Waratahs 2020

[Jimmy_Crouch]

All true, but we inevitably focus on the players who perform really well overseas. Are they the exception, or the norm? Are there more players who under-perform in Europe or Japan, but we simply don't hear about them?

Performing well in overseas competitions is an interesting one. Many commentators (on this site included) read one report about an Australian having a good game and repeat the rederick without actually watching or analysing performance. Most of the journos do it also.

 

[wamberal]

I watched three Gallaher Premiership games last night (abridged a bit). Pretty impressive team lists, I have to say.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Agree they would but going back specifically to the Waratahs what players have they "consistently lost players from their setup only to perform better at other clubs?" I certainly couldn't name many. In fact, I could name more that have moved away from the tahs who have not performed at the same level.

Kellaway
Nadolo
Mumm (arguably)
Elsom
Volavola
Skelton
Betham
Timani
Hegarty (although I in no way suggest the Reds are better).


This is a one minute thinking exercise, and some of these are borderline but I don't have a list of departing Tahs or Australian rugby players. This is also a general observation of all Australian sides not specifically the Tahs.

https://sports.yahoo.com/wallaby-be...iNbl4iWF-n36IeosbaWauJ4oLl377X5_WWV3SVnoEl6Fg

 

[Bobby Sands]

Performing well in overseas competitions is an interesting one. Many commentators (on this site included) read one report about an Australian having a good game and repeat the rederick without actually watching or analysing performance. Most of the journos do it also.

Something I commented on recently - I am certain Northern Hemisphere as a form guide is terrible to compare to Super on mass. Not to say that their are not genuinely elite sides - but I think across the board the competitions are obviously weaker. Enormous salary caps have much to do with this I suspect, and just sheer number of teams.

 

[Blackadder]

Tahs for 2020:

IN: Tetera Faulkner, Robbie Abel, Tom Horton, Charlie Gamble, Carlo Tizzano, Michael McDonald, Tepai Moeroa, Joey Walton, Mark Nawaqanitawase​

OUT: Sekope Kepu, Sham Vui, Tolu Latu, Le Roux Roets, Will Miller, Michael Wells, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, John Folau, Curtis Rona, Israel Folau​

SQUAD​

Forwards​

Robbie Abel, Angus Bell, Jack Dempsey, Damien Fitzpatrick, Tetera Faulkner, Charlie Gamble, Ned Hanigan, Will Harris, Jed Holloway, Michael Hooper, Tom Horton, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Ryan McCauley, Rory O'Connor, Tom Robertson, Rob Simmons, Hugh Sinclair, Tom Staniforth, Lachie Swinton, Pat Tafa, Chris Talakai, Carlo Tizzano, Andrew Tuala,​

Backs​

Kurtley Beale, Cam Clark, Lalakai Foketi, Jake Gordon, Will Harrison, Karmichael Hunt Mack Mason, Michael McDonald, Tepai Moeroa, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Alex Newsome, James Ramm, Mitch Short, Joey Walton, ​

Wider training squad Darcy Breen, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Joe Cotton, Max Douglas, Henry Robertson, Triston Reilly, Ben Donaldson​

 

[Silverado]

Kellaway
Nadolo
Mumm (arguably)
Elsom
Volavola
Skelton
Betham
Timani
Hegarty (although I in no way suggest the Reds are better).


This is a one minute thinking exercise, and some of these are borderline but I don't have a list of departing Tahs or Australian rugby players. This is also a general observation of all Australian sides not specifically the Tahs.

https://sports.yahoo.com/wallaby-be...iNbl4iWF-n36IeosbaWauJ4oLl377X5_WWV3SVnoEl6Fg

This is a good story about Kellaway where he explains why he struggled in Super Rugby and how a change to Northampton turned things around
https://amp-smh-com-au.cdn.ampproje...aland-is-cautionary-tale-20190810-p52fsy.html

 

[wamberal]

I wish Kellaway all the luck in the world. I have to admit that he did not impress me all that much. Great finisher, so they say. Maybe he was, but the Tahs needed somebody who could make tries, not just score them efficiently (as important as that is, too, of course).


He is a very well organised player, seems to have all the skills, but not much flair. At least that is what I saw.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

This is a re

Tahs for 2020:

IN: Tetera Faulkner, Robbie Abel, Tom Horton, Charlie Gamble, Carlo Tizzano, Michael McDonald, Tepai Moeroa, Joey Walton, Mark Nawaqanitawase​

OUT: Sekope Kepu, Sham Vui, Tolu Latu, Le Roux Roets, Will Miller, Michael Wells, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, John Folau, Curtis Rona, Israel Folau​

SQUAD​

Forwards​

Robbie Abel, Angus Bell, Jack Dempsey, Damien Fitzpatrick, Tetera Faulkner, Charlie Gamble, Ned Hanigan, Will Harris, Jed Holloway, Michael Hooper, Tom Horton, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Ryan McCauley, Rory O'Connor, Tom Robertson, Rob Simmons, Hugh Sinclair, Tom Staniforth, Lachie Swinton, Pat Tafa, Chris Talakai, Carlo Tizzano, Andrew Tuala,​

Backs​

Kurtley Beale, Cam Clark, Lalakai Foketi, Jake Gordon, Will Harrison, Karmichael Hunt Mack Mason, Michael McDonald, Tepai Moeroa, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Alex Newsome, James Ramm, Mitch Short, Joey Walton, ​

Wider training squad Darcy Breen, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Joe Cotton, Max Douglas, Henry Robertson, Triston Reilly, Ben Donaldson​

This is not an inspiring squad, imho. Only two first-choice Wallabies and a whole lot of inexperience. How did we lose Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Phipps, Foley and Kepu and not be able to replace any of them with equivalently talented players? A good season depends on a lot of unknowns panning out well.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I wish Kellaway all the luck in the world. I have to admit that he did not impress me all that much. Great finisher, so they say. Maybe he was, but the Tahs needed somebody who could make tries, not just score them efficiently (as important as that is, too, of course).


He is a very well organised player, seems to have all the skills, but not much flair. At least that is what I saw.

I have a feeling we will all be very surprised how he goes this year and in the coming years.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

I wish Kellaway all the luck in the world. I have to admit that he did not impress me all that much. Great finisher, so they say. Maybe he was, but the Tahs needed somebody who could make tries, not just score them efficiently (as important as that is, too, of course).


He is a very well organised player, seems to have all the skills, but not much flair. At least that is what I saw.

He also was a terrible defender in his time at the Tahs.

 

[Brumby Runner]

This is a re

This is not an inspiring squad, imho. Only two first-choice Wallabies and a whole lot of inexperience. How did we lose Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Phipps, Foley and Kepu and not be able to replace any of them with equivalently talented players? A good season depends on a lot of unknowns panning out well.

? AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) not shown in the "Outs" nor in the squad. What is his status?

 

[TSR]

Well - they’ve been trying to keep it under wraps BR, but apparently the Tahs have done a swap with the Brumbies for TK.

 

[Adam84]

Where did Sham Vui go? He was a promising young prop

 

[TSR]

Brumbies as well (no swap on him)

 

[Silverado]

Where did Sham Vui go? He was a promising young prop

His scrummaging was his weakness. He scored some good tries in NRC but hasn't quite cracked it at Super Rugby yet

 

[Brumby Runner]

Where did Sham Vui go? He was a promising young prop

Brumbies. We swapped him back for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) who the Tahs will line up in the front row this year.

 

[Silverado]

Brumbies. We swapped him back for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) who the Tahs will line up in the front row this year.

Good swap

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yep, I hear that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) after the break has tipped the scales at 122kg and has run 100m in 17.8 secs. Ideal for the front row, and the Tahs are surely deficient there after Robertson and Johnson-Holmes. Also, two hyphenated front rowers must be an aspiration worth chasing.

 

[Silverado]

Yep, I hear that AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) after the break has tipped the scales at 122kg and has run 100m in 17.8 secs. Ideal for the front row, and the Tahs are surely deficient there after Robertson and Johnson-Holmes. Also, two hyphenated front rowers must be an aspiration worth chasing.

I predict that Vui and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will play the same number of Super Rugby games at front row this year, and that's even accounting for AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) not being signed

 

[Brumby Runner]

Maybe right Silver, but can't help thinking he would have got time on the field had he stayed at the Tahs. Tahs squad looks to be comparatively light on for front rowers after the starting two.