Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
Unless Will Harris judged to be ready this season, then I think Jed would be most effective at No 8. He will probably still be the Tahs' best lock though.
Waratahs 2020
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
I would have thought Jack Dempsey will be the most likely number 8 if everyone is healthy.
I think our most likely 3 locks and 4 backrowers for a standard 23 are:
Simmons, Hanigan, Holloway, Hooper, Dempsey, Swinton, Harris/Staniforth.
John S
Chilla Wilson (44)
Holloway was more effective at lock than he has ever been as an 8 at Super Rugby level. He does more stuff at lock.
I would expect the starting backrow will be Hanigan, Hooper & Dempsey
Simmons will be one lock and the rest will be battle for the open lock spot and the bench
I would expect the starting backrow will be Hanigan, Hooper & Dempsey
Simmons will be one lock and the rest will be battle for the open lock spot and the bench
Finsbury Girl
Trevor Allan (34)
Hopefully the air will be clear Fri night. Looks like they're streaming the game I'm looking forward to seeing how the 'tahs are tracking.
I doubt it, everyone will be getting minutes, for some it will be the only minutes they get all season
Blackadder
Desmond Connor (43)
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
This Tahs squad is a lot better than I first thought. Should finish mid table, maybe even sneak into the playoffs if everything clicks.
Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
I would think your biggest issue will be the new and relatively untried coaching team.
Silverado
Dick Tooth (41)
True to a point, but I think that a new HC could be a positive based on what we had. Time will tell
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
I’m not sure the problem will be Penney himself. I know very little about him, so I don’t have an opinion there.
But whenever a coach changes a teams patterns & style it all takes time for players to adapt. I note he is trying to get players to play more instinctively. Sadly this appears to be something the modern Australian player struggles with because our junior devotions that has been based around highly structured play.
Generally that sort of change takes at least a full year to bed down. There will be some good moments and some bad during the process. If, however, Penney is successful I think the Tahs will be much better of for if.
But whenever a coach changes a teams patterns & style it all takes time for players to adapt. I note he is trying to get players to play more instinctively. Sadly this appears to be something the modern Australian player struggles with because our junior devotions that has been based around highly structured play.
Generally that sort of change takes at least a full year to bed down. There will be some good moments and some bad during the process. If, however, Penney is successful I think the Tahs will be much better of for if.
If they make mid-table this year, the Tahs will have done OK. Realistically. Obviously, that won't help fan engagement much, and I hope they do better. But new coaching team, new systems, significant personnel changes = lucky dip. Pack looks 2-3 injuries away from being very thin. Reds and Brumbies with stable coaching teams and more basis will be hard to go with. Rebels, who knows? Keen to see what Penney brings, though.
There will be injuries and then there are a lot of units who have very little experience who will be expected to turn up constantly
I expect some good highs and some depressing lows as a lot of the team learns what the expectations of playing pro rugby is really all about (being mental prepared week in/week out and performing while playing with injury)
I expect some good highs and some depressing lows as a lot of the team learns what the expectations of playing pro rugby is really all about (being mental prepared week in/week out and performing while playing with injury)
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Realistically i dont see the Tahs going any higher then mid-table in 2020, they’ve lost the spine of the team from Hooker, Half, Fly-Half and Fullback, on top of a coaching structure overhaul pretty late in the season. I see the forward pack as a liability, some good players in there but it’s difficult to find the right balance especially in the locks/back row department, and like all Australian Super Rugby teams the halves combo is an unknown.
However with that presents some real potential, Fitzpatrick and Gordon aren’t exactly unknown to the Super Rugby scene, they’ve both had exposure. And the Tahs have some highly experienced players in Hooper, Simmons, Beale, and Hunt, that exposure along with the excitement/unknown of Maddock and Moeroa as well as a handful of promising U20s, should mean the Tahs will still be competitive in 2020 and throw in a few upsets through the season.
In 2020 they really need guys like Simmons, Hunt, Hanigan, Fitzpatrick and Dempsey to stand up and take some of the leadership pressure off Hooper and Beale and lead the way on the field.
However with that presents some real potential, Fitzpatrick and Gordon aren’t exactly unknown to the Super Rugby scene, they’ve both had exposure. And the Tahs have some highly experienced players in Hooper, Simmons, Beale, and Hunt, that exposure along with the excitement/unknown of Maddock and Moeroa as well as a handful of promising U20s, should mean the Tahs will still be competitive in 2020 and throw in a few upsets through the season.
In 2020 they really need guys like Simmons, Hunt, Hanigan, Fitzpatrick and Dempsey to stand up and take some of the leadership pressure off Hooper and Beale and lead the way on the field.
Prodigy
Ron Walden (29)
Spine of hooker, scrum half, fly half and fullback????
You might be thinking of the other game.
Plenty of challenges for the Tahs this year for sure, but the year after a World Cup is challenging for all Super teams as players move on.
S
Show-n-go
Guest
I think we will be lucky not to come last Out of the Aussie sides. Will be between us and the rebels
With sunwolves last in the conference
With sunwolves last in the conference
Sunwolves might have a tilt at the spoon.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Nah I’m not.. Throw in the No.8 and you have the complete spine of the team, however they Tahs didn’t lose their No.8