Waratahs 2020

[Jamie]

I am pretty sure Latu is off to France, Stade Francais, bummer as I think this guys is a gun!

Hopefully I'm wrong

 

[Braveheart81]

Well. I don’t think any of those players make very good locks and it’s certainly not their best position, they’ve been forced to play there because of the Tahs poor recruitment at lock,

100%. If we had another test quality lock they wouldn't be regularly playing there. I think they are better options at lock than Staniforth who is a proper lock though. That situation isn't going to improve next year because there weren't any of the top locking options available to sign. They need to address it the year after though and will also need to make some tough choices on backrowers where we are oversupplied.

I also think that you can get away with a smaller pack in Super Rugby far more than in test rugby.

 

[Braveheart81]

I am pretty sure Latu is off to France, Stade Francais, bummer as I think this guys is a gun!

Hopefully I'm wrong

It's certainly rumoured. It will be interesting to see where he sits with RA after the RWC. If he starts through the RWC he could end up with a pretty strong offer from RA.

Hopefully he stays. The Tahs and Wallabies need him.

 

[Blackadder]

Well. I don’t think any of those players make very good locks and it’s certainly not their best position, they’ve been forced to play there because of the Tahs poor recruitment at lock,

I agree. Tahs have needed decent locks for a while now. Simmons is the line out general but they have locked a go forward bruiser to complement him.

 

[Blackadder]

It's certainly rumoured. It will be interesting to see where he sits with RA after the RWC. If he starts through the RWC he could end up with a pretty strong offer from RA.



Hopefully he stays. The Tahs and Wallabies need him.

Latu is a liability on the field. Has some good games but has way too many brain explosions

 

[Blackadder]

100%. If we had another test quality lock they wouldn't be regularly playing there. I think they are better options at lock than Staniforth who is a proper lock though. That situation isn't going to improve next year because there weren't any of the top locking options available to sign. They need to address it the year after though and will also need to make some tough choices on backrowers where we are oversupplied.



I also think that you can get away with a smaller pack in Super Rugby far more than in test rugby.

Hasn't worked so far for the Tahs

 

[Blackadder]

That's good and expected. Hopefully he can have an injury free season and really assert himself as a solid Super Rugby player.



I think it is pretty clear that the remaining unsigned players who are still being spotted at training sessions will be gradually re-signed.



A potential side for next year:



1. Johnson-Holmes

2. Latu

3. Robertson

4. Simmons

5. Holloway

6. Hanigan

7. Hooper

8. Dempsey

9. Gordon

10. Harrison

11. Clark

12. Foketi

13. Moeroa

14. Newsome

15. Beale



16. Fitzpatrick 17. O'Connor 18. Talakai 19. Swinton 20. Harris 21. Short 22. Mason 23. Nawaqanitawase

Average looking side with many inexperienced/unknowns at Super Rugby level. Tahs need to recruit some aggressive size maybe a journeyman or two to help bring the kids through.

 

[Braveheart81]

Latu is a liability on the field. Has some good games but has way too many brain explosions

He needs to improve his discipline but he's also very talented. If he gets that right he's clearly our best option.

Hasn't worked so far for the Tahs

We were the top Aussie team in 2018 with that pack.

The Reds had a far bigger forward pack than we did and we've consistently outplayed them in the last couple of years. Size isn't everything. There are issues with our forward pack for sure but I don't think it is solved purely by recruiting a big lock. I stand by the opinion that our best locking combination in the matchday 23 next season is likely to include at least 1 but probably 2 non-specialist locks who are on the smaller side.

Average looking side with many inexperienced/unknowns at Super Rugby level. Tahs need to recruit some aggressive size maybe a journeyman or two to help bring the kids through.

I agree it is an average looking side. I'd be interested who you would add to the squad though for next season that would improve things.

 

[cyclopath]

He needs to improve his discipline but he's also very talented. If he gets that right he's clearly our best option.




We were the top Aussie team in 2018 with that pack.

The Reds had a far bigger forward pack than we did and we've consistently outplayed them in the last couple of years. Size isn't everything. There are issues with our forward pack for sure but I don't think it is solved purely by recruiting a big lock. I stand by the opinion that our best locking combination in the matchday 23 next season is likely to include at least 1 but probably 2 non-specialist locks who are on the smaller side.




I agree it is an average looking side. I'd be interested who you would add to the squad though for next season that would improve things.

"Journeymen"

 

[Blackadder]

"Journeymen"

10000000%

 

[fatprop]

I agree it is an average looking side. I'd be interested who you would add to the squad though for next season that would improve things.

Pretty sure Retalik, Etzebeth & Itoje are already signed for next season

 

[Blackadder]

He needs to improve his discipline but he's also very talented. If he gets that right he's clearly our best option.









We were the top Aussie team in 2018 with that pack.





The Reds had a far bigger forward pack than we did and we've consistently outplayed them in the last couple of years. Size isn't everything. There are issues with our forward pack for sure but I don't think it is solved purely by recruiting a big lock. I stand by the opinion that our best locking combination in the matchday 23 next season is likely to include at least 1 but probably 2 non-specialist locks who are on the smaller side.





I agree it is an average looking side. I'd be interested who you would add to the squad though for next season that would improve things.

​

We were the top team in 2018 due to:​

​

* Israel folau and Big T​

* The brumbies had a slow year under a new coach​

* We only beat one top 8 side and played more of the weaker sides​

​

This was proven last year. The pack was constantly pushed around and tried to play above its weight with Cron as Forwards coach but you can only do so much for so long.​

​

Reds have had kids and their forwards were making ground against the Tahs pack but kept dropping the ball in both games and if Hegarty brought his kicking boots this year they would have won the second game​

​

Not a big lock, a big ENFORCING lock more like 2. Our locks are not up there with the best.​

Is it too late?? Is there anyone else?? Other sides can find players even journeymen.

I really hope the Tahs have a few signings up their sleeve.

 

[Blackadder]

He needs to improve his discipline but he's also very talented. If he gets that right he's clearly our best option.









We were the top Aussie team in 2018 with that pack.



The Reds had a far bigger forward pack than we did and we've consistently outplayed them in the last couple of years. Size isn't everything. There are issues with our forward pack for sure but I don't think it is solved purely by recruiting a big lock. I stand by the opinion that our best locking combination in the matchday 23 next season is likely to include at least 1 but probably 2 non-specialist locks who are on the smaller side.









I agree it is an average looking side. I'd be interested who you would add to the squad though for next season that would improve things.

A coach???

 

[fatprop]

We were the top team in 2018 due to:

* Israel folau and Big T
* The brumbies had a slow year under a new coach
* We only beat one top 8 side and played more of the weaker sides

This was proven last year. The pack was constantly pushed around and tried to play above its weight with Cron as Forwards coach but you can only do so much for so long.

Reds have had kids and their forwards were making ground against the Tahs pack but kept dropping the ball in both games and if Hegarty brought his kicking boots this year they would have won the second game

Not a big lock, a big ENFORCING lock more like 2. Our locks are no up there with the best.




Is it too late?? Is there anyone else?? Other sides can find players even journeymen.

I really hope the Tahs have a few signings up their sleeve.

2020 will be a development year under a new coach, we will be all over the place, some nice highs and atrocious lows

 

[Blackadder]

2020 will be a development year under a new coach, we will be all over the place, some nice highs and atrocious lows

Sadly I agree

 

[Braveheart81]

We were the top team in 2018 due to:

* Israel folau and Big T
* The brumbies had a slow year under a new coach
* We only beat one top 8 side and played more of the weaker sides

This was proven last year. The pack was constantly pushed around and tried to play above its weight with Cron as Forwards coach but you can only do so much for so long.

Reds have had kids and their forwards were making ground against the Tahs pack but kept dropping the ball in both games and if Hegarty brought his kicking boots this year they would have won the second game

Not a big lock, a big ENFORCING lock more like 2. Our locks are no up there with the best.




Is it too late?? Is there anyone else?? Other sides can find players even journeymen.

I really hope the Tahs have a few signings up their sleeve.

Who exactly? I just don't think there are any available for next season. I'm not really interested in signing someone like Cadeyrn Neville. I think we'd need to sign him for two years and it would impact the play we can make for someone else a year later when more players are on the market.

Super Rugby with a limited budget and a salary cap is about compromises. The budget we have spent on our backs in the last few years has limited our budget in the forwards. I'd say in 2018 that did pay dividends. Our forwards generally held their own and our backs skinned a lot of teams.

I agree with you 100% that our team has significant problems. I'm just not sure that they're easily solved or would have greatly impacted results in the last year or two.

The biggest challenge for a new coach is going to be reshaping our pack and where we spend our money. We are going to have to shed backrowers and recruit a lock.

 

[Adam84]

Who exactly? I just don't think there are any available for next season. I'm not really interested in signing someone like Cadeyrn Neville. I think we'd need to sign him for two years and it would impact the play we can make for someone else a year later when more players are on the market.

This hasn’t just occurred over night though, it’s been a few years in the making for the Tahs yet they’ve recruited no one to develop and fill the gaps like other teams have. There’s a bumper crop of quality young locks coming through Australian rugby signed to Australian Super Rugby teams at the moment(Rodda, Swain, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Ha'angana, Hosea, Hockings, Blyth, Frost) , some of these guys are from Sydney original as well.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

Is the Tahs' reticence to sign any big names because they are worried about a costly payout in the Folau debacle?

 

[wamberal]

It seems pretty likely to me that possible targets would be reluctant to sign until they know who the coach will be. I would have assumed that the Tahs do not have any liability, it will be RA's problem. Could be wrong, though.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

In many ways I would almost prefer Tahs invest in youth and good young club players and more of them than going after big name established stars which would be in short supply and probably only likely to nab the ones at expensive price tags others won't touch. As Tahs not exactly preferred destination for big name stars at present.