Waratahs v Brumbies, round 6, Sunday 22 March

[Lindommer]

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MMmmm. Tricky game this, Ponies playing REAL well and probably pumped up for one of their top grudge matches of the year. Tahs battling along, winning some but losing some. Don't want to be playing your best rugby too early, although winning's nice at the same time.

Where and when do we meet pre-match?

 

[Pfitzy]

I think it'll look much like last year - Brumbies very solid, us still stratching around. Ponies will be in much better shape than the last two games they played in Sydney.

Don't think we'll win.

 

[Troy]

Is Poey due back for this one?


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[The_Brown_Hornet]

Big game this one. I expect the Brumbies to really apply the blow torch to the Tahs in the tough stuff (in the forwards and the backs) and try to win the collisions first. Only then do I think they'll give the ball some air out wide. They're playing a particularly hard nosed brand of footy at the moment and I think they'll win this.

 

[formerflanker]

On form to date, it will be a Brumbies win. A cracker of a match coming up!

 

[ChargerWA]

Is Poey due back for this one?


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Off the bench apparently.

 

[Pfitzy]

Butler playing just a bit too well at 7 from the limited amounts I've seen.

Pocock will add something at the back end.

Brumbies probably by 14-ish at this stage, unless our focus lifts quite a bit, then it will be by less than 7.

 

[cyclopath]

Butler playing just a bit too well at 7 from the limited amounts I've seen.

Pocock will add something at the back end.

Brumbies probably by 14-ish at this stage, unless our focus lifts quite a bit, then it will be by less than 7.

Yeah, several things need to start clicking for the Tahs; several things would need to un-click for the Brumbies. It should be a good game, but I hope Cheika et al have their thinking caps on this week.

 

[Braveheart81]

The biggest thing the Tahs need is composure.

The Highlanders game fell apart in a 10 minute period where we conceded 19 points.

We make lots of breaks (12 line breaks against the Highlanders 7) so we get the ball into the opposition 22 a lot but we need to convert more often into points. Need more patience when we get there to play with more structure in the forwards to try and create a numerical advantage somewhere that our backs can take advantage of.

The breakdown work needs to get better. Too often we have players overcommitting to make a big cleanout when what was needed was just to stand over the ball and control it. If you're the first player arriving at an attacking breakdown and there isn't already a defender on the ball, you don't want to take him and you out of the contest because then there is still no ruck and we're reliant on the next guy arriving securing it. The ruck ball we turned over was generally of this type rather than being beaten to the breakdown by a player that we then couldn't clean out from the ball.

 

[nathan]

Do the Tah's guys see any changes this week?

I think the Brumbies should be pretty similar to last week - with maybe Smiler shifting into the bench lock position and Pocock into the bench backrow spot. Maybe Mogg if he's fit comes back onto the bench as well - although Dargaville didn't have the worst game with the exception of channeling Karmichael Hunt to be held up.

 

[Braveheart81]

Do the Tah's guys see any changes this week?

A couple of players need frontal lobotomies but otherwise it didn't seem like there were any injuries and I'd expect the same team to be named.

 

[Froggy]

I agree with BH, I think Cheika will be unlikely to make changes, but I would be tempted to make a couple if it were me.

I would be giving Potgeiter a bit of time on the bench to think about, well thinking. I would move Dennis to 6 and start Lousi, who really impressed me apart from the dumb penalty (to be fair, I have no doubt the player on the deck was deliberately impeding, but Lousi's action was always going to bring a penalty).

Again, it won't happen but I would be tempted, just for fun, to play Horne at 12, Folau at 13, Carraro on the wing and Beale at 15. They spend a bit of time in those positions anyway, but I reckon it could very easily upset the Brumbie game plan.

As I say, won't happen but would be interesting.

 

[Tomikin]

I agree with BH, I think Cheika will be unlikely to make changes, but I would be tempted to make a couple if it were me.

I would be giving Potgeiter a bit of time on the bench to think about, well thinking. I would move Dennis to 6 and start Lousi, who really impressed me apart from the dumb penalty (to be fair, I have no doubt the player on the deck was deliberately impeding, but Lousi's action was always going to bring a penalty).

Again, it won't happen but I would be tempted, just for fun, to play Horne at 12, Folau at 13, Carraro on the wing and Beale at 15. They spend a bit of time in those positions anyway, but I reckon it could very easily upset the Brumbie game plan.

As I say, won't happen but would be interesting.

Our game plan of running TK straight at anyone in the centres... I've no doubt Horne can handle him self but you would Hope Izzy's got his positional play perfect to defend there. It'd be a tough iniation to defending at 13.

 

[Pfitzy]

Izzy only joins the line at 13 on attack. And really, off set piece he's just playing fullback-joins-the-line.

Accuracy at the breakdown would allow us to turn some of these linebreaks into points.

Anyone got the impression yet that the Clan were not going hard on the ruck, knowing we would and over commit?

 

[Scrubber2050]

Tahs need to win to get their season back on track. Teams aren't fearing them like last year.

Physicality is down. The Brums, on form should win.

Has Cheika bitten off too much with both jobs?

The game will be a beauty. Match ups everywhere. It is a shame The Chosen One will start from the bench. Hooper will be relishing this game.

Brims by 5

 

[fatprop]

ponies have a good rhythm at the moment, I can't see the Tahs winning this one

 

[Ruggo]

Brumbies just to clinical for mine. I think they will unpick the Tahs. With no disrespect intended I just don't see a single part of the game at the moment where the Tahs have it over the Brumbies.

 

[Troy]

I'm just hoping Pocock gets on the field at some stage, be very interested to see Hooper and Pocock.

 

[canberra2011]

Waratahs are favourites according to Tom Waterhouse.

 

[Viking]

Can't bloody wait! Going to be a great match up.