Waratahs drop Burgess to bench

I am with you Cambell I was just seeking clarity as it was ambiguous for me - Thanks for the detail

Bonza, Your logic seems to say that the Tah spread their tries amongst more players so the stats don't look as good? Still wrong. Using the same 33 players who have scored 3 or more tries: 10 other sides have more try scorers in that list than the Tahs. Only the Crusaders, Stormers and Cheetahs have one each in that list, the same as the Tahs - no one is worse! By total number of try scorers the Tahs come a lowly =8th with the Stormers. To me that says a miss-firing attack with no-one apart from Turner really showing us any great skills on attack, along with poor team play to boot. They are just not scoring enough points in my mind to really trouble the top sides if they actually do make the semi's

Campbell Im gathering Lote is probably the highest paid winger in the world, and I agree, who are the fools here, those who are stumping up the $$$ or Lote, who has a chuckle everytime he goes home after training and looks at his bank balance. Trust the ARU to be the only union in the world that values a winger more than the blokes who give him the ball. A few years ago, Lote would have been Australia's best back, and I would also say better than any NZ back either. This is no longer the case, in fact a hell of a lot of these young Kiwi backs with much less experience than LT are showing far more flair and enterprise this season

Sheehan is delusional if he thinks this is giving him a shot at a Wallabies guernsey. When he does come on he fumbles the ball and turns over possession with ill thought kicks etc. I cringe when I see him warming up. I honestly can't see how he is rated at all. Burgess is light years ahead of him.

LeftArmSpinner - Has said all that needs to be said in this pathetic effort from a coach who is trying to prove to the world he doesnt understand either the players abilities or the oppositions. If you were going to start Breet Sheehan you would have done it last week against the Bulls where raw agression and an ability to mix it would come in handy. Chris Hickey who I thought would do a great job with the Tahs is proving himself to be no genius.

Cambell Watts - all that shows is that other teams (which you have not identified) rely on or play to certain individuals. If you spread your try scorers accross your team then you are harder to defend against, assuming you are using all your players in attack. If you constantly play to certain individuals then over time this will present a good case for your oppositions defence strategy ie shut those individuals down. If you are talking about X factor try scoring the likes of Habana and Sivavatu then that is another issue relating probably more to recruitment - maybe you can elaborate further

Stick to the financials ruckingisfun - Holmes chose to leave the tahs and after 18 months seems to have finally cemented a start at the Brumbies beating of Phibbs who was no.2 for Gregan for 3 seasons (gregan on the decline I might add). It was a blessing he opened up a hole for Burgess. Not sure the reasoning for the change this week with Sheehan but I hope Burgess understands. He might lack some detail but he presents the best package. No question that Valentine presents a viable option but he seems to have never recovered fully from his knee injury which forced him to have a year off and by all reports limits his training load. He is still relatively young (same as Burgess i think) and has oodles of experience (3 provinces and has warmed the bench for the Wallabies already) but may already be at his peak - Burgess I think has more and hopefully Holmes as well - time will tell

LAS, I agree with your summation re Luke Burgess (and therefore disagree totally with Ruckingisfun). He puts in in both attack and defence and whilst I still scream in frustration on occasion at a high or wayward pass he has improved in this department too. He reads the game unusually well and frequently pops up in unexpected places when needed He's an exciting player, and unpredictable. Certainly other halfbacks find him a dreadful pest On another thread I asked if you had stats on Tuquiri, but if you came through I didn't see them. Your criticism of him has reached a crescendo in this thread and I wonder why you have developed such a hatred. While I am sometimes frustrated that he doesn't use his size more effectively by running harder and straighter he still attracts two to three opposition players when he's the ball carrier, makes yards regularly, and drives opposition wingers backward in the tackle with a greater regularity than any of the other outside backs, including Rob Horne. Even if you don't love him he does put in and I'm forced to defend him. I think the game plan last week was a disaster and this week is our last home game so I'm hoping for a return to forewards domination. We must rev up Cliffie and get him running at Gits with support. Instead of aimless kicking we must kick for the corners and contest the lineouts. hoist it only if you can catch it !

33 players have scored 3 or more trys so far this year. In that list is only ONE Waratah! What does that blatantly show eh!

Hey Leftie, Too true! Tuqiri has to be quietly smirking. Pay RIDICULOUSLY more than he's worth, not copping any flack from the press and just waiting to be handed another Wallabies jursey. For someone who's being payed so much I'd like to see more game-turning moments and inspiration! Trying to think back to the last time he beat 3-4 players and scored a try out of nothing - and I can't! David Smith's try last week was a ripper and you think he's getting paid anywhere near as much?? Pay back your sallary Lote and give some youngblood a chance to inject some razzle-dazzle.

If only the Tahs had held onto Josh Holmes - we might be making plans for semis and finals - oh what might have been

I think Josh Valentine has the best pass of any halfback in Australian Rugby and should get first crack at the Wallabies job despite the Force struggling. The backup job can go to any one of half a dozen players including Burgess. Most of the bloggers lead by Leftie are obviously big Burgess fans however I am not convinced yet he is a Test player. He does some freakish things on the field at times but other times he is headless. He needs a season or two of consistency to convince me.

You can spin it anyway you want Ben C. He's been boned.

Although the article reads as if Burgess is being dropped for poor performance, the actual quote by Hickey is more suggestive of the decision being one of rotation and giving Sheehan some more game time rather than a punishment for Burgess.

I can only agree with these comments. Burgess was very disappointing early this season but for the last three games he has been quick, decisive and a real threat with his sniping runs. He was certainly one of the better players on the field for NSW last Saturday night in what was a sub-standard team performance. If dropping Burgess is the best that Chris Hickey can come up with after that performance, I think that the Tahs are definitely not heading to the playoffs. Sheahan is a gutsy competitor and will give it everything, but a rugby union half-back he is not - true to his rugby league roots, he loves nothing better than to run the ball and take on the big defenders. Don't expect any backwards steps but don't expect the ball to leave his hands very often either.

I was stunned when I read this and think it is a reallly negative move from the Tahs, Burgo has got better as the season has gone on, and offers a genuine attacking option, I would say only his box kicking of late has been poor and would suggest that this is a directive from the coaching staff ? Can only presume that they want sheeahn out there for the softening up period, but can't remember the last time he looked like making a clear break ? Sure he's a tough defender and plays like a 9th forward - but we don't have any real problems with our defence it's the attack that is the problem .....

Oh, and it works best for the biggest bludger, Tuqiri. He sits out on the wing, preserving his body and reaping $800K a season. He's laughing.

Has he played well recently? Yes. Has his pass improved? yes. Did he spark the attack early last week? Yes Did he stop doing it after about 15-20 minutes? Yes. The opposition defence got wise. Has he put the effort in? Yes, particularly in defence and giving the attack another option. So, having left Sheehan on the bench for most of the season, 140 minutes in 9 games. 15 minutes a game, including two games when he sat on the bench for 80 minutes. All of a sudden, he is the saviour. Frankly, how would anyone know? This is a case of blaming someone else rather than dealing with your own issues. The coaches have failed in the choice of tactics and playing strategy. The evidence is there for all to see. It has worn the players out, destroyed their confidence and ability to score team tries, destroyed the supporter base, encouraged good players to move to other teams and made the code the laughing stock for boring, unimaginative stupid tactics!!!