Bar a freak try to the Reds in the dying seconds of last weekend's match against the Reds, the Waratahs would have proved the Rolling Maul to be spot on in its prediction using the Tom Carter Scale of Averageness. This week the Tahs take on the Rebels, and the relative Tom Carter stregnth of the teams suggests that not even a freak late try could save the Rebels...
WARATAHS
BACKS
Bernard Foley 1.1
Tom Kingston 0.9
Rob Horne 1.7
Tom Carter 1.0
Adam Ashley-Cooper 2.2
Daniel Halangahu (capt) 1.2
Sarel Pretorius 1.6
Sub-total 9.7
FORWARDS
Wycliff Palu 1.9
Chris Alcock 1.3
Dave Dennis 1.7
Kane Douglas 1.1
Dean Mumm 1.8
Sekope Kepu 1.5
Tatafu Polota-Nau 2.2
Benn Robinson 2.4
Sub-total 13.9
RESERVES
Damien Fitzpatrick 0.9
Paddy Ryan 0.8
Lopeti Timani 0.7
Jono Jenkins 0.8
Brendan McKibbin 1
Brackin Karauria-Henry 0.6
Nathan Trist 0.6
Sub-total 5.6
TOTAL 29.2
REBELS
BACKSMark Gerrard 1.3
Lachlan Mitchell 1.0
Mitch Inman 0.9
James O'Connor 2.4
Cooper Vuna 1.1
Danny Cipriani 1.9
Nick Phipps 1.5
Sub-total 10.1
FORWARDS
Gareth Delve 1.4
Tom Chamberlain 0.8
Luke Jones 0.8
Hugh Pyle 1.2
Adam Byrnes 0.8
Laurie Weeks 1.1
Adam Freier 1.4
Nic Henderson 1.1
Sub-total 8.6
RESERVES
Luke Holmes 0.8
Rodney Blake 0.6
Alister Campbell 0.7
Jarrod Saffy 0.8
Richard Kingi 0.9
Lloyd Johansson 0.8
Julian Huxley 1.0
Sub-total 5.4
TOTAL 24.1
CONCLUSION It's close in the backs with the Rebels having a slight edge, but in the forwards the Tahs Wallaby dominated pack are about 5 Tom Carters stronger. The reserves cancel each other out. So expect the Rebels to spin it wide every chance they get. Alas they won't get many. The Tahs will push the Rebels scrum around all night and provide plenty of space for even their under-strength backs to express themselves. Expect push-over tries, penalty tries and more sniping from Pretorious.
WARATAHS
BACKS
Bernard Foley 1.1
Tom Kingston 0.9
Rob Horne 1.7
Tom Carter 1.0
Adam Ashley-Cooper 2.2
Daniel Halangahu (capt) 1.2
Sarel Pretorius 1.6
Sub-total 9.7
FORWARDS
Wycliff Palu 1.9
Chris Alcock 1.3
Dave Dennis 1.7
Kane Douglas 1.1
Dean Mumm 1.8
Sekope Kepu 1.5
Tatafu Polota-Nau 2.2
Benn Robinson 2.4
Sub-total 13.9
RESERVES
Damien Fitzpatrick 0.9
Paddy Ryan 0.8
Lopeti Timani 0.7
Jono Jenkins 0.8
Brendan McKibbin 1
Brackin Karauria-Henry 0.6
Nathan Trist 0.6
Sub-total 5.6
TOTAL 29.2
REBELS
BACKSMark Gerrard 1.3
Lachlan Mitchell 1.0
Mitch Inman 0.9
James O'Connor 2.4
Cooper Vuna 1.1
Danny Cipriani 1.9
Nick Phipps 1.5
Sub-total 10.1
FORWARDS
Gareth Delve 1.4
Tom Chamberlain 0.8
Luke Jones 0.8
Hugh Pyle 1.2
Adam Byrnes 0.8
Laurie Weeks 1.1
Adam Freier 1.4
Nic Henderson 1.1
Sub-total 8.6
RESERVES
Luke Holmes 0.8
Rodney Blake 0.6
Alister Campbell 0.7
Jarrod Saffy 0.8
Richard Kingi 0.9
Lloyd Johansson 0.8
Julian Huxley 1.0
Sub-total 5.4
TOTAL 24.1
CONCLUSION It's close in the backs with the Rebels having a slight edge, but in the forwards the Tahs Wallaby dominated pack are about 5 Tom Carters stronger. The reserves cancel each other out. So expect the Rebels to spin it wide every chance they get. Alas they won't get many. The Tahs will push the Rebels scrum around all night and provide plenty of space for even their under-strength backs to express themselves. Expect push-over tries, penalty tries and more sniping from Pretorious.
Comments
Do you think that Australia would benefit from playing someone in the Tom Carter ilk though? Sometimes under pressure they have looked confused and I think they could do with a big man in midefield to keep it simple and take it up a la Carter or in the past mortlock.
By the way I have my own blog if anyone's interested in giving it a glance. Cheers.
http://dumptackle.blogspot.com/