Reds 2015

[Parse]

So when exactly is "the conclusion of the Japanese Top League season"?

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

Cool. Up the opposition penalties by 3 per match.

Good player, but ill disciplined.

 

[Braveheart81]

So when exactly is "the conclusion of the Japanese Top League season"?

The final is normally around mid February.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Cool. Up the opposition penalties by 3 per match.

Good player, but ill disciplined.

Well they are looking for someone to replace higgers after all.

 

[FilthRugby]

Adam Thomson:

50 caps for Otago - ITM
68 caps for Highlanders
29 caps for All Blacks

Recruitment in the off-season has been sensational by the Reds.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Gee, now everyone can agree;

RG is a genius

 

[Troy]

DOWN Scrubber - DOWN!

 

[HJ Nelson]

Thompson sounds like a good signing.
Maybe he was keen to come to the Reds to get away from Radike Samo

 

[p.Tah]

I still marvel at how fast Samo was. I know he was a winger at one point, but he is seriously motoring on his way to that try.

Any way, everyone misses tackles. Thompson is a great signing by the Reds.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Richard Graham has certainly done a great job with recruitment. Got to give him that.

I'm sure Redshappy, Gnostic or somebod will come along and say that everything good is Cordingly and accordingly, only bad can be attributed to Graham but he is surely heavily involved in the process.

 

[Scoey]

some footage to keep you excited.

They know how to do a good pump up video at Reds HQ!

 

[Scoey]

I still marvel at how fast Samo was. I know he was a winger at one point, but he is seriously motoring on his way to that try.

Any way, everyone misses tackles. Thompson is a great signing by the Reds.

Thompson only had one arm also. Had just dislocated it I think or something similar and cam off injured after that try from memory.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Any ideas how they have managed to keep under the salary cap? The guys that have left must have been getting paid pretty well if there's enough money for this recruitment drive

 

[Scoey]

Oh don't worry mate, I've been pitching a tent since dinner.

I know it's a bit old school these days and probably doesn't hold 100% true in Super Rugby but the old adage that if you win the lineout, you win the game, isn't far from the truth. Win all of your own ball and pile the pressure on the oppo's lineout and you'll play most of the footy down the right end of the field anyway.
That lineout but. Man. Here I go again....

 

[Scoey]

Any ideas how they have managed to keep under the salary cap? The guys that have left must have been getting paid pretty well if there's enough money for this recruitment drive

They got this sweet deal hiring out the fields to third parties. Pulling in a heap of cash that way.

Thought that needed doing before the Tahs fans commented.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I know it's a bit old school these days and probably doesn't hold 100% true in Super Rugby but the old adage that if you win the lineout, you win the game, isn't far from the truth.

Unfortunately it was for us this year. We had a great line out and a shithouse win/loss record.

 

[emuarse]

I would have Shatz every time over Browning. GHis workload is immense and the rest of the piggies love playing with him.

Its all up to RG. I have confidence in his selections for 2015. (my personal positivity comment of the day). Also reckon Slipper Simmons Genia Cooper JOC (James O'Connor) and Hunt will be selected on a regular basis

Not 'Big Kev'?

 

[USARugger]

I know it's a bit old school these days and probably doesn't hold 100% true in Super Rugby but the old adage that if you win the lineout, you win the game, isn't far from the truth. Win all of your own ball and pile the pressure on the oppo's lineout and you'll play most of the footy down the right end of the field anyway.
That lineout but. Man. Here I go again..

I've come to the defense of the lineout on these boards many times in the past. To me it's unequivocally the most important of the three set pieces, if not for any other reason than how often they occur during the course of any given match.

I'm hesitant to get too excited about the heaps of first/second-phase tries this team could score off of line outs considering the backs coaching this past year and seeming inability of Graham to show a shred of imagination most of the time.

 

[Scoey]

Unfortunately it was for us this year. We had a great line out and a shithouse win/loss record.

Yep. That's the cold reality. If your team has zero penetration and no idea how to catch/pass, or attack in general then it doesn't matter which end of the field you play; the result will generally be the same.

 

[BDA]

Thompson is a great signing for us! rounds out our Backrow nicely. He may have never quite cemented himself in the All Blacks 23 but he always stood out for the Highlanders. One of those players that was pretty dominant at Super Rugby level.