Waratahs vs Reds - R3 2014

[Braveheart81]

Suddenly a few people talking up the Tahs game in the Force thread have turned this around. Nice try guys, only one team can be underdogs and all else being equal that will be the away side.

It surprises me that either team can be either confident of winning or pessimistic about their chances after the first game.

Both teams had good aspects and bad aspects. Discipline was an issue for both the Tahs and the Reds.

They were completely different games and are hard to compare.

I think it will be a close game and hopefully both teams will be a bit better in their second match. Whoever makes the most of their chances will probably win.

 

[TheBigDog]

Im surprised no one is suggesting Beale start at 10 over Foley. Am I the only person who thinks Foley had a very average game vs the Force? A very mixed bag IMO, a couple of times dropped ball because he was thinking too far a head and then other times didn't think fast enough and got caught with it. Moving Beale to 10 and Horne to 12 would be my move. Of course i'm a Reds supporter though so i'm happy if they don't!

 

[Braveheart81]

I thought Foley was fine. He wasn't near his best but he was certainly passable.

I can't see Cheika changing that combination after one game.

 

[cyclopath]

Suddenly a few people talking up the Tahs game in the Force thread have turned this around. Nice try guys, only one team can be underdogs and all else being equal that will be the away side.

Hmmm, say the Tahs did some good stuff, and it's "talking them up like they'll win the comp". Say they were a bit mixed, and it's unjustly trying to claim underdog status. I reckon if I claimed the Tahs wore sky-blue, someone from north of the Tweed would find cause to argue!
And it's only Monday.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Not sure where the Foley hate is coming from. Did have a couple of errors but haven't seen that much pill dropped in one afternoon since Stereosonic.

Certainly saw some dumb moments from Beale though. The standard useless chip kick the perfect example. Some of his errors you have to forgive not being an experienced 12, though some stupid plays like that which have been in his game for year can't really be forgiven.

 

[RugbyReg]

how did the Tah lineout go v the Force? It'd be something I'd be targetting if I was the Reds, particularly (as has been mentioned above) as they will be kicking the ball well out.

 

[Braveheart81]

Certainly saw some dumb moments from Beale though. The standard useless chip kick the perfect example. Some of his errors you have to forgive not being an experienced 12, though some stupid plays like that which have been in his game for year can't really be forgiven.

When was the Beale chip kick? I don't remember it.

The only short kicks I remember were the Alofa grubber for his acrobatic non-try and a grubber down the left edge of the field that hit a defender and dribbled out of play. I can't remember who kicked that one but it was definitely on. Betham would have been in the open if the ball hadn't gone out.

 

[cyclopath]

how did the Tah lineout go v the Force? It'd be something I'd be targetting if I was the Reds, particularly (as has been mentioned above) as they will be kicking the ball well out.

Went pretty well, I think, although I don't have stats to hand.

 

[Braveheart81]

how did the Tah lineout go v the Force? It'd be something I'd be targetting if I was the Reds, particularly (as has been mentioned above) as they will be kicking the ball well out.

There were a couple of messy lineout wins but we managed to win all our own throws and Dave Dennis pinched one Force lineout.

Based on previous examples, the lineout was excellent!

 

[matty_k]

When was the Beale chip kick? I don't remember it.

The only short kicks I remember were the Alofa grubber for his acrobatic non-try and a grubber down the left edge of the field that hit a defender and dribbled out of play. I can't remember who kicked that one but it was definitely on. Betham would have been in the open if the ball hadn't gone out.

There was a KB (Kurtley Beale) one on the second half. I don't remember it being useless. I'm pretty sure it almost worked.
It looked like Folau called for it.
Happily be corrected on this if someone can watch a replay.

 

[Train Without a Station]

It was the 2nd half. Went into touch for not a terrible result in the end. I can't imagine that type of low percentage play being encouraged a great deal by Cheika though.

With the Alofa almost try, did anybody else once they showed the replay and close up angle, notice that Alofa was running outside the touch line. Technically would this not have been a try regardless as he didn't jump from the field of play to field the ball?

Looked pretty good in real time though.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

Cmon tah fans we ar letting those cuddly koalas have all the attack - questions about Beale, questions about the lineout, questions about Foley.

lets now talk about how the reds went - how good was tapuai defending against Mogg when he ran around him and scored, how the qld scrum was pretty much dominated by the Brumbie scrum, how unimaginative their attack was, etc.

lets not allow those north of the border sow doubt and fear in us true believers.

 

[I like to watch]

Nah,let 'em go.
They can talk themselves into it all they like.
It will hurt a little bit more when we crush them next week.

 

[Braveheart81]

Cmon tah fans we ar letting those cuddly koalas have all the attack - questions about Beale, questions about the lineout, questions about Foley.

lets now talk about how the reds went - how good was tapuai defending against Mogg when he ran around him and scored, how the qld scrum was pretty much dominated by the Brumbie scrum, how unimaginative their attack was, etc.

lets not allow those north of the border sow doubt and fear in us true believers.

I watched the Reds game so I don't feel like I need to ask them questions about what happened.

It was the 2nd half. Went into touch for not a terrible result in the end. I can't imagine that type of low percentage play being encouraged a great deal by Cheika though.

With the Alofa almost try, did anybody else once they showed the replay and close up angle, notice that Alofa was running outside the touch line. Technically would this not have been a try regardless as he didn't jump from the field of play to field the ball?

Looked pretty good in real time though.

If that was the grubber through for Betham then I think it was a good option. It only went out because a Force player deflected it.

In terms of the Alofa non-try, I think that he could have jumped from outside the field of play if the ball had never crossed the plane of touch. The most bizarre touch rule in my opinion is how someone who is outside the field of play can keep a ball in if the ball is still in the field of play (in terms of the vertical plane) when they touch it, even though they have come from outside the field of play.

If we assume for a second that the ball hadn't hit the touchline, Alofa could have run outside the field of play but his last step before catching the ball and dotting it down would have needed to have been from within the field of play seeing as he gathered the ball from outside the plane of touch.

 

[I like to watch]

I don't think so.
For some bizarre reason you can come from outside touch to dot the ball down for a try,without stepping back infield.

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't think so.
For some bizarre reason you can come from outside touch to dot the ball down for a try,without stepping back infield.

Only if the ball has stayed in the field of play the whole time (i.e. isn't in the air outside the plane of touch).

It's the strangest law of rugby.

 

[barbarian]

You can ground the ball for a try with both feet in touch, actually. Just as long as you don't pick up the ball. It's law 22.4

If an attacking player is in touch or in touch-in-goal, the player can score a try by grounding the ball in the opponents’ in-goal provided the player is not carrying the ball.

So had the ball not touched the line, Alofa could have been still running outside the chalk, and as long as he just grounded it it would have been awarded.
.

 

[tranquility]

Nothing to fear here. We'll chat in a week.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Wow - just hope the Tahs continue to play like they did on the weekend (Kearns couldn't fault them). ball security was just maybe a little issue but that doesn't matter

Reds will probably get smashed

 

[Train Without a Station]

Wasn't only the Tahs which makes me think the conditions were very greasy.