You’re probably familiar with our new Coach’s Corner column, where our resident rugby analyst, Nick Bishop, answers some of your questions about what’s happening on the field. Ahead of the third instalment this Friday, we need you to get your latest questions in.
There’s been plenty of rugby to digest over the past week, with two thrillers in Super Rugby AU and two much larger margins on the other side of the Tasman. Not to mention, there’s lots on the agenda this weekend – the Six Nations returns, and the Reds and Brumbies meet for a top-of-the-table clash.
So if you have any questions about what happened over the last few days or what could be on the agenda this weekend, be sure to drop them into the comments section below, and Nick will pick a few to delve into for this Friday’s article, complete with video analysis to show you the full picture.
Miss the latest issue of Coach’s Corner? Be sure to catch up here.
Remember to keep your questions nice and specific where possible – focus on particular aspects of a team’s play or a game rather than their overall performances if you can.
So, leave your questions in the comments section below, and Nick will have some answers for you on Friday, as well as his regular offering tomorrow morning.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Toomua can steer his team to take any opponent apart, with his outstanding positional play and running game. He needs to play for a coach who knows how to employ him in attack though and Wessels ain't that coach.
Zenn
Roar Rookie
Of course :laughing: Lee-Warner is certainly a player to watch...thanks for prompting Nick. I'd prefer he concentrates on solutions for New South WALES
Bourkos
Roar Rookie
Because I posted this....
Zenn
Roar Rookie
What else does Lee-Warner need to work on to get a wallabies spot? You're prescient. Nick answered this in Wednesday's article
Scott
Guest
Having Toomua as his 10 severely limits his attack , QC had the backline humming in 2019. Toomua just does not possess the instinctive ball playing and magnificent passing of Quade. Toomua is a ball distributor ( Shoveller) not a playmaker.He is stuck with Toomua this year.
Harry Jones
Expert
Why do kickers remove their scrum caps?
numpty
Roar Rookie
Nick I'm sure it's too late, but a breakdown of who you think will take the choccies between Brumbies and reds backline would be interesting too, particularly the battle between the centre pairings of Simone/ikitau vs paisami/petaia. But maybe that'll have to wait until next week!
KiwiHaydn
Roar Rookie
Based on this season’s Super form, who should Rennie be selecting as his back row?
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
Blimey, this is turning into a discussion thread all on its own! :laughing:
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Fingers crossed its the Blues on the 21st March. Going to be a tough ask. The Crusaders know how to win.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
In 2019 Cooper ran the Rebels attack, but the defense suffered accordingly. The loss of personnel is no excuse, the Brumbies got to the finals last year with an entirely new lock combination and mostly with a second choice rookie 10. Wessels isn't very good at getting the best out of his players in attack. For example he failed to identity Paisami's talent and Magnay still can't run an evasive line. Toomua is only a shadow of his former self in attack too.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
They put loosies in the midfield off a lot of lineouts now, it would depend in the lineout length.
frisky
Roar Rookie
May need the loosies bodies to stop the rolling maul.
frisky
Roar Rookie
Wht is the red card rule in the SUper comp? Playing with 14 for teh rest of the game, OR a substitute allowed after 20 min?
Antony Henrie
Guest
I don't know if Bell will get any better. Rookie Fotuaika blasted him in the first game. Alot of overhyped young tahs have failed and have never come good over the last 5 years Hanigan, Dempsey, Swinton, Douglas ,Mumm,Maddocks, Skelton, Timani, Horne, Beale, Foley, Robertson, Mark Nagatawase, Holloway, HJH. Bell is just another one.
Chunks
Roar Pro
Why has Jordan Petaia had such a slow start to the year, when compared against his performances for the Reds and Wallabies last year? Why isn't he having the same impact? Are other teams reading him better, is the Reds style of play this year stifling his penetration, or is there something else?
numpty
Roar Rookie
Rebels had the best Aus attack pre-2019 with shaun berne (who is still there)... Rebels also have a new 9, 12, 13 and 15 combo this year. Wessels biggest issue (which is not ONLY his fault) is the lack of continuity in his roster which means he has never built a team over time but is rather always mixing and matching. He is building something around Powell, Toomua and Hodge now, but that will take time and needs the forwards platform. He can't keep losing blokes like Philip if he wants them to really push for the top.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Yes, at least they tried to attack this time around, but failing to convert any of those efforts into tries is indicative of poor coaching. Wessels is in his fourth season with this team and had four well established Wallabies in his backline, he is severely limited as a head coach by his lack of ability to coach attack.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Bit hard to say as both have their strengths. What Pone brings to the game, and the commentators love, is those big runs and hits. Bell is still learning; he may need to develop his craft overseas (NZ or UK at this stage although South Africa would be the preferred case in a covid-less year).
Paul D
Roar Rookie
That’s exactly my point though. How does one say that Pone has more potential than Bell when Pone is 4 years older. Not to mention they play opposite sides of the scrum. I would say that. Bell is further ahead earlier and by the time he is 4 years older he will be well in front of where Pone is now. Not to say Pone won’t be better in 4 years too, but then where will Bell be in 8 years?