A mutterer
Chilla Wilson (44)
Still concerned about the amount of game time it took to establish dominance and different approach against a fast defense. A good win but two tough games to go.
Waratahs v Brumbies 28th June ANZ Stadium
- Thread starter Pfitzy
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I think the Brumbies were better than the scoreline indicates and whilst the Tahs could have put the game away earlier they controlled it fairly well.
The post match interviews from both sides were pretty telling. Mowen was proud of how his team had played and the Tahs clearly felt the Brumbies had really brought a physical contest to them.
The post match interviews from both sides were pretty telling. Mowen was proud of how his team had played and the Tahs clearly felt the Brumbies had really brought a physical contest to them.
I wasn't enamored with all aspects of the Tahs on Saturday night
I thought their cleanout was just average and allowed too much "octopus hands" (trademark Kafer) from the Brumbies. I also thought their defensive work in the first half was too passive
Positives?
I thought some of Foley's kicking was very good, he is finding more grass and less humans
Their defense in the second half was better
They will need to be much, much better next week, the Highlanders look the business
I thought their cleanout was just average and allowed too much "octopus hands" (trademark Kafer) from the Brumbies. I also thought their defensive work in the first half was too passive
Positives?
I thought some of Foley's kicking was very good, he is finding more grass and less humans
Their defense in the second half was better
They will need to be much, much better next week, the Highlanders look the business
In the absence of Bruce Ross, I will give a huge shout out to the Tahs S&C staff this season.
Even with slow ball our pigs get over the advantage line incredibly often, and the development in TPN, Palu, Douglas and Skelton has been noticeable.
Our wins have been built on physical dominance, so the work in the gym is obviously paying off. Not to mention the medicos and physios- I have never seen Cliffy in better shape (touches wood furiously and prays to the rugby god of injuries).
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Even with slow ball our pigs get over the advantage line incredibly often, and the development in TPN, Palu, Douglas and Skelton has been noticeable.
Our wins have been built on physical dominance, so the work in the gym is obviously paying off. Not to mention the medicos and physios- I have never seen Cliffy in better shape (touches wood furiously and prays to the rugby god of injuries).
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It did take the Tahs too long to adjust to the Brumbies flooding the breakdown.
Initially it seemed like they thought they could continue in their normal ways of controlling the breakdown with only a couple of players even though the Brumbies were committing several more. Once they committed more numbers, we had better ball and the penalties started to flow for the constant not rolling away and playing the ball after they'd gone off their feet.
The Brumbies need to come up with a plan B for times when they are being penalised heavily at the breakdown.
Richo
John Thornett (49)
Pfitzy
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Haven't really seen much mention but I thought Naiyaravaro did well in his few minutes off the bench at the end. He made a strong hit and had a decent run and didn't look out of place.
It was a huge improvement over his cameo against the Lions where he looked completely lost. Training with the team and playing Shute Shield is clearly benefiting him.
It was a huge improvement over his cameo against the Lions where he looked completely lost. Training with the team and playing Shute Shield is clearly benefiting him.
Yeah, he didn't look as massive.
Hopefully they don't discover that their 120kg winger was actually just a really overweight 105kg winger.
rugbysmartarse
Alan Cameron (40)
and thigh wise. his good run ended in front of our seats, and his legs are just enourmous
I loved that the squad members outside the 23 all had Benn Robinson masks. Was awesome when he scored and they all held up their masks and cheered.
A mutterer
Chilla Wilson (44)
i thought robbo was solid, but i was expecting him to come out firing a bit more, challenge for the wobs and all that.
Froggy
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
You know one of the big differences with the Tahs this year, apart from the ball-in-hand thing and the belief, is the physicality.
There was one point early in the 2njd half where the Brumbies got the ball from a lineout just outside our 22, and then had about 12 phases of attack. So aggressive and in-your-face was the Tahs defence that at the end of all that they were back behind halfway, and White had to kick to get some territory back. To me that was the turning point of the game, we never looked in trouble after that. That's something you used to see from top SAF or Kiwi teams, but never from the Tahs.
On another note, never was the benefit of Skelton more obvious than Foley's try. Foley had gone to Skelton three times close to the line, looking to repeat the French try, but the ponies triple teamed him and shut him down. On the fourth occasion, with Skelton on his inside shoulder, Foley just strolled through the yawning gap that appeared from three men running in to take Skelton.
There was one point early in the 2njd half where the Brumbies got the ball from a lineout just outside our 22, and then had about 12 phases of attack. So aggressive and in-your-face was the Tahs defence that at the end of all that they were back behind halfway, and White had to kick to get some territory back. To me that was the turning point of the game, we never looked in trouble after that. That's something you used to see from top SAF or Kiwi teams, but never from the Tahs.
On another note, never was the benefit of Skelton more obvious than Foley's try. Foley had gone to Skelton three times close to the line, looking to repeat the French try, but the ponies triple teamed him and shut him down. On the fourth occasion, with Skelton on his inside shoulder, Foley just strolled through the yawning gap that appeared from three men running in to take Skelton.
I also liked that for Alofa's second try, the option was not for Folau to be the one trying to go through the defence. As expected he did draw in an extra defender (Mogg) but he got his pass away nicely and Alofa scored untouched.
Kafe spoke about it on Rugby HQ earlier in the year that on those set plays in the red zone, Folau should be the decoy or just another set of hands in the move rather than the go to player.
He attracts so much of the defence's attention that there are always going to be other players who are a better option to give the ball to.
Kafe spoke about it on Rugby HQ earlier in the year that on those set plays in the red zone, Folau should be the decoy or just another set of hands in the move rather than the go to player.
He attracts so much of the defence's attention that there are always going to be other players who are a better option to give the ball to.
Foley's try was nice, Froggy, (and it was up my end, thank you boys) but the defining piece of play for me was the last try in the corner (which was right in front of me). The enthusiasm, energy and mental toughness Beale and Hooper showed to get in behind the Ponies' defence warmed the cockles of my heart. And then big Cliffy (who said he's fragile?, or can't play 80 minutes?) finished it off to score a wonderful team try IN THE 79TH MINUTE! I'd go so far as to say that passage of play might shape up as the defining moment of the Tahs' triumph this year.
The Ponies played very well on Saturday night, they put us under a lot of pressure for most of the game (apart from their lineouts, why did they send on a prop in the 2 jumper?). There's always been a healthy culture at the Brumbies, and their give-it-to the-Tahs approach showed. Macqueen established a positive culture in Canberra in 1996 (it's a shame he couldn't go to the well twice and do something similar in Melbourne in 2011). I've written elsewhere the advent of professionalism and the establishment of the Brumbies in 1996 were the most significant events in world rugby for quite some time, possibly since 1945. And they've successfully kept that culture; it stands them in good stead when injuries and poor coaches seek to pull them down. They'll come back strong next year. However, culture and determination can only take a team so far, they won't beat a rampaging team like the current Tahs too often. I thought the Brumbies competed very well for the first 55 or so minutes, if only marginally on the edge of the laws. But a good bench'll win close games in Super Rugby and the Tahs have a bloody beauty. Dennis goes down, another Walllaby (Hoiles) runs on! JacPot runs out of petrol, big Willie chugs on. Triple-teaming Skelton took an enormous amount out of the Brumbies defenders late in the game, which resulted in the blowout at the end.
That was a good test of the modern Tahs against a skilful, well-organised and committed opponent. They played good, done strong.
Anybody heard about the crowd figures? Christ it was cold out there, must've cost us at least 5,000 softies. The board put up a figure of 11 degrees. Crap! If it was over 6 I'm an All Black.
The Ponies played very well on Saturday night, they put us under a lot of pressure for most of the game (apart from their lineouts, why did they send on a prop in the 2 jumper?). There's always been a healthy culture at the Brumbies, and their give-it-to the-Tahs approach showed. Macqueen established a positive culture in Canberra in 1996 (it's a shame he couldn't go to the well twice and do something similar in Melbourne in 2011). I've written elsewhere the advent of professionalism and the establishment of the Brumbies in 1996 were the most significant events in world rugby for quite some time, possibly since 1945. And they've successfully kept that culture; it stands them in good stead when injuries and poor coaches seek to pull them down. They'll come back strong next year. However, culture and determination can only take a team so far, they won't beat a rampaging team like the current Tahs too often. I thought the Brumbies competed very well for the first 55 or so minutes, if only marginally on the edge of the laws. But a good bench'll win close games in Super Rugby and the Tahs have a bloody beauty. Dennis goes down, another Walllaby (Hoiles) runs on! JacPot runs out of petrol, big Willie chugs on. Triple-teaming Skelton took an enormous amount out of the Brumbies defenders late in the game, which resulted in the blowout at the end.
That was a good test of the modern Tahs against a skilful, well-organised and committed opponent. They played good, done strong.
Anybody heard about the crowd figures? Christ it was cold out there, must've cost us at least 5,000 softies. The board put up a figure of 11 degrees. Crap! If it was over 6 I'm an All Black.
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