- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Waratahs face the Blues at Allianz Stadium looking to build on their bruising 28-13 defeat of the Brumbies in the Round 6 local derby.
The telling feature of last week’s match was the dominance of the Waratahs scrum, and NSW and national coach Michael Cheika must be feeling very encouraged by his options in the tight five.
While the Brumbies at times shoved back, the chocolates went to the Waratahs, who clearly targeted the scrum as an area in which they could inflict punishment.
And punish the Brumbies they did.
One pleasing aspect is the increasing amount of game time that Cheika is giving to giant lock Will Skelton, who is going from strength to strength.
Skelton was given 70 minutes time against the Queensland Reds in Round 5, which saw the Waratahs easy victors 23-5, and has been given similar game time in his last two outings against the Highlanders and Brumbies.
Skelton is developing into an integral part of the Waratahs forward pack and the fitter he becomes the better for Australian rugby. Not only is he a damaging runner, he proved last week he can also be very effective in the lineout.
However, the Waratahs are far from being a one-man show and the clinical manner in which they went about defeating the Brumbies proved that at their best, they are capable of defeating anyone.
The biggest danger to the Waratahs may be the Waratahs themselves, and while some might wonder why coach Cheika gave them the rounds of the kitchen during a midweek training session, it is undoubtedly to ensure that they do not rest on their laurels.
There is enormous potential in their squad. The problem is that consistency wins games, and groups with a lot of potential often seem expect that results will simply come. But a coach like Cheika will do everything in his power to get the Waratahs to the top of their game and keep them there.
The game against the Blues is a litmus test of the Waratahs’ capacity to maintain their concentration and commitment. While the Blues are without a win, they have considerable talent and present a challenge.
On face value, with the Blues running last in the Super Rugby rugby competition, and the Waratahs on home soil as the defending champions and flush from a hard fought victory over Australian conference leader the Brumbies, you would put your wife, your house and your first born on the Waratahs to win.
Nothing former All Black Great and Blues coach John Kirwan does seems to work.
In an effort to turn around the ailing fortunes of the Blues franchise, he has dropped five-eighth and goal kicker Ihaia West, who has played every minute of their five games to date for an 84 per cent goal-kicking success rate.
Replacing West is 28-year-old Daniel Bowden, fresh from a four-year stint in the UK, and Kirwan is gambling on him to guide the fortunes of the Blues backline.
Meanwhile Lolagi Visinia, who has started four games at fullback, makes the change to centre to accommodate one of Super Rugby’s most exciting players, All Black speedster Charles Piutau, who returns to his customary position. George Moala also comes in at centre to provide some strike power.
While the Blues pack performed reasonably well in their encounters to date, they will be hard pressed to contain the might of an on-song Waratahs pack.
Skipper and All Black Jerome Kaino returns from concussion at No.8, with Steven Luatua moving to the blindside flank and Luke Braid to the reserves bench. At lock, Hayden Triggs replaces the injured Josh Bekhuis.
Kirwan is under enormous pressure, and if the latest changes do not produce a result it is difficult to anticipate him retaining the head coaching role.
The Blues have the capacity to rip open defences and it is this area the Waratahs will be seeking to contain.
But coaches who constantly move players in and out of positions rarely have consistent success. It is for this reason my money is on the Waratahs to win.