RUGBY UNION
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
GUYRA might be yet to register a point but the Ghosts have made life difficult for their opposition.
Robb only just got over them in the snow and sleet the other week and even St Alberts didn’t have an easy time of it.
If anything the Ghosts were on top for the first quarter of that game.
Today it’s Barbarians turn.
Baa Baas are building back to form after a bit of a slide and are wary of what awaits them up the mountains.
“They’ll definitely be tough in the forward pack,” number eight Joe Piddington said.
“They’re very strong in contact and very tough on the ball.”
Piddington is back playing in the forwards after spending a couple of games out in the centres.
He said they should have a fairly similar line-up to the one that went down 21-5 to Armidale last week.
It wasn’t the result they were after but was a marked improvement on their previous encounter against the Blues.
“The second half we really got things together,” Piddington said.
They couldn’t quite get over the line but took a lot from the fact they won the second half.
“We had a good chat at half-time,” Piddington said.
One of the main discussion points was getting a bit more control of the ruck.
“Getting a bit more mongrel in us,” he said.
“Getting them off the ball so we had faster play.”
Another difference was cutting out the talk and backchat.
The same goes for today with a lot of the emphasis in the lead-up on their rucking and mauling.
Ghosts president Greg Hill said both grades will be about 60 per cent strength.
“The start, stop aspect of the draw has hindered our ability to gain combinations within the team,” Hill said.
“That will only happen with continuous games each Saturday.”
The Ghosts have had the bye two of the four rounds.
“Our set piece needs a lot of fine-tuning and the fitness levels of all players is certainly not 100 per cent yet,” Hill said.
He said they have picked up three British players, which should bolster their depth and experience.
The other match will see a rematch between St Alberts and Robb.