Rugby Heaven team of the week

[TOCC]

muddy, stop quoting fantasy league figures, if you want to do that do it in another thread FFS

[GIGS20]

I actually thought the point he was making was pretty well argued TOCC, the Force Forwards (particulalry the loosies) did a pretty good job (not dominant, certainly but comparable) and the backs stuffed it up. I would've called it more of a right winger problem than generic backline issues, but Fantasy Football points are actual stats and therefore mean something, particularly when you're comparing players in similar positions with similar field times......they bugger up badly when you try to compare a front rower to a fullback, but that's not what was going on here.

Keep quoting the numbers muddy, they bring clarity to the issues.

[mudskipper]

in future I'll post them on the Fantasy thread but I thought the stats were relevant to show the SMH team of the week was subjective and that a number of players selected had average on stats…

There are other things afoot here... You see the Chief Rugby Correspondent talks up Waugh and in return he talks he provides an insiders point of view...

How coaches decide what a player needs to know to improve…do they use subjective or objective accounts, likely both. I understand it doesn’t cover the “Be Where you needed on the field”… factor but some Good Quantitative reporting stops people talking up players who aren’t performing and shows their work rates…

[TOCC]

the reason i dont like Fantasy League statistics is that it doesnt distinguish between a lot of things.

Like for example a 5/8, he could have been receiving terrible passes all game, over his head, at his feet etc, yet it doesnt distinguish between that and a player who had been reciving them on his chest.

A average kick compared to a fantastic kick, also other things like if a player is coming across in cover, and really in a position that isnt expected of him yet he still misses the tackle, he gets penalised(in fantasy) as opposed to another player who wasnt there at all.

A player might make a average tackle, yet another player makes a awsome tackle which drives a player back and changes the momentum.. They both receive the same points.

Goal kicks! a sideline kick as opposed to one straight in front

thats my opinion anyway

[waratahjesus]

how are fantasy points not objective?

[mudskipper]

the reason i dont like Fantasy League statistics is that it doesnt distinguish between a lot of things.

Like for example a 5/8, he could have been receiving terrible passes all game, over his head, at his feet etc, yet it doesnt distinguish between that and a player who had been reciving them on his chest.

A average kick compared to a fantastic kick, also other things like if a player is coming across in cover, and really in a position that isnt expected of him yet he still misses the tackle, he gets penalised(in fantasy) as opposed to another player who wasnt there at all.

A player might make a average tackle, yet another player makes a awsome tackle which drives a player back and changes the momentum.. They both receive the same points.

Goal kicks! a sideline kick as opposed to one straight in front

thats my opinion anyway

true it shows a level of involvement and some plays but not all skills...

[tdevil]

RUGBY365
Team of the Week - Round One:

15 - Stefan Terblanche (Sharks):
It may be a cliché, but it is true - he is like a good red wine, maturing very nicely.

14 - Digby Ioane (Reds):
He needs to find himself a decent team, as he will get frustrated very quickly in a struggling outfit like the Reds. He is real class.

13 - Rob Horne (Waratahs):
Australia is blessed with talented midfielders and Horne is one of a new breed that are trying to push the old hands out of the way.

12 - Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies):
As assured and powerful as ever. But it is the way he reads the game that is really impressive.

11 - Henno Mentz (Lions):
You simply have to ask: 'Why did the Sharks let him go?' Eugene Eloff's best buy in years. Pure Springbok.

10 - Matt Giteau (Western Force):
Even in a losing cause he is world class. The only No.10 that can challenge Dan Carter for the crown as the world's No.1 flyhalf.

9 - Fourie du Preez (Bulls):
He again showed why so many genuine experts rate him as the world's best scrumhalf.

8 - Pierre Spies (Bulls):
Tough one this and it certainly caused some debate, as we are sure it will continue to do. But Spies's power and class edged it in the end.

7 - Juan Smith (Cheetahs):
This was also a tough one, as South Africa's openside flankers tend to play with a No.6 on their backs and Smith is actually a blindside. But he wore No.7 and we felt he deserved it anyway.

6 - Cobus Grobbelaar (Lions):
Ditto for the number on his back. Still the most underrated fetcher/openside flank in SA.

5 - David de Villiers (Cheetahs):
He may not be Victor Matfield, but he runs a pretty close second.

4 - Adriaan Fondse (Stormers):
He likes living on the edge and does tend to give away a few penalties, but he has given the Stormers pack a hard edge.

3 - Jannie du Plessis (Sharks):
He is not a World Cup winner for nothing. Apart from the obvious, i.e. his scrumming, De Plessis's work rate is exceptional.

2 - John Smit (Sharks):
Simply the best.

1 - Heinke van der Merwe (Lions):
Why he is not a regular feature in the Springbok team, only Bok coach Peter de Villiers knows. He destroyed two tighthead props - Bees Roux and Kobus Calldo in one game and secure a couple of vital scrum turnovers. Reminds a lot of Os du Randt.

[GIGS20]

That sounds a bit more balanced.....lots of Saffer forwards as usual, but harder to argue with the ones they put forward!

[waratahjesus]

its not the same thing though, its a super rugby team while the smh one is just australian!

[GIGS20]

Fair point!

[sandgroperrugby]

its not the same thing though, its a super rugby team while the smh one is just australian!

Don’t you mean just a New South Welshmen instead of Australian

[waratahjesus]

well nsw had the most impressive win of the weekend of the four australian teams, and only two of the aussie teams won. so it should be mostly nsw and act reps. i dont see a problem with that. gits playing well in a side that was playing very ordinary doesnt make him a great player, lifting those playing badly around you makes you a great player.

after watching all four games, this isnt bashig, but i dont think the force should be represented in the aus team of the week.

if i had my way, we would have picked robbie horne in all 15 spots!

[sandgroperrugby]

Rob Horne was impressive but the stand out performances had to have been Mortlock and Ioane like they said in the article.

Wasn’t really having a go at the team on paper this week as it looks the pick of the bunch but Rugby Heaven (SMH) is particularly biased towards Tahs especially Waugh.

[waratahjesus]

the tahs did beat the hurricanes away, if you sit down on paper without a game being played and look through the matches, the force match had the lowest degree of dificulty to win! the tahs did something that few team can do and will do so they should be rewarded. phil waugh is awesome, he had an unhappy international year but he has never failed to deliver at super level!

[travelling_gerry]

Australian team of the week
February 23, 2009 - 7:46AM

Each week, Greg Growden and Rupert Guinness pick the form team from Australian Super 14 players.

15 Mark Gerrard (ACT) (1)
14 Digby Ioane(Qld) (2)
13 Ryan Cross (Force) (1)
12 Stirling Mortlock (ACT) (2)
11 Haig Sare(Force) (1)
10 Quade Cooper (Qld) (1)
9 Patrick Phibbs (ACT) (2)
8 Wycliff Palu(NSW) (1)
7 George Smith (ACT) (1)
6 Scott Higginbotham (Qld) (1)
5 Nathan Sharpe (Force) (1)
4 Will Caldwell(NSW) (1)
3 Al Baxter (NSW) (2)
2 Stephen Moore (ACT) (1)
1 Benn Robinson (NSW) (2)

(Number of times selected in brackets).