Australia Wallaby A squad to play a Japan XV Saturday 18th Oct

[Wilson]

No offence to the players involved but is it really a marketing exercise when you're running out a bunch of blokes who likely won't play meaningful SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) minutes for some time against a Japanese side without any local international standard players?

2000 or so fans in attendance and a few other fan events throughout the weekend seem to suggest so. It was likely helped by the 7s games they had on beforehand, but from the outside it looks like the event itself was pretty successful, whether or not the on field was valuable from a high performance perspective.

 

[Braveheart81]

They alternate who hosts this fixture so presumably the away trips cost the Reds a substantial amount of money.

I would think that the competitiveness of the games is relevant for this being able to continue as an annual series. Hopefully this is an outlier because most of the prior games have been a lot closer.

 

[Wilson]

They alternate who hosts this fixture so presumably the away trips cost the Reds a substantial amount of money.

I would think that the competitiveness of the games is relevant for this being able to continue as an annual series. Hopefully this is an outlier because most of the prior games have been a lot closer.

This was not "the game", this was the warm-up friendly that has previously been played as a closed doors trial. The proper cap game is at Ballymore this weekend. Anything they made (cash or goodwill) out of the Toowoomba weekend is really just a bonus at this stage.

 

[PhilClinton]

I would think that the competitiveness of the games is relevant for this being able to continue as an annual series. Hopefully this is an outlier because most of the prior games have been a lot closer.

Is the Wild Knights team going to get any stronger? I genuinely don't know but seeing as Japan and Japan A have been playing back at home, you'd assume the Panasonic squad depth would be severely tested.

Whereas the Reds should be rolling out a team which includes some more capped players.

 

[PhilClinton]

2000 or so fans in attendance and a few other fan events throughout the weekend seem to suggest so. It was likely helped by the 7s games they had on beforehand, but from the outside it looks like the event itself was pretty successful, whether or not the on field was valuable from a high performance perspective.

That is good to hear.

I guess in terms of marketing the event though, I personally feel like this whole post-SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) period has been pretty flat from an engagement standpoint and also confusing - outside of the Wallabies games.

I know we have complained about not having enough rugby being played, but it feels like the last couple of months have just been an exercise of cramming games together just because they can with no thought to the schedule.

Like what is the actual purpose of all of these games and the different teams being put together? We've had Wallabies squads, Australia A squads, Super Rugby Australia squads and now essentially trial game squads all being formed over the past few months with no real cohesion. It doesn't really help the branding when someone has a random Reds cap and then you need to explain to people next year that old mate actually played a capped game in front of 3000 people at Ballymore - but 10 of the main squad members were in Japan so the cap might not really mean anything?

 

[Wilson]

Is the Wild Knights team going to get any stronger? I genuinely don't know but seeing as Japan and Japan A have been playing back at home, you'd assume the Panasonic squad depth would be severely tested.

Whereas the Reds should be rolling out a team which includes some more capped players.

I'm not sure about the specific selections for the Wild Knights, but last year in Japan we won the warm up game 59-29 (instead of 59-19 this time) and then won the actual game 42-28. You'd expect some narrowing of score lines again this time. Also worth noting it was only a 2 point win for us in 2023, so there's plenty of room for them to be competitive (not sure what the warm up score was, they're harder to hunt down). It was pretty hot on Saturday too, so a week extra to acclimate may really help Saitama.

From a high performance stand point I'd expect they look at the away games as more beneficial as it's likely to be a bit more challenging and it's an opportunity to expose younger players to touring before they make the step up to Super, but the games don't necessarily need to be close for it to be beneficial.

 

[Braveheart81]

It doesn't really help the branding when someone has a random Reds cap and then you need to explain to people next year that old mate actually played a capped game in front of 3000 people at Ballymore

How is this a thing that actually happens?

 

[PhilClinton]

How is this a thing that actually happens?

Happened a lot with Dre Pakeho this year - in slightly different circumstances.

He debuted against Wales at Suncorp in 2024 in a capped game but lots of posters on this forum/fans thought he was a debutant in 2025 which was technically incorrect.

The differentiation between a capped and un-capped game is frustrating in my opinion. I think it should be pretty clear that if the game is being played outside of a sanctioned competition, you don't get a cap.

 

[Major Tom]

Happened a lot with Dre Pakeho this year - in slightly different circumstances.

He debuted against Wales at Suncorp in 2024 in a capped game but lots of posters on this forum/fans thought he was a debutant in 2025 which was technically incorrect.

The differentiation between a capped and un-capped game is frustrating in my opinion. I think it should be pretty clear that if the game is being played outside of a sanctioned competition, you don't get a cap.

I think you're getting frustrated by a pretty small detail.

 

[PhilClinton]

I think you're getting frustrated by a pretty small detail.

Capping blokes when so many main squad members are already in Australia A and Wallabies squads is the equivalent of giving out participation awards.

When my boss goes away from 3 months and I'm the acting-CEO, I don't update my resume to say I was CEO of the company.

 

[TSR]

That is good to hear.

I guess in terms of marketing the event though, I personally feel like this whole post-SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) period has been pretty flat from an engagement standpoint and also confusing - outside of the Wallabies games.

I know we have complained about not having enough rugby being played, but it feels like the last couple of months have just been an exercise of cramming games together just because they can with no thought to the schedule.

Like what is the actual purpose of all of these games and the different teams being put together? We've had Wallabies squads, Australia A squads, Super Rugby Australia squads and now essentially trial game squads all being formed over the past few months with no real cohesion. It doesn't really help the branding when someone has a random Reds cap and then you need to explain to people next year that old mate actually played a capped game in front of 3000 people at Ballymore - but 10 of the main squad members were in Japan so the cap might not really mean anything?

It could be done better. The games could be more competitive and we need to generate as much meaning in the games as possible. But building relationships with partners in Japan, the Pacific & Europe/UK would have a decent amount of value I would assume.

For the playing group I would have though there is significant benefit in expanding the number of games that the super teams play to broaden depth and give players more experience at a level above club.

As a casual punter I have to say I love the fact I can get some more rugby in watching teams I support.

 

[Major Tom]

Capping blokes when so many main squad members are already in Australia A and Wallabies squads is the equivalent of giving out participation awards.

When my boss goes away from 3 months and I'm the acting-CEO, I don't update my resume to say I was CEO of the company.

Mate a cap is a cap. They're clearly not all the same. Otherwise let's strip caps of players that come on in last 10mins because it doesn't really count. This also wasn't a capped situation so I'm not sure why we're even talking about it.

 

[PhilClinton]

Mate a cap is a cap. They're clearly not all the same. Otherwise let's strip caps of players that come on in last 10mins because it doesn't really count. This also wasn't a capped situation so I'm not sure why we're even talking about it.

The game this weekend coming is a capped situation.

That is my point mate - why are they designating caps for one of the games and not the other. The teams are going to be largely the same and still missing so many key squad members.

If a cap is a cap, why don't we issue caps for trial games before super rugby starts? Those trial teams are closer to the actual Reds team that will be playing each week than the teams being run out whilst so many guys are in Japan.

The whole thing is wacked!

 

[TSR]

Capping blokes when so many main squad members are already in Australia A and Wallabies squads is the equivalent of giving out participation awards.

When my boss goes away from 3 months and I'm the acting-CEO, I don't update my resume to say I was CEO of the company.

I’m probably reacting to the wrong part of your post - but I don’t understand the big axe people have to grind with participation awards. They’ve been giving them out since I was a kid - they aren’t a new thing at all. And they do far more good than harm.

To your specific point all of these kids earned something that less than 0.01% of the population ever will. If they get a warm glow from it good luck to them. If they suddenly think they are a super star and let it go to their head there are plenty of people around them in pro rugby environments that should be able to knock them back down to earth pretty quickly.

 

[Wilson]

The game this weekend coming is a capped situation.

That is my point mate - why are they designating caps for one of the games and not the other. The teams are going to be largely the same and still missing so many key squad members.

If a cap is a cap, why don't we issue caps for trial games before super rugby starts? Those trial teams are closer to the actual Reds team that will be playing each week than the teams being run out whilst so many guys are in Japan.

The whole thing is wacked!

Caps for touring games have been going on for as long as the Reds have existed, and plenty of them for playing in and against weakened sides when the top talent was unavailable. I don't think this is a real problem.

 

[PhilClinton]

Caps for touring games have been going on for as long as the Reds have existed, and plenty of them for playing in and against weakened sides when the top talent was unavailable. I don't think this is a real problem.

I'd be interested to know how many current Wallabies got their first 'cap' playing in a game which wasn't part of a Super Rugby competition.

I don't previously recall seeing double ** like we've had in recent seasons where it reads like:

Reds Caps - 1
** Super Rugby Pacific Debut

I'm not going to die on this hill but it's the off-season (yes despite the Reds capping players this weekend it is in fact the off-season) so I thought I'd dive into it because I find it odd personally. More so the fact that we've got these Wild Knights games happening and one is capped and one isn't which I really don't likey.

 

[Major Tom]

The game this weekend coming is a capped situation.

That is my point mate - why are they designating caps for one of the games and not the other. The teams are going to be largely the same and still missing so many key squad members.

If a cap is a cap, why don't we issue caps for trial games before super rugby starts? Those trial teams are closer to the actual Reds team that will be playing each week than the teams being run out whilst so many guys are in Japan.

The whole thing is wacked!

Well, I think this was just a friendly / glorified training run. Isn't this weekend's game for the shield?
I honestly have never put this much thought into it as it doesn't seem to be an issue requiring fixing.
The Dre confusion seems very easy to explain. He made his SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) debut this year. Fixed.

 

[Major Tom]

I'd be interested to know how many current Wallabies got their first 'cap' playing in a game which wasn't part of a Super Rugby competition.

I don't previously recall seeing double ** like we've had in recent seasons where it reads like:

Reds Caps - 1
** Super Rugby Pacific Debut

I'm not going to die on this hill but it's the off-season (yes despite the Reds capping players this weekend it is in fact the off-season) so I thought I'd dive into it because I find it odd personally. More so the fact that we've got these Wild Knights games happening and one is capped and one isn't which I really don't likey.

Unless that's for a very unique trivia question I'm not sure it's worth knowing.

 

[Red Runner]

I think it should be pretty clear that if the game is being played outside of a sanctioned competition, you don't get a cap.

That seems ludicrous and ignores 100 years plus of QLD Rugby history.

 

[Red Runner]

I'd be interested to know how many current Wallabies got their first 'cap' playing in a game which wasn't part of a Super Rugby competition.

I don't previously recall seeing double ** like we've had in recent seasons where it reads like:

Reds Caps - 1
** Super Rugby Pacific Debut

I'm not going to die on this hill but it's the off-season (yes despite the Reds capping players this weekend it is in fact the off-season) so I thought I'd dive into it because I find it odd personally. More so the fact that we've got these Wild Knights games happening and one is capped and one isn't which I really don't likey.

because no one except the Reds recently have really done much out of Super Rugby competition.