I spent the last few days trying to reconcile my thoughts as to whether the Waratahs played very well, or not as well as I think they potentially could, and I guess it depends on exactly one defines “well”.
I left the ground thinking it was a comprehensive win, but I think they an do a lot more.
People may have read my comments on a number of occasions about the collective game versus the individual game. For a team to play very well they’ve got to play the collective game well and on top of that goes the individual ability of their star players. For the most part, the Waratahs scored their points on the back of individual brilliance rather than on the back of a collective capacity strengthened by individual brilliance.
We saw individual brilliance from Beale, Folau and Alofa Alofa, whereas one try was constructed and scored as a first class exhibition of the collective game; by Wycliff Palu where there was a building of probably a dozen individual components of play that went into the phases that resulted in the try.
That’s what I like to see from a team and the more I see of it, the more I know it’s difficult for any team to stop those tries. In one other score – to Foley – Will Skelton’s perfect positioning on the inside of the fly-half made the defence read the huge potential threat held by the second rower, which in turn made the try.
These are the things I want to see from a TEAM.
So I think there’s a lot more to come from the Waratahs and given that they’d only just got back together agains after a four week break, I’m thinking that teamwork will continue to grow, and it will need to. On top of all that I thought that our Wallaby players – pretty much all of whom are at the top of their game – all made big contributions. In some instances greater ones than they’ve made for a long time.
Tatafu Polota-Nau continued to play well. It was Sekope Kepu’s best match for the Waratahs on top of what he did for the Wallabies. Palu’s playing better than he has for years. Beale, Foley, AAC and Folau are all in really good form and made serious contributions. Michael Hooper is freakish – he’s always in form, which is what you need. I don’t think I’ve seen Horne play as well for years.
Everyone made a contribution, but I’d still like to see the collective team performance.
And for Dave Dennis – he’s played as well as he ever has recently and his contribution as been extreme. They’ll miss him. Even though Hoiles has made major contributions when he’s come on, they’re going to miss Dennis’ lineout ability, size and leadership. they could play the three big guys with Potgeiter at 6 if they think he can go 80 and move him to second row. It’s a tricky call but we can only assume they’ll rise to it, as they have all year.
If you wanted an example of what an excellent collective performance can do, then the Reds gave one on Friday night.
Queensland had their third choice scrum half, and their second choice scrum half playing fly half, but they played an excellent collective game. When the 9 and 10 roles are played accurately, it means that the whole team is lifted because the inside centre has to lift his game, as do those outside him. Then all of a sudden the back row is supporting better and the whole team is more dangerous.
For my money this was a strong contribution to why James Horwill played one of his best games for years. For me, Frisby and Lucas played better than Genia and Cooper have for a long time.
Unfortunately the Rebels were not good and not up to it. Luke Jones and the five-eighth still played well, but this match was disappointing for them as a team.
People might think that the Force were a bit off their game – and they were very much missing their top players in Cummins and Godwin – who they need for their lack of depth. But on their night the Auckland Blues are a handful for any team and their test players have come back on song. All other teams will breathe better if the Blues don’t make the finals cut.
I quite frequently criticise refs but I have to give Steve Walsh strong praise for awarding two penalty tries in the South Africa versus Wales match. The second penalty try was particularly a strong call to take the game away from a team who had led all match and required a lot of ticker. Full marks for him.
