Waratahs v Reds Match Thread

[Hawko]

Just watched the Bulls/Lions game (there's not enough time in the week to watch everything and keep up with the blog and forum). That game was super-intense, unlike the Sharks/Cheetahs, and the tackling was really hard, knock you backwards stuff. Now watching a replay of the Rebels/Tahs game and the Tahs forwards to my eyes looked easier than the Bulls. In the second half when the Lions came right back and nearly pinched it, the Bulls hitting was much harder than the Tahs/Rebels. I think there is still some way to go in the physicality stakes before the Tahs can say that they have improved enough to take the game to the Crusaders, Bulls and Stormers.

On a side note: Marius Plonker let a lot of head high tackles go unpunished. Nothing blatant but clear contact with the head of the runner. When the Bulls throw everything at you they don't worry too much about precision.

 

[Bullrush]

Willie O - Palu
Gavin - Elsom or Horwill
Poido - Pocock

We aren't a million miles away when we have the first choice on the park.

Palu has yet to consistently prove his is quality against arguably the 2 other best teams in the world - NZ & SA
Elsom would be at best a distant 3rd behind Kaino and Smith...Horwill probably a couple more places back.
Pocock....I've stated enough times my thoughts on this freak and refuse to repeat it agin.

 

[Scotty]

Bullrush,

I don't think I was comparing them to the mighty and of course untouchable All Black loosies. Just an inferior and somewhat older Australian version.

 

[DPK]

Pocock....I've stated enough times my thoughts on this freak and refuse to repeat it agin.

Go on, we'll be nice to Richie!

 

[Richo]

Hawko, it'll be good to see how the Tahs pack responds to a real challenge -- I don't think we got any sense last weekend of what they're like when up they're against it. Even those first 20 mins were a lot of puff and no real threat.

 

[Ruggo]

Palu has yet to consistently prove his is quality against arguably the 2 other best teams in the world - NZ & SA
Elsom would be at best a distant 3rd behind Kaino and Smith...Horwill probably a couple more places back.
Pocock....I've stated enough times my thoughts on this freak and refuse to repeat it agin.

I agree with what you say but you are a bit quick to dismiss Horwill. No point comparing him to Smith and Kaino anyway as he needs to be compaired to Thorn and Bakkies. A couple of years without injury and my money is on Horwill being world class. Let's face it, Bakkies is seriously lacking in the top four inches and Thorn has has a good run in regard to injuries. Thorn is fantastic and I personally see Horwill being just as good.

 

[TOCC]

St.George Reds name team to play NSW Waratahs

15. Peter Hynes
14. Rod Davies
13. Will Chambers
12. Anthony Fainga'a
11. Digby Ioane
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia
8. Scott Higginbotham
7. Ed Quirk
6. James Horwill (c)
5. Van Humphries
4. Rob Simmons
3. James Slipper
2. Saia Fainga'a
1. Ben Daley

Reserves:
16. James Hanson
17. Greg Holmes
18. Leroy Houston
19. Beau Robinson
20. Ben Lucas
21. Mike Harris
22. Aidan Toua,

23. Jake Schatz (23rd man).

 

[fatprop]

so the same line up, do we know why Link took so long? Who was he waiting for?

 

[TOCC]

not the same lineup, higgintbotham is starting and houston is on the bench
id say the reason he took so long to announce the lineup is the same reason he announced 23 players, there must be a injury concern there somewhere


How good are some of those matchups, these are the ones likely to impact the most of RWC hopes:

Chambers v Horne
Cooper v Barnes
Genia v Burgess
Higginbotham v Mowen
Simmons v Mumm

 

[Hawko]

St.George Reds name team to play NSW Waratahs

15. Peter Hynes
14. Rod Davies
13. Will Chambers
12. Anthony Fainga'a
11. Digby Ioane
10. Quade Cooper
9. Will Genia
8. Scott Higginbotham
7. Ed Quirk
6. James Horwill (c)
5. Van Humphries
4. Rob Simmons
3. James Slipper
2. Saia Fainga'a
1. Ben Daley

Reserves:
16. James Hanson
17. Greg Holmes
18. Leroy Houston
19. Beau Robinson
20. Ben Lucas
21. Mike Harris
22. Aidan Toua,

23. Jake Schatz (23rd man).

Well, Link has finally made up his mind and I think the Tahs will be cheering. This team has two problems, both of which have had airplay before; there's no fetcher in the pack and Fainga'a and Daley are lousy scrummagers.

The lack of a fetcher will be less important this week because of the style the Tahs play, but it will still be significant. Someone's got to be trying to get turnovers, no one wants to be tackling for twenty minutes and the only turnovers from that backrow are likely to be over the line ones like Horwill did last week. Admittably it was a great piece of work and saved the match in hindsight but the best fetcher they now have plays at hooker.

I fear for the scrum. Daley and Fainga'a are lightweights and if Slipper was to get injured then there's just no cover for Daley at all. It'll be a good evaluation of how a young, highly mobile front row go against seasoned, hardened scrummagers. Bit like England, Italy and France (first half) on the EOYT I expect.

 

[Bruce Ross]

How good are some of those matchups, these are the ones likely to impact the most of RWC hopes:

Chambers v Horne
Cooper v Barnes
Genia v Burgess
Higginbotham v Mowen
Simmons v Mumm

I think another key match-up is Fainga'a v Carter. And I do think it can - or should - impact on RWC hopes.

 

[Red Rooster]

Link was never going to change the team much on a short turnaround. From a squad culture point of view its good to take into account the performances of the guys that played Wed night v Samoa and the other key point is why does he need to tell the Waratahs his team early. Force didn't finalise their team until the day before the game last week which gives little training time to prepare for specifics. For me the Tahs enjoy structure - anything that creates uncertainty is a good thing

 

[Lee Grant]

Fair enough for Link to give Chambers another chance, I suppose, which makes the demotion of Houston all the more emphatic.

Higginbotham will have to be tidier in picking up the ball from the base of the scrum than I remember his doing in the past when he played 8.

The Reds forwards will have to man up more than they did last week as the Tahs pack was on the job against the Rebels - though you never know how much the Dad's Army Melbourne pack contributed to make the Tahs look good.

Agree with Bruce - the comparison of Carter's performance compared to A.Finger's will be interesting.

 

[Ruggo]

All the match ups in this game will be interesting. The tactics are what have me most curious. I just don't think the performances of both sides last week mean anything in regards to this game.

This unshamely bias Reds fan says Reds by 5.

 

[RugbyReg]

hmmm, happy with the team by worried about Higgers work at the back of the scrum.

We need to find the right 8 man though. Perhaps Schatz in a week or two.

 

[Ruggo]

Higgers may very well have improved at the back but I am not comfortable with this being the week to find out.

 

[Ash]

Would've liked Horwill back in the row with another smaller, more mobile loosie like Schatz or Robinson starting, but I think this NSW pack is different from the Force pack and it won't create the same problems the Force pack did to the Reds. But as Mowen said on the Rugby Club, the Force certainly showed a blueprint as to how upset that big Reds pack.

If Gill keeps going well for Qld A, what do you think his chances are of being seen around round 5?

 

[spectator]

If both teams take their A grade games to ANZ stadium tomorrow night it will be a cracker of a match. Let's hope that is the case.

A lot of the match ups will be very interesting, such as those already mentioned. I'm going to be interested to see how Quirk goes against Waugh. That may be vital to the match outcome. Cooper v Barnes is also, dare I say it, pivotal.

Ash - Gill has to be in the mix, he is so damn quick to the breakdown and a tough and willing young rooster, but I'm happy to see them take their time with his progress. It won't hurt him to get a few more 'senior' games with the Qld A side. Look out once he gets to the big time!

 

[Hawko]

Ash - Gill has to be in the mix, he is so damn quick to the breakdown and a tough and willing young rooster, but I'm happy to see them take their time with his progress. It won't hurt him to get a few more 'senior' games with the Qld A side. Look out once he gets to the big time!

Gil should play one or two games this year starting and a couple more off the bench. The Cheetahs and Rebels games would be ideal for starting and the Lions, Brumbies and Chiefs to sub. Its essential that he doesn't get too badly bashed up before he's had a chance to grow and develop. Playing him against the Bulls, Stormers or Sharks would be suicide.

 

[Richard D. James]

can't wait for this, will be out at ANZ cheering on the Reds.

Hope they get to 50K, will be a new record and will justify them playing out at Homebush.