Waratahs edge out Brumbies in trial match

Thanks Yikes. I am sure it was contractual but as you and i know how critical? to the deal. On this issue I believe I have some ascendancy these games should have been quarantined and unapolegetically not included in SFS deal. You know what the deal would still have been done. You quite rightly criticise me for not providing practical measures. The use of these trials is for development number 1,2and 3.It is amindset. A mindset that is often missing by some of those who negotiate contracts.

Ben C I readily understand the need to service season ticket holdersand most of those ticket holders are in the north and eastof sydney. The trials are an extremely effective mechanism to spread the message in NSW with very reasonable ticket prices. . The NSWRU has got this right except i would make it free for all juniors. For all i harp on I believe the supporters of the Waratahs like yourself would not mind a trial going elsewhere provided it is for the good of the game. It is a little unfair on a Super 14 franchise but they have a critical role in our development. As Peter Fitzsimmons reported the rugby community can and does respond to those in need and deep down is conscious it must spread the message. the trials are a cheap way of doing so . Rugby will get prarievale to Japan with one more fundraising at tatts. It is the responsibility to develop the game that weighs more heavily on the Tahs than any NZ Super team. I strongly believe an 8000 attendance out in western Sydney or in the bush would include at least half who have not witnessed live high quality rugby . That Beale /Tahu move would have exhilerated many. The trials should never be about money just covering costs. They are to support and convert. The Bush also to needs a little TLC The trial would have been negotiable and rugby needs it to be. I find it difficult to accept it would have been a critial factor. The Tahs have bravely moved a key game to homebush. We need a good crowd. This is not a threat to SFS which services the heartland of Sydney rugby it is a symbol or show of force that we seek awider audience. The Homebush game needs the faithful to travel and those with aparting interest out west to get there.

Westy, my belief is that one trial must be played at SFS as per the Tahs' contract. My mail is that Parramatta was considered re holding the Fiji trial there (with large Islander population out west to draw upon) but a deal could not be struck and Newcastle put in a better offer. What killed the trial was playing it on a Thursday, at the Brumbies' request so they could have a full week off before their 1st comp game on Friday. Who's going to turn up to a trial on a Thursday?

Westy As someone who paid a fair bit for season tickets and who works in the city, I was happy to see one of the trials at SFS. Putting self-interest aside, as someone interested in the development of rugby I agree it was a shame NSWRU didn't look to the Western Suburbs or even another country venue to 'spread the word'. I suspect that they are probably tied in to having one of the trials at SFS due to the contract with SFS, particularly as a marque match each year will now be sent to ANZ Stadium. Short-sighted but few people have accused the NSWRU of taking the long view. Or the short view. Or any view past the Eastern suburbs/lower North Shore. Bozo I thought KB's defence was poor in the second half. One man's impression only but I was at the match and stick by my view.

bozo - Where's your contribution pal? Actually I didn't get stuck into Peter Hewat at all. In fact I've always admired his style of play from watching him at club to S14. However - and most would agree - he does have defensive defects that need to be covered. I am not at all surprised he has done well in the UK. Half his luck and I wish him well. My opinions are formed by what I saw from last year, what I read in the papers & on the internet (eg Roar), what little (if any) video footage I can watch plus a conversation with a mate on the game. So if you watched it contribute. If not then perhaps you should take your own advice.

i know i know I am probably a one issue man but was there any reason this game could not have been played at Parramatta .The first trial was correctly played at Newcastle. this was a trial . this is our chance to spread the message. Tickets were reasonably priced. We must not let simple opportunities like this go by. We got a crowd of 7000 /8000 rusted on supporters. If Parramatta was not available try penrith CUA / next Western weekender at St marys is a good oval with a ten thousand capacity. is it me or are we serious about developing the game in areas where our profile can be improved. What happens between the talk and the action.

How credible are these contributions? Even Looser makes a big call about the performance of Beale and it turns out it was based on what a mate told him! Then he gets stuck into Peter Hewat. I suspect both Hewat and London Irish are very happy about where he is now. Can those who do not actually watch rugby be excluded from making contributions?

I will concede the point to NickF. KB made some reasonable tackles in the first half but as very sloppy in defence by the second half. Whether it was the positional change or loosing interest as he got tired, his tackling in the second half was woeful.

I was at the game last night, I thought KB defence was OK in the first half, but when he moved out it detoriated. It looks like a confidence thing, he seems to snatch at a player when he needs to get lower. Mortlock looked a bit slow, but then all the Brumbies looks ot the oace. The forwards were red faced 10 min into the second hald, Gerard drop a few high balls and Rahtbone was made look slow by Turner. But when Mortlock put a bit of urgency into a run he was hard to stop.

I agree at SM better at 13. My question from a Wallaby perspective (and I don't want to bring his Captaincy into question) is about whether someone else is better at 13 than him, AND at which point the coach says time for a change. For mine the Captain has to be best in his position. Not best at being Captain and now where can we slot him? Still I'm sure Robbie Deans has all of this thought through.

I was there, and all signs looked good. Stirlo at 12, not sure about that one. The All Blacks have been using 12 as snd 5/8 for years and it has worked very well. Even last night when Kurtley moved to inside and Hallas moved to 5/8 it just gave more options. Stirlo is just a bulldozer these days. I think he is better suited to 13.

Sin-ick No, sadly I couldn't be at the game (I'm in need of a Rugby fix) but I grilled my mate about it and he's usually pretty reliable. Since then I have read all I could find in reports and watched the report on Fox Sports. Not much being written (mostly rehash) & it's always hard to put much stock in trials. Hey they're trials after all. Sounds as if you were there and you liked KB's defence on Mortlock. So that's got tell us something. On SM do you think he's a chance at IC? My concern with him is strength is busting the tackle with leg drive & at IC he just doesn't get the time & space for that. Notice I'm avoiding mentioning 'age'.

EL, Were you at the game last night? From what I saw, KB defence was very good. Infact, the whole team defended well, hence why the score was 17-0 at half time.

Oh crap - Sorry Ben too much coffee and interuption here at work. I agree with you on KB's defence. Not good enough at this level but then is Halangahu better in this department? Maybe, like with Hewitt, you need to take the attacking options and cover for the defensive downside.

Ben C Sorry mate Spiro is right. You said " I have to disagree. Beale’s tackling is woeful. He waits until the player passes him and then jumps on them from the side or from behind and tries to drag them to ground. He doesn’t seem to know how/want to tackle front on." That sounds pretty woeful to me, especially at S14 level. Too many opportunties for opp player to off load. Spiro No doubt we would all like to extend Stirling's time in a Wallaby jersey and no doubt that's why this idea of moving him in one has been tried. Seems he just doesn't have it to develop into a World Class IC (footwork & off load) & as you say he's more of a Clydesdale these days, so it's best he's moved back to OC where he at his best. Perhaps not as good as he once was but still one of the best running around IMHO.

Sorry Ben, I have to agree with Spiro. With the exception of one incident late in the second half wen Beale was at 12, he defended quite well, from what I saw. He had Mortlock running right at him, and he never let him through. I thought he played exremely well.

Spiro I have to disagree. Beale's tackling is woeful. He waits until the player passes him and then jumps on them from the side or from behind and tries to drag them to ground. He doesn't seem to know how/want to tackle front on. The refereeing was woeful, particularly around the scrums.

Why is that the focus is always on the backs, especially the halves. Horne's try came from a good forward platform and Beale's try was definatly from a good scrum push with a back-row ball to Halangahu, who kicked through for Beale, who was the first there. Beale did play a good game, he still has a problem defending when wider out (grab tackles that are way too high, and get bounced off). The lineouts were impressive as was the scrum, but what impressed me was there was (for 60 minutes) a seriousness about the forwards that promises for the season ahead, and on a very humid February evening mustn't have been easy. I also though Patrick Phibbs played a very good game when he came on for the Brumbies in the second half, he set up two tries. The only real confusing part was that Brett Sheehan and Phil Waugh are starting to look a bit too similar, Phil's hair is just a bit longer, at the back that is.

Josh Holmes had a reasonably quiet game. The NSW Waratahs looked very strong in the forwards, full of energy and grunt. The scrum was variable, sometimes very strong and at other times in danger of Baxteritis, a collpasing disease. The back were good, especially Kurtley Beale who is bigger, stronger and as quick as ever on his feet and with his passing. He tackled well, too. There were a couple of excellent set piece moves in the backs, something the Ewen McKenzie Waratahs never seemed to indulge in. The impressive Rob Horne scored an excellent try from one of these set moves. I would think that on this showing the Waratahs are, as Robbie Deans suggests, a strong finals chance. The ACT Brumbies were enthusiastic and willing and came back well at the end of the game to score two tries. The forwards weren't terribly impressive at scrum time, even though the form hooker of Australian rugby, Stephen Moore, was anchoring the scrum. The experiment of using Stirling Mortlock at inside centre did work, in my opinion. Mortlock is something of a C.lydesdale these days and his cart horse barging wasn't greatly effective. The dashing Tyrone Smith had a huge impact when he came on. I think a backline with Smith at inside centre, Mortlock at outside centre, Clyde Rathbone (who Lachlan Turner ran around at one stage), Mark Gerrard on the wings, and Ashley-Cooper at fullback is a better combination. What the Brumbies have going for them this season is a coach, Andy Friend, who is not afraid of exploiting the ELVs.

Yeah - he played and played quite well. But nothing too flash. I think he'll be a challenger to Burgess for a Wallabies spot, but Burgess offers more spark.