Rugby Head
Ted Thorn (20)
He will be back in 2022 getting ready for the 2023 world cup.
The guy would be on great money playing for one of the best clubs in the world.
Why would he come back for a pay cut with the unknown of a new Wobs coach who may not be interested in playing him?
I’d be disappointed if the Waratahs don’t consider themselves one of the best clubs in the world.
He will be back in 2022 getting ready for the 2023 world cup.
We just might not need him. In fact, I reckon there is a fair chance that we won't.
We just might not need him. In fact, I reckon there is a fair chance that we won't.
In reality we ain't, no aus side is, we no longer are near that. The only SH side I would put in that category would be the Crusaders
The Brumbies are. ;-)
Too be honest, I don't see any genuine second rower coming through the Tahs at the moment that would even remotely challenge Skelton for a jersey.
I am not too concerned about Skelton, I personally always found him lazy however I am sure he has improved, besides some players are better suited to other competitions/environments.
For instance I always thought Nemali Nadolo was someone who could have been great for the Tahs/Wallabies but the more I thought about it the more I realised that he had his chances and didn't really take them, it took him a few years playing OS to finally reach his potential, the Tahs was probably the wrong environment for him.
Same with Ben Volavola actually, I always thought he would be the next 10 for the Tahs,
A team that hasn't won the competition they play in for 15 years and are struggling to get 5,000 people to a game are one of the best clubs in the world?
Seems reasonable.
On output yes.
This is the merry go round of “what constitutes a world class player/club” that I have no interest in.
I do know however that the Brumbies fans never boo their own players, which is a good start.
Really good post. A lot of people forget that players like Nadolo, Volavola and Skelton had plenty of opportunity at the Tahs and didn't take their opportunities. And Skelton was lazy and unfit, by his own admission - you couldnt even throw to him in the lineout as he was too heavy and not agile enough to jump which is a waste of a lock.
The bigger question however is why cant the Tahs develop these guys and others who have gone on to bigger and better things? I was talking to a recently retired (unnamed) ex-Wallaby the other day who grew up in Sydney but went on to have a career at the Brumbies. He was offered contracts at the Tahs and the Brumbies as a colt and when he was deciding between them he went and spoke to a lot of Tahs players whom he knew for their opinion on which contract he should accept. The interesting thing is the players universally told him to go to the Brumbies because it would be better for his rugby and the culture wasnt good at the Tahs.