Wow. The Waratahs played so well. I am still in shock after last night.
I know that they lost, and that I should be disappointed, but the reality is that, well I’m not disappointed – I’m stoked.
That was the best that I have seen the Waratahs play in a long, long time.
Cheika’s new ball in hand mantra was stuck to, but more importantly the passes began to stick to the players and the players themselves began to come onto the ball at pace.
At times the Waratahs made the game look like touch rugby as they repeatedly easily burst through the what appeared to be thin defence of the Hurricanes.
But jeez when the Hurricanes hit, they did make it count. It was a huge defensive performance from players like Ardie Savea and Motu Matu’u will be sure to leave a couple of the Tahs men battered and bruised this morning.
But if I can indulge myself on a Wallabies level there were some really encouraging signs for Wallabies fans.
Israel Folau was immense. I could not help but smile when Beauden Barrett kicked a Gary Owen towards Folau and chased.
The huge frame of Folau soared above Barrett grasped the ball with ease, fended off the first tackle and made metres up the middle of the park. You could almost sense the awe of Barrett in that moment.
Folau’s later try was so reminscent of the many tries he scored in rugby league – you can understand how Justin Marshall wondered why the Tahs don’t use him in such a familiar capacity.
On the fringes when gifted with space, Folau skinned Savea and powered over from 10 – 15 metres out. But perhaps the most encouraging sign of all was the linkups between Mitchell and Folau.
Mitchell was very good in this game. And I am not generally a big fan. He was strong, and sensible and as usual provides a great left foot kicking game.
Next, Adam Ashley-Cooper. Ashley-Cooper looked like a new man he appeared to have more runs in this game than I have seen for a long time, he was regularly breaking through tackles, and he more than accounted for his opposite in Conrad Smith.
Rob Horne, I must admit I have to eat some humble pie on this one. Who actually thought that Rob Horne could pass, and crazier yet play a whole game injury free. I almost choked on my beer when Rob Horne put Adam Ashley-Cooper into space.
Has Rob Horne been a 12 all this time? He was mightily impressive in this game, a solid tackle on Savea springs to mind (Savea was breathtaking by the way). For Horne he needs to consistently play like this to come into any calculation for the Wallabies series, the selection headaches continue for RD and the Wallabies selectors.
But lets not lose track of the fact that on the night the Hurricanes were clinical and took their opportunities (with the aid of that funny bouncing ball).
They really had the nous, as David Lord alluded to, to out-rugby the Waratahs, but by geez the Waratahs are on the right track, and I might just be beginning to believe that Cheika can actually turn around this culture at the Waratahs.
Jerry
Guest
One other thing is that the Kings game was played at 4:35pm instead of 7pm. It's the only day game the Canes host this season and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turns out to be their best crowd (excepting the unlikely event that they host a semi). For all the supposed increased TV ratings for night rugby, there's no question that it's not as inviting for the walk up crowd.
Speedy
Guest
Horne played 12 all throughout school
GWS
Guest
Kiwis are usually a good judge of a rugby side
Die hard
Roar Rookie
I hate rugby statistics. They never make sense. If you include the easy yards in front of the chaser, and if you include the side to side yards Folau has done well he looks good. But for me out of two dozen carries I can only see a couple of line breaks. As for his try, I would have expected most centers to have scored from there. He doesn't seem capable of passing in contact, he sometimes seems to pass because it seems he has carried it too far already and now is not sure what to do. I have always been a rabid Maroons fan and have watched his career closely. He operates best with Greg Ingliss for the Maroons. Igliss breaks em and Izzy finishes. On his own he was never much on his own except for fielding bombs which is a pre-requisite for a league player. If Folau commited to rugby it would be exciting and you could forgive the learning cuve but his manager is already in negotiations with the Bulldogs for next year it seems so at $64,000 per game I expect a little better value. Hands up here who earns 64k per year because I don't.
carnivean
Roar Rookie
I worked up a hypothesis while watching the game: Folau must have been told to get the ball to a more senior player, and get back to fullback. It's the only thing that made sense. He isn't afraid of contact or running it, but consistently passed to Mitchell when nothing was on. I think Cheika was shielding from an area that he's still weak at.
Boomeranga
Guest
Weren't we also the biggest crowds of the year in Brisbane and Canberra? Do we get given credit for other people's crowds as well, or just the blame when it goes wrong?
jeznez
Roar Guru
I don't think the Tahs forwards were as bad as you and RK are making out. Last year the match against the Highlanders was a shocker by the Tah pack. The Highlanders forwards won 115 out of 120 breakdowns they took the ball into while the Tahs won 48 from 56 - those percentages are 96% vs 86% and the total number for the Tahs was terrible. In comparison on the weekend the Hurricanes won 62 from 64 at 97% while the Tahs won 98 from 106 at 92% - sure I'd like that above 95% but it was nowhere near as bad as the two of you are making out. The Tahs made 19 turnovers in total which means that there were 8 in rucks and 11 from other sources. I'm not sure if loose carries leading to knock ons while trying to place the ball are in or out of the breakdown stats. Just for comparison - the Reds v Chiefs last year where the Reds forward pack in the second half were exceptional the equivalent stats for the game (sorry I don't have it just for the second half) was Reds 67/73 91% and Chiefs 72/80 90% it is a comparable sort of percentage to what the Tahs acheived on the weekend.
Red Kev
Guest
Good point - it did rain for a good 20mins in the first half and it had rained about an hour before kick off.
mania
Guest
no wasnt pouring, just a short accute burst of the heavens. didnt last long (minutes) but was a big down pour
mania
Guest
nah not the weather, wellingtonians are just slackers. theres been worst weather and fans have turned up. i fo one didnt expect the tah's to play that well otherwise i wouldve considered going
JDP
Roar Guru
It was pouring with rain mate?
Jerry Graham
Guest
I know the game was on Saturday - the cold arrived on Friday and stayed (till today). It was partly the weather that kept me away.
mania
Guest
game was on saturday and it wasnt the weather.
Jerry Graham
Guest
One thing to bear in mind is that, after a long warmish spell, the cold well and truly arrived on Friday night. I can imagine that kept a fair few people away from the stadium.
Red Kev
Guest
Interesting point to note from Justin Marshall in the NZ press, "The crowd was 8500 [for the Hurricanes at home to the Waratahs], compared with 15,000 the week before against the Kings." It isn't just Sydney that doesn't want to show up and watch the Horratahs.
JDP
Roar Guru
Could not agree more with this post. Some of the times when the Waratahs shifted the ball through the hands I almost could not believe that this was the same Tahs team. It was very impressive and great to see. I love the description of Folau running effectively like a big cat. I think that is right on and perfectly describes him.
bennalong
Guest
If you couldn't see Folau is going to be a great in rugby you'd be "blind lemon Johnson" This mild young fella hasn't got bulk tabs on himself but is making leaps and bounds toward a Wallaby place! (pun intended) I just love watching him take the high ball, and he runs like a big cat. The Tahs were always a foreward based team that nver quite trusted their backs. The backs never got the ball and when they did they kicked it!!! So the forewards held on to it.! Cheika has changed that. The forewards are running more metres but playing a lesser role! The backs are now ALWAYS involved. I don't think this is the right mix but forewards aren't described as a pack and "the cattle" for nothing. They're used to that mentality especially at the Tahs, so if your going to improve their running and handling you have to separate them and make them run. Cheika's plan is working. I think we'll see a return to more pack organised foreward play in the future but only when Cheika knows he's got fifteen players who can do it like Deans'Crusaders. Did you see the ball pass through the hands? The Wallabies (and Robbie Deans0 will profit too.
mania
Guest
agree that ardieSavea's real measure will be how well he does next season, but in the meantime i dont mind him "ambushing" as many teams as possible
mikeylives
Guest
The pack needs to have a more aggressive mindset and drive the oppo off the ball or at least make them commit more players as a result. This doesn't have to happen every ruck, but perhaps one in 3. Also - Savea (number 7) was a great scavenger, but as teams become aware of this he will be targeted by clean-out forwards and be less effective. The backs were great - if only more breaks went to ground rather than fizzed with a risky pass.
Red Kev
Guest
Folau's issue is simply experience - fullback exposes the fact that he can't read the game very well yet (and I do mean yet, he has in my estimation improved every week so far). He was positionally out of place several times that allowed at least one try and many good territorial kicks from Beauden Barrett. If he hangs around for more than this season (and he should not be a Wallaby this year) then he will be a good player.