year, I reckon that they will need similar luck with injuries. We don't seem to have the depth that NZ teams do, they seem to cover key players so much better than us.