Waratahs v Chiefs - Round 14 - Friday 27 May 2016

[Froggy]

Have to agree with Gagger re Horwitz & Lucas. While Horwitz is young, in his first season of Super Rugby and does some good things and could possibly develope, Lucas has been around for a few years now and just doesn't seem up to it.
Might be worth having a look at Jake Gordon off the bench, I hate the idea of Lucas having to start some day.

 

[HighPlainsDrifter]

The mindset was right , The desperation was evident and the belief was there ( Reminded me of dating in the 70's & 80's) Well done Tahs ! I think Big Will might find himself on the wing - he ran like a gazelle . What impressed me most was the total team effort which allowed the regular suspects shine brightly ...you know who you are!

 

[WTF?]

Two from two in my tipping so far this week, so I was a believer. Just got back from the game and boy it had shades of excitement levels near ANZ in 2014. Phipps definitely made up for his two errors in the first half. Cheiks would be happy with certain players stepping up tonight; Phipps, Foley, Skelton, Palu, Hooper, Folau, Taf, almost too many to name.


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[Chunderstruck]

.

Thats not far off the truth. How many games have aussie franchises played this season? How many of them have they looked capable of matching it with any of the top 4 kiwi sides? How many of them managed to beat the top kiwi side by 20 points?

This game is an absolute outlier and anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional IMO.

No one is trying to argue NZ teams haven't played the best rugby this season. Just getting a bit sick of people (mostly you) equating "good rugby" with "NZ". Maybe when either side wins it's because they played well, not that they somehow channeled the holy NZ spirit. I know you learned to rispuct and admire the kiwis while living over there but they're not the sole custodians of good rugby.

When it comes to northern v southern hemispheres on the other hand, that's a different story

 

[Brumby Runner]

A very promising win to the Tahs. Promising from the aspect of their chances of making the Super Rugby finals and also promising from a Wallabies' point of view.

They just might have burst the Chiefs' bubble tonight. Chiefs have three or four real or near test standard players in Retallick, Cruden, Cane and McKenzie. Otherwise they are a bit run of the mill for a NZ side, when put under pressure like the Tahs did to them tonight.

Thought Foley, Hooper and Folau were outstanding, and that Kellaway probably should be in the wider Wallaby squad.

 

[Quick Hands]

A very promising win to the Tahs. Promising from the aspect of their chances of making the Super Rugby finals and also promising from a Wallabies' point of view.

They just might have burst the Chiefs' bubble tonight. Chiefs have three or four real or near test standard players in Retallick, Cruden, Cane and McKenzie. Otherwise they are a bit run of the mill for a NZ side, when put under pressure like the Tahs did to them tonight.

Thought Foley, Hooper and Folau were outstanding, and that Kellaway probably should be in the wider Wallaby squad.

Kellaway is the real deal. Looks like he's been playing super rugby for years.

Horwitz needs more time in SS to develop and I think it's time to bid Matt Lucas farewell.

Add Phipps to the outstanding group, although it really was a great team effort tonight.

 

[Lee Grant]

A good effort from the Tahs. I thought it was the same old, same old in the first half except that they started well.

The same old was not being able to get in the opponents half with the ball.

In hindsight the Tribe blew their chances in the first half - they should have scored more points with the ball they had in the Tahs half and 22 - especially when Palu was in the bin.

Then at the start of the second half I thought it was hammer time for the Chiefs with them doing the hammering.

But the home team put on one of the best second halves since the Tahs v the Canes two years ago and turned the game on its head.

Dave Rennie was almost distraught at the presser and couldn't explain the tepid defence of the Chiefs after oranges.

The Tahs bench certainly overshadowed the Chiefs' bench - and how about that try of Dempsey?

It was a knockout.
.

 

[Gnostic]

A very very good game from the Tahs. The defensive pressure and then in the second half the support play. The work off the ball was brilliant.

Mumm and Palu (apart from the obvious yellow card) had their best games this year if not longer. Skelton also stepped up but showed that unless two or three players are committed in defence against him he will make ground and offload if the support is there.

The only real issue for the Tahs remains the kicking from hand. Only Foley is anywhere near reliable but he still tries for too much territory and fails to find touch too often. Horowitz has made multiple failed kicks and he should be made to watch the kick go backwards more than a few times this week.

I'm really warming to Izzy at 13 for just this reason, that of the kicking, and I think it would be working even better if Beale was at 15. I also liked Horne at 12, a more traditional backline and IMO not a coincidence we saw some massively improved attack.

 

[Quick Hands]

A good effort from the Tahs. I thought it was the same old, same old in the first half except that they started well.

The same old was not being able to get in the opponents half with the ball.

In hindsight the Tribe blew their chances in the first half - they should have scored more points with the ball they had in the Tahs half and 22 - especially when Palu was in the bin.

Then at the start of the second half I thought it was hammer time for the Chiefs with them doing the hammering.

But the home team put on one of the best second halves since the Tahs v the Canes two years ago and turned the game on its head.

Dave Rennie was almost distraught at the presser and couldn't explain the tepid defence of the Chiefs after oranges.

The Tahs bench certainly overshadowed the Chiefs' bench - and how about that try of Dempsey?

It was a knockout.
.

Loved the Kellaway try too.

 

[ACT Crusader]

How did the Tahs, who are surely only good enough for a NZ under 9s league, manage to win? Everyone with half a brain knows that all NZ teams are the rightful winners of any rugby game, and these contests are simply an opportunity for us to stand in awe and admire their god-like skills. I guess when aussie teams win it's only because they played like kiwis anyway

I put it all down to Aussie Daryl

 

[ACT Crusader]

Fantastic running footy from the Tahs. Slickest hands I've seen from them for some time. Really owned the Chiefs at the collisions. Was good to see a couple of the maligned Tahs forwards run hard and straight and actually make some metres up the middle of the park.

Hooper and Folau were probably the standouts amongst a number of very good performances.


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[Chunderstruck]

I put it all down to Aussie Daryl

Hopefully one day he'll coach the Wobblies to glory like Robbie did

 

[Groucho]

I put it all down to Aussie Daryl

Goanna Gibson.

 

[Lindommer]

No one's mentioned Dave Dennis so far. For mine he's been the best player for the Tahs this year.

 

[WTF?]

No one's mentioned Dave Dennis so far. For mine he's been the best player for the Tahs this year.

Definitely one of, but behind Izzy, Hooper, Fanga and Beale I think.

We played smart rugby tonight, beat the Chiefs with brains.


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[Dan54]

my my, now where has this Tahs team been all year? And it shows again why I love rugby, a team can turn up, get mentally in the zone and by geez thay are hard to stop. I think if the Chiefs first half dominance had lead to them being ahead as much as they should of been, perhaps the Tahs may not of mentally had the willpower to play like they did in 2nd half, but because they defended well in first held on, suddenly when they got on a roll they were bloody hard to stop, and were bloody good to watch as they did it!!
Oh and may I add, last week I had a crack at Tahs about how lazy they were off the ball, well they certainly fixed that last night. I was pleased for the sake of the game to see that game, I love NZ teams winning, but believe we have to have strength all around to keep the game strong.
lol And because the Canes had won so well in game beforehand and are now almost certain to make finals all pressure is off for me watching the game!

 

[TSR]

My contention with the statement that the Chiefs were so dominant (and it does appear I am alone in thinking that the weren't) is that there are two a sides to the game. The Chiefs dominated the possession stats for sure, but I didn't think that the Tahs defence ever looked like leaking points.

 

[Dan54]

You right there TSR, Tahs defence was very good, looked completely switched on and was one of the good things they did while off the ball, when I talk about working off the ball, they also seemed to get in support of one another very quickly

 

[TSR]

Yeah, support play was very good. In defence they always seemed to have good numbers where they needed to (except when Cruden caught them down the short side). The Chiefs off loading, instead of creating continuity, was often reduced to just handing the ball off to someone in a worse position - which again was only the case because the Tahs had numbers there in defence and were attacking the ball carriers aggressively. When the Tahs did have the ball in the first half, except for a brief period where they went side to side for a couple of minutes, their attack was able to find space simply through good passing and momentum onto the ball.

Edit: this must be my 4th or 5th posting praising the Tahs which probably means 1) Time for me to give it a rest & 2) must surely be up there with the most passionate support of a NSW team by a Qlder ever. I need to back off now or I fear I will get evicted from the state

 

[barbarian]

The Tahs have shown multiple times this season that if their forwards muscle up, they win games. It's as simple as that. Our 9-10 is very good (best in Tahs Super history) and they can convert go-forward ball into points.

But it's getting that go-forward that's been the problem. Dennis, Mumm, Skelton and Hooper were just outstanding, and gave the platform for Phipps and Foley who did their thing.

And how good is Izzy Folau? I have to say it once every season. We have become a bit numb to his attacking genius- that step, that burst of speed to get him through a hole....... what a player.
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