I think we bare with him for now because he is a professional athlete and may even adapt but if he doesnt evolve his running game he will find that the 12 channel a very congested avenue with little strike opportunities. On top of that is a channel where the backrowers defend who are monsters. The other thing he looks like he is struggling to contend with is the chop tackle in union. In the trial games defenders have been quite effective in removing his most potent strike weapon – his legs and feet. He should be moved to winger if he wants to persist with the stand shuffle and gap it style of attack. In time we hope he makes the 12 jersey his own and he develops his game into a running 2nd playing option other than BB.

Its been exciting to RTS in rugby. I’m sure given time and opportunity he will be as good as they say he is.
From what I’ve see so far, he seems to be struggling to understand how his strengths as a twinkled toe freak can translate to RU. Frankly it doesn’t – at the 12. It would on the wing as he is a similar player to Cheslin Kolbe but not in this heavy traffic lane.
As he found out in the Hurricanes trial the Blues were in their red zone.
He caught the ball at 1st receiver and in front of him was a forward. In league the forward would’ve given him space and time and allowed him to do his thing and RTS would’ve whacked him into oblivion. In Union the defence remove all of those options and jam you for space and time before you become a threat. The ensuing play – RTS tackled, taken to ground and ruck lost, ball lost. This happened a couple of times and when he came off the pitch he told the coach he had seen some pictures that he was not use to which was probably either the defensive speed and attention to systems or the ferociousness and speed of the ruck or both.
RTS has to evolve his attacking game. He needs more of a run up and then step after 10m or so.
To me he is better off standing at 1st receiver every now and then, passing and then playing a support role off a big ball carrier or running backdoor off a pod, very similar to how Richie M plays out the back and pops up around the centre area in a gap.
Once RTS gets a run up into space created by a big ball carrier then he can use his step to break the line off a 2nd touch and then watch him go.

His defence is quite appalling if you ask me. He needs to fix it quick or he will see less minutes once SR starts. These SR coaches and players are very smart and he will be found out. His issues are with line speed and staying connected. He rushes up with good tempo and intent but then stops short, plants his feet and waits for the ball carrier to do his thing (very much a league trait).
It creates D System issues because his outsides over shoot him and are caught beyond the ball carrier. This creates all sorts of issues with a staggered d line and speed to reload the D line as the outsides have over run the ball carrier. Everyone is left scrambling because of the disconnection.
Also, he has a massive tendency to back track and shut to the corner flag (flagging) very early when on the wing. He needs to remember to take the space or cut off the space then flag or risk allowing the winger to burn him on the outside as the Fijian winger for the Highlanders did last week.
What I have been impressed with is his fitness. He seems to be aerobically fit but then your fitness or hamstrings aren’t really tested as much at 12 as it would be if you playing on the wing or FB, as you are very much only playing within the 20m lateral markers.
He also has a very good catch pass, very strong comms as you can see him pointing and calling predictive plays and he is very active around the field. His post collision reloading time is approx 1.2secs av. and he impressively reloads to post ruck position. That’s pretty good considering this is a heavy traffic zone for props running the 3 pod.
In the rucks he needs to put on atleast 5 kgs to be more effective in cleaning rucks and moving bodies but it impressed me to see that he atleast is in there giving it a good crack.
I look forward to seeing him evolve into a really good union player of the coming months but hope his hammies don’t give out on him with the sudden anaerobic repeat bent over rows.

times he was standing at 1st receiver and playing off big ball carriers.

WS Jacko

In think the only ones hating on each other are the fans of either code. The players of both codes all seem to get along pretty well and are admirers of either code.
BTW, my advice to any young aspiring teenage player seeking a professional rugby career, play both codes. Broaden your skillset and code IQ which will in turn broaden your rugby opportunities to get picked up somewhere locally or internationally.

Good to see Izzy F back in union. He still has to get rid of the shortitudinal league fitness in his legs (caused by muscle memory) because he looked gassed after repeated sets, but he hasn’t lost much else. Can’t wait for him to headline for Tonga at the RWC

Isn’t he too nice to be a politician?

Well said on all of the above Malotru. You’ve saved me a lot of typing and over use of the Caps button.

Haha Yep sure did, was I wrong?

Goodo Max, please enlighten me how?

Good on you Marco, Hope you feel better and your hatred for union is out of your system. If not use more CAPS in your next rant and that should do the trick.
AFL – I don’t know enough about the sport to counter rant. But it would be nice to see some AFL players come try out some scrummaging or rucking some time. I can assure you, it really is tiddlywinks and not as dangerous as we keep making it out to be.

Fair enough points there Malo. The rules are not hard to understand, you just have to make a commitment to want to learn them. Once you’ve got the hang of it, rugby’s complex nature becomes as simple as AFL and League, just with more opportunities to compete for possession.

That’s really interesting mate and sounds very positive for the NRL.

I’m a massive Bronco’s supporter so seeing X Coates go to the Storm was a doh moment for me. But if he plays like did up here maybe Warbrick will get a run sooner than we think.
There are a number of 7’s players that have been recruited to the NRL for 2022. It will be interesting to see how they go considering.

Yeah, I guess the NZders would’ve jumped on board the NRL wagon already if the game appealed to them all. Union would’ve been a minor sport and the AB’s would be competing with the likes of the Tahiti for supremacy.
But even with the stop start nature of union and the over complication of rules etc etc the kiwi’s still prefer union.
You must be very proud of Warbrick, and he is a real talent. Do you think he will go in the NRL Muzz?

Good on the NRL for putting up a fight for eye balls and participation. But it’s pretty obvious now after years of trying that most Kiwi’s just don’t find league exciting, challenging, engaging, intriguing, enterprising to play or league would’ve been the #1 rugby code already in the country by now. Spend the money in the South African, US and South American markets I say.

Cheers for the article Hugh. I love the excitement and intensity of watching 7’s. One thing rugby has over any code is that it’s probably the only game that you can genuinely enjoy without having to have a crowd amp it up. Its the same with 15’s too. e.g. NZ’s North v South game last year.

Without a doubt Hugh. She’s an elite and a super star and should be at the forefront of RU. The NRLW were on to it when they ran promos of her and the other 7’s girls last year and I don’t get why rugby AU don’t see the opportunities when its staring at them in the face.

I’m elated for the Aussie Women’s. This new team is enthusiastic and fit. The playing led on field coaching has really shown through with some simple structures being reestablished in their game shape.
I particularly like that 2 options of playing a (3phase) wide2wide2wide running fast and hard with fast forwards in the 5m channels, then coming back striking the middle with the players like Nathan and Maddy who run good lines to score off tiring defences. Mind you this would not be possible if their passing through the multi phases was not as accurate as it has been, which at times have been tallying up around 16 – 20 passes. That’s a good indicator of how fit and strong they are.
Maddy btw seems to be more of a strike ball carrier now rather than a playmaker which has tidied up the clunkiness they had in the halves previously.
I like the subtle change in how the centres are carrying strong to space while double pumping the pass to draw the doubting wing defender to a “bite in” creating a trap and space on the outside. Nice.
Their defence is well structured and accurate. It seems like they are aiming to create a turnover by pressuring the ball carrier/ruck and around the 2nd phase which has worked quite well. Teams usually aim for the 2nd ruck or risk fatigue beyond that phase.
Charlotte has been just phenomenal. Her link play and defence has been the best of them all in Dubai. She is so unrelenting, so unselfish and just everywhere and in everything. Her fitness is elite level. She runs around at an 80% high intensity sprint most of the time covering massive metres and can still think clearly and execute play. Oh!
They still have a few things to sort out like the restarts and red zone structure but otherwise, just excellent.
As for the mens, now this is a team going on to good things. The resolve to come back against Ireland who were belting them was quite extraordinary of them. They are finding ways and literally sticking to their systems. But, I feel like a dedicated playmaker sweeper like Longbottom might take away the fluency of this team who are playing unselfish and with purpose. Have a strike sweeper sometimes causes issues with the flow because he can at times try and strike to early without first, aiming to fatigue the defence.
I do think they need to sort out their subs though as they are running some of these players into the ground while the impact players on the bench sitting clean. Fresh legs in the 9th minute is essential.

Great point re: Dec/Acc Rusty. Also, It would’ve been interesting to see who was faster – D Howlett or Rupeni Cauacau. They were rapid and rip the Brumbies apart one year in the rain.

Cheers PK. Anyone over 10m/s has some serious leg force. Wade must be around the 4.3’s in the 40 considering his m/s time. BTW I can’t believe Moggs up there amongst the fastest.

Absolutely Swede, Plenty on display in the Dubai 7’s atm Both men and women.

I
Not really sure mate. Probably not. But if we are to measure with a ball then we should be looking at the 40m times or m/s more so considering exerted energy rates spike in one on one situations but drop soon after. It would’ve been interesting to see Saabs times because he is rapid.
Isles definitely ran with an ego because he called out Bolt for a 40m yard race

Now he was one fast human Spew.

But an Australian 7’s player called Quadzilla ran a 10.12 but didn’t really get to show that speed in 7’s however.

41kmhr is CI official US Rugger. Very quick.

What has Saab run Egbert, any idea?
Yes Carlin Isles ran a 41kmhr.