Veteran NSW Waratah Benn Robinson says his team’s scrum woes and inconsistencies have started on the training track and carried into games and the whole squad isn’t performing.
The scrum has been a potent weapon for the Tahs in recent seasons but the forwards have struggled for consistency in that part of the set piece this year.
Forwards coach Cam Blades said lack of consistency could continue while the new-look pack developed, but was convinced they would ultimately become a strong unit.
Robinson, the most capped Waratah of all time, made it clear it wasn’t just the front row and the scrum who weren’t performing.
“We can be better, I think that starts at training,” Robinson told AAP.
“We’ve been pretty inconsistent, both the starting pack and the pack coming off the bench.
“You can’t just put it down to the feed, the strike, the engagement, it’s a combination of things that need to be improved.
“It’s easy to say were right on the edge of doing well but were not performing at the moment and it’s not just 1-8.
“That’s the whole squad, the 30-odd players in our squad not performing at training.”
Blades wasn’t focusing on external criticism of the Tahs pack and their scrummaging, but recognised they had issues.
“The technical stuff we’ve probably been guilty of being inconsistent and that can come through guys not having experience or the group not having gelled in terms of working as one,” Blades told AAP.
He called for patience, pointing out less experienced players would improve with time as the Tahs sought to overcome setbacks including the departure overseas of Wallabies prop Sekope Kepu and a long term injury to Test hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau.
“They’ve gained plenty of experience early on, some of it right at the coalface and at times it’s been really challenging,” Blades said.
“But I think out of that challenge you grow and you learn and there’s been plenty of learning and plenty of development.”
“Experience isn’t just created it’s something you’ve got to earn.”
With Polota-Nau and his backup Tolu Latu injured, Hugh Roach is expected to start against the Rebels next Sunday.
His deputy is expected to be either uncapped youngster Folau Faingaa or James Hilterbrand, who won two caps with Western Force.
marto
Guest
Ahhhhhhh... AL " pull a mean face, engage, eat grass " BAXTER. I miss him..
Rebel
Guest
Exactly Jez. Cam has done well in the past as he worked through the systems. I believe he will turn around the fortunes of the Tahs despite not having the right players. Duncan Chubb among many others credits him as someone who turned around their game. I'm prepared to give him more time to prove himself.
Xiedazhou
Guest
Experience will only get you so far. Remember Al Baxter? Ryan seems to be on the same "path of progress". Its like in some professions, guys claim, for example, 10 years experience. But when you get to know them and their capabilities, you come to the realization that they've actually really got 6 months experience, 20 times over. The lack of improvement in some of the props running around speaks to myriad problems.
cs
Roar Guru
Blades could be more right than wrong. It's one thing to have 'experience' on the cv and another to have the experience on the field together that's necessary to establish a strong super scrum in the teeth of ferociously determined opposition. The problem of course is that he doesn't have much time to play with. Another two weeks and it's the big shoot out with the Brumbies that could determine the Oz flag holder, and become the only.team to qualify. I would take Benny's comments as the more telling. The problem is across the board. There's something not right about the team. Let's not exaggerate the departures. Kepu is a great loss, but he's not the difference between the capacity of the Tahs to hold their ground against the other super teams. We all loved and miss Jackpot, but he usually only played half a game. Kane's been gone since 2014, so has nothing to do with the issue. Cliffy's slipped over the hill, but Holloway seems just the ticket at just the right time. My guess is that the Tahs are missing one very big and irreplaceable departure, Michael Cheika. I think we're in a post-Cheika letdown phase. Whatever you think of him, Cheika is a live one, a big personality to leave the helm, someone who will always be keenly missed, even if he gave you the sh#ts. The world and everything in it is always more alive around such folk. Maybe it doesn't even seem like training at training these days, like they're keeping themselves busy waiting for the boss to come back, when they'll get serious again.. The Tahs have to face up to the fact that they have to buckle down and remake themselves themselves. The old team is not yet dead, the new not yet born, and in the meantime it's hard not to be fatalistic. .
bear54
Spot on Machooka and we lack some ticker as well. The Tahs look like they've resigned themselves to having a poor set piece this year. We need a good scrum coach and two of the biggest, ugliest, meanest and most ruthless second rowers this side of Jackpot and Bakkies Botha.
Machooka
Roar Guru
bear54... I get the feeling what Fatcat is actually saying is that basically the Tahs are just way off the pace right across the paddock. And like get a dog up yous! We were always going to have issues with our frontrow being competitive this season... but with TPN's injury it just highlighted the existing problem. Likewise how do you replace Jackpot... where's the mongrel coming from. And there's only so much Hooper can do. No I think the Tahs have got some real issues to fix apart from the scrum and lineouts, namely the stuff between their ears!
wazza
Guest
Forwards The WALLABIES need the Reds tight five ( minuis Ready ) plus Pocock Fardy Moore and Holloway.. Hoops can play 12 or reserve 7 Sio Bench Hanson bench ( best thrower in oz) Coleman or Arnold Vaea Weeks Alalatoa Fegasse toss a coin
Adsa
Guest
Tilse and Paddy Ryan have been with the Tahs for years and have never been accomplished scrummages, they seemed to be less effective when the scrum laws changed. Whilst Tah management has stayed loyal to these two perennial under achievers, Sam Talakai, a Waverly College product has been picked up by the Reds and is an excellent up and coming tight head. Hopefully Qld will upgrade his contract this year so he will stay at Ballymore the next few year to cover for Greg Holmes.
Cynical Play
Guest
thank God some-one appointed you the content policeman
jeznez
Roar Guru
This is Cam in charge now, not Andrew who held the reins previously.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
markus: I am also over the run that Paddy Ryan has had. It is several years now and he is still crap in the tight. Should go to the Olympics as a specialist high diver.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
bear - most would have to agree with you. Blades has been an issue forever as a coach.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The problem is if they start giving up cards, because that will lead to more points.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
In this thread, about scrums, probably stuff that's not scrums...
Markus
Guest
The Tahs pack has so much experience that a prop with 8 seasons and over 50 caps cannot even make the match day 23.
R2D2
Guest
If the Tahs do not fix their scrum asap, they will be gone for the season. Any team with a half decent scrum will go for pushovers when attacking the Tahs tryline or just go for penalties.If the scrum is weak , start giving up easy points and territory to the opposition which the Tahs can not afford. Wait for the SA and NZ teams..they can see a red flag on the horizon.
Cynical Play
Guest
The comment was 90% in the last 3/4 of the match (ie 60mins). Mate, you're in no position to comment on insecurity. Re-read your own posts for the guide-book in bringing up "completely irrelevant matters" in discussions. Tell us TWAS exactly what we can or can't comment on in the threads?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Tell us again how good a prop Ta'avo is mate.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Why would he fight it? He's suspended for a week without missing a game. The citing commissioner accepted it was accidental. I love your insecurity, you just bring up completely irrelevant matters in a discussion about your scrum. Winning 90% of your own ball in 20 minutes of a game is not good. A good scrum wins more than 90% of their own ball, then more than 10% of opposition ball.
Cynical Play
Guest
Ha. How's that suspended prop of yours going. Pleaded 'guilty' I see to a reckless knee in the head. Even with Gill and Slipper the Reds can't get a win. Yet you still think there's nothing wrong with the cattle. Must be the ghost of Richard Graham eh, TWAS? Anyway, check the stats and you'll see the Tahs got 90% of their scrums in the last 3/4 of the match.