After last week’s capitulation to the Cheetahs, the NSW Waratahs find themselves needing a win when they host the Blues in a Sunday afternoon blockbuster. We’ll have live scores and commentary from 4.00pm AEDT.
The Blues are coming to Sydney off the bye that was needed to recover from a bad loss at home to the Bulls in round four.
For their side to improve they need to increase their level of physicality at the breakdown area and in contact.
Against the Bulls they were easily beaten in both of those areas, and as a consequence weren’t able to put their best foot forward.
One player to keep an eye on for the Blues is Rene Ranger. He has been a powerful ball runner as always this year as his 104 metres from six carries against the Bulls shows.
Where he’s really stepped it up in 2013 is his ability to pilfer in the rucks.
He has the nose for the ball and has been so hard to remove from the ruck that he must be eyed a little bit sideways by other outside backs being shown up when the ball is spread away from the packs.
If the opposition are the slightest bit isolated in the backs Ranger is there to capitalise.
The Blues started the year with two strong wins against the Hurricanes and Crusaders, and both of those matches featured them running the ball with vigour and generally putting it all on the line with every carry forward.
Charles Piutau was fearless and electric bringing the ball back from kicks and that kick-started the entire team’s attack.
Look for them to capitalise on any ill-advised Waratahs kicking. As Brett McKay mentioned during the week, the Waratahs kicking isn’t long either and there is plenty of room for the Blues’ back three to counter.
For the Waratahs the Sunday afternoon game will hopefully provide them the opportunity to play in front of a larger home crowd than has been present so far this year.
They’ll need to show their fitness can stand the full 80 minutes at high speed this week.
The Cheetahs last week were able to sneak home as winners because the Waratahs got tired and dropped the ball in some crucial places.
The Blues will also be playing the game at a fast pace.
For Michael Cheika this is a chance to see where his forwards are in terms of competition aspirations.
For them to beat the Blues they’ll need to bully their forwards and mimic some of the mauling and pick-and-drive aspects of the Bulls’ play to wear down the young Blues side.
If they can do that the likes of Paddy Ryan and Michael Hooper should find some room to stretch their legs around the fringes of the ruck.
Another area to watch for the Waratahs is the deployment of Israel Folau. The weakness some of the Blues backs showed under the high ball presents the perfect opportunity to specifically use Folau’s catching abilities to send him after a few well timed cross field kicks or bombs.
We will be bringing you all the action here on The Roar through live blogs, scoring and all the banter you can handle. Don’t forget to log on at 4.00pm AEDT to join in.
[roargal]
Billy Bob
Guest
Waratahs shock horror provided the only classy Aussie attack of the whole round. Who saw that coming? Defensive lapses and some dumb play gifted the blues too much.
Dan H
Guest
Had my joker on them this week. Good to see them get up I only caught the last 30 seemed they got the rub of the green a bit. Like I said though still happy to see them get upand not playing negative rugby.
Wii
Guest
Oh because that's how you seen the game it must be right. You lack any credibility Dmac
Jagman
Guest
Considering Foleys performance and another story in the paper regarding the rebels do they really want to waste precious salary cap space on KB?
Dasher
Roar Guru
Ditto!
Jiggles
Roar Guru
http://www.lassen.co.nz/s14tab.php?nobyes=1#hrh
DMac
Guest
Like ;-)
DMac
Guest
Yes, the blues were such terrible underdogs, so hard up against it. That's why everyone tipped the Tahs right? Oh wait... Not sure if you actually watched the game based on your comments because you seem fairly thoroughly unaware of what went on. Go and watch the blues 3 tries. Each one directly, in the scoring phase, a result of a Tahs clanger. Now go and watch the Tahs 3 tries. First one from a very well worked back line move. Second from a midfield break - yes, there were missed tackles, but no more than in pretty much any try. Third one after a number of phases and off the back of a very good jinking run from Horne. It was chalk and cheese. Yes the blues were bad, but that doesn't mean the Tahs tries weren't well worked. The Tahs were ok, improved but not worldbeaters, but they basically gifted 3 tries.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Great second half by the Tahs, terrific win against a good team. Once again though the Tahs are sluggish in the first half and chasing there tails. They need to learn how to start well and not rely on the halftime rev up from Cheika. They gifted the Blues a couple of tries whereas the Tahs worked really well for there's. Foley was outstanding. Thought the pigs worked hard all game. Izzy had some really nice touches as did Mitchell and AAC. The Tahs played superbly in the second half and showed what they're capable of.
DMac
Guest
Now if you're talking reffing in general then you won't get any argument from me. As someone who has sat on the wrong end of the great inconsistency that is policing Richie McCaw at the breakdown (and let's be honest, as much as the Saffas like to complain, the only thing that happened in the WC QF is that Lawrence refereed Pocock the same way everyone else referees Sir Richie), I'm all for anything that will get some consistency into the game. Time to consider a second ref for the breakdown methinks.
Albo
Guest
I think the poor bloke has packed as much size as he can fit into that body. He's an absolute nugget.
Red Kev
Guest
Damn Waratahs, screwed up my tipping again
Wii
Guest
The reds have played an extra game Jiggles the Brumbies also have 4 for the bye... Next
Wii
Guest
Absolute rubbish D-mac and you know it. One minute you guys are talking about how poor the Blues were next thing your talking about how great the Tahs were. So which is it? The Blues were mud in the second 40 there is no denying that the Tahs benefitted from some sub par reffing and capitalised on Blues mistakes just as much as the Blues made well off Tahs mistakes. All whinging aside the Blues are a side very much stacked full of rookies and unknowns opposed to the Tahs full of Wallabies and established Super Rugby players, the Blues played poorly yet still only lost by 3 points away from home.........
Hightackle
Guest
Im saying we dont know who would have won had he not f-ed up on crucial decisions. Its not just him, the reffing over the last couple of weeks has been terrible. An example, in the Chiefs vs Highlanders the Highlanders used a deliberate play of holding the flanker back as they attacked the blindside. The Chiefs complained and both the ref and touchy saw it but instead of using their new powers they said "nah we dont THINK so". That is terrible reffing and should not be accepted. There was an infringement in scoring a try and instead of reviewing it, they went on a gut feeling? This should not be accepted. In the WC final, Kaino was off his feet and playing the ball, the ref called his name, he looked up, rolled the ball forward and Yachvili had to clean up as 3 offside ABs were all over him. Joubert did nothing. WTF? In the 6 nats decider an English player was tackled, a Welsh player dived off his feet onto him and ripped the ball free. Walsh let them play on and Wales scored. This is the most basic decisions being ignored. Its just a lottery. They are giving yellows for nothing and the scrum penalties are ridiculous. Its just a flip of a coin and almost ses to be wrong more often than not. Imo, what decides the game far too often is the reffing and its getting worse. The Tahs won tonight on the back of a wrong decision. Dennis was collected around the melon directly before but nothing was done. Now the Tahs may have deserved to win but what about when they or any team wins becuz of the ref? Are we watching the best team winning or who the ref makes the most mistakes in favor of? I personally think that the reffing had been absolutely terrible and must be putting new fans off. Not only can they not understand the rules but if they do it seems the 4 referees dont.
DMac
Guest
Still wondering about that slippery keyboard.
DMac
Guest
I wasn't sorry to see Mitchell dropped because I thought his form had been poor. Today he was outstanding. Hopefully the rocket he got from being dropped will have a lasting effect. I certainly felt the back line today was the best performed we've had this year. I'm a bit worried about Betham going off the boil in the second half, but Kingston did well when he came on.
DMac
Guest
As I said, the slant of your posts is that it was the blues who were disadvantaged, I'm simply pointing out that I think you're wrong. I'm certainly no apologist for the ref, read my posts throughout the game and I was screaming for him to ping the blues for lying all over the ball.
Hightackle
Guest
Dmac so did the ref have a good game? Im saying he was poor and made the wrong decisions and you are trying to argue by giving more examples of he f-ing up? Well done sir.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Why are you so angry? Don't the girls like you?