Waratahs 2023

[molman]

Any word on how he pulled up after the trial match? came off I believe for a quad injury.

Bugger. To answer my own question;

"Pietsch, who was awarded the Chris Whitaker Aspiring Waratah Medal for a standout 2022 season, is facing up to six weeks on the sidelines and could miss the first four rounds of Super Rugby. The young winger was having scans on the leg on Sunday."

Waratahs welcome Test stars for Reds trial as injury bites after Brumbies loss

The Waratahs will take four of their top Test stars to Narrabri to face Queensland after losing to the Brumbies in their first trial match.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the Tahs last won in Canberra in 2011 thanks to a late Timani try?

2015 the Waratahs won 13-10 in Canberra.

 

[fatprop]

Bugger. To answer my own question;

Waratahs welcome Test stars for Reds trial as injury bites after Brumbies loss

The Waratahs will take four of their top Test stars to Narrabri to face Queensland after losing to the Brumbies in their first trial match.

www.smh.com.au

We seem to be planning more punch

The squad is also getting used to its bigger, bulkier style of play after Coleman made it clear he wanted power to be the hallmark of the NSW style in 2023. Openside Charlie Gamble and No.8 Will Harris have both piled on the kilograms over the off season, and Coleman said he could see it on the field.

“There were some really good snippets of physicality and defence,” he said. “Ned Hanigan was really strong, Will Harris is eight kilos heavier than what he played at last year and he had some big contacts in defence. Against a team like the Brumbies who thrive on collision, I thought we at least held our own in that aspect.”

 

[Adam84]

I feel like I've heard this from NSW before

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

8KG is A LOT of weight to put on. I'll wait and see how it goes. He definitely has the frame to hold being heavier. He will likely lose some of that (2-3kg) as games begin and training levels off and recovery takes over some of the strength work.

I did think Hanigan looked stronger than before which can't hurt especially if he finds himself in the 2nd Row.

Whilst it can all be huff and puff I do think the Aus franchises have looked outmuscled when the trans tasman games have been played.

 

[fatprop]

I feel like I've heard this from NSW before

They were both playing pretty light, same as Harry Wilson at the Reds

 

[qwerty51]

Didn't they say Harris bulked up start of the last season and he totally wasn't.

 

[Derpus]

Didn't they say Harris bulked up start of the last season and he totally wasn't.

I thought Harris was more physical last season. If hes kept on the same trajectory i expect he will have improved again.

 

[Wilson]

I don't know that physicality was Harris's issue, his work rate wasn't what it needed to be for a starting 8

 

[Derpus]

I don't know that physicality was Harris's issue, his work rate wasn't what it needed to be for a starting 8

I thought it was in his first season.

 

[qwerty51]

He scored two tries running 80m or so. A #8 should never be able to do that - only possible because he's a lightweight backrower.

The Tahs already have lightweight locks, the backrow needs to be bruisers.

 

[Adam84]

They were both playing pretty light, same as Harry Wilson at the Reds

I was inferrng to circa 2011 and later pre-season comments about the Waratahs forwards bulking up.

 

[HJ Nelson]

He scored two tries running 80m or so. A #8 should never be able to do that

 

[TSR]

I don’t recall any 80 minute efforts, but Nick Frost scored a beauty from about 60 out for the Wallabies under 20s from a kick off and also held off O’Connor and Flook to save a try against the Reds last year when Flook kicked ahead (from about 40 out I think but the move start in the Reds 20 so he would have had to go at least 70 metres with the outside backs).

 

[Drew]

It happened at least once:

 

[Adam84]

 

[Hawko]

In 2014 the Waratahs had a power game that enabled them to match it with the top NZ sides and the Brumbies. That was the key factor in winning the premiership that year. Then Gibson took over in 2016 and transitioned the Tahs to a strategy that focussed on speed to the detriment of power. It was the beginning of the downhill slide that was exacerbated by the NSW management keeping Gibson on for years longer than they should have based on the results. Finally, they got rid of Gibson but you don't rebuild a power base in a few months. Cron was a real part of that rebuilding but then inexplicably they let him go and he ended up in Japan. Last year they finally got Coleman in place, he started to turn the team around, but the power game knocked us out of the finals pretty easily. This year all the right noises are being made and there were glimpses in the first trial that our forwards were starting to exert dominance in the structures we were playing. So finally we look like we are going to play a gameplan that will give us a chance to go deep into the finals.

Unhappily, our maul defense showed no sign of being able to stop the Brumbies - there needs to be a lot of work put into that in the next couple of weeks.

 

[wamberal]

In 2014 the Waratahs had a power game that enabled them to match it with the top NZ sides and the Brumbies. That was the key factor in winning the premiership that year.

The most important element in the power game was Jacques Potgieter. He had a phenomenal season.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

The most important element in the power game was Jacques Potgieter. He had a phenomenal season.

It blows my mind that Potgieter was so powerful that he kept Will Skelton on the bench for much of the season. But let's not forget that Cliffy Palu had an immense season. There hasn't been a genuine number 8 in Australia to come close to him since.

 

[rodha]

8KG is A LOT of weight to put on. I'll wait and see how it goes. He definitely has the frame to hold being heavier. He will likely lose some of that (2-3kg) as games begin and training levels off and recovery takes over some of the strength work.

I did think Hanigan looked stronger than before which can't hurt especially if he finds himself in the 2nd Row.

Whilst it can all be huff and puff I do think the Aus franchises have looked outmuscled when the trans tasman games have been played.

It also mentioned Gamble having put on weight.

I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as the Wallabies starting 7 for the World Cup, he is the complete package.

He really has everything that Hooper and McReight lack - size, physicality, on & off the ball strength, carrying...

He's a real modern day 7, not just a link-man such as Hooper and McReight who invariably get outmuscled in the tight at international level.