The way the Waratahs are resting their key players has already hurt their finals chances, and it doesn’t look like anything’s going to change soon.
Resting star players for the upcoming World Cup is an unavoidable challenge for Super Rugby teams, but NSW don’t seem to understand the ideal time and place to make those rotations.
Trying to beat an inferior team without the strongest possible squad is not the smartest approach. It is more effective to integrate your back-ups and test their ability in probable losses.
Just compare how the Waratahs and Rebels have gone about spelling their Wallabies.
The Waratahs rested Bernard Foley, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Jack Dempsey against the Sunwolves last week, with Mack Mason and Michael Wells coming into the XV. It backfired in a 31-29 loss, an especially heart-wrenching outcome considering that these teams are in the same conference.
Making this move against the Sunwolves might have seemed to be the safest bet, since the Waratahs fully expected to beat them without their Wallabies trio.
But that was a poor assumption, considering NSW only beat the Japanese franchise by a point in their previous encounter. They Moondogs had also won their first ever away game earlier in the season against the Chiefs.
The Rebels, on the other hand, rested four key players against the Sharks in Round 6: Will Genia, Marika Koroibete, Adam Coleman and Isi Naisarani.
Melbourne have never won a game in South Africa and were unlikely to beat the Sharks in Durban. They sacrificed a game they were probably going to lose anyway to the rotation policy, giving themselves the best chance of getting the most out of must-win games later in the season – like their victory against the Reds in Brisbane last Saturday.
Surprise, surprise, the Rebels now find themselves on top of the Australian conference.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The Waratahs haven’t learnt their lesson, as they have just announced they will rest captain Michael Hooper and bench Kurtley Beale against the Blues in New Zealand this weekend.
The Auckland franchise currently have the same record (3-3) as the Waratahs and both teams are in a fight for the last five finals position.
This match precedes a bye for the Tahs, before a crucial fixture against the Rebels. Coach Daryl Gibson says it’s the ideal time to give Hooper a spell because of just that, allowing the skipper to have two weeks off before the Rebels match.
“We saw that as an opportunity heading into our bye that he gets two weeks [off],” Gibson said today.
But surely the week off provided by the bye is enough of a rest for Hooper.
They might be the weakest side across the ditch, but NSW simply cannot afford to treat the Blues lightly. They need a solid win against to make up for the disaster against the Sunwolves, but that’s been made all the more difficult by resting Michael Hooper.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Damn I hate this BS. Tahs aimed up and, against recent form, beat the best XV the Crusaders could put on the park on the day. B Team, my arse. And bad performance? Yes. Hammered at the breakdown, stuffed in set piece and then other parts of their game fell apart. Big surprise, Australian teams do it weekly. When a game is played by two teams, typically one wins. Mostly that's because the team that won played better. It's not always that the Kiwi side played well or poorly, there are other factors in play. Grrrrrrrrrrrr
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
While benching Hooper is something that supports your argument, the way Beale has played this season benching him is going to increase the teams chances not decrease it.
dazell
Roar Rookie
I feel sorry for Mason, I thought he started well with a couple of good passes and he made a ripper of a tackle at one stage (wonder if Beale was watching) but then the more experienced players made more mistakes and missed tackles and put the team under pressure. Mason lost his composure but I think it was more because he was put in a situation at a level he is inexperienced at by the rest of the team. He’s needed more game time over the last two years and that’s on Gibson that he hasn’t got it.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
The Tahs should have the depth to be ambitious and rest their best players against teams like the the Sunwolves, so that they can have a good crack against more challenging opponents. That they lost that game demonstrates that they have been relying on the same players for too long and have failed to develop the next generation. For the supposed premier club in Australia, that is woeful.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
Add on that the Crusaders performance was just a bad night for them. After 19 straight wins and the distraction of the Christchurch massacre it had to happen some time. Tahs just got lucky to get them on a bad night imo. Under normal circumstances Crusaders could run their B team out against Tahs and win most times imo :)
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@ James Yes you make a few good points but there's also 2 logic issues as well. 1) Dropping of Beale does not weaken the Waratah team imo - he's been poor for all of 2018 & 2019. A centre combo of AAC and Hunt is better imo. 2) Tahs haven't won at Eden Pk for decades and Blues are looking good this season. Tahs travel poorly so they should expect to lose against Blues imo. Without Hooper they've got little chance now :)
BBA
Guest
That seems really tough on "Rasta" as he was not the ref for that game. Although I get your point that I don't recall the actual ref of that game getting another game, but not sure whether that was a consequence of that game or just how it has been rostered.
Joseph
Guest
Too much has been written about the Tahs "shock" and "great" win over the Crusaders 2 weeks ago. Not much has been written about the fact the Crusaders rested 4 of their All Blacks and others didn't play due to injury
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Hang on, the Blues have always looked good ... just a pity their game prowess has not matched their appearance. And damn it Chook, the Blues only beat the Waratahs THREE times in a row? Should be more ????
Tom G
Guest
It could be argued that the way the Tahs are playing it’s hard to distinguish the hard games from the soft games
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Blues worst in NZ? Strange logic that. Given they are above the Chiefs and Highlanders on the table. Chiefs by far the worst NZ side. Next 3 on par, Crusaders out on their own.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
You never know, do you, that's why they play the games. The advantage of being an up and down team is you often have an up after a down.
Faith
Roar Rookie
Blues the weakest team across the ditch. Let's see which Oz teams defeats the Blues this season. Arguably, all 4 teams in NZ other than Saders are all at par. Canes, the Clan, Chiefs and Blues can beat each other at any time and can lose to any of the sides in the comp. But it won't be easy for Tahs after being beaten by an even weaker Blues in last 2 seasons. Tahs only have a chance if Blues start with Plummer.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Paul, second Q first... they are looking the goods at long last eh. First Q second... people, please pay attention as this will be the third (3) year in a row where the BLUES will beat down on da Tahs whether home or away. Ffs just ask Tragic... he has the 'bill' to prove it! ;)
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
I tend to agree, last week was a game the Tahs should have been able to win without their 'stars' but there was an across the board drop in intensity that was deeply disturbing. Where was the steel in defense from one week before? Barely a hit put on all game. Beale was embarrassingly half-hearted. And from the start they were throwing silly passes around, forcing things, playing right into the Sunwolves hands. As bad as Mack Mason was, and as much as I do think they would have escaped with an actual 10 playing, the loss was ultimately down to the Tahs being all over the shop mentally.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
When was the last time the Tahs beat the Blues in Auckland? How long has it been since the Blues looked as good as they do now?
Paul D
Roar Rookie
By your assessment we would have rested everybody for the Crusaders, yet we got the 4 points. Stop worrying about what game you select to throw and worry about playing more consistently.
Haniball
Guest
It wasn’t Rasta it was Egon Seconds.
MH01
Guest
Beale ? One of the Best? Many rumours he has been benched for poor performance . If Beale is one of the Beast at the Moment, Tahs have huge issues :p
MH01
Guest
Hooper is being rested as per RWC protocol. I thought Beale was dropped , as he should to be honest . The Tahs are resting Hooper, fair trade given the Blues are missing rieko ioane. Non story really . More interesting story is what to do about Beale, he should not Even be in tahs starting line up , maybe a few weeks in club rugby will make him realise he needs to lift ... and tackle ..... Tahs will be more solid without Beale being a turnstile this weekend