VIDEO: Tahs to use brains against brawn
SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: The Waratahs are working on plans to counter the Brumbies powerful rolling maul and intend using their footwork to avoid being bashed by bigger packs.
Second in the Australian conference behind the unbeaten Melbourne Rebels, the Tahs play the third-placed Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.
The Waratahs have won successive games against the Sunwolves and Queensland Reds after an opening round loss to the Hurricanes.
Flank Will Miller will miss two to four weeks with a left ankle injury he suffered after coming off the bench in Saturday’s victory over the Reds.
NSW won despite having much less possession and second row forward Jed Holloway felt there was a lot more to come from their pack.
“I think teams are getting a good read on us trying to bash us a bit and I think we’ve got to work to our strengths,” he said.
“We’ve got great footwork, we are a more mobile and a bit smaller pack.”
One area of focus this week will be countering the Brumbies deadly rolling maul.
The leading Australian try scorer in the tournament is not a back but Brumbies hooker Folau Fainga’a, who has crossed four times from well executed forward drives.
“It’s kind of gone back to the Brumbies team of old, which is a real weapon for them,” Holloway said of the rolling maul.
“I’m sure there is going to be a lot of mauling practice this week at training.
“I think if we shut that threat down, we’ve got a red-hot backline that will hopefully do the job on theirs.”
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The Tahs have had some success against the rolling maul tactic before.
“I think just shoulder punch and leg drive, Cronny [NSW forwards coach Simon Cron] harps on about it a lot and we get a lot of practice in,” Holloway said.
“I think if our attitude is right around it, it just comes down to whether you want to stay in it longer than them and a Brumbies versus Waratahs game is a good reason to do that.”
NSW defence coach Steve Tandy stressed the Tahs could diminish the threat by avoiding any unnecessary penalties close to their line.
Source: AAP
