Waratahs v Pacific Islanders

[Anonymous]

Played tonight, with Matt Burke playing his last game for the Waratahs.

The only Waratah regulars are Kasprowicz, Donnelly, Turunui, Burke and Thaiday and Grey is on the bench.

It was to be Scott Staniforth's sendoff as well, however he's withdrawn from the side.

I hope they can win it for Burkey, should be a good game.

 

[bayrep]

I hope the PI team gets up, they need a few wins to build confidence in themselves, the fan and the critics. I agree should be a good game. How good is the NSW's team with only 6 regulars starting though ?

 

[Anonymous]

Ummm here's the full side:

1. Gareth Hardy
2. Huia Edmonds
3. Aaron Broughton-Rouse
4. Alister Campbell
5. Will Caldwell
6. Simon Kasprowicz [v-c]
7. Tim McGann
8. Stephen Hoiles
9. Tim Clark
10. Tim Donnelly
11. Elia Tuqiri
12. Morgan Turinui
13. Matthew Burke [c]
14. Milton Thaiday
15. Peter Hewat

BENCH

16. Al Manning *
17. James Lakepa *
18. Marty Wilson
19. Chris Sproats
20. Patrick Phibbs *
21. Nathan Grey
22. Lachie Mackay *

*uncapped

Adam Frier and Scott Staniforth were both supposed to play but have withdrawn.

 

[Poida_Raider]

frier is on standby for the wallabies so thats why he's out.. and where's scott staniforth going?? i always reckoned that he was a good player, but didnt really get that many opportunites lately. well he seemed ok from what i saw, but he may have been not that great.

 

[Anonymous]

Staniforth withdrew for personal reasons.

Oh and the Islanders won 68-21

My God they were impressive. It was like watching the Harlem Globe-Trotters of Rugby. They played with flair and style and it was somthing else.

They verse the Wallabies in Adelaide a week on Saturday and I think I might put a lazy ten on them to get up.

Some things to come out of tonights game was that Nathan Grey should be back in the Wallabie line up, he was by far the best on field for the Tahs, also Tim Donnelly played well. Matt Burke went out to a rowsing ovation in front of a small crowd. One sour note was that Morgan Turinui went down and was carried off in a neck brace and it didn't look like he was concious.

 

[eastsrule]

How did Tim Clark and Tim McGann go?

 

[Anonymous]

Clark was great, played 60 odd minutes at which point they gave Phibbs a run. McGann was good as well, got one of the Tahs few tries.

 

[Dragons Cross]

How did Rousey go at prop? He deserves to be the regular Tahs prop next season.

 

[Dr Crane]

68-21. Holy shit. 49-14 at half time i hear. Yikes.

 

[Anonymous]

Great effort by the Islanders. I saw the squad the other day and was very disappointed, it just looked like a typical second-rate team with all the high profile players not available for various reasons. Is Rupeni still injured or what?? And what about Super 12 players not involved with the All Blacks?

 

[Dirty Hoe]

go the FOB's!!

 

[skeepe]

Timbo Nathan Grey should not be allowed anywhere near a Wallaby shirt. He is one of the worst centres in the game.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you serious Skeepe? He was crucified because idiot Jones picked him at fly-half when he's clearly a centre.

He was absolutely fantastic vs. the Islanders.

 

[bayrep]

I am definitly looking forward to the PI's vs Aus game. If both teams play like they did on the weekend it should be a fantastic game. The PI's are definitly going better than I thought they would. You have to give credit to John Boe for pulling this squad together well.

 

[Johns Magic]

McGann was great- an absolute workhorse. Scored a try and did more work than the rest of the back-row combined. He lost 4kg's he did so much running.

 

[dimitri]

does anyone know what the crowd was

a friend wanted to know

 

[Johns Magic]

It was only 8,000 or something as I remember. I could be wrong though.

 

[Anonymous]

Dimitri it was 8005.

BEFORE YOU START ABOUT SMALL CROWDS MEANING UNION IS CRAP BLAH BLAH:

Consider:

(i)was quite literally a Waratah 3rd 15.
(ii)The Pacific Islanders were without the best players from their countries.
(iii)It was bloody freezing.
(iv)The game was barely advertised, the first mention of it in the papers was that morning.

 

[Johns Magic]

Phibbs is the most useless halfback I have ever seen. Absolutely shocking on Friday.

 

[Anonymous]

Nah Phibbs is allright, he kills it for Randwick every week.