Waratahs v Blues
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The biggest concern re: playoffs is Ofa being on this list -
Players not considered: Harry Plummer, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Ofa Tu’ungsfasi, Tanielu Tele’a.From McDonald -
Coach Leon MacDonald said that the match offered an important chance to give key emerging players some invaluable minutes to prepare them should injuries occur in the playoffs. There are eight players named who were not involved in the close win over the Brumbies to line-up against the Waratahs.“We are in no way disrespecting our opposition. We have a very healthy respect for the Waratahs and believe we have named a team able to perform to our standards against them,” said MacDonald.
“One of our major strengths this season has been the quality of our young players who have been fronting every week in training. We have had limited chances to see them under pressure in a game situation, and prepare for any potential injuries. We also lost our bye week and we have asked a lot of the guys in recent weeks and they have delivered in spades.”
@Daffy-Jaffy ofa all Good
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Giving influential players that have carried a heavy burden this season, those such as All Blacks prop Ofa Tuungafasi who is carrying a rib injury, a chance to heal, is a no-brainer.
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@akan004 said in Waratahs v Blues:
@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
I understand that and they are totally within their rights to do so.
Just saying that if anything degrades credibility in a RR comp it is teams rolling over and potentially changing the order of the finalists.
Not sure how that can be managed though.@Crucial there's always luck involved In a round Robin comp regardless.
This blues team is still very competitive. Morale is high and the gameplan is going well.
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@NTA said in Waratahs v Blues:
I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
Congrats Mate. Get Over the chalk to celebrate.
@Chris said in Waratahs v Blues:
@NTA said in Waratahs v Blues:
I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
Congrats Mate. Get Over the chalk to celebrate.
I'd like to think, as the rake, that a maul try is on the cards, but that first requires me to hit the side of a barn....
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I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
@NTA said in Waratahs v Blues:
I'd like to go to the game, but I'll probably be on the couch, recovering after too many minutes at hooker for both grades on Saturday.
Hopefully survive the 2nd Grade match in order to run on for First Grade in what would be my 100th game at the club.
Only taken 15 years...
Congrats mate, that really is great stuff. I doff my hat to such a good club man!!
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@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
@akan004 said in Waratahs v Blues:
@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
Yep and we have seen in it in World cups where it is quite usual to save your best team for important games. We all like to see top line up every week, but it ain't going to happen. You earn the right to do these things by playing well all season!
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Pre game facts -
The NSW Waratahs have won 82 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any team in the campaign and 24 more than the Blues (58).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points more than the NSW Waratahs (54%).
The NSW Waratahs have conceded 157 penalties this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign (also Queensland Reds – 157) and 27 more than the Blues (130).
Charlie Gamble (NSW Waratahs) has won 13 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player and four more than the Blues’ best Kurt Eklund (9).
The NSW Waratahs’ Carlo Tizzano (24) and Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
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Pre game facts -
The NSW Waratahs have won 82 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any team in the campaign and 24 more than the Blues (58).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points more than the NSW Waratahs (54%).
The NSW Waratahs have conceded 157 penalties this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign (also Queensland Reds – 157) and 27 more than the Blues (130).
Charlie Gamble (NSW Waratahs) has won 13 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player and four more than the Blues’ best Kurt Eklund (9).
The NSW Waratahs’ Carlo Tizzano (24) and Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Waratahs v Blues:
Pre game facts -
The NSW Waratahs have won 82 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any team in the campaign and 24 more than the Blues (58).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points more than the NSW Waratahs (54%).
The NSW Waratahs have conceded 157 penalties this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign (also Queensland Reds – 157) and 27 more than the Blues (130).
Charlie Gamble (NSW Waratahs) has won 13 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player and four more than the Blues’ best Kurt Eklund (9).
The NSW Waratahs’ Carlo Tizzano (24) and Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
All a bit irrelevant for the Blues with some rando team of B and Cs!
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Pre game facts -
The NSW Waratahs have won 82 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any team in the campaign and 24 more than the Blues (58).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points more than the NSW Waratahs (54%).
The NSW Waratahs have conceded 157 penalties this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign (also Queensland Reds – 157) and 27 more than the Blues (130).
Charlie Gamble (NSW Waratahs) has won 13 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player and four more than the Blues’ best Kurt Eklund (9).
The NSW Waratahs’ Carlo Tizzano (24) and Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
@Daffy-Jaffy quite interesting to see two stats that maybe go hand in hand with each other...most turnovers and most penalties? Be interesting to know how many pens are for breakdown offences.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Waratahs v Blues:
Pre game facts -
The NSW Waratahs have won 82 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most by any team in the campaign and 24 more than the Blues (58).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their carries in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 12 percentage points more than the NSW Waratahs (54%).
The NSW Waratahs have conceded 157 penalties this Super Rugby Pacific season, the joint-most by any team in the campaign (also Queensland Reds – 157) and 27 more than the Blues (130).
Charlie Gamble (NSW Waratahs) has won 13 turnovers in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player and four more than the Blues’ best Kurt Eklund (9).
The NSW Waratahs’ Carlo Tizzano (24) and Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
All a bit irrelevant for the Blues with some rando team of B and Cs!
@Machpants said in Waratahs v Blues:
Blues’ Ricky Riccitelli (20) have made more successful tackles per 80 minutes played than any other players in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
This was probably against the Force when he kept giving them the ball every time he threw into the lineout......
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Hope Jock goes well. Not easy to jump into 10 at this level without any NPC games under your belt.
Would also be nice if Sullivan got a bit of time at 10 in the 2nd half. He's the back-up 10 if BB or Perofeta gets injured, so he needs a run there before it's too late.
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TAB odds:
Waratahs $1.50
Blues $2.50@Tim said in Waratahs v Blues:
TAB odds:
Waratahs $1.50
Blues $2.50Those are fair. Big ask for the blues. Should still be worth a watch though, to see who performs
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This week's throwback try.
Young Joe Roks in full flight. :smiling_face_with_heart-eyes:
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This week's throwback try.
Young Joe Roks in full flight. :smiling_face_with_heart-eyes:
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@Dice If there was a 6 or 8 team playoff in 2004 that Blues team would have been dangerous. They finished the season with a wet sail and only missed out on the semis by a bonus point I think it was.
@KiwiMurph said in Waratahs v Blues:
@Dice If there was a 6 or 8 team playoff in 2004 that Blues team would have been dangerous. They finished the season with a wet sail and only missed out on the semis by a bonus point I think it was.
Yup. Had only 6 wins that season, but 5 of those came in the last 6 matches.
Injuries didn't help that year.
Caucaunibuca missed 7 games.
Braid missed 7 games.
Rokocoko missed 5 games.
Devine missed 5 games.
Mealamu missed 5 games.
Spencer missed 3 games.
Witcombe missed 3 games.
Meeuws missed 3 games.With only 11 games, you can't afford to drop too many.
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I remember going to the Stormers game where they put 50 on us that year. Never seen a Blues crowd so angry at the team during that game haha with all sorts of verbals going round that night.
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@akan004 said in Waratahs v Blues:
@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
Yep and we have seen in it in World cups where it is quite usual to save your best team for important games. We all like to see top line up every week, but it ain't going to happen. You earn the right to do these things by playing well all season!
@Dan54 said in Waratahs v Blues:
@akan004 said in Waratahs v Blues:
@Crucial said in Waratahs v Blues:
Jeez, I know they've earned the right but that's a bit of a pisstake team.
Tahs will be going all out. Top four probably out of reach but a win here will put pressure on the Canes in the following game where Force will be going hard to put pressure on the Highlanders.
Seems smart to me. I think freshening up the top team makes sense especially since they will most likely have to beat 3 kiwi teams to win the thing. No point risking injury when the game is of no real consequence.
Yep and we have seen in it in World cups where it is quite usual to save your best team for important games. We all like to see top line up every week, but it ain't going to happen. You earn the right to do these things by playing well all season!
Ah yes playing a B team against the likes of Portugal where the outcome is definitely in the balance
MacDonald obviously knows what's best for his squad though. And he would see freshening them up to be more important than momentum. Although (not to draw comparisons) we know it has gone wrong in the past for teams (ahem 96-19).
