[2015 Super Rugby] Waratahs vs. Blues (Round 7) 28/03/2015

[TRF_stormer2010]

Alianz Stadium, Sydney

19:40 Local (Aus, GMT+11)

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Teams

Waratahs:

15 Israel Folau, 14 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 13 Matt Carraro, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Jacques Potgieter, 5 David Dennis (c), 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tolu Latu, 1 Benn Robinson.

Replacements (two to be ommitted): 16 Hugh Roach, 17 Tatafu Polota-Nau,l 18 Jeremy Tilse, 19 Paddy Ryan, 20 Sam Lousi, 21 Mitchell Chapman, 22 Stephen Hoiles, 23 Brendan McKibbin, 24 Jono Lance 25 Peter Betham

Blues: TBA

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I've got the Blues down to sneak it. It'd just be too cruel otherwise and I don't have the heart for it. I mean, it's not as if the Blues aren't packed with talent. Surely they'll get it done sooner rather than later?

 

[MotherRucker1]

Haven't seen the teams named yet, but I'm inclined to agree with you. It's going to go one of two ways I reckon. 'Tahs will have a great showing and thump the Blues, or the Blues will pull out something magical. And I've got a lingering feeling it'll be the latter, just to annoy us all and show that they do have the ability to be great once in a blue moon.

Then again, the Tahs already have been tipped up by the Force and Highlanders. Surely it wouldn't happen again. The stats favor them. They concede less than the Blues, and score more than them.

 

[Shaggy]

Blues named ... Bowden starts at 10, Moala starts in Midfield, Piutau back to fullback, Braid to the bench

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...-to-start-at-no-10-for-blues-against-waratahs

BLUES: Tony Woodcock, James Parsons, Charlie Faumuina, Hayden Triggs, Patrick Tuipulotu, Steven Luatua, Brendon O'Connor, Jerome Kaino (c); Jimmy Cowan, Dan Bowden, Melani Nanai, Francis Saili, George Moala, Frank Halai, Charles Piutau. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Ofa Tu'ungafasi/Sam Prattley, Angus Ta'avao, Culum Retallick, Luke Braid, Jamison Gibson-Park, Simon Hickey, Pita Ahki

Can't see the Blues winning away from home, but you never know

 

[Muzzy]

Glad they've given dan Bowden a start. He was a promising player before he left nz good to see him come back. I wanna see ta'avao get a start too.

 

[Jaguares]

Tahs by 15

 

[austingtir]

Blues have got no friggin idea. The Tahs were on the ropes 28minutes in and about to get a yellow for repeated penalties. They choose to take the 3 points.. What a bunch of idiots.

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Faumuina is bloody useless Woodcock is the only thing stopping that blues scrum getting blown apart.

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Blues are very lucky to be down by only 1 still in the game. Tahs have only looked like last years champions about 2 times so far in this game.

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Faumuina straight up needs to be dropped look at this guy just wandering around the field!!!

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This has got to be one of the most boring low tempo games of super rugby iv seen in years.....

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49minutes!!! The tahs couldnt hook that ball at all that was almost a bit of a letoff to give THEM the penalty for the blues suppoedly collapsing even if it might of been right!!

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Blues score from next to NOTHING!!! IF they pick the tempo up I reckon they can sneak this from under the Tahs noses easily,

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What an absolute crock of **** penalty Kaino was clearly not held on the ground!!!!

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Jesus christ if Kirwan doesnt quit in utter disgust after this performance nothings going to make him do it!!!

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What a nothing yellow on Kaino. Even the Aussie comentators are like WTF! Probably technically correct if you want to be pedantic about it but the wrong call all the same.

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Uhhh finally the tahs put them out of their misery..... and me... bloody hell.... Dunno if I ever want to watch a Blues game again after this....

 

[MotherRucker1]

Tbh, Piper is an idiot.

That wasn't a yellow card towards the end. At all. One of those 'Tahs tries in the early going shouldn't have been awarded either. Not saying the Blues are playing good, or deserve to win. They don't. But jeez, Piper clearly doesn't want to give them a chance. Kaino gets binned for that, yet the Tahs get held up for a good 10 seconds and it's not a scrum? Rightio.

Both sides were average. Tahs aren't executing like a championship side, and the Blues are defensively sound at times but the attack leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Poor Blues. I hope they can have their first victory any time soon!

 

[austingtir]

This will skelton guy is going to cause some huge damage at the WC. I swear he gets bigger everytime I watch him.

 

[MotherRucker1]

I would have thought the same actually, but I'm sure he goes more quiet for the Wallabies. At least i think I remember watching him on the European tour. If he can convert that good form to international level though, definitely.

 

[Jaguares]

This will skelton guy is going to cause some huge damage at the WC. I swear he gets bigger everytime I watch him.

Yeah and his little brother is even more bigger, right?

 

[austingtir]

Yeah and his little brother is even more bigger, right?

Thats impossible surely. Will is 2.05 and 140kg according to google.... and he's only 22 FFS thats crazy!


Australia are nuts if they dont build their pack around this guy and give him all the training to get him upto speed...



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[austingtir]

Just watched the Kaino yellow again... REALLY?? This was a huge call in the context of this game!!! The Hooper forward pass was just as forward as the one in the Highlanders game..... CONSISTENCY!!!

The tahs were only 4 points ahead or so at the Kaino yellow they basically scored straight after that decision!!!! It arguably should of been a blues penalty for the Tahs player holding onto the ball after a fairly legitimate tackle. Its not Kainos fault if the tahs player is scared and ducks under a big hit coming at him!!!

The REFs are buggering up left right and center on crucial calls here guys.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Thats impossible surely. Will is 2.05 and 140kg according to google.... and he's only 22 FFS thats crazy!


Australia are nuts if they dont build their pack around this guy and give him all the training to get him upto speed...



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http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...Chiefs-swoop-on-Will-Skeltons-locking-brother

There can't be much in it, but supposedly Skelton Jr is the bigger guy. He didn't feature for the first Waikato team last season, playing mainly for the B's.

 

[austingtir]

^^Sounds like a pretty awesome pinch for the Chiefs. Hopefully he can be convinced to change allegiance as he's obviously played for samoa under20.... could get interesting...

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Rugby needs some sort of overhead camera system either drones or something of that sort to figure out whats going on with these passes. Then quickly implemented computer graphics like the Cricket to sort out these try scoring moments its the only way... the refs clearly cant get it right everytime.

Actually the more I think about this the more badass it would be theres no reason other than cost that they cant put tracking sensors in the balls and set a drone to track the ball at a 5-10meter distance behind/ahead and 30meters high (so it doesnt get taken out by the ball when kicking)...... Imagine the footage from halfback ruck kicks it'd be amazing!!!

And you get the perfect overhead picture to draw lines from the players hand to see if it went forward out of the hands.

 

[MotherRucker1]

Just watched the Kaino yellow again... REALLY?? This was a huge call in the context of this game!!! The Hooper forward pass was just as forward as the one in the Highlanders game..... CONSISTENCY!!!

The tahs were only 4 points ahead or so at the Kaino yellow they basically scored straight after that decision!!!! It arguably should of been a blues penalty for the Tahs player holding onto the ball after a fairly legitimate tackle. Its not Kainos fault if the tahs player is scared and ducks under a big hit coming at him!!!

The REFs are buggering up left right and center on crucial calls here guys.

What's concerning is the video referee, who had technology resources agreed with the ref. I stand by what I said earlier in the week, that intention doesn't matter. And I'm not debating it's a penalty for that very reason. But a yellow card? No. If the referees, especially the one in the video box, thinks that's a yellow then they have a basic misunderstanding of the game imo.