Super Rugby Semi-Final: Waratahs vs Highlanders

[Kiwi_]

I understand - I simply disagree.

As I say... an impasse.

Care to provide any evidence that supports this?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Clearly, I feel the video supports this.

For the third, and final time - we are at an impasse.

 

[goodNumber10]

I understand - I simply disagree.

As I say... an impasse.

agreed, i don't think it stopped the try his momentum was halted and i don't think he would have been able to reach out, but i do understand the decision and don't think it's horrifically bad.

c'est la vie

 

[Larksea]

great game, while I always thought the Highlanders are the better side playing in Sydney is a massive advantage for the Tahs. It's basically the hardest place to win away in super rugby.

I felt like the tah's were overconfident and expected to dominate the landers up front. But the Highlanders wouldn't have it, their gameplan was far too smart and executed well by Ben, Aaron and Lima.

The Potgieter incident. While its a shame a big game has an incident like this it was all on Potgieter. It's the players responsibility not to make contact with the head. And lets be honest it looked like Potgieter was going for the head with what was clearly a swinging arm from a few meters out. A swinging arm to the head is a yellow card, a swinging arm to the head that prevents a try is a yellow card and a penalty try. It's that simple.

Sapoanga's goal kicking is a bit up and down? At times he hits it really well but overall he's only kicking 70-71%... which is ok but nothing more.

 

[smartcooky]

The Potgieter incident. While its a shame a big game has an incident like this it was all on Potgieter. It's the players responsibility not to make contact with the head. And lets be honest it looked like Potgieter was going for the head with what was clearly a swinging arm from a few meters out. A swinging arm to the head is a yellow card, a swinging arm to the head that prevents a try is a yellow card and a penalty try. It's that simple.

Yep.

When you commit an act of foul play that close to your own goal-line, you put yourself and your team at risk that a big decision is going to go against you. Potgeiter really wound up his right arm... there was no need for it. He would have been better simply trying to slip his arm under the ball.

Also, even if penalty try wasn't ruled, its still a yellow card and a penalty right by the posts. That makes the score 23-17 instead a 27-17 and the game restarts in the same place. To be brutally honest, the Waratahs never looked like scoring for the rest of the match, so with no penalty try, it was still four tries to one.

The penalty try did not change or affect the result of the game, it just gave Cheika and the Sydney media an excuse and something to bleat about.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

I don't have a problem with the Potgeiter decision, I just feel it's a shame as instead of discussing how the Tahs were completely outplayed, we (and several media articles) are talking about the potgeiter incident. I guess the media will always gravitate to controversy.

 

[austingtir]

I don't have a problem with the Potgeiter decision, I just feel it's a shame as instead of discussing how the Tahs were completely outplayed, we (and several media articles) are talking about the potgeiter incident. I guess the media will always gravitate to controversy.

has their been much talk of Foley over there? It was quite unreal how bad he was I think the service from his 9 was bloody average at times which didnt help but for a player of his experience to crack like he did is a bit of a wonder?

I mean jeez he's just walked into a world of hurt imo as if he's played by the Wallabies he can expect more of the same sort of play against him I suspect. Kinda like how Sopoaga was found out by the Brumbies. I think he can expect similar treatment from that game aswell.

 

[goodNumber10]

has their been much talk of Foley over there? It was quite unreal how bad he was I think the service from his 9 was bloody average at times which didnt help but for a player of his experience to crack like he did is a bit of a wonder?

I mean jeez he's just walked into a world of hurt imo as if he's played by the Wallabies he can expect more of the same sort of play against him I suspect. Kinda like how Sopoaga was found out by the Brumbies. I think he can expect similar treatment from that game aswell.

Think you'll be surprised by how resilient Foley is, he's got bags of guts, so i wouldn't write him off after one poor game he's been good for the Tahs recently, and he fits chiekas game plan perfectly.

The 'landers pack demolished the Tahs, hard for 1/2 backs to perform off that, and that will have a nock on effect right through the team.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

has their been much talk of Foley over there? It was quite unreal how bad he was I think the service from his 9 was bloody average at times which didnt help but for a player of his experience to crack like he did is a bit of a wonder?

I mean jeez he's just walked into a world of hurt imo as if he's played by the Wallabies he can expect more of the same sort of play against him I suspect. Kinda like how Sopoaga was found out by the Brumbies. I think he can expect similar treatment from that game aswell.

I read a comment today that Phipps and Foley cannot win the world cup on the back of their performance on Saturday night and I tend to agree. No ones really making excuses for the Tahs except probably some Tahs fans or maybe just Phil Kearns hahaha.

 

[Kiwi_]

I read a comment today that Phipps and Foley cannot win the world cup on the back of their performance on Saturday night and I tend to agree. No ones really making excuses for the Tahs except probably some Tahs fans or maybe just Phil Kearns hahaha.

The thing about Kearns is, any praise he gives seems superficial, like he's been told he has to do it as part of his job. Ingenuine c**t.

 

[RoosTah]

I read a comment today that Phipps and Foley cannot win the world cup on the back of their performance on Saturday night and I tend to agree. No ones really making excuses for the Tahs except probably some Tahs fans or maybe just Phil Kearns hahaha.

Yeah I read that piece in the Fairfax press. There's something in that analysis - the Wallabies will necessarily be a different beast at least to some extent with the greater depth to choose from this year in particular, but given both will be coached by Cheika, it's a bit of a worry.

That said, I can't be too hard on Cheik - the man is still responsible for breaking a 20 year drought for us and thus giving Tahs fans everywhere the best year ever in our Super Rugby history (was at pretty well every home game last year including the final, so I'll be forgiving of Cheik for a while to come).

I'm not very confident this year for the World Cup, but hopefully we can give it a decent shake and shock a few people.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

The thing about Kearns is, any praise he gives seems superficial, like he's been told he has to do it as part of his job. Ingenuine c**t.

Kearns is rusted on NSW mate, getting a genuine compliment out of him about non NSW or non AUS is never going to happen, he'll always give a compliment between clenched teeth.

Even when he's doing the Rebels games you hear stuff like "gee the Rebels have improved this year" in an almost sarcastic tone. Thing is we feel the same way about him, I think even NSW people know it, but we just accept it as Kearnsy and Marto being Kearnsy and Marto. There for "entertainment factor" but not much else.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Yeah I read that piece in the Fairfax press. There's something in that analysis - the Wallabies will necessarily be a different beast at least to some extent with the greater depth to choose from this year in particular, but given both will be coached by Cheika, it's a bit of a worry.

That said, I can't be too hard on Cheik - the man is still responsible for breaking a 20 year drought for us and thus giving Tahs fans everywhere the best year ever in our Super Rugby history (was at pretty well every home game last year including the final, so I'll be forgiving of Cheik for a while to come).

I'm not very confident this year for the World Cup, but hopefully we can give it a decent shake and shock a few people.

Cheika is the best coach for us, no doubt however I think his game plan fell over at the tahs because of the injury to Beale. I'm not saying Beale is the messiah, but you just need 2 playmaking/kicking players in the backline, foley is one of them and beale is normally the other at 12. Alternatively you could have that player at 15 but with Beale out there wasn't a similar player to do the job of the 2nd playmaker.

At least with the Wallabies, if that 2nd playmaker is injured we at least have some depth which should not disrupt things too much.

I'll be happy if the Wallabies are knocked out in the quarter finals and i'll be really happy to make the final, but that's a massive ask. Winning it - think I have more chance of winning tattslotto.
NZ will always be the team to beat, I just don't think I can handle NZ winning again, I would love to see a team who hasn't won it before get up - Ireland, France etc. I think SA are going to get found out with the majority of their team playing provincial rugby overseas and just that little bit older and slower.

 

[smartcooky]

.... we just accept it as Kearnsy and Marto being Kearnsy and Marto. There for "entertainment factor" but not much else.

Well they aren't there for their knowledge of the rugby Laws, that's for sure!!

 

[Kiwi_]

Kearns is rusted on NSW mate, getting a genuine compliment out of him about non NSW or non AUS is never going to happen, he'll always give a compliment between clenched teeth.

Even when he's doing the Rebels games you hear stuff like "gee the Rebels have improved this year" in an almost sarcastic tone. Thing is we feel the same way about him, I think even NSW people know it, but we just accept it as Kearnsy and Marto being Kearnsy and Marto. There for "entertainment factor" but not much else.

He's just a c*nt mate, doesn't matter where he's from, it doesn't excuse his ********, fortunately we won't have to hear his God awful ranting and sulking in the final.

He's the sort of c*nt you want to beat again and again and rub it in and pull the fingers in his face every time you score. He nearly sinks you down to his level because he's such a tw*t.

 

[RoosTah]

He's just a c*nt mate, doesn't matter where he's from, it doesn't excuse his ********, fortunately we won't have to hear his God awful ranting and sulking in the final.

He's the sort of c*nt you want to beat again and again and rub it in and pull the fingers in his face every time you score. He nearly sinks you down to his level because he's such a tw*t.

:lol: To be honest I think he'd find it quite funny how much hate he inspires over in NZ from some fans. I've met him at one or two corporate sports functions, and he's a pretty funny guy that doesn't take too much very seriously. He's massively one-eyed, but he's happy to admit that and most of his smart arse commentary is said with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

I'll be happy if the Wallabies are knocked out in the quarter finals and i'll be really happy to make the final, but that's a massive ask. Winning it - think I have more chance of winning tattslotto.
NZ will always be the team to beat, I just don't think I can handle NZ winning again, I would love to see a team who hasn't won it before get up - Ireland, France etc. I think SA are going to get found out with the majority of their team playing provincial rugby overseas and just that little bit older and slower.

I kinda feel the same way really. In fact I'd love to see Ireland get up almost as much as I'd love us to win to be honest.

 

[Kiwi_]

So in other words he's a middle aged troll?

He epitomizes Australians/Australia sport for me, same with Shane Warne, no class, crass and ignorantly arrogant.

 

[RoosTah]

So in other words he's a middle aged troll?

He epitomizes Australians/Australia sport for me, same with Shane Warne, no class, crass and ignorantly arrogant.

Calling him a troll would imply he was carrying on the way he does specifically to upset opposition fans. He's not. He's just a one eyed fan in the commentary box, much like Eddie and Stevo in the UK.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

So in other words he's a middle aged troll?

He epitomizes Australians/Australia sport for me, same with Shane Warne, no class, crass and ignorantly arrogant.

Yeah this type of behaviour doesn't generally sit well with kiwis. Kiwis that become successful tend not to forget how hard they worked to get there.
Thankfully not all of us Aussies are like that, I just hate it when kiwis say things like "typical aussies" and lump us all in the same boat, most of us are not much different to you.

 

[Kiwi_]

Yeah this type of behaviour doesn't generally sit well with kiwis. Kiwis that become successful tend not to forget how hard they worked to get there.
Thankfully not all of us Aussies are like that, I just hate it when kiwis say things like "typical aussies" and lump us all in the same boat, most of us are not much different to you.

Well perhaps you should get better representation at the top end. It's hard not to lump you all into that stereotype when a lot of your ex-leading sportsmen are mouthy and obnoxiously arrogant, and your current sportsmen. It's ingrained in the Australian sporting culture. It's terrible.

I feel like there was a golden age in sport in Australia over a decade ago and a lot of them were arrogant and competitive, so they think the best way of getting success is acting like this. But it's not and now it's not nearly as strong as it once were and it just comes off as stupid now.


There's self confidence and then there's just being a c*nt.