Waratahs v Fijian Drua

[Stargazer]

https://drua.rugby/content/mesake-doge-set-for-potential-debut

[Stargazer]

WARATAHS TEAM TO TAKE ON FIJIAN DRUA

1 Te Tera Faulkner (Southern Districts / Moorabin Rams / Marist College Canberra)

2 David Porecki (Manly / Manly Roos / Redlands)

3 Harry Johnson-Holmes (Sydney Uni / Cowra Eagles / Merewether High School)

4 Jed Holloway (Southern Districts / Yamba Buccaneers / Waverley College)

5 Hugh Sinclair (Northern Suburbs / Lindfield / SHORE)

6 Will Harris (Eastern Suburbs / Hunters Hill Juniors / Scots College)

7 Michael Hooper (Manly / Manly Roos / St Pius X College)

8 Langi Gleeson (Manly / Harbord Harlequins / St Augustine’s College)

9 Jake Gordon (Sydney Uni / Canterbury / Blackwattle Bay)

10 Ben Donaldson (Randwick / Clovelly Eagles / Waverly College)

11 Dylan Pietsch (Randwick / Leeton Phantoms / Kings School)

12 Joey Walton (Gordon / Warnervale Wildcats / Wadalba High School)

13 Izaia Perese (Randwick / Aspley State School / Anglican Church Grammar)

14 Mark Nawaqanitawase (Eastwood / St Patrick’s College)

15 Max Jorgensen (Randwick / Balmain Juniors / St Joseph’s College)

Replacements

16 Mahe Vailanu (Gordon / Melbourne Harlequins / Auckland Grammar)

17 Nephi Leatigaga (Randwick / Manurewa Rugby Club / Menurewa High School)

18 Archer Holz (Eastern Suburbs / Kings School)

19 Ned Hanigan (Randwick / Coonamble Rams / St Joseph’s College)

20 Taleni Seu (Southern Districts / Grammar Tech / Onehunga High School)

21 Charlie Gamble (Eastern Suburbs / Saracens / St Bede’s College)

22 Teddy Wilson (Eastern Suburbs / Harbord Harlequins / Kings School)

23 Harry Wilson (Eastwood /Harbord Harlequins / St Augustine’s College)

Players unavailable for selection:

Angus Bell – Toe (Season)

Daniel Botha- Foot (Round 14)

Jack Bowen- Shoulder (Round 14)

Lalakai Foketi- Ankle (Round 14)

Tane Edmed – Back (Round 14)

Tom Lambert – Knee (Round 14)

Will Harrison - ACL (Season)

Zac Von Appen – TBC

Zane Marolt – Fractured cheekbone (Season)

https://nsw.rugby/news/team-news-returning-wallaby-to-strengthen-the-side-for-the-clash-against-fijian-drua-2023518

[NTA]

You'd think the Tahs are going to take this one.

You'd think

[KiwiMurph]

Good idea to have Wallaroos vs Fijiana as the curtain raiser.

[Duluth]

Tahs had to make a lot of tackles in the first 8mins

[Duluth]

That was pretty good by the Tahs. Loads of inside balls keeping them honest and then nailed the passes when they went wide

5-3

[nzzp]

@Duluth said in Waratahs v Fijian Drua:

Tahs had to make a lot of tackles in the first 8mins

Drua look very physical. Tough side to beat -a dn they are starting to ride some waves of penalties. Hooper's skating on very thin ice

[Duluth]

YC?

[nzzp]

Jeez, casual coathanger from Drua 7. Possible red?

[Stargazer]

Terrible coathanger. Definitely a card, but which colour will O'Keefe give?

[nzzp]

WTAF - only a penalty? I have no idea what the framework is any more.

[Stargazer]

Huh?

[Duluth]

SR refereeing getting further and further away from the rest of the world

[nzzp]

So I get
Yes, Yes and then an argument about whether it was moderate or high danger.

The 'off the ball' nature escalates for me. Plus the sheer stupidity - Hooper was so close to a card. Dumb, dumb dumb and then lucky.

Did anyone hear the justification?

[Stargazer]

@nzzp Not sure, but I think I heard O'Keefe say something like the arm hit the shoulder, so I assume that means there was no head contact.

[Duluth]

Nice pass Jorgensen

[KiwiMurph]

There's not much to the Drua attack offloads aside.

Perese offers little. Just tucks and runs ineffectively

[Duluth]

Hooper 5 missed tackles in that half. He had a few sloppy games on defence earlier in the season too.

[Stargazer]

Hmm, that Drua player being pushed into touch looked dodgy to me.

[Duluth]

Tahs have attempted 216 tackles, Drua 100. Tahs might fade in the last quarter