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Rocky Elsom couldn’t have picked a better time to don the Waratah captain’s armband for the first time than against the rampaging Bulls at Allianze Stadium tomorrow night.
Elsom must turn in an 80-minute performance of Rocky Balboa proportions to show the Bulls in pink they are up against red-blooded opposition.
That would be a first for the Waratahs this season. There’s been a lot of pussy-footing around up front, and even more indecision out the back.
“Hit ’em hard, and hit ’em often,” was the message reinstated half-back Sarel Pretorius gave his team-mates. And the South African ought to know.
It’s taken Waratah coach Michael Foley 11 games to bite the selection bullet, and to slot Elsom into the starting lineup he had to drop David Dennis to the bench, the one forward who has been positive and aggressive all tournament.
A mighty tough break for Dennis.
But he will make his mark later in the game when the big Bulls pack are feeling the pinch.
The other pluses: Pretorius is back at the expense of Brendan McKibbin, centre Rob Horne returns from suspension, flanker Chris Alcock after appendix surgery, and utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper fills the vacant inside-centre slot with Tom Carter dropped to the bench.
Ashley-Cooper will certainly stiffen the midfield defence, and there’s every indication his new centre partnership with Horne has more than a little merit.
It promises plenty.
More importantly, Ashley-Cooper will get his hands on the ball more often. He has hardly seen it during his stints on the wing and full-back.
It’s a wonder he hasn’t died of boredom.
The downside: hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau hasn’t overcome head injuries sustained last week against the Brumbies, so benchman John Ulugia takes over, one of the worst lineout feeders from any team this season.
Polota-Nau is no great shakes in that department either, but Ulugia beats him off the break.
Lineout feeders must have ball-sense.
Foley would be better off deploying his wingers Tom Kingston and Atiell Pakalani to do the job, leaving Ulugia momentarily as blindside winger where he can’t cause the Waratahs any grief.
Radical? No just plain common sense.
Wingers fed lineouts for over 100 years, until some coach dreamed up hookers would do the job better. That hasn’t proved to be correct, and never will.
The Waratahs chances will heavily hinge on Daniel Halangahu in his new role as custodian, and how he handles the high ball. He will be peppered, but he has safe hands and a good boot.
Nonetheless, there’s an air of expectancy about tomorrow night.
Foley has made some shrewd changes for a change.
A win over the Bulls would be the highlight of the season so far. But the Waratahs must be disciplined or the tournament’s leading points-scorer, Morne Steyn, will make them pay dearly.
Keep Steyn out of the game, and the Waratahs are in with a sniff.