A new star for Australian Rugby

Despite, past form of Waratah Peter Hewat, recently he has had a run of bad luck. With news that Hewat may leave our shores for opportunities overseas, opens the way for young talent Lachie Turner to show us what he's really got. Yes, we've seen his catches, passes, kicks, and of course his incredible speed... but this (almost) 20-year-old has so much more to offer. If Hewat, does sadly leave the Tahs, and Turner is given the job it is evident he will shine. He's got the talent - no one can deny that - but he's also got the rugby brain and mentality to go with it. He's only young, but he's in his prime - he just needs more opportunities. Give him a go... Australia A... Wallabies... Give him either and I know for a fact, he'd grab them with both hands... He gives his all in every Tahs game, but he'll definitely dig that little bit deeper to give that extra spark needed in the Australia A and Wallabies sides.

Guys one Try doesn't make for a Legend. Lachlan Turner does have potential but he needs another couple of great runs before we should start celebrating. As for Connolly picking him in the Wallabies squad. John connolly has never been able to work out that there are players beyond no. 10 so why would he start. Don't forget the only reason he got to be the Wallabies coach was because nobody else wanted it. Except for the only worse coach at this level Eddie Jones. Until the ARU can get a truly good coaches like Tim Sheens who can develop players into jobs at the Waratahs, and the Reds and the Wallabies roles we are never going to win another World cup. Laurie Fisher not sure he is the man either. I think he is more an S14 coach than the next Wallabies coach. He should stay in Canberra long term. David Nucifora on the other hand has been at the helm of two seperate S14 teams. Regardless of what you think of the man you have to admitt he can coach. Where were the Blues two years ago? Before David Nucifora took over? 7th. How did he go at the Brumbies 2nd, 3rd and 1st. Where are the Blues this year? 2nd. If the ARU board can just stop carring on like school girls in the play ground and start being men we have a chance. The ARU Board need to stop this my agenda crap and understand this is a business personal likes or dislikes don't mateer. If you can do the job well you get the job.

Any uncontracted Hooker, including Moore, should be looking towards the Brumbies. With Palavi retired and Paul leaving at the end of the season the only Hooker I know of in the Capital is Faingaa. While a great future prospect and certainly S14 Bench worthy at the moment, I think it is too much to expect the young fella to play 1040+ minutes in 2008. He is still developing and needs to have an experienced head around him to spread the load and give him support so he doesn't burn out. Perhaps they have plans to resurrect the last great Australian grinder, farmer boy James McCormack for one last hurrah?! Could probably do worse than try and get Huai Edmonds back from South Africa as another option if they miss out on Moore. As The Curl said above, so much focus and finance is wasted on our Backs stocks, which generally are pretty good. We also have a healthy assortment of Backrow options. Respect and reward needs to be given to our tight fives if we are ever to wok our way back to parity with the AB's.

Brumby Justin, I thought Chisholm said Canberra was the best place to play Rugby. It was his family that enjoyed living in Canberra (they had to say that!). Anyway, there's no surf in Canberra, & I get dizzy driving 'round 'n 'round. Only joking (I thunk).

I thought that Mark Chisholm best summed it up when he re-signed for us this week: It was an easy decision for me to make," he said. "My family love living in Canberra and it's the best place in the world to play rugby. "I've been part of the Brumbies program for five seasons, my game has developed each year, and I know it's where I can get the most out of my rugby." Now - aside from Sydney people scoffing at Canberra being a great place to live (it's okay - we have thick skins!) the main point here is that in some franchises players feel that they get developed and improve their game. That has to be a key question at the Waratahs - why is it that players develop when they leave there. My reading would be that the current squad has largely stagnated while players in Perth and Canberra are improving.

Hey Hayden I have to agree. Why the hell are the Tahs chasing another hooker? I would have thought that there are a couple of other positions that may need some back-up .... say Nos 10 thru to 15?

On another note. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? The Waratahs haven't l;earnt from the fiasco that lead to Hoile and Holmes heading to the brumbies. That world class players will not haooily sit on the bench. They have now made a move for Stephen Moore. So who out of Polata Nau, Frier and Moore will sit on the bench? Why not promote Sydney talent instead rather than lose a potential super star interstae again. Picking Brett Sheehan over Holmes was ludicrous.

Sorry, just had to add this... "The West Australian Thursday 12th April 2007 Super Rugby : Round 11 Preview By Dave Hughes" WARATAHS V REDS At Aussie Stadium, Sydney TV: Fox 5.40pm "Over at Perry Lakes they've wrapped the wooden spoon in brown paper, tied the package with string and have a courier on call to deliver it to whoever loses this one. The Force don't really care who; they just want to get rid of the damned thing. In past years, this week would see a lot of chest beating either side of the Tweed River; now there's just squirming and self-loathing."

This week's great rugby question is "Can the Waratahs salvage something from this years Super 14 competition and win the Wooden Spoon?" If Ewen Mckenzie can out smart Eddie Jones and find a way to lose this game he has a very good chance of winning the Super 14 2007 wooden spoon. The only question I can see that needs to be asked now is does Ewen have the ability as a coach to lose to the only team in this years Super 14 with a worse track record than the Waratahs. Go Ewen you have my support. Good Luck

Another shining light is the Force flanker Pocock. The Force beat the Crusaders in R & M turnovers and that is Pocock against McCaw. He also grabbed three or four against the Sharks and his tackling is first class. Like Turner he also has that drive that sees him chase kicks and feature repeatedly in attacking and defensive forays, not just relaxing after one tackle or run. Too many of the established stars think their job is over too early in the piece. Pocock, Turner, two to watch out for.

How many of us have commented in recent weeks that Larkham, among others, may be too old and we should look at younger players for this RWC? I'll put my hand up, I'm guilty. Lol, great players have a history of making us all eat humble pie. But I'll stick my neck out further ... Larkham did it against a side that really did not turn up to play. Will he also be able to do it against national sides that will deliberately target him all game long and seek to cut down his ball playing time? Unless the pack and his halfback give him the platform and time he will look pedestrian and will be bashed out of the game. SA know what a danger he is and they will seek to cut him down to size, by fair and foul. How did AJ Ventor manage to remain on the field and not be charged for his deliberate shoulder charge? In my mind it was blatant foul play and he should have had an early shower.

I've known Lachlan Turner for a very long time, and I've seen his game and his talent increase as he's got older. Lachie is only getting the much deserved spot light! At school level Lachie was really a force to be reckoned with, and he's still settling in with the Waratahs. To say he's not ready is stupid... He's been playing really well and he can only get better! Lachie has tremendous talent, and I've always told him this. Both Lachie and Beale have got what it takes to shine in the big game, despite what some say. They've been given this chance, at such a young age to prove to everyone they have what it takes, and personally I think they're doing a fantastic job! Yes, they are young but I think the Waratahs need that..... Beale is bring new and fresh ideas, and Lachie is bring new and fresh ideas, along with speed. They may be rookies, but you watch. They will grow and shine and their game can only get better with mentors as LT, Hewat, Waugh and many others guiding and shaping them to become better!

Hey TK Funny you should say that, cause I met up with that same coach only a year ago, for him to comment that I was such a show off during my early days that, I actually took notice of what he said back then, because he told me I was now fat enough to play in the Front row! All these years of eating & thats all I had to do to gain his respect!! Rugby Its a funny Game!!!

Lol .... rugbyfobcast .... I know another old prop who would make sacrafice at your alter if he had read your words.

The Curl, You are so RIGHT!! Some one get this guy on the ARU roster. My old coach said to me while I was representing the NSW U16 back in the day (I was a typicult islander outside back with talent to burn, but no disire to train hard or to train) That to stop thinkïng like a superstar, because you are not the most important player in the team, you are far from it, This is how the order goes Its our Prop, then the other prop, then his reserve, then maybe after they do their job, then the team!!! We are shit with out our Front row!"I still live those words!!

My head is spinning Backs-wards when what I really need is to look Forwards All this talk of backs, $s, reduced contracts for proven talented players, buying league players, young talent, blar blar blar blar...is making my head spin. If we all take a deep breath and look at the real issues facing Australian rugby objectively we will see that our problems are UP FRONT. The forwards (particularly the tight five) are the engine room of any rugby team. Without a first class forwards pack that can create forward momentum at the set piece and in the rucks and malls (or one that can at least hold its own) we are nowhere. Everything in the game of rugby hangs of the forwards, the tight five for power and the rest for speed to the breakdown, neither of which I believe we have. I would suggest that even Dan Carter would look ordinary behind any of our provinces’ packs or the Australian pack for that matter. No backline - regardless of the talent in it – can perform without a solid platform set by the forwards. You need look no further than Stephen Larkham’s performances over recent years playing behind a deteriorating Australian pack. He has consistently been cramped for room and this has significantly affected his game. What is even more concerning about the state of Australian forwards is that there appears to be little discussion on the problem and as far as I can see, no focus on trying to address the problem, which will take some time. The bottom line is that we can spend all the money in the world on bigger, faster, shinier backs, but this will not get us anywhere without fixing the problems up front.

I think that theres a tangible difference between going into the World Cup resigned to failure and going into the World Cup with measured expectations. Connolly's team can, of course win the World Cup but it would be fair to say that the likelihood of them doing so is so slim as to warrant limited consideration. Preparation has not, after all , been ideal. Last years Northern Hemisphere tour was a lacklustre affair exposing substantial gaps in an ageing line-up. Those mooted as their potential replacements ; Beale, Turner et al are simply not ready to shine in the harsh glare of top level rugby and the expectations that come with it. Nor should they be asked to. They can however be asked to contribute if its made clear that their best efforts are all thats required and they're not subjected to any of that " a nation expects" nonsense. Rebuilding is a word that few fans relish as it inevitably means a period of poor results but better those results occur while youngsters are being bloodied and combinations are being built rather than coddling a group of tired veterans whose skillsets are clearly now inferior to those of their contemporaries. In essence, I'd contend that a World Cup quarter final loss by an Australian team full of potential and raw talent who'll benefit from the experience would be more palatable to the Australian rugby watching public than a World Cup quarter final loss by the incumbent 15 whose sun has mostly set. Connolly has no job to protect so why be guarded in his selection.

Thanks Spiro. Fair enough. But what are your thoughts at this stage on who the front runners for selection in the RWC squad are?

I don't believe any team, especially not the Wallabies with their excellent World Cup record, should go into a tournament as an exercise in preparation in four years time. The idea for John Connolly should be to win the tournament, and to base all his planning on this ambition. At this stage things don't look too good. But in 1999 the Crusaders and the Highlanders played a magnificent Super 12 final and a prominent rugby official rang me up afterwards. 'Did you see the game?' he asked. 'We haven't a hope in hell at the World Cup.' It's history now that Rod Macqueen's team won the World Cup and had only one try scored against it while doing so.

G'day Spiro, as usual good points but are we a realistic chance at this RWC or should we build for the future? Whom do you see as 'experienced players" to be sprinkled into the run on team and whom do you see as worthy of a run? I have said this before but I would really like us to blood a younger team, all of whom could be expected to be still in the mix for 2011. I don't see it as the duty of the ARU to give older players who won't be there in the future a RWC swansong, especially if their form does not warrant selection above a younger more inexperienced player who is showing better consistent form on the field.