Waratahs V Brumbies @ Homebush

[fatprop]

Tahs to reshuffle back line

Greg Growden

July 2, 2012


He'll be back … Lachie Turner played an outstanding club game on Saturday and convinced selectors he is fully fit. Photo: Getty Images
THE Waratahs will start Lachie Turner on the wing, play Bernard Foley at No.10 and move Adam Ashley-Cooper to fullback as part of a dramatic back-line reshuffle for Saturday night's match against the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium.
The extent of the Waratahs' restructuring in attack will depend on Turner's fitness, but it seems he has convinced the selectors, in particular head coach Michael Foley, he is ready for his first major game of the season.
Turner, who tore a hamstring ligament in February during a trial match, played the full game for Eastwood against Southern Districts at T.G. Millner Field on Saturday, finishing among the try-scorers.

But it was the Test player's excellent defence during Eastwood's 35-31 win has convinced the selectors he is back to full fitness and primed to regain his Waratahs wing spot. The previous weekend, Turner played half a game in the centres for Eastwood, again scoring a try.
Foley is set to start at No.10, with incumbent pivot Berrick Barnes moving from five-eighth to inside-centre to accompany Rob Horne in the midfield. Drew Mitchell and Turner will be on the wings, and Ashley-Cooper will move to fullback. Winger Tom Kingston will be the casualty, heading to the reserves bench, from where he can cover several back-line positions.
The Waratahs have for some time wanted to play Foley at No.10, and having experienced players around him will help ease the pressure on the youngster in his first major game in the position.
There is uncertainty whether Brendan McKibbin or Sarel Pretorius will start at halfback, as their form has been erratic before the Waratahs went on a break due to the June Test schedule.
While Barnes enjoyed two man-of-the-match performances at five-eighth for the Wallabies during the three-Test series against Wales, there will be no qualms about him playing at inside-centre, a position he enjoys.
Also, Ashley-Cooper's excellent performances for the Wallabies at No.15 convinced the Waratahs selectors it was time to move him there, and try Foley at five-eighth. Waratahs fans will also welcome the move, as many have been calling for Foley to be given a chance as the main playmaker.
It has been a frustrating season for the fans, who have watched their team slump to a run of six successive losses, which has seen the Waratahs sink to 11th spot on the ladder and kiss goodbye to their chances of making the finals.
But the team can still have an influence on which Australian sides make the finals, with the Brumbies and the Reds both in with a chance. Losing to the Waratahs in the final two rounds of the competition could well affect their chances of making the cut-off.
The Brumbies look the most vulnerable. While they performed well in the first half against the Force in Perth, their performance in the final 40 minutes was well short of what is needed for finals football.
Many key players went missing after the break, while several Wallabies fringe candidates struggled to handle the pressure. The level of tension will amplify if they get through to the finals and coach Jake White would be concerned that some of his youngsters are looking jittery. If that continues in the finals, not even winning the Australian conference will save them from a quick exit.
The Reds, who the Waratahs are playing in the final round in Brisbane on July 14, are also not playing to their best, but look more assured and rounded than the Brumbies. It was no surprise to hear retiring former Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock say the Reds had the qualities to successfully defend their Super Rugby title.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/tahs-to-reshuffle-back-line-20120701-21b3k.html#ixzz1zPuFFwbI

So ...

1 Robinson
2 Nau
3 Kepu
4 Douglas
5 Timani
6 Dennis
7 Alcock
8 Palu
9 McKibbon
10 Foley
11 Mitchell
12 Barnes
13 Horne
14 Turner
15 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)

The should keep the Brumbies from scoring 50 .. against the cellar dwellers

 

[Braveheart81]

Foley to 10!

I've been wanting to see that for half the season!

 

[Paradox]

I hope Foley to 10 spectacularly back fires in this game only

 

[rugbysmartarse]

by christ I hope they stick with it, even if he is woeful. The tahs have for too long tried a new combination but discarded it if it didnt immedately work. Like any young playe, I think he will need time to settle into playing pivot.

 

[FairWeatherAussie]

I'm really happy, and really sad to see this lineup. I'd like to see Foley at 10 and if he lives up to the expectations of him. I'm also glad to see Barnes playing at 12. Australia's future is Cooper at 10 and Barnes at 12, so it's good him starting there for his franchise. Why this line-up makes me sad is that it looks very strong. I've been backing the 'Tahs all season, but now that they are out of contention and the Brumbies and Reds are, I don't want them to cause any upsets. And on paper this looks like a team that can cause an upset if Foley can live up to his expectations, or at least put in a decent performance, as a number 10.

Admittedly the 'Tahs have looked great on paper all season, and have still gotten slowly worse week by week (and gotten beaten week by week by weekly weaker teams). But few of the Wallaby contingent would or should be disappointed with their performances against Wales (Robinson maybe below his best). Mitchell didn't come back in the same form as he was in prior to his injuries, but with an extra month of strengthening and training he could well find that previous form which would be a huge fillup for the 'Tahs.

Basically looking at the 'Tahs lineup I can see them winning at least one of their final two games, and despite supporting them all season, I hope they don't. And if they do, I hope it's Brumbies and not the Reds, not out of favoritism, but because Brumbies are guaranteed a finals berth where-as Reds realistically have to win their final two games to be confident of one.

 

[Braveheart81]

I wonder if there is any chance that Deans asked Michael Foley to play Barnes at 12.

 

[Scotty]

Foley to 10!

I've been wanting to see that for half the season!

Strange for someone that seems to believe Barnes should be the wallaby 10?

 

[Scotty]

How can the brumbies or reds compete with that team? It is basically (or at least should be) the wallabies lineup?

It will be a massive upset if the tahs lose.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think Barnes is much better as a test 10 than he is as a Super Rugby 10.

His performances at 10 for the Waratahs would seem to reflect that.

I think Bernard Foley has huge promise and I genuinely think he could be the best option at 10 to make the Waratahs a contender in the next few years. He's young, improving fast, has excellent skills and makes good decisions. He has more attacking flair than Barnes.

In terms of Barnes as the Wallabies 10, if all things were equal and all the contenders had played throughout the season, I don't think Barnes would be the Wallabies 10. Most of my comments saying that he will start TRC at 10 is because he played well against Wales in a 3-0 sweep and Deans will be looking for consistency.

I guess most of my posts have been based on what I expect to happen rather than a perfect world scenario of what I would like to happen where Mitchell plays two incredible games for the Tahs and reclaims 14, Cooper takes the Reds from 6th to win back to back titles and forces his way into the Wallaby 10 jumper, Barnes gets moved to 12, McCabe moves to 13 and the entire backline gels superbly and we win TRC undefeated and reclaim the Bledisloe Cup.

I just don't think all those things will happen.

 

[FairWeatherAussie]

Also, as an aside, I'm a little surprised coach Foley hasn't been demoted back to forwards coach but instead retained. I understand the two season thing, the need to give a coach time to turn a team around. And Mark Hammet with the Hurricanes has shown how important it is not to judge a coaches performance based on their first years results.

But, even with that in mind, for a team with the coffers and the history of NSW, it seems ridiculous that they are persisting with a coach-in-training. I'm not a huge fan of Dingo Deans, I'd rather Link coaching the Aussie team, but his selections made a fairly strong statement that he considered the Waratah's more Wallaby dense than any other franchise. And, in my opinion, they pretty much all stepped up and performed at that level. Under Dingo the Wallaby Waratah's were able to play atan international level, where-as under Foley they have gone from being the franchises almost favourites, to franchise almost favourite with a bit of bad luck, to a franchise possibility with a bit of bad luck, to losing to fellow cellar dweller Cheetahs,and then to losing by four tries to zero to NZ number 3/4, The Hurricanes.

I wish Foley all the best next season and I hope that he can do a Mark Hammet and make it work, proving that this was a transitional season. That would be good by me and good for Australian rugby. But I'm just finding it hard to imagine given the contrary evidence. Still, I will be very happy if I do turn out to be wrong.

 

[fatprop]

How can the brumbies or reds compete with that team? It is basically (or at least should be) the wallabies lineup?

It will be a massive upset if the tahs lose.

nah, this is the 2012 Tahs, I will be happy if we keep within 20 points in the next two weeks.

The Brumbies have to be clear favourites as the form Aus S15 side who were so unjustly underrepresented in the June Tests; and the Reds next week, meh, at Suncorp?, they should put 30 on the Tahs

 

[Bruce Ross]

I bags Bay 33.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Foley has done the right thing with that selection I think. I like Barnes at 12 more than 10 and Foley is a five-eighth, not a fullback IMHO. I saw Turner in Eastwood's game against Souths and agree he should be selected. With everyone fit, he's a starter in that team and I'm glad to see him back. And did my eyes deceive me, is Drew Mitchell in that line up? Happy days if that's the case.

If these blokes stay fit, then this points for some good selection headaches come TRC time.

 

[Slim 293]

Just thinking about it.......

Foley retains Barnes at flyhalf after every crap performance this year.

Barnes then Steven Bradbury's his way into the Wallabies after every other flyhalf candidate falls down.

Barnes finds some form, plays well in the Welsh series.

So, Foley shifts him to inside centre.

OK.

 

[Slim 293]

How can the brumbies or reds compete with that team? It is basically (or at least should be) the wallabies lineup?

It will be a massive upset if the tahs lose.

The Waratahs should easily get a 4 try bonus point win against a team that can only muster up a single Wallaby starter.

The Waratahs pack is essentially the Wallabies pack. The Brumbies are going to get monstered.......

 

[waratahjesus]

Biggest problem for the Tahs is gonna be the second half, with the team fading so many times during the year having had 5 weeks off isn't going to do them favors, hopefully some form from the test series carries over.

 

[Braveheart81]

They should go back to having oranges at halftime instead of lighting up a spliff as well.

 

[waratahjesus]

The Waratahs should easily get a 4 try bonus point win against a team that can only muster up a single wallaby starter

You have a team of Tom Carter's, it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's a good superugby team. Stop Talking down your own team Slim, they have a good chance.

 

[Slim 293]

You have a team of Tom Carter's, it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's a good superugby team. Stop Talking down your own team Slim, they have a good chance.

I know our team isn't good enough to produce test players like the mighty Tahs, but you didn't have to go putting down our roster like that.......

 

[waratahjesus]

I know our team isn't good enough to produce test players like the mighty Tahs, but you didn't have to go putting down our roster like that...

It's a massive compliment. A team of people consistently producing to the best of their ability for themselves and those around them.