Halangahu emerges from University with honours
Roar Guru By mudskipper, 22 Sep 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
Sydney University and Randwick played in the Shute Shield grand final in Sydney on Saturday. While Randwick fielded an impressive list of Super 14 players and Wallabies, University had a few notable players of their own.
In unusually warm September conditions, University quickly took charge and by the end of the first half dominated the match.
The player that stood out on the day was young flyhalf Daniel Halangahu for Sydney University. Halangahu’s decision-making was lucid and well executed. He seems to have really come of age as a flyhalf.
He positioned himself well, giving himself time to either kick or run, and directed University’s backs with clear confident communication that had University going forward.
Fellow team-mate Kurtley Beale will have to good fight on his hands to secure the Waratahs flyhalf starting jersey next season now that Halangahu is showing signs of maturing as a player with vision. Whilst ‘Tahs coach Chris Hickey is searching the globe for locks, he now knows at least he has the keys, two true flyhalf choices for next year’s Super 14.
Halangahu missed most of the 2008 Super 14 season due to injury, and I secretly suspect that his time on the sidelines was spent in the ‘Tahs library studying every Daniel Carter play on tape.
He never looked rushed, his manner was controlled and he set the pace of the match.
While Randwick on paper looked like the superior team they lacked dominance in the two most important match-winning positions: at flyhalf and open-side flanker.
University were fortunate to have the return of Wallabies Phil Waugh at 7, however, Halangahu was the real difference. In a post-match interview, Waratahs captain Phil Waugh praised Halangahu’s control of the game that delivered University’s fourth consecutive Shute Shield.
It seems Halangahu has emerged from University this season with a degree in Flyhalf Rugby. Now can he apply his newfound self-assurance to the Waratahs next year?
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September 22nd 2008 @ 12:10pm
True Tah said | September 22nd 2008 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
Terry Kidd
Dunning doesn’t do much period, I hardly think hes going to set the world on fire at 6.
Tuqiri could play from 6, hes a big strong lad who would relish the opportunity.
I think McCaw would be concerned about having Tuqiri so close, after what happened last time when Tuqiri tried to met out Fijian tribal justice.
September 22nd 2008 @ 12:49pm
Terry Kidd said | September 22nd 2008 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Yeah True Tah realistically Dunning should join the seagulls, he does enough of what they do already to qualify. And to think that at the beginning of this year I was cautioning rubbishing him on the basis that he seemed to have worked hard to improve and props mature late, but he just has not gone on with the job. Baxter looked awful but has really seemed to have stepped up a couple of gears this year. Maybe Steady Eddies lack of focus on scrumming did Baxter no favours in his earlier years?
September 22nd 2008 @ 3:16pm
The Riddler said | September 22nd 2008 @ 3:16pm | Report comment
Am I the only one to think that Ratu Nasiganiyavi is being hyped well above his actual talent level? Admittedly he did score a try at the end of Saturday’s final but that was against a team that had already won the game and taken their foot off the pedal. Before that, he had butchered another clear try and his general play looked to be very unimaginative.
It would appear as though he only knows one way to play rugby and that is in a hard straight line. This makes him fairly easy to tackle, as demonstrated a number of times by players a lot smaller than him. His defensive game looked very average as well – being big and heavy means he cant turn that quickly so a few well aimed kicks behind him pay good dividends. It has been said that this size makes him hard to stop from a few metres out – but isnt that what we have forwards for?
I note that he has been signed to the Tahs for next season – I for one am NOT looking forward to seeing him on one wing and his cousin Lote on the other.
September 22nd 2008 @ 3:20pm
True Tah said | September 22nd 2008 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
The Riddler,
I guess the Tahs will have the two laziest wingers in Super rugby if those two take the paddock all the time!!
September 22nd 2008 @ 9:55pm
Davo said | September 22nd 2008 @ 9:55pm | Report comment
Riddler – lets give big Ratu a chance. You were hyping Gordon in another thread and big Ratu demolished them in one game before scoring 4 against Warringah ( ? ) I think a few weeks later. Apparently he was carrying a bit of an injury over the last few weeks. I agree poor old Sam Norton Knight may have his work cut out forming a clever, counter attacking back 3 partnership with those two but I am hopeful Ratu will get some game time during next years Super 14 – possibly at the expense of cousin, Lote.
September 23rd 2008 @ 3:02am
ThelmaWrites said | September 23rd 2008 @ 3:02am | Report comment
I reckon Robbie Deans should pick the entire Sydney Uni squad for the Wallabies. (Shush, we are actually rabid Randwick supporters, but after several days the bias bleeds off.) Sydney Uni were like the SAS: well drilled, cohesive, consistent, unflagging, unrelenting. Well, sort of. They were tactically sound and used their entire armory of chip kicks, decoy runs, field goal, kicking high balls to the hapless Randwick right winger who had a hard time looking at the ball against the afternoon sun. In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, their captain claims their success is due to the hard work they put in.
While the Reserve Grade match was on, my daughter went to the food stall. Robbie Deans was there. He must have found the afternoon’s proceedings painful to watch, and wondered what it is he’s got into.
September 23rd 2008 @ 9:28am
The Riddler said | September 23rd 2008 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Davo, my comments in the other thread were that Gordon had surprised many people by their success this season with a team comprising of no major stars – a little disingenuous to suggest I was hyping them. It is all well and good for Ratu to be able to score a few tries in a Sydney grade comp against no namers – its is another to do it a senior professional level against seasoned players who are well drilled and coached – as Uni demonstrated (in part) on Saturday. If you go back one season, the Tahs had another big bloke on the wing that was hyped well above his capabilities – and we all know how tht ended
September 23rd 2008 @ 1:43pm
Scottmit said | September 23rd 2008 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
While Halangahu had a good game the three that really caught my eye were the fullback Trist (?), the halfback and Tim Davidson himself at No 8.
In a back row that included Waugh and Dean Mumm, and playing directly against Hoiles, Davidson played a great game including a try and an assist, as well as running down the winger in the last runaway try of the game.
Halfback decision making was exemplorary in marshalling the forward pack around and supporting Halangahu. His kicking late in the game to drive Randwick back also frustrated Randwick as they fell further behind.
The fullback ran great lines all day for two tries and an assist and showed the rare ability to accelerate as he went into a gap.
It seems a shame that all three seem to have missed the S14 bandwagon.
September 23rd 2008 @ 3:33pm
mudskipper said | September 23rd 2008 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Scottmit… The fifth Australian Super rugby team has to come from somewhere…and will need to be built next year for 2010…if all goes to plan for John O’Neil… I agree Davidson played well and the Uni halfbacks support of Halangahu was good…
September 23rd 2008 @ 3:47pm
mudskipper said | September 23rd 2008 @ 3:47pm | Report comment
University’s fullback Nathan Trist played well for the Melbourne Rebels in the ARC…and was with the Brumbies Runners academy team this year…promising player…I hope he continues with the Brumbies…That also goes for Uni centre Leo Afeaki…his defense if awesome…