the Reds were famous for giving caps out for any time one of their players wore a reddish strip. Thus the high number of centurions. They've tightened it up of late and yes, this game would not be capped.
Reds 2018
- Thread starter The torpedo
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the Reds were famous for giving caps out for any time one of their players wore a reddish strip. Thus the high number of centurions. They've tightened it up of late and yes, this game would not be capped.
I'm with TOCC. There have been reports for a while now that BPA is the preferred starter. Ready is fit apparently so the only reason for him not starting is that he's not a likely starter for next week. Remember he was one of the players under scrutiny last year with Frisby. CFS best Super Rugby form of late have been on the left wing. I'd still prefer Filipo but it totally wouldn't surprise me if he was starting winger. Tate and Moses aren't both in the 23. Sorovi is. McDermott is 27.
T
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Mafi was playing better rugby then Ready at the end of last year in Super Rugby, and Mafi has runs on the board with Thorn at NRC level having played a key role in QLD Country. I agree its a close call between them but I don't think Ready has jumped Mafi based on the Tens. The big shift at hooker has being BPA who I think has jumped into the lead role.
Lance vs Stewart as starting fly-half will be a battle to have for quite a number of games, it could go either way and I think this trial will go a long way to deciding that.
CFS has played on the wing plenty of times, and whilst its another 50/50 call I think Daugunu is another who is better served being eased into Super Rugby. He made a few erratic decisions during Tens, I think he might still be adjusting to the step up.
Its a 28 man squad, it looks as though Thorn has selected his 23, and then added an extra 5 players onto the bench. In which case McDermott and Sorovi won't both be on the bench.
Zero_Cool
Arch Winning (36)
Yeah, I'm retarded... I didn't actually look at the numbers after the XV just the names. I did think 'oh it's brilliant that he's trialing both McDermott and Sorovi.
Regarding Hooker I agree it's all very tight between the 3 although I think most people agree generally Mafi is the most likely to be considered the weakest. I've seen so many people give every different pecking order for the hooker spot. Having followed QLDC a lot during the NRC I felt like Mafi was a very 'good not great' player. He won't do much wrong, but isn't really outstanding in anyway. I think he's actually a really really nice bench player in that regard. I do find it funny how the line between being in the Wallabies Squad and not starting Super is so marginal. Ready has been playing as well as he has ever been (although training is potentially another matter I've not seen any indication of anything either way, and I feel like the issues last year were more to do with Moore and/or Stiles that are now nonfactors).
And almost like it was planned, McGahan confirms this is very much a *trial* team. http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/02/14/reds-warriors-trial-mcgahan
duckbill
Sydney Middleton (9)
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opini...per-is-a-victim-of-rugbys-safetyfirst-culture
Interesting points made and I do tend to agree with the comment about the direction rugby is taking... More and more corporate world weasel words finding their way into the game...
Interesting points made and I do tend to agree with the comment about the direction rugby is taking... More and more corporate world weasel words finding their way into the game...
Zero_Cool
Arch Winning (36)
Well I think there are a few vulnerable teams kicking around. Looking at the SA conference the Bulls and Sharks are potential wins, the Jaguars are always a roll of the dice. The Lions have lost Johan Ackermann and now have a rookie head coach in Swys de Bruin who prior to being an assistant with the Lions had only coached juniors, so may have regressed. New Zealand will be hard, but the Highlanders apparently are looking slightly vulnerable, all new coaching staff and a very young side (if what I've been told is correct). Other than that the NZ sides are rock solid but maybe playing each other more will help reveal more of their flaws. Of the Aussies sides there are a number of sides that are completely unknown. The Waratahs 'should' be good... but they 'should' be good the last several season. The Rebels have a very good squad but have had even less time together and little deepth. And the Sunwolves should be an easy beat. And as for the Brumbies I think we are going to play a lot like the Brumbies, it is possible we out Brumbies the Brumbies (with their newly promoted coach). Mind you can can see a season where the Sunwolves are the second best team in the Aussie conference, so that should tell you there is almost infinenet margin for error for every team (bar the Brumbies).
Simon.
Bob Loudon (25)
Yep. If recent years are any guide, there will be a false dawn in the first round or two where we come up with a plucky and uncharacteristically skillful win, and then I'll start to do stupid things like organise friends to come to games ("it'll be fun and the Reds are looking okay this season!") and start picking Reds players in my fantasy team. Then they'll choke in a game they were on track to win, a few injuries to key players and then the 50 point floggings by Kiwi teams are in sight.
swingpass
Peter Sullivan (51)
Little depth ! They have played a trial and the 10’s without using any of the starting XV
dru
Tim Horan (67)
Swys has been assistant Coach under Ackermann for 5 years in a planned transition that, according to the reports, has been seamless. Bigger issue is late returns from overseas and needing the young guns to kick off the season. Proof of the pudding yaddayadda, but their trial results back it up as much as that counts. Sharks are looking as solid as they ever have, quietly improving with the core group and coaching completely stable - dark horse in the SA conference. Bulls - meh. Completely in the Reds system of slow speed train crash but at least have an experienced coach.. Very, as in former AB coach. In the Reds we have a potentially capable bloke trying to rest control of the train crash. With the Bulls we have a definitely capable coach trying to rest control of the train crash. Objectively you'd swap for Mitchel without hesitation.
Simon.
Bob Loudon (25)
There are certainly a few vulnerable teams, and there is usually a win or two out of left field too, that nobody expected. Particularly at Suncorp which can still be a fortress, though these days it's probably more due to humidity, travel fatigue and complacency rather than crowd support. Last year we beat the Brumbies and the year before that the Highlanders, both offering odds of around $5 from memory.
The SA teams don't travel well, even the better ones, so they are always a chance of a win in home games. And every team is capable of picking up an unlucky red card, or a few yellows (even if the Reds are more capable of that than most). A few years ago I think it was the Highlanders who got a red card at home in about the 10th minute and got beaten by the Sharks in Dunedin, and they were paying about $11.
So technically any game is winnable. Even the Hurricanes away, though the level of disruption required to win that one is verging on the biblical.
The SA teams don't travel well, even the better ones, so they are always a chance of a win in home games. And every team is capable of picking up an unlucky red card, or a few yellows (even if the Reds are more capable of that than most). A few years ago I think it was the Highlanders who got a red card at home in about the 10th minute and got beaten by the Sharks in Dunedin, and they were paying about $11.
So technically any game is winnable. Even the Hurricanes away, though the level of disruption required to win that one is verging on the biblical.
emuarse
Desmond Connor (43)
Bump
Zero_Cool
Arch Winning (36)
As someone who was going to go to the game, but now can't would love for it to be steamed!
Zero_Cool
Arch Winning (36)
Because actually going to the game is actually kind of fun, and you are supporting local rugby. I would go with friends to the NRC a number of times not for any reason other than to just support the competition.
fincoherent
Frank Row (1)
The Fiji Rugby facebook page reckons there's gonna be a live stream on the Reds website
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