Worst. Idea. Ever.

[SpaceMonkey]

Why should it be left to us? Why can't the Reds, or ACT produce a decent forward pack for the Wallabies?

Speaking as a Kiwi I hope that question remains unanswered for a long time yet :mrgreen:

 

[innsaneink]

Numbers up for Waratahs
February 1, 2006

NEW South Wales Waratahs will break with tradition and replace numbers on players' jumpers with their initials for Saturday's rugby trial match with Canterbury Crusaders.

Change strip ... Lote Tuqiri, formerly No.11. Pic: AAP


The franchise is looking to make the move permanent as it believes it is within the competition rules.

Players will still have numbers on their shorts but each jersey will be unique to the player wearing it.

Winger Lote Tuqiri unpacked his "LT" jersey at Sydney's Aussie Stadium today.

Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie said the move fits in with the Waratahs game plan of not having players tied down by a number or position.

NSW today named a squad of 26 players for its trial match against the Crusaders at Aussie Stadium on Saturday with lock Dan Vickerman set for a comeback from injury.

Flanker Phil Waugh will also make his first appearance in 2006.

NSW Waratahs: Peter Hewat, Wendell Sailor, Morgan Turinui, Shaun Berne, Lote Tuqiri, Sam Norton-Knight, Chris Whitaker (captain), Stephen Hoiles, Phil Waugh, Rocky Elsom, Daniel Vickerman, Will Caldwell, Al Baxter, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning. Res: Al Manning, Benn Robinson, Troy Takiari, Alex Kanaar, Wycliff Palu, Leroy Houston, David Lyons, Brett Sheehan, Tim Donnelly, Ben Jacobs, Daniel Halangahu.

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,18005875-23210,00.html

---------------------------------------------

Dear God...

Also, although it is not the case at the moment, surely eventually two players in the squad will have the same initials? What will happen then?

I hate to say it, because I love the 'Tahs, but this is simply a case of the NSWRU thinking they are above the game.

For shame.

:lol:

Wonder how Brett feels bout this?

 

[Scott]

Why should it be left to us? Why can't the Reds, or ACT produce a decent forward pack for the Wallabies?

Do you realise how stupid that sounds? The Waratahs are no chance of winning the Super 14 with the forward park they currently have.

For the record, The letters idea is f**ken stupid, and McKenzie's reasoning is just weird!

 

[ozbash]

hmmmmmmmmmm

The New South Wales Waratahs' bizarre ploy to replace numbers on their jerseys with players' initials for the upcoming Super 14 has been dismissed as a "marketing ploy" by the competition's most successful coach.

According to Crusaders coach Robbie Deans, whose side faces the Waratahs in Saturday's final pre-season hitout at Aussie Stadium, the controversial move is destined for failure.

The Waratahs will wear the new-look jerseys, where numbers on the back are replaced by players' initials, for the clash against the Crusaders. They will retain numbers on the shorts.

The organisation have said they want to make the change a permanent one and they believe it is within the rules. A spokesperson for the franchise has said IRB regulations allow either a name or number on the back of jerseys.

Deans, it appears, begs to differ.

The man who has coached the Crusaders to three Super 12 titles and been involved in all five of the franchise's crowns does not believe the Waratahs' ploy will be allowed to succeed.

"I don't imagine Sanzar or the IRB will be excited about it," Deans told Christchurch's The Press newspaper.

"It's not going to help the viewing public if there aren't uniform numbers. The footage is beamed to the other side of the world and those viewers may not be familiar with the players.

"It doesn't have a great impact out on the field of play. You only see the numbers when the players are past you. It doesn't really give them any advantage.

"Maybe it's a marketing ploy to promote the Waratahs and their brands. If so, it's working."

Deans believes if there is a loophole to allow the use of initials on the jersey that it will be closed by the game's bosses.

But the change has been lauded by those at the Waratahs.

"I think it's a great move," said Lote Tuqiri who modelled his new 'LT' jersey at Aussie Stadium. "The blue jersey already means a lot to me but now it's really personal.

"The numbers aren't significant especially with our roving game plan so I think it's an initiative that makes sense rugby-wise too."

Waratahs head coach Ewen McKenzie said the idea was hatched late last year as the coaching staff decided on a more flexible style of game.

"We felt there was too much fixation, internally and externally, on the numbers the players had on their backs," McKenzie said. "The players shouldn't be inhibited by their run-on number."

"The Waratahs aren't about who plays 10 or who plays 13 because those positions are only temporary on the playing field.

"Sure we'll name a traditional one to twenty-two and have numerals on our shorts but that doesn't define the Waratah game.

"Psychologically it's already working wonders; the players are fully supportive of it and can't wait to get their jerseys."

NSW boss Fraser Neill described the move as "bold" and "clever".

"The rules allow it and we've got on with it. From a supporters point of view it will be a hit," he added.

The only issue is with hyphenated names, so, for example, Sam Norton-Knight will become NK.

The Waratahs have named a squad of 26 players for the Rotomahana Challenge against the Crusaders with Dan Vickerman set for his comeback from shoulder surgery and Phil Waugh making his first appearance in 2006.

NSW Waratahs: 15 Peter Hewat, 14 Wendell Sailor, 13 Morgan Turinui, 12 Shaun Berne, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Sam Norton-Knight, 9 Chris Whitaker (c); 8 Stephen Hoiles, 7 Phil Waugh, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Daniel Vickerman, 4 Will Caldwell, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Matt Dunning. Reserves: Al Manning, Benn Robinson, Troy Takiari, Alex Kanaar, Wycliff Palu, Leroy Houston, David Lyons, Brett Sheehan, Tim Donnelly, Ben Jacobs, Daniel Halangahu.

 

[choc_soldier]

As Lantana said, what if there are two players in the team with the same initials? It will create confusion.

I really don't think this idea was thought through properly enough.

 

[aussies1st]

By the first game the Tahs will be back to traditions. It does sound stupid though.

 

[Timbo]

Has it occured to the NSW heirarchy that this could potentially cost them fans?

A casual follower of union would know what 10, 13 and 15 means, but you'd have to be a Waratahs fant to know that TD, MT and PH mean the same thing.

It would put people off repeat viewing of the team as it would make it far harder to follow, especially with guys like Berne, Turunui, Rogers and Hewat who could potentially play as many as 3 or 4 positions this year.

 

[Woods99]

The ACT has carried the Wallabies forward pack for years. Young, Paul, Darwin, Giffin, Harrison, Finegan, Smith, Williams, Chisholm, Samo, Vickerman, need I go on?

Young = West Harbour and Eastwood
Darwin = Northern Suburbs
Giffin = Queensland
Harrison = Central Coast, NSW
Finegan = Randwick
Smith = Manly
Williams = Queensland and Warringah
Chisholm = Queensland.
Vickerman = South Africa and Sydney University

Don't go on.

And the Brumbies are introducing new blood, which is precisely why we'll struggle for a little bit. Gerrard is certainly not old, and with the likes of Rathbone, Ashley-Cooper, Fairbanks, Henderson, Shepherdson, Chisholm, Wallace-Harrison, Campbell, Salvi, Batger, Faingaa etc etc etc coming through we're just fine thanks.

Gerrard ex-Waratahs
Rathbone - South Africa
Fairbanks - ex-Qld Reds
Campbell - Sydney University
Batger - Eastwood.

Why don't the Brumbies produce some local products?????

 

[Dr Crane]

NSW Waratahs: 15 Peter Hewat, 14 Wendell Sailor, 13 Morgan Turinui, 12 Shaun Berne, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Sam Norton-Knight, 9 Chris Whitaker (c); 8 Stephen Hoiles, 7 Phil Waugh, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Daniel Vickerman, 4 Will Caldwell, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Matt Dunning. Reserves: Al Manning, Benn Robinson, Troy Takiari, Alex Kanaar, Wycliff Palu, Leroy Houston, David Lyons, Brett Sheehan, Tim Donnelly, Ben Jacobs, Daniel Halangahu.

They have numbers there.

Please explain.








Just do the obvious NSW, if you want to do something to personalise jerseys. Put the full names on the back above the number, if you must do anything.

 

[Timbo]

I went there last night.

The names on the jerseys were very difficult to read. Universally panned, hopefully they'll go back to numbers.

 

[ozbash]

They have numbers there.

Please explain.








Just do the obvious NSW, if you want to do something to personalise jerseys. Put the full names on the back above the number, if you must do anything.

came from a kiwi paper young rutchie,,, obviously one that refused to get sucked in with the 'tahs scandelous ways..

 

[skeepe]

Young = West Harbour and Eastwood
Darwin = Northern Suburbs
Giffin = Queensland
Harrison = Central Coast, NSW
Finegan = Randwick
Smith = Manly
Williams = Queensland and Warringah
Chisholm = Queensland.
Vickerman = South Africa and Sydney University

Don't go on.



Gerrard ex-Waratahs
Rathbone - South Africa
Fairbanks - ex-Qld Reds
Campbell - Sydney University
Batger - Eastwood.

Why don't the Brumbies produce some local products?????

Quite obviously, the Sydney and Brisbane club competitions are of a higher standard than the Canberra competition. Is it our fault that the Waratahs and Reds couldn't identify talent if it bit them in the arse?

The way rugby is these days, it matters little where a player came from. Facts are these players were rejected by other provinces and taken in and developed into, in many cases world class players. Nothing wrong with developing a player, no matter where he comes from. Although expect an influx of Canberra talent in the next few years... we're already getting there with the likes of Henderson, Shepherdson, Salvi, Faingaa etc coming through.

 

[skeepe]

Common sense has prevailed

Number's up: SANZAR turns down Tahs

Monday, February 6, 2006

The NSW Waratahs will no longer be permitted to wear their controversial initialled jerseys in the Super 14 competition.

The Waratahs said today they had reluctantly agreed to a SANZAR demand to remove initials from the players jerseys.

The NSW team had experimented with players' initials instead of numbers in a trial game against the Crusaders on Saturday night, which the Waratahs lost 32-30.

NSWRU chief executive Fraser Neill said he was disappointed by the decision but hoped the team would be able to use the initials in non-broadcast matches in the future.

The existing jerseys will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to children's hospitals.

http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2006/02/06/1139074142716.html

 

[Timbo]

Thank GOD.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

IThe Warratahs themselves looked pretty confused by the new system in the first half....

 

[STEVE R]

It was a pretty hand publicity stunt though!! Had the Waratahs in the news when they really shouldn't have been.