Waratahs v Highlanders, semi-final, Saturday 27 June

[No4918]

Go the Clan! Best two sides of the year made it.

 

[PaarlBok]

Jeez Shiggins, back off on the angst. Or try this: go ref a game and see how you do! Not an easy job, and in park footy there is no TMO to save your arse

Next week could be the game of the season!

Iam convince a ref poach his Mrs.

 

[PaarlBok]

Congratulations to the Highlanders. Going to be a massive final. Canes by 50

 

[Ted S]

I think the better team def won last night unfortunately although when people talk about chips on shoulders you have mention the one joubert seems to have in regards to any team from Australia.

But points for the lowest act of the weekend def go to the highlanders #13, hands in the face, the mouth and eye gounging. He was pathetic

 

[Marcelo]

Attendance: 32,632

 

[Grant NZ]

Re: Joubert. The Tahs had a big forward pass in the leadup to their try. The penalty against Aaron Smith when Joubert offered a warning was completely wrong. And he gave the Tahs a penalty late (changed to Tahs knock on when the AR pointed out Skelton's knock on prior) which could have gotten them back in the game.

It's not like the Tahs didn't get some calls too.

 

[Chris McCracken]

It will be a final I am not watch. Boycott. Not worth it. The better team doesn't always win

If you thought the better team lost in either case tonight, you really don't understand the game very well.

 

[KOB1987]

I don't think the Tahs deserved to win but despite being completely outplayed if not for the buckman try which clearly should have been disallowed they would have gone to the break with an undeserved lead. Turning point #1. And the penalty try and potgeiter being carded were utterly ridiculous. Turning point #2.

BTW I'm not blaming the ref for the latter, it's a problem with the interpretation of the rules and the overuse of the TMO. In real time it would have been regarded as nothing more than a try saver and mentioned by the media today no other way.


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[fatprop]

A big congratulations to the Highlanders, just too smart and too effective on the night.

Some tough decisions on the night, but that is rugby

For the Tahs, their weaknesses were exploited and they had no real answers. They were turned around, pressured, and then pressured again.

The game highlighted the need three effective lineout jumpers, left & right kickers (well at least more than one guy doing everything, with no effective plan B option) and what happens when the screws are turned - units who generally don't make mistakes, do.

 

[Ruggo]

Plenty was made about the size of the Tahs pack but as I said earlier, the clan pack never get bitched. Plenty of talk about the Tahs wearing the Clan down but the Clan are the fittest side in the comp. When you look at the Clan analytically, they are actually a side with very few weaknesses. It showed last night.

Going to be a cracker of a final next week.

 

[wamberal]

A big congratulations to the Highlanders, just too smart and too effective on the night.


The game highlighted the need three effective lineout jumpers, left & right kickers (well at least more than one guy doing everything, with no effective plan B option) and what happens when the screws are turned - units who generally don't make mistakes, do.

Some of us have been around long enough to know that good set pieces, and good kicking are indispensable foundations for any team. Even the archetypal Randwick running rugby was built on very strong foundations.

If this is Cheikaball we are phucked.

 

[dru]

Set piece. Anyone still playing it down?

Left foot kickers are great, but reliance is less if your right foot kickers are at least adequate and you have a couple. On the left footed side you need a long pass to an in-field kickers a'la QC (Quade Cooper). (If you don't have a left footer).

Well done Tahs to take it this far two years running.

And congrats to the Canes, many of us were unsure at the start of the season, but boy-o-boy have you proven the doubters wrong. Nice work.

 

[Gagger]

One team showed up to play tonight and if that's the best we have to dish up in the Rugby Championship against the AB's then the less Tahs in the team the better. Pathetic effort and with the resources thrown behind the Tahs that is money being pissed down the drain.

Yep - finals the last two years is a shocking return.

 

[Gagger]

I also think that Foley is not the man to direct the Wobs. He cracked under pressure - the worst game I have seen him play this year. I am not sure he can handle the pressure of the big occasion. His kicking was pop-gun at best. Phipps also struggled and was completely outclassed by Smith. So I guess it has to be Genia or White with Cooper or To'omua/Lealifano.


.

If having a bad game this season is your disqualifyer, then none of the options you've posted can be picked.

 

[Pfitzy]

The penalty against Aaron Smith when Joubert offered a warning was completely wrong.

Can't say that without stating why you think it

From where I was sitting, he was off his feet at a ruck situation, even though there was no longer a ruck. Refs have been told to keep players on their feet until the ball is gone. Probably in from the side, too, when you look at where the gate formed.

 

[Pfitzy]

If having a bad game this season is your disqualifyer, then none of the options you've posted can be picked.

Multiple times! In fact, let's not even contest the World Cup, because it's clear we can't contribute there given our players are human and make mistakes!

What this means is extra week for Cheika to work on new tactics with Larkham.

 

[mark_s]

Frustrating game for a tahs fans. Passes to no one. Kicks not going out. Shambolic line out. And this was how we started the game. We gifted soft tries to the Clan and never got into any rythm or structure and didnt deserve to win with so many errors.

Foley was under pressure and played poorly, Beale's absence only increased the pressure as did the highlanders extremely quick rush defence.
As for Joubert - I thought he was sub standard and someone else should be controlling the final.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The penalty against Aaron Smith when Joubert offered a warning was completely wrong.

Utterly.
His first statement was that he had deliberately knocked the ball on. he seemed to back away from that and suggest he might have been offisde.
Fact is the clearance was so laboured that A Smith had plenty of time to make what was a legitimate tackle.
However.
Joubert did it, in my view, because he had been so gutless on the repeated infringements to that point.

 

[fatprop]

I thought the 'Tah's played very poorly and were lucky not to be down by 17 at half time alone.

The penalty try / yellow was harsh, otherwise I saw no bias in the calls.

I see that moment as both valid and harsh. As various coaches have said before, all they want is consistency. Players get away with the same type of stuff on the goal line in many games a year, to draw that sanction out for a semi .................... I will be less concerned if I ever see it happen again, with the same type of result

The Renata try is what I actually found more frustrating from a game management point of view.

We want to see fast open rugby, part of that is releasing the tackled player quickly so they can play the ball or be turned over. But release too fast and they start crawling along the ground (my ultimate hate) or just get up and start running; but hold on too long and the defender is penalized for not releasing.

I believe we need a clearer "contract" between attack and defence, potentially requiring any attacking player whose knees hit the ground while being tackled to play the ball

 

[Strewthcobber]

I believe we need a clearer "contract" between attack and defence, potentially requiring any attacking player whose knees hit the ground while being tackled to play the ball

The highlights are up on foxsports. I had a look at that one a couple of times and even paused when his knee hit the ground, I don't think there were any Tahs still holding on