Waratahs v Highlanders, Rd 1, Fri 14 6.35pm 2025

[Hogan]

“The Tahs were better once the pigs worked out the backs are shit, so through the middle we go.”

How’d that go for them last year? And the year before?

 

[Major Tom]

I thought Grant looked sharp when he came on and was one of the reasons we got back into the game. Gordon must be under instructions to slow the ball down at the breakdown as he doesn't do it as much in Wallabies.

Yeah I thought Gordon had a stinker. Spent the whole night shouting, pointing and waiting for the caterpillar only to put up a shit box kick time after time. Frustrating watch.

 

[Yoda]

“The Tahs were better once the pigs worked out the backs are shit, so through the middle we go”… obviously joking there old Fatprop.

 

[Pfitzy]

The fact we're getting bashed physically with that many Wallabies out there is more than a little concerning

Watched the game again today and nothing has changed my perception. I made this comment while watching on delay, before the bench came on and added a bit of starch.

Yes our forwards were getting double-teamed, and yes we put on some good hits of our own.

But our ball runners - Gleeson, Tupou, Bell - were regularly getting whacked on or behind the Ad-line. Only when we started using fast feet entering contact did that change, but the Highlanders were well up to the task for most of the game. Perhaps the attack lacked subtlety, but it seemed like we either needed to stay closer or run someone like Leota wider with Gamble on his shoulder. Round 1 angst.

It is notable that our bench went over theirs in terms of forwards at the end of the game, particularly the leadup to the last try.

Another observation: Foketi did not seem to get clean ball even once.

 

[Pfitzy]

Curious as to what they were...

Mostly the ruck turnovers where neither side showed any sign of lifting.

The outcomes I'm talking about are what the team made of the resulting possession and/or territory. The Highlanders seemed better at converting their chances while we tended to fuck them up about half the time. Looking at the grubber kick bullshit, Mr Walton.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Highlanders are a limited side but do the basics well and know each other. Tahs played like a team that is figuring each other out.

I'm not all that concerned about how clunky a lot of phases were at this stage and would be more critical of that from say round 5 onwards. What I'd want cut out are the individual moments of shit like the Walton grubber or players offloading in contact to someone in a worse position than them. Bell got shovelled it a few times for a loss and then the stunting of the next phase which I think Bell was preparing himself for.

 

[fatprop]

“The Tahs were better once the pigs worked out the backs are shit, so through the middle we go”… obviously joking there old Fatprop.

1st try - Pigs
2nd try - Pigs
3rd try - Backs
4th try - Pigs
5th try Pigs

 

[Major Tom]

say pigs again