Waratahs to prove they're no one-man band

[The InnFORCEr]

AAP
Darren Walton
March 26, 2014, 2:48 pm


The NSW Waratahs are embracing the challenge of trying to topple the Super Rugby competition leaders in Durban without attacking trump Israel Folau.

Far from fretting about Folau missing the showdown with Jake White's Sharks with a bruised throat, the Waratahs view Saturday's match as an opportunity to prove they're no one-man band.

Folau has been untouchable in 2014, crossing for eight tries in four games, a strike rate no player in Super Rugby history has managed over the opening month of a season.

"It's pretty obvious that Izzy adds a lot to our group in terms of his attacking ability and overall game," said Waratahs captain Dave Dennis.

"But we've still got great depth and it creates an opportunity for someone else. We're not too worried about having someone else stepping up."

That certain someone is former Queensland Reds title winner Jono Lance, who has been asked to make his debut for the Waratahs in Folau's No.15 jumper at Kings Park.

The 23-year-old accepts he's no Folau, but is nevertheless confident of contributing to a Waratahs victory in his own way.

"There's definitely a belief we can win," Lance said.

"Izzy's a freakish player but there's a lot of other players who are putting players into position to score.

"A lot of the tries Izzy has scored are through the good work other players have done and he's been in the right position.

"So it's a matter of those players playing this weekend to continue creating opportunities for other guys.

"We're definitely optimistic."

Kurtley Beale had been tipped to replace Folau, but coach Michael Cheika has preferred to retain the former Wallabies fullback at inside centre.

It's been Beale's midfield partnership with five-eighth Bernard Foley that has created most tryscoring chances for Folau and Lance admits he'll be pouring over videos of NSW's recent matches for tips on how to also take advantage.

"Izzy's support play is exceptional and I'll definitely be looking at the footage of the previous few weeks and seeing what I can learn from him and definitely try to bring that this weekend," he said.

Travelling nicely in third place, and second in the Australian conference behind the Brumbies, Dennis believes a showdown with the table-topping Sharks on their own patch is just what the Waratahs need.

"The boys are pretty excited about the opportunity to play a good team away from home," Dennis said.

"It's not daunting at all. It's obviously challenging and we know we'll be tested, which is probably what we want at this stage of the season. It will really give us an idea of where we are.

"We're comfortable with the way we're playing and, if we stick to our sort of style I'm confident we're capable of getting a really good result against them."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...-one-man-band/

[shasta]

They're toast!

[NTT]

Tahs are gay

[GIGS20]

Behind closed doors the Tahs are saying

'oh my God, how are we going to cope without the bloke who stands in the place where everybody else in the team passes the ball to him in the clear and strolls over the line untouched!

Izzy is a great player, sure, but what he's done for the tahs in attack has been catch and finish.

[jargan83]

No Izzy = No Tahs.

/endthread

[shasta]

Izzy is a great player, sure, but what he's done for the tahs in attack has been catch and finish.

I know how much you like ex-mungos. But even allowing for that, I'd still say you have very selective memory there.

[GIGS20]

Not really, he has been a rock in defense, I understand that.

I'm also prepared to say he's the best player in the world under the high ball and is not too shabby a kicker. He also has a bunch of attacking skills, but the tahs haven't used them much, they have been drawing defenses in, giving the ball to Kurtley and looking to run Izzy off him. It usually results in the ball dying before he gets much time with it or him getting the ball in the clear.

The only game where that really wasn't the case was the force game, we were the ones who gave it to him in the clear that day!

[shasta]

Yes the the playmaking 12 is working well for them. Defense was supposedly gonna be a problem positionally so he's been a quick learner there. But he has also demonstrated how bloody good he is at beating defenders on his own. Either with footwork , power in contact or sheer speed. The complete package. Too bad he's a bloody Tah.

[Alison]

Was he really ever going to be anything but a Tah? ARU would never allow anything else.

[GIGS20]

I think it might have been the other way around Ali, the hype came because he was a Tah, he didn't become a Tah because of the hype.

He does have a habit of pulling Kurtley's arse out of the fire by connecting with the one or two good passes Kurtley delivers in a game and generally running them in under the sticks.

[jargan83]

Was he really ever going to be anything but a Tah? ARU would never allow anything else.

Probably not given the ARU probably signed him to attract some bums on seats. Always destined to end up in the biggest possible market for said goal hence NSW.

[Kept One]

Probably not given the ARU probably signed him to attract some bums on seats. Always destined to end up in the biggest possible market for said goal hence NSW.

Izzy signing for the Tahs has not benefited their crowd attendances.

[jargan83]

Izzy signing for the Tahs has not benefited their crowd attendances.

I never said it had worked so far

[Timbo]

So - was that proof that they can't play after a de-Folau-iation or was it a slightly early mid-season wheel fall??

[valzc]

The Tahs played pretty well the first half but as has been said they're a bit clueless without Izzy. Is it possible for Beale to EVER run a straight line into attack? Every time he has the ball he's terrified of being tackled.