Waratahs v Reds Match Thread

[dobduff11]

You had to feel sorry for young Aidan Toua. He dropped a high ball but it didn't go forward and the run he had started may have turned up trumps had the whistle not blown.

Yeh if the ref let that go he was through, the step he put on was unbelievable.

For the turner try I also noticed Quade going for a saunter and he fucked it up for his team

Although Aidan made three mistakes he also broke the line twice, put a nice chip in as well as a nice pass to Chambers (maybe digby) on the left. The guy is electric and definitely deserves a start over the "Scrumcapped" one

 

[aussie1st]

Now we have seen both sides of Horne in the two games. In the first it was more about attack, in this match it was more about his defensive. Didn't see too much of him in attack this game so hope we get to see that next match.

The Tahs have stepped up to another level this season, can't wait to see how they go against the Crusaders next week.

As for the Reds, I'm sure they will left for the Brumbies just like the Rebels.

 

[Gagger]

Hard to compare burgess and genia on that game and I suspect you knew that before your comment gagger
I thought they were pretty even and genia would have looked very good behind that pack.

Genia hasn't been running well since end of his last Super season. Burgess is on freakin fire and his passing is good enough.

I watched the Tahs this morning and then went to Twickenham in the afternoon (Mrs Gagger tore me a new one this evening)

As brutal as they were, I reckon the Tahs would have about matched those two international packs, and their backs shown the poms and frogs how to do it. It took 70 mins for either international team to even try an inside ball.

Tahs vs the Bulls and Saders will be fucking fascinating

 

[chief]

There should be no debate about this. But heads should roll in the Reds team after the last two weeks.

 

[HodgoBerro]

Brilliant game - but seriously - where were the reds?

It's going to be a cracker of a game on Friday against a Crusaders side which is
A) Rested
B) but importantly - banded together is crisis.

But with this game it would be interesting to see who plays on Friday if Shaft & Sookface nursing bumps to the noggin.

I don't even recall seeing Berrick come off (was probably during cigarette number 35 of the night)

The reds..... Where do I start? Where are the inspiratonals from 2010? After Mr Timms & Mosey interviewed me last night, I am right about what I said on that video. Changes need to be done. Otherwise they will be last in the conference.

 

[Scotty]

Not that it is an excuse but we have to remember that the reds had a 5 day turnaround after playing in 37 degree heat on Sunday. They had a poor first 20 then came back in the middle of the game but the tahs defense was too good and held them out. They were always going to struggle in the last 20 however.

 

[HodgoBerro]

Get On Tahs Turf at ANZ Stadium = worst organisation ever. Not only did our security guard have NFI - had to sprint to
the other side of the field, but in doing so - some C**T ankle tapped me - full on stacked it & I can barely rotate my foot now.

 

[maxdacat]

Not as much as QC (Quade Cooper)'s being paid to make tackles.

don't you mean paid NOT to tackle

 

[spectator]

As a Reds supporter I'm very disappointed we lost but won't give up on the team just yet. That was a superior performance by the Tah's, particularly the first half hour or so, and I reckon most teams would have been rattled. The intensity of the Tah's was red hot and their commitment and ferocity in contact put the Reds off big time.

Reds were very lucky to only be down 16-6 at the break and I thought there was a chance of getting back into the game. Injuries to Horwill, Davies and Hynes didn't help. The Reds were obviously flustered throughout the game and it showed in the high turnover and penalty count. Just couldn't complete anything.

I'm not sure that there can be too much criticism of the Backs as there was just no sustained go forward from the forwards. Genia and Cooper had a tough night trying to get anything going. Agree with everyone about needing a fetcher on. Robinson was the pick of the forwards when he came on.

As for the Tah's, what a great team effort. Plenty of stars, but importantly everyone did their job. They look the goods on that performance.

 

[lincoln]

3. Tahs scrum was totally dominant and Lawrence refused to pay them off for it. In the first 60 minutes he could have penalised Red on almost every scrum. Slipper, Fainga'a and Daley is supposed to be Wallaby standard and Kepu, TPN and Baxter are not but they chewed them up and spat them out. And lest the Reds front row blame the back five for not pushing, Simmons, Humphries and Higgers all went on the EOYT and Douglas, Mowen, Waugh and Dennis did not.

I have been keenly waiting since the EOYT for Tahs v Reds/Brumbies to see how the Waratah forwards (of whom 6/8 have been completely ignored by super-coach Deans) responded. I just absolutely loved the way they demolished the Red forwards tonight. One down, one to go!

 

[RugbyReg]

fortunately, it is a long season.

Brumbies this week, then the bye. Gives Kev time to recover before the Rebs.

 

[Hawko]

Some stray thoughts though others have mentioned some of them before.

• Disagree with Kafer's comment that the lineout throw to Dennis for his runaway try was not straight. When you watch it frame by frame you can see TPN's head was just outside the 22 on the throw-in and that is exactly the line on which the ball was when it touched Dennis' hands. But TPN's head looks wider these days? Point.

• The injury to Palu has revealed some serendipity. David Dennis has played so well he must be a chance to be in the next Wallaby squad if he keeps playing like that. Ben Mowen is benefiting also: someone who can play 6 and 8 with equal facility will be very handy in a squad. What we need to see now is Mowen running over people.

• I was screaming for TPN to be replaced even before half-time. Even if Shaft wasn't injured Fitzy should have come on earlier. Cross had an unhappy stint from the bench. Watch this space: young Tom Kingston has been smashing them for the Junior Tahs and could get a bench gig as the outside back. Timani dropped another ball but I would persevere with him as an bench impact player, but not start him if one of the other two locks are hurt.

• The Tahs had an 8 day turnaround and the Reds only 6. The Reds seemed to be affected by the hard game they had last week and could have used some extra time to recover. Beware Tahs – you have only 6 days rest before the next game, in Nelson.

• The Reds played best when the game was lost. The Horwill injury looked bad; so Houston could be starting at 8 again with Higgers to 6. (Can't remember in hindsight anything Higgers did in the game though). Holmes should have a turn to start instead of Daley. Hanson is a chance to start too and so is Beau. The backs can't be judged too harshly because of their forwards, but I'd give Toua a start and consider starting Lucas also. Not all of these changes will be made but some have to be. And what price Harris to start instead of QC (Quade Cooper) next week??

Watch this space.

Sometimes its great to be a Tahs fan. That was one of my best nights ever and I wish I could have been at the ground to be part of it. Some thoughts on your thoughts:

If Taf's throw to Dennis was not straight then half of Saia's throws went straight down the Reds line too. Major problem for me though was that Lawrence in the first half didn't know how big 1 metre was and made the gap about 3 metres. Effectively the Tahs could not compete at the lineout, which is wrong and was one way Lawrence kept the Reds in the match. But the Waratahs just changed tack and proceeded to sack the jumper as soon as his feet hit the ground. Later in the second half the 3 metres was relaxed and there started to be real competition for the ball.

Dave Dennis and Ben Mowen are playing fabulous rugby. Mowen's lineout work and in the loose has been 100% but for me Dennis has been best forward on ground for two weeks now. It sounds like heresy, but Palu is going to have to earn his spot off the bench. For the Wallabies, Dennis is a long way in front of Higgers at this stage and Hodgson, who I really rate, should be looking over his shoulder.

Its clear Hickey doesn't rate Fitzy. Like you I was screaming for a replacement before half time. The Reds were gone by then and Fitzy played well when he came on, though not at Taf's level. I would keep Cross for the Crusaders game and then bring in Kingston, I think we'll need an experienced sub next week. Like you I'd keep Timani but he's got to spend hours (literally) at training working on catching passes under pressure.

Agree about the six day turnaround. Training needs to be very light this week and they should be flying on Tuesday to give them three days to get ready with a good hard session Wednesday and a light skills session Thursday. There's no airport near the ground so it is either Christchurch and a bus or Wellington and a ferry. Neither are ideal.

For the Reds I'd start Holmes and Shepherdson with Slipper on the bench, Hanson over Fainga'a who was brutally exposed last night, and Robinson, Houston and Higgers across the back. Higgers needs a flea in his ear about losing his spot. I'd bring Ioane in to 13 and start Toua, put Ant on notice, and bring Harris on early next week for Cooper. As other posters have noted, at least one of the tries was totally Cooper's fault. He runs away from tackles.

I'd rather be Hickey than Link this week, Link won't get too much sleep.

 

[jay-c]

tahs were clinical in this game and looked very polished
dennis was solid despite a few drops, taft was a cannonball, kepu strong, douglass and mowen showed their size. all the backs looked great in defense and attack with barnes controlling the game well, beale takin the ball in first receiver a lot and lookin a class act, hornes defense fantastic, carter played his simple gameplan well, cept
turner is a coward and if he continues to kick away every ball he gets he will fast become my most disliked tah -its infuriating how scarred this child is of contact

 

[Hawko]

Not that it is an excuse but we have to remember that the reds had a 5 day turnaround after playing in 37 degree heat on Sunday. They had a poor first 20 then came back in the middle of the game but the tahs defense was too good and held them out. They were always going to struggle in the last 20 however.

You must have watched the match in an alternative universe I think.

 

[MrTimms]

There's no airport near the ground so it is either Christchurch and a bus or Wellington and a ferry. Neither are ideal.

There is an airport in Nelson, I have flown in and out of there, they have connecting flights out of all the majors. They were only dash 8's though, so not big planes, not sure if that could be changed for the whole team to fly.

 

[RugbyReg]

You must have watched the match in an alternative universe I think.

c'mon Hawko. Make an argument. Why? I thought it was fairly apt summary although possibly "came back" is a stretch "played better" perhaps, but I don't think they came back.

 

[waratahjesus]

i think what hawko was saying reg, is that posting a list of excuses and not mentioning that the reds just got there asses handed to them by a vastly better rugby team is not a true reflection apon that which happened the night before said comment was made.

 

[Sully]

Sorry WJ We were smashed and Scotty and Reg have acknowledged that. But the heat at Suncorp last Sunday was viscous and it would have effected The Reds. Would we have won if it had been 22 degrees? No way! we really were smashed. The Tahs have definitely stepped up from last year and must now be one of the favourites for the competition. Now The Reds have to find a way to step up and get themselves in the finals. And it will mean finding a way to get the forwards more involved in the game. A lot of hard work on the practice pitch I would imagine and A few guys losing their spots, Guaranteed.

 

[Reddy!]

Yeh fair enough the Reds got beaten WJ, but I think Scotty was providing an answer why the Reds got beaten so badly! Or at least one answer.

In any case, a number of Waratah supporters were licking their lips earlier in the week totally aware that the Reds only had a 5 day break or whatever, after a very hot and tough game against the Force. Lawyered.

 

[qwerty51]

6 day