Waratahs v Rebels RD 6

[fatprop]

The Tahs level this season is so worrying. They only beat the Reds twice and then lost all the others games. They have no chances against a NZ side, probably against Blues but the others are stronger

The Forces games will help decide whether the Tahs come 3rd or 4th in the Aus conference

another attempt at razzle dazzle verus grind and f*cked if I know what the outcome will be

 

[Dave Beat]

The better team won that one.
Really, like the last 20 of the Tah's game.
There is allot of ref blaming - he didnt impact the correct result
The Rebs won the game in the first half, they also need to look at themselves, they shut down and were lucky to scrape home.

 

[swingpass]

i am not so certain that the Rebels shut down that early. the problem was, and has been, that they regularly turn over ball in attacking situations, at least two attacking lineouts were picked off by Mumm, they lost the ball on one attacking raid and Foley kicked it 60m downfield leading to a Tahs lineout and subsequent try a phase or two later. Crawford nearly scored in the corner, would have if not for Izzy. If the Rebels had taken just one of those four opportunities the result would have looked a lot more convincing. additionally the Tahs actually started to play a bit / a lot better.

The rebels field kicking and chase has generally been poor all year and was so again on sunday, regularly giving the ball back to NSW in pretty good field position adding to the pressure on the Rebs defence.

 

[galumay]

The better team won that one.
Really, like the last 20 of the Tah's game.
There is allot of ref blaming - he didnt impact the correct result
The Rebs won the game in the first half, they also need to look at themselves, they shut down and were lucky to scrape home.

You are correct the better team did win - because they managed to score a few more points in the 40 minutes or so they actually were the better side. Maybe its more accurate to say the less worse side won, but i guess its just semantics.

I don't see much ref blaming in this thread, most of us were pointing out how poor Lee's performance was and noted that it was equally impacting both sides. At least his performance was consistent with the awful quality of rugby being played!

I think Lee's biggest problem is he loses concentration, misses basic stuff then just makes a wild guess as to what might have happened and awards a penalty based on that.

I am not so sure the Rebels shut down either, against a team playing absolutely woefully they only managed 2 tries in the first half, as soon as the Tah's lifted a little the low skill and accuracy level of the Rebels was exposed.

 

[Dave Beat]

You are correct the better team did win - because they managed to score a few more points in the 40 minutes or so they actually were the better side. Maybe its more accurate to say the less worse side won, but i guess its just semantics.

I don't see much ref blaming in this thread, most of us were pointing out how poor Lee's performance was and noted that it was equally impacting both sides. At least his performance was consistent with the awful quality of rugby being played!

I think Lee's biggest problem is he loses concentration, misses basic stuff then just makes a wild guess as to what might have happened and awards a penalty based on that.

I am not so sure the Rebels shut down either, against a team playing absolutely woefully they only managed 2 tries in the first half, as soon as the Tah's lifted a little the low skill and accuracy level of the Rebels was exposed.

I say shut down due to changes I saw in the game, in the first half in attack players were playing in the front line in attack. In the second half i was trying to work out whether that had been replaced.
I thought they were trying to protect the lead rather than increase the lead - that's all.

 

[Brumby Runner]

This is probably the worst game I've seen Folau play for the Tahs since 2013...

Izzy tried hard but as he was the only back threatening the line he was easy meat for the defense.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Reckon sacking Blades, Taavao and Guilford would be a good start for the tahs, along with saying thanks for your service but bugger off to Cliffy and Dennis. Then think about sacking Gibson if it's not better by the Summer tours.

Think you are pretty much on the mark. Dennis and Mumm are underrated at lineout time but overrated every where else. Saw a couple of locks for Randwick on Saturday in Kellaway and Munroe who would do a far better job imo. And Will Skelton unfortunately for Aus rugby is overrated in all aspects of his game.

But if the Tahs remain true to form, there will be very little change to their favoured few.

 

[Dumbledore]

I am not so sure the Rebels shut down either, against a team playing absolutely woefully they only managed 2 tries in the first half, as soon as the Tah's lifted a little the low skill and accuracy level of the Rebels was exposed.

Of course they did. You could see them taking their fullll measure of time at lineouts, when kicking, packing scrums. More interested in territory than the ball. They played exactly like a team that's been told not to lose plays. It was the total opposite of what the Chiefs did the other night.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Its about time we started pissing and moaning a bit harder IMO.

Just wondering - are you suggesting the team (whichever earns the wrath of the crowd - not especially the Tahs) be booed off the ground at half time?

 

[Scrubber2050]

Wow - congrats to the Rebels.

Folau played well against the Reds and shit against the Rebels. What is going on ???

Said it before but the dog's barking just got louder for Gibson.

Tahs missed Beale bigtime

 

[cyclopath]

Of course they did. You could see them taking their fullll measure of time at lineouts, when kicking, packing scrums. More interested in territory than the ball. They played exactly like a team that's been told not to lose plays. It was the total opposite of what the Chiefs did the other night.

Exactly, it was blindingly obvious they were playing to protect the lead, try and make no mistakes, take no chances. It's understandable in a way, but fraught with danger as the intensity and accuracy can slip. But it seems a common McGahan tactic. I'm not a fan - they got the good lead for a reason - playing some good positive footy, they should keep going. Fortunately for the Rebels, the Tahs had plenty of ineptitude for the whole game, maybe even two!

 

[Pfitzy]

I can't be arsed rewriting this for you lot, so here is my Entry From Another Forum:

One problem is that we started the season picking a THP at LHP and that has now marked us for the rest of the season. The penalty from the last scrum of the game shows that more than anything. That was, at worst, a reset, because from where I was sitting, the Rebels THP played Paddy and the AR like a fiddle.

The main issue is that we're playing the same plan we had two years ago when we won, and it isn't working, and hasn't worked, for over 12 months. The Rebels set up their first try with a nice load of Pick n Go before going wide, and getting a back on forward.

The Tahs are still trying to hit 2nd Channel with a forward, and then running laterally in the backs, without understanding that people are wise to this, and know to cut down the space of guys like Skelton and Lousi and Palu, and just drift on Folau and Foley and Beale.

Rebels did the basics well, and still could have lost that game despite all the Tahs' ineptitude. The didn't score on the second half, didn't have much territory, and didn't kick that well. But they tackle their arses off and waited for (inevitable) mistakes.

Doesn't matter how you win, really, but neither side is going to ring up huge gates with those kinds of performances.

MOTM from here: Jordy Reid.

 

[Pfitzy]

But it seems a common McGahan tactic.

Was saying to Lindo on the way back to The Clock: McGahan and Axel Foley - separated at birth, at least in coaching terms.

 

[Dave Beat]

Wow - congrats to the Rebels.

Folau played well against the Reds and shit against the Rebels. What is going on ???

Said it before but the dog's barking just got louder for Gibson.

Tahs missed Beale bigtime

Lacking cohesion;
We haven't had the same 10.
We have a young number 12 who needs more time in SS.
Our 13 well I'm confused there as well - who is our first choice 13.
Wings - again messy selections.
Folau - how can you play attacking confident rugby with a maze of variations in front of you.

Is it Gibson?
Or is it a political group who have had short tunnel vision.

Cheers

 

[Braveheart81]

There has certainly been a lack of consistency in selections due to injuries, but the basic skills on display yesterday were diabolical. There were so many (unintentional) bounce passes in the first 20 minutes I thought the Tahs were playing basketball.

Passes on the ground, behind the man etc. and very quickly everyone is pausing to catch the ball because they can't trust that they're going to receive a decent pass.

Lots and lots of poor decision making. We pushed far too many offloads where the player was not in a better position and was going to get tackled in roughly the same place so instead of that player being there to secure the breakdown, they're now getting tackled and we lose that chance to have quick ball and instead are often getting turned over.

There were multiple occasions where we made a break and would have had a huge chance to score on the next phase but we throw a dumb offload and lose the ball rather than getting quick ruck ball and spreading it wide against a retreating, offside defence.

Guildford had a shocker. I'd relegate him for a match or two.

Team to play the Brumbies in two weeks should be:

Robinson
TPN (hopefully)
Robertson
Dennis
Mumm
Dempsey
Hooper
Holloway
Phipps
Foley
Kellaway
Horwitz
Folau
Robinson
Beale

Res: Roach, Ryan, Ta'avao, Skelton/Lousi, Hanigan, Lucas, Carraro, Guildford

Dennis needs to improve. He's not producing the workrate nor the impact of last season. Skelton and Lousi are quite like for like and both need to improve.

 

[Dumbledore]

Exactly, it was blindingly obvious they were playing to protect the lead, try and make no mistakes, take no chances. It's understandable in a way, but fraught with danger as the intensity and accuracy can slip. But it seems a common McGahan tactic. I'm not a fan - they got the good lead for a reason - playing some good positive footy, they should keep going. Fortunately for the Rebels, the Tahs had plenty of ineptitude for the whole game, maybe even two!

I hate it. I guess it leads to confidence in each other/the defence? Maybe? I really don't know. It seems totally self defeating to me. You look at the big boys in this competition and the thought of losing never even crosses their mind. They're out there having the time of their lives, because scoring tries is way more fun than spending 40 minutes tackling. They feel good, and they play better because of it.

On a totally unrelated note, I thought both Crawford and Kellaway had quietly good games. They get themselves into good spots.

 

[A mutterer]

i think it may just be gibson, because fuck me if chieka would have let the tahs walk back out after half time without blood coming from the ears of every player.

 

[boyo]

I would have been embarrassed to accept the MOTM award if I was Dean Mumm!

Like Joe Launchbury?

 

[Highlander35]

In terms of the scrum penalty, it looked to me on replay that Hagan was staying straight, and Paddy wasn't, so, much like Marler, benefit of the doubt went to the still tighthead rather than the "forward" moving loosehead. Whether it was the right call I don't know, but that was my gut call on the way Ryan fell in rather than down,

 

[Scrubber2050]

Lacking cohesion;
We haven't had the same 10.
We have a young number 12 who needs more time in SS.
Our 13 well I'm confused there as well - who is our first choice 13.
Wings - again messy selections.
Folau - how can you play attacking confident rugby with a maze of variations in front of you.

Is it Gibson?
Or is it a political group who have had short tunnel vision.

Cheers

Bit like the Reds this year.

IF WE HAD
a great coach or coaches
a great 10
a great centre pairing
a couple of great wingers
a great fullback
a great number 6 and 8
a great halfback
a great hooker
a gresat kicker
a great stable Board and CEO
and a great bench

We would be leading the comp and take out the title no worries - undefeated.