Waratahs 2025

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Bowen got the spot over Creighton! I am happy to see young guys continue to get time and develop.

I reckon there's a fair bit of pressure on the Centres with the guys in the squad. O'Donnell and Ropata look ready for Super Rugby I reckon and there's obviously JS a current Wallaby Centre alongside Kellaway who can play there.

 

[fatprop]

12 is the issue throughout aus rugby, a load of option for 13, not much @ 12

Interesting to see Jamie Adamson getting the backrow spot on the bench.

 

[Dctarget]

and the issue throughout world rugby. Though probably not SA/NZ. Ireland and Scotland both rely on poached players at 12. Moefana is France's weak link. Slade has never quite settled at 12, spent half his career on the bench.

 

[fatprop]

and why Ikitau's move (and success) was a revelation

 

[Dctarget]

and his (next) move to Japan will hurt even more!

 

[TryTimeTuggySpeedman]

Coming from a man that has always preferred the brumbies for one reason the coach Dan McKellar. And for Waratahs to have him is a big advancement to their development from these rough couple years. Excited to see what is going to happen this year!

 

[LeCheese]

Was at a cafe today and overhead a group of older men talking about getting rid of angus bell, saying that he is clearly the most over used and overweight player on the paddock. Coming from a tahs man myself i completely agree and think he needs to hang up the boots and persue other forms of occupancy.

Shire

Would have to be up there with one of the lowest quality troll jobs ever seen on this forum. Jog on

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

12 is the issue throughout aus rugby, a load of option for 13, not much @ 12

Interesting to see Jamie Adamson getting the backrow spot on the bench

I think there is one capable of doing it and pushing Walton and it's O'Donnell. He's been mostly at 13 throughout his senior footy but he's played plenty of 12. Big body with natural skills. I think we will see JS in the midfield at some point throughout the year as well which can quickly shift the balance.

What a ride for Adamson. Comes out here a former England 7s player to play Club and performs and earns the spot. Back end of a game he is definitely a guy that will up the pace and bring some much needed intensity. Last 20 mins has been a problem for NSW.

 

[Braveheart81]

What a ride for Adamson. Comes out here a former England 7s player to play Club and performs and earns the spot. Back end of a game he is definitely a guy that will up the pace and bring some much needed intensity. Last 20 mins has been a problem for NSW.

Apparently he had either left Australia to return to the UK or was about to and was then offered a training spot during the Summer and changed his plans to accept it.

Now he finds himself in the matchday 23 for round 1. Certainly a whirlwind few months!

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Why Roger Federer’s coach is helping a young Waratah chase his rugby dream

Jack Bowen wants to play for the Wallabies one day. Australian tennis icon champion Tony Roche wants to help him get there.

www.smh.com.au

Nice puff piece to kick the year off. Must be very cool to grow up seeing guys like Hewitt, Federer up close and in their prime. Some genetic tree though.

“I remember Jack went and had his hair cut when he was about 10 years of age,” Roche recalls. “And because Jack likes to talk, he was saying to the barber, ‘You know my grandfather played in the grand final in rugby league [Grahame Bowen, who played in the 1973 grand final for Cronulla against Manly] and my dad was a Wallaby, and my other grandfather played in the Davis Cup for Australia’.

At first you wince at it but then realise that's a proud as hell 10 year old.

He's a good young 10 and I hope the tahs keep him. Has a bit of that Carter Gordon ability to throw the fuck it lets see long ball which can either be intercepted or lead to a try others wouldn't throw. This will temper as he develops (I hope) but he has a good kick and pass game with the ability take the line on when needed.

 

[Dan54]

Well Tahs fans get into Super website and enjoy, the Tahs are on second spot on ladder, and Crusaders will be rejoicing being on top!

Pos.			P	W	D	L	+/-	PTS
1		Crusaders	1	1	0	0	8	4
2		NSW Waratahs	1	1	0	0	1	4
3		Highlanders	1	0	0	1	-1	1
4		ACT Brumbies	0	0	0	0	0	0
5		Blues	0	0	0	0	0	0
6		Chiefs	0	0	0	0	0	0
7		Fijian Drua	0	0	0	0	0	0
8		Moana Pasifika	0	0	0	0	0	0
9		Queensland Reds	0	0	0	0	0	0
10		Western Force	0	0	0	0	0	0
11		Hurricanes	1	0	0	1	-8

 

[Yoda]

Why Roger Federer’s coach is helping a young Waratah chase his rugby dream

Jack Bowen wants to play for the Wallabies one day. Australian tennis icon champion Tony Roche wants to help him get there.

www.smh.com.au

Nice puff piece to kick the year off. Must be very cool to grow up seeing guys like Hewitt, Federer up close and in their prime. Some genetic tree though.

“I remember Jack went and had his hair cut when he was about 10 years of age,” Roche recalls. “And because Jack likes to talk, he was saying to the barber, ‘You know my grandfather played in the grand final in rugby league [Grahame Bowen, who played in the 1973 grand final for Cronulla against Manly] and my dad was a Wallaby, and my other grandfather played in the Davis Cup for Australia’.

At first you wince at it but then realise that's a proud as hell 10 year old.

He's a good young 10 and I hope the tahs keep him. Has a bit of that Carter Gordon ability to throw the fuck it lets see long ball which can either be intercepted or lead to a try others wouldn't throw. This will temper as he develops (I hope) but he has a good kick and pass game with the ability take the line on when needed.

He’s got plenty of work to do after last night!

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

First touch certainly what would have been the goal. I’ll reserve judgement for now

 

[Steve_Grey]

Is Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i a bargain for NSW Waratahs given he is paid for by RA? As in - he isn't included in any salary cap? If he is, what notional amount is he accounting for?

Is the salary cap even relevant for centralised franchises?

Interested to know.

 

[Strewthcobber]

No money for any Wallaby top-up is included in any team's cap.

If, as rumoured, Sua'ali'i is getting extra from a donor via the Australian rugby foundation, like Pocock or Folau, then that's not included either.

 

[Crashy]

I didnt think the foundation can pay the salaries of players?
I donate $x to the foundation. I get a tax deduction,
Foundation pays a player

Doesnt look so squeaky clean to me.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Foundation defends 'clever strategy' on private Pocock and Folau deals

Rugby Australia's fundraising arm the Australian Rugby Foundation is not shying away from its use of donors to help keep the best players at home.

www.smh.com.au

In a model used by all sports in Australia, the money has to be donated in the first instance to the Australian Sports Foundation, which then forwards it to the ARF. The donor gets a tax deduction and the ARF gives it to Rugby Australia's high performance unit, which can allocate it to the retention of players.

 

[LeCheese]

Possibly I'm misremembering, but didn't it come out that the Sua'ali'i donor had walked away after McLennan was ousted?

 

[Derpus]

That was what got reported but I don't think we ever got any further details. The kerfuffle over his salary really does show how broke we are though.

 

[TryTimeTuggySpeedman]

Been a while gentleman, I know its a little while away but predictions for the Dan Vickerman cup? Personally I feel that it will be a very close and exciting game, with one of the two brumbies or Waratahs coming out of it on top by only 7 or less points. Personally i'm backing the brumbies, due to there performance in the trials. To beat them with a lot of there key players missing shows their potential this year, but i don't sleep on the waratahs don't get me wrong they are going to be a powerful force this year.