Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
You never know.
He was on the bench for all 18 games last year and played in 14 of them.
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Waratahs 2015
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You never know.
He was on the bench for all 18 games last year and played in 14 of them.
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Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
its worrying that he could
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Lots and lots of guys make 50 games
Obviously a lot less make 100.
The fantastic achievement in the above is Ben Robinson's. He still has a season or 2 in him and there is only ONE highest capped player (until the next one). Hopefully he plays 15 games this year.
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
Robinson is an interesting one. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he missed both of the last 2 World Cups through injury?? Certainly the last one and he was our best prop at that stage.
As I understand it (working purely off the opinions of others that I have read) his main problems seems to be he is a less than committed trainer (I would be interested as to how he is travelling at training Lee) and his work rate is considered sub par. Yet some of his contributions around the field can be absolutely first class. You would think that he might be motivated to pull out all stops this year to make sure he gets a crack at the World Cup.
If Sio can bounce back strongly from injury we could actually have 3 credible world class loose head options for the Wallabies this year.
Of course, that all means crap in the scrums if Kepu gets injured and/or we can't improve the output of our back 5.
As I understand it (working purely off the opinions of others that I have read) his main problems seems to be he is a less than committed trainer (I would be interested as to how he is travelling at training Lee) and his work rate is considered sub par. Yet some of his contributions around the field can be absolutely first class. You would think that he might be motivated to pull out all stops this year to make sure he gets a crack at the World Cup.
If Sio can bounce back strongly from injury we could actually have 3 credible world class loose head options for the Wallabies this year.
Of course, that all means crap in the scrums if Kepu gets injured and/or we can't improve the output of our back 5.
Tex
Greg Davis (50)
Poor language. Earn some stripes before you start chipping away at respected members of the forum, champ.
Jagman
Trevor Allan (34)
I know a lot of players make 50 games. The point was that so many are potentially crossing that milestone in the same year.
I would have liked to go and watch the trial but it starts at 1pm and I'll never get there in time from cricket.
Pfitzy
Nathan Sharpe (72)
I agree. He's been around the traps for a long time (9th year at the Tahs?), and only been used really as a foil to fire up Fat Cat or bully people at Shute Shield. Hard worker no doubt, but he's not making any massive statements for a rugby career.
In a land short of quality props, a guy who can barely hang around on the bench for 9 years isn't doing our reputation much service.
Pfitzy
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Yeah he missed both. If I recall correctly he was still unproven for 2007 and he had the knee thingo in 2011 and tried to get away with not having an operation but it was no-go.
There's no doubt that he is a committed trainer but he doesn't have the engine that other players have, which is why he often starts and gets replaced before oranges. And then if he is needed he is fresh enough to come back. Also he doesn't have the natural dominance in the tight of some other props, but he's good one out from the ruck on attack or defence.
Some attributes such as having a big engine and attaining a dominant presence can be acquired by some players; others not. It is better that they are born with these things but Fat Cat wasn't.
Good loosehead props are a dime a dozen compared to good tighthead props. The move of PAE offshore was deplorable, and that of Longbottom not much better, but we can't blame the players.
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gowaratahs
Sydney Middleton (9)
Connolly not picking Robinson in 2007 was seen by some as the perpetual interstate vendetta (ie. anti-NSW, as passed on by Jones) as Fatcat was in form and had earned his international stripes by that stage. Politics always fucks Oz rugby. Yes, pot/kettle/black and all that - but we easily forget/ignore this when we've got the slipper on our foot.
Interesting that the front row failing was the catalyst for our demise at the RWC that year. Not Sheperdson's finest hour.
I'm thoroughly interested in the various reasons why Deans, Link and Cheika all dropped him early in their respective coaching tenures, noting he also lost the NSW captaincy to Dennis when Cheika dropped him in R1 2013. Lazy trainer? Indisciplined? Powerbroker? Never got a decent grasp through our pathetically sycophantic media snouts.
Interesting that the front row failing was the catalyst for our demise at the RWC that year. Not Sheperdson's finest hour.
I'm thoroughly interested in the various reasons why Deans, Link and Cheika all dropped him early in their respective coaching tenures, noting he also lost the NSW captaincy to Dennis when Cheika dropped him in R1 2013. Lazy trainer? Indisciplined? Powerbroker? Never got a decent grasp through our pathetically sycophantic media snouts.
T
TOCC
Guest
I'm interested as to what the reasons for dropping him were as well, it's happened a few times at different levels of representative rugby now..
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As I indicated above: he's not a bruiser, and doesn't have a big engine. What level he had in those areas has faded and he is over 30 now. Some props get better with age; some don't.
I'm thinking that as time went by the coaches mentioned above thought the technical expertise he once had in the scrum, or still has, did not make up for those other deficiencies anymore.
When McKenzie took over the Wallabies after the Lions series he dropped him from the starting team and he hasn't started since.
It's not that he's crap because he's still coming off the Wallaby bench: its just at the margin. A younger Fat Cat may have kept his starting spot.
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As I indicated above: he's not a bruiser, and doesn't have a big engine. What level he had in those areas has faded and he is over 30 now. Some props get better with age; some don't.
I'm thinking that as time went by the coaches mentioned above thought the technical expertise he once had in the scrum, or still has, did not make up for those other deficiencies anymore.
When McKenzie took over the Wallabies after the Lions series he dropped him from the starting team and he hasn't started since.
It's not that he's crap because he's still coming off the Wallaby bench: its just at the margin. A younger Fat Cat may have kept his starting spot.
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It really isn't. Super Rugby teams need dependable Super Rugby subs who know the systems and plays and just do a job. They can't all be potential Wallaby starters. A guy like Tilse is value - probably does not cost them a lot, and can be relied upon.
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