Waratahs v Blues
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@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
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@akan004 said in Waratahs v Blues:
@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
I understand that and they are totally within their rights to do so.
Just saying that if anything degrades credibility in a RR comp it is teams rolling over and potentially changing the order of the finalists.
Not sure how that can be managed though. -
The biggest concern re: playoffs is Ofa being on this list -
Players not considered: Harry Plummer, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Ofa Tu’ungsfasi, Tanielu Tele’a.From McDonald -
Coach Leon MacDonald said that the match offered an important chance to give key emerging players some invaluable minutes to prepare them should injuries occur in the playoffs. There are eight players named who were not involved in the close win over the Brumbies to line-up against the Waratahs.“We are in no way disrespecting our opposition. We have a very healthy respect for the Waratahs and believe we have named a team able to perform to our standards against them,” said MacDonald.
“One of our major strengths this season has been the quality of our young players who have been fronting every week in training. We have had limited chances to see them under pressure in a game situation, and prepare for any potential injuries. We also lost our bye week and we have asked a lot of the guys in recent weeks and they have delivered in spades.”
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@Tim said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jordan Lay, Ricky Riccitelli, Nepo Laulala, Luke Romano, Josh Goodhue, Anton Segner, Adrian Choat, Taine Plumtree, Sam Nock, Jock McKenzie, AJ Lam, Corey Evans, Tamati Tua, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Zarn Sullivan
RESERVES: Soane Vikena, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Marcel Renata, Sam Darry, Cameron Suafoa, Akira Ioane, Taufa Funaki, Nigel Ah-Wong
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I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
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@NTA said in Waratahs v Blues:
I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
Congrats Mate. Get Over the chalk to celebrate.
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@Daffy-Jaffy ofa all Good
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Giving influential players that have carried a heavy burden this season, those such as All Blacks prop Ofa Tuungafasi who is carrying a rib injury, a chance to heal, is a no-brainer.
Blues make mass changes: Rising cricket star handed first Super Rugby start
Leon MacDonald said cross-code rising star Jock McKenzie has a big future.
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@Chris said in Waratahs v Blues:
@NTA said in Waratahs v Blues:
I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
Congrats Mate. Get Over the chalk to celebrate.
I'd like to think, as the rake, that a maul try is on the cards, but that first requires me to hit the side of a barn....
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@NTA said in Waratahs v Blues:
I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
Congrats mate, that really is great stuff. I doff my hat to such a good club man!!
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@akan004 said in Waratahs v Blues:
@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
Yep and we have seen in it in World cups where it is quite usual to save your best team for important games. We all like to see top line up every week, but it ain't going to happen. You earn the right to do these things by playing well all season!
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Pre game facts -
The NSW Waratahs have won 82 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any team in the campaign and 24 more than the Blues (58).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points more than the NSW Waratahs (54%).
The NSW Waratahs have conceded 157 penalties this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign (also Queensland Reds – 157) and 27 more than the Blues (130).
Charlie Gamble (NSW Waratahs) has won 13 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player and four more than the Blues’ best Kurt Eklund (9).
The NSW Waratahs’ Carlo Tizzano (24) and Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Waratahs v Blues:
Pre game facts -
The NSW Waratahs have won 82 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any team in the campaign and 24 more than the Blues (58).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points more than the NSW Waratahs (54%).
The NSW Waratahs have conceded 157 penalties this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign (also Queensland Reds – 157) and 27 more than the Blues (130).
Charlie Gamble (NSW Waratahs) has won 13 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player and four more than the Blues’ best Kurt Eklund (9).
The NSW Waratahs’ Carlo Tizzano (24) and Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
All a bit irrelevant for the Blues with some rando team of B and Cs!
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@Daffy-Jaffy quite interesting to see two stats that maybe go hand in hand with each other...most turnovers and most penalties? Be interesting to know how many pens are for breakdown offences.
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@Machpants said in Waratahs v Blues:
Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
This was probably against the Force when he kept giving them the ball every time he threw into the lineout......
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Hope Jock goes well. Not easy to jump into 10 at this level without any NPC games under your belt.
Would also be nice if Sullivan got a bit of time at 10 in the 2nd half. He's the back-up 10 if BB or Perofeta gets injured, so he needs a run there before it's too late.
