Rd 8: Reds v Stormers Friday 5th April

[The torpedo]

Key game. Stormers sitting 1 win ahead in 9th. Take this and we can set up a decent launch into the SA tour (and for the rest of the season).

Thor back into THP?

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Every forward pass the stormfront throw should be a drink. I think they get coached to throw line balls and dare the officials to call them back cos it seems like its every 3rd pass they throw. It was nuts last week.

Smash em in the forwards. In typical bully boy fashion they showed last week that if you attack and neuter their supposed strength, they got nothing else. Bruno Elizabeth is a paper tiger. Du Toit will fucken shell it.​

 

[The Nomad]

Think Will Genia was following the same line of thinking.

 

[Adam84]

No ASY (Angus Scott-Young), no Timu, and CFS is 50/50

 

[RugbyReg]

1. JP Smith – GPS
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa – Sunnybank
3. Ruan Smith – GPS
4. Izack Rodda – Easts
5. Harry Hockings – University of Queensland
6. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – Souths
7. Liam Wright – Easts
8. Scott Higginbotham – Wests
9. Tate McDermott – University of Queensland
10. Bryce Hegarty – GPS
11. Jack Hardy – Easts*
12. Samu Kerevi (c) – Souths
13. Sefa Naivalu – Norths
14. Filipo Daugunu – Wests
15. Hamish Stewart – Bond University

16. Alex Mafi – Bond University
17. Harry Hoopert – Brothers
18. Taniela Tupou – Brothers
19. Angus Blyth – Bond University
20. Fraser McReight – Brothers
21. Moses Sorovi – Wests
22. Duncan Paia’aua – Norths
23. Isaac Lucas – Sunnybank

 

[RugbyReg]

CFS 0/100

BPA back starting. ASY (Angus Scott-Young) concussed, Kerevi into 12, Sefa at 13 and Hardy starting for the first time.

 

[Jets]

Glad Samu is back at 12, much better spot for him. Sefa hopefully better at 13

 

[fo!!ower]

Tupou being demoted to the bench again is hardly going to help matters if the rumour about him wanting an early release from the Reds is true.

Having said that, something is not right with Tupou at the moment.
I don't think he's been in great form this year and the Smith brothers are playing well so I don't think we don't lose that much with him on the bench rather than starting anyway.

 

[Adam84]

Tupou came back from christmas and the wallabies training camp overweight and lacking fitness, i still dont think he has caught up. Whether he is doing extras to try and make up the difference, which is impacting on his game day performance i dont know.

 

[The Nomad]

Not uncommon for them to come back from Wallabies tours over weight, makes you wonder what they do on them other that run to the buffet.

I know he has been doing a bit of boxing , but you wouldn't think that would be a negative.

 

[RugbyReg]

Not uncommon for them to come back from Wallabies tours over weight, makes you wonder what they do on them other that run to the buffet.

I know he has been doing a bit of boxing , but you wouldn't think that would be a negative.

don't think it was the Wallaby tour he came back overweight from.

It was the holiday back home to Tonga.

 

[dillyboy]

^ From his IG he certainly likes to enjoy his days off too....

Not conducive to the Thorn ideal

 

[The Nomad]

Yep Reg, no doubt the trip home added to it , but he was "up" on his numbers coming home from the Spring Tour , as he a couple others were after the June Tests last year, hence my comment.

As Adam84 said though he is doing "extras" , hopefully it will pay off.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Tupou being demoted to the bench again is hardly going to help matters if the rumour about him wanting an early release from the Reds is true.

Having said that, something is not right with Tupou at the moment.
I don't think he's been in great form this year and the Smith brothers are playing well so I don't think we don't lose that much with him on the bench rather than starting anyway.

He is absolutely not in form, and his hands in particular have been atrocious.

Something is not right.

 

[Scoey]

Reds by a metric shit-ton.

 

[Hound]

Reds after the dreadful game last week to rebound with a good win.

 

[Ignoto]

I don't see Taniela's benching as a concern that he's packing up and moving somewhere. He seems settled in Brisbane. I think Taniela is most likely being asked to do more in his fitness side and is facing an issue that all young professional players come across of 'consistency'.

He's just shy of his 23rd Birthday, in his second/third year as professional. He was due for a dip in form because performing at such a high level is considerably difficult to do.

His development plan has demonstrated it's paid off for him so I have faith that with some tinkering on how he approaches games/extra fitness and we'll see a revitalized Thor shortly.

 

[emuarse]

Watching the Stormers play the Blues, they absolutely gave it everything, and then walked away with a loss.
They are now without two of their best players, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit on Friday night.
If the Reds can fire up, they have a good chance of winning this one over the home sick Stormers, who hopefully just want to get the game out of the way & return to S.A.
Reds by 9.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ Stormers not Shorks.

EDIT: agree with Reds by 5-10, tho.

Seven changes incl a whole new front row:

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Justin Phillips, 8 Jaco Coetzee, 7 Kobus van Dyk, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Corne Fourie. Substitutes:16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Michael Kumbirai, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Joshua Stander, 23 SP Marais

 

[PaarlBok]

Stormers with JLdP in 10 AGAIN and Phillips in 9 is destined to be a disaster. The Smith twins will play their best game against their former province.

Reds by 50