Waratahs vs Fiji Warriors warm-up game

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

A host of returning Wallabies have been named in the Waratahs squad for Saturday's pre-season fixture against the Fiji Warriors in Orange.

Twelve players with Test match experience have been selected in the starting XV, including off-season recruits Berrick Barnes and Drew Mitchell. Prop Benn Robinson is the only international to be rested for the second trial of the year.

Barnes has been named to start the match at flyhalf in the first appearance for his new team, with Kurtley Beale named at inside centre.

Tom Carter will start the match at outside centre, with Mitchell, Lachie Turner and Sosene Anesi making up the back three. Luke Burgess has been named as starting scrumhalf after Josh Holmes and Brendan McKibbin shared the duties last week in Lismore.

The forward pack is headed by an all international front row of Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Al Baxter, and three more Test players in the back row: Dean Mumm, Phil Waugh and Wycliff Palu.

Junior Waratahs lock Kane Douglas will again start at lock after an impressive performance last week, and will be joined by former Leinster forward Cam Jowitt who dons the NSW colours for the first time.

Head Coach Chris Hickey has named a 14-man bench, and has stated his intention to use the next two matches to trial a number of different combinations.

"There's definitely a lot of questions still to be answered in Orange and Canberra in regards to selection for the opening round of the competition," said Hickey.

"In most positions, the effectiveness of certain combinations will go hand in hand with individual performance of the players involved, so we need to make sure we test as many of those combinations as possible in match situations."

Confirming his intention to see every player given their opportunity to push their claims, twelve of the fourteen players on the bench this week were starters in Lismore, with two more impressing from the bench against the Reds.

"After this match nearly every player will have started one of the first two trials and that will give us a good indication going into our final pre-season match against the Brumbies," said Hickey.

"Some of the players on the bench were our most impressive performers in Lismore, which is a sign of how competitive it will be to make the team in 2010."

The Waratahs will wear black armbands and observe a minute's silence prior to kick-off in memory of former Waratah Academy player Dan Robinson.

The squad travels to Orange on Friday ahead of Saturday's trial at Wade Park before returning to Sydney on Sunday.

Pre-Season Match
WARATAHS V FIJI WARRIORS
Saturday 30 January 2010 (Kick-off 7:40pm AEST)
Wade Park, Orange

WARATAHS

15. Sosene Anesi ( Waratahs)
14. Lachie Turner (Eastwood/ Waratahs)
13. Tom Carter (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
12. Kurtley Beale (Northern Suburbs/ Waratahs)
11. Drew Mitchell (Balmain/ Waratahs)
10. Berrick Barnes ( Waratahs)
9. Luke Burgess (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu (Manly/ Waratahs)
7. Phil Waugh [c] (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
6. Dean Mumm (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
5. Cam Jowitt (Manly/ Waratahs)
4. Kane Douglas (Southern Districts/ Junior Waratahs)
3. Al Baxter (Northern Suburbs/ Waratahs)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (Parramatta/ Waratahs)
1. Sekope Kepu (Randwick/ Waratahs)
Reserves
16. Damien Fitzpatrick (Eastwood/ Waratahs)
17. Dan Palmer (Southern Districts/ Waratahs)
18. Hendrik Roodt (Gordon/ Waratahs)
19. Dave Dennis (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
20. Brendan KcKibbin (Eastern Suburbs/ Junior Waratahs)
21. Daniel Halangahu (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
22. Alex Rokobaro (Sydney University/ Junior Waratahs)
23. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
24. Locky McCaffrey (Eastwood/ Junior Waratahs)
25. Chris Alcock (Gordon/ Waratahs)
26. Josh Holmes (Warringah/ Waratahs)
28. Nemani Nadolo (Manly/ Waratahs)
29. Rory Sidey (West Harbour/ Waratahs)
30. Peter Betham (Sydney University/Wider Training Group)[/b]

Source

That is some back-line that the 'Tahs have now!

 

[Tomsey]

sure is
it will be interesting to see how Barnes 10/Beale 12 will work. the back 3 is gold though

 

[QLD]

I hate any player that plays for Sydney University.

Which club has Berrick signed for, and please do not say University.

 

[stormer2010]

Decent looking squad. Especially the backline which is weird for Waratahs in my mind.

Should be pushing for top 4. So many teams have good line-ups, maybe even better than this, on paper this year but the Waratahs are one of those teams that you know will be up there. Teams that I feel look scarier on paper but who probably aren't include Brumbies, Sharks, Blues, Stormers and Hurricanes.

 

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

The Waratahs took another step in their 2010 Super 14 preparations with a comprehensive 83-15 victory over the Fiji Warriors at Wade Park in Orange.

A strong crowd of 6623 turned out to see NSW score 13 tries to two, with coach Chris Hickey able to test a number of combinations with a total of 29 players used across the four quarters.

Tom Carter opened the scoring in the sixth minute after the Tahs backs put the ball through the hands following a break by rampaging wing Nemani Nadolo.

The forwards followed up with a try of their own through Al Baxter, before Koroi Yavala kicked a penalty to put the visitors on the board.

The midfield pairing of Berrick Barnes and Kurtley Beale was working well, and it was the latter who laid on the final try of the first quarter by putting Tatafu Polota-Nau into a gap.

Nadolo kept up his bustling running in the second stanza and was rewarded with a try early on, and when Beale backed up to score after some more strong play through the backs, the Tahs led 33-3 after 30 minutes.

The back three stayed in the action with Peter Betham crossing, before receiving a great ball from Sosene Anesi to score a second right on half-time.

A new look team took the field in the second half, however the momentum remained with the boys in blue when Adam D'Arcy streaked away to score with his first touch of the ball.

The forwards again wanted in on the action and crossed off a driving maul from a lineout through Damien Fitzpatrick, before rookie backrower Chris Alcock scored two more tries late in the quarter.

The Fijians didn't give up however, and captain Anthony Wise crossed after the best sustained piece of pressure from the Warriors early in the final quarter.

Josh Holmes and D'Arcy scored the Tahs' final two tries, before Manoa Tamava scored just before full-time to leave the final score at 83-15.

The Waratahs return to Sydney on Sunday with a short turnaround before their final Super 14 trial against the Brumbies this Thursday at Viking Park in Canberra.

Final Score Waratahs 83 Fiji Warriors 15

Scorers

Waratahs
Tries Peter Betham 2, Chris Alcock 2, Adam D'Arcy 2, Tom Carter, Al Baxter, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Nemani Nadolo, Kurtley Beale, Damien Fitzpatrick, Josh Holmes
Con - Berrick Barnes 4,Daniel Halangahu 4,Brendan McKibbin

Fiji Warriors
Tries -Anthony Wise, Mano Tamava
Con - Koroi Yavala
Pen - Koroi Yavala

Referee: Nathan Pearce.

Crowd: 6623.[/b]

Source

 

[Juggernaut]

That was a right-royal flogging.

Anyway, it was good to see our local boys hit it up against the Tahs laced with Wallabies. Got them an eye-opener and experience that they'll need to learn from.

Tahs will surely be one of the teams to beat this season.

 

[melon]

Saw the game on Saturday night in Orange. Watch out for Peter Betham and Tom Carter...destructive!

 

[Tomsey]

Every match report I have read is raving about how good Tom Carter was at outside centre. I’ve always thought the would be better at 13 than 12. He doesn’t have the kicking game or the ball playing ability for inside.
The question is who do they play at 10. If its Barnes then who plays inside. Beale? Then where’s Halangahu play. If they play Halangahu at fly half then Barnes move 12, what do they do with Beale. Turner and Mitchell get the wings and Asnesi has been very handy at full back. There was talk about Beale moving to fullback in the preseason after his performance on the wing for the midweek wallabies on the spring tour, but then Asnesi misses out. Either way a very good player misses out on a starting spot. It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds…

 

[Tomsey]

p.s that was my 100th post

 

[stormer2010]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tomsey @ Feb 1 2010, 01:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Every match report I have read is raving about how good Tom Carter was at outside centre. I’ve always thought the would be better at 13 than 12. He doesn’t have the kicking game or the ball playing ability for inside.
The question is who do they play at 10. If its Barnes then who plays inside. Beale? Then where’s Halangahu play. If they play Halangahu at fly half then Barnes move 12, what do they do with Beale. Turner and Mitchell get the wings and Asnesi has been very handy at full back. There was talk about Beale moving to fullback in the preseason after his performance on the wing for the midweek wallabies on the spring tour, but then Asnesi misses out. Either way a very good player misses out on a starting spot. It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds…[/b]

Its called depth.