← Previous Post
Next Post →

Preview: Reds v. Sharks – It’s Finals Time

Steve Timms July 20, 2012 13

No Gravatar

Another do-or-die match, another Reds video. They are making quite a habit of both, and this habit should serve them well. After the disastrous African tour and the hard welcome back the Force gave them, there has been very little room for anything less than a +1 in the W column for the Reds.

They have shown they are indomitable enough to do the job. Couple that to the fact that this could be the last time we  see Higgers in red before he turns from the form hard-running and dynamic back-rower of Australian rugby into a lightweight seagull avoiding the tough stuff somewhere else.

The obvious change to the Reds team this week is at fly-half with Quade Cooper being suspended for a high tackle on Berrick Barnes in last week’s Templeton Cup match. Fortunately the Reds have honed their skills at replacing 10s so should cope OK.

Spent the week preparing to avoid making a goat of himself (method actor)

Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has announced his team (late, c’mon Link…), and as expected Ben Lucas has been promoted from the bench into the 10 jersey. Unlike earlier in the year, injuries have been kind to the Reds and this is the only change to the team that defeated the Waratahs.

Lucas was the starting 10 when the Reds were leading the Sharks 17-0, before going on to lose by 4, earlier in the season (Lucas and Harris did hamstring injuries within minutes of each other). He was also there playmaking the Reds to victories over the Chiefs and Blues, and when the Reds went down to the Crusaders in the last 10 minutes. I suspect that for all the talk of Cooper appeals, Link would have been hard at work with this lineup so they will be well prepared.

Unlike the Reds, Sharks coach John Plumtree announced his team very early. There are a few changes, some for the better and some for the worse, to the team that beat the Cheetahs last week.

Up front, Willem Alberts gets a start after coming from the bench last week. Alberts, traditionally a back-rower, slips into the lock position. Plumtree is obviously trying to keep the well oiled back row from the weekend intact. They did all get meat pies, after all. Replacing Alberts on the bench is Steven Sykes, back from injury. In the front row, ‘Beast’ Tendai Mtawarira and Bismarck du Plessis join the starting line-up — the Beast back from a bout of gastro and Bismark fresh from a 44-minute run off the bench last week.

In the backs, there are two changes. This is where the news isn’t so good. Frans Steyn is unable to play as he doesn’t qualify for the finals having returned from France late and not getting enough regular season games under his belt. Frans is replaced by Tim Whitehead shifting to inside centre and Paul Jordaan slots in at outside centre. The other blow is Louis Ludik replacing Pat Lambie at fullback; the latter drops out after twingeing the ankle injured against England during the Test window.

The Teams:

Reds: 1. Greg Holmes, 2. Saia Faingaa, 3. James Slipper, 4. Rob Simmons, 5. Adam Wallace-Harrison (vc), 6. Jake Schatz, 7. Liam Gill, 8. Scott Higginbotham, 9. Will Genia (c), 10. Ben Lucas, 11. Digby Ioane, 12. Mike Harris, 13. Anthony Faingaa, 14. Dom Shipperley, 15. Luke Morahan. Reserves: 16. James Hanson, 17. Ben Daley, 18. Radike Samo, 19. Jarrad Butler, 20. Beau Robinson, 21. Nick Frisby, 22. Ben Tapuai.

Sharks: 1. Tendai Mtawarira, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 4. Willem Alberts, 5. Anton Bresler, 6. Keegan Daniel (c), 7. Marcell Coetzee, 8. Ryan Kankowski,  9. Charl McLeod, 10. Frederic Michalak, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 12. Tim Whitehead, 13. Paul Jordaan, 14. JP Pietersen, 15. Louis Ludik.  Reserves: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Steven Sykes, 19. Jacques Botes, 20. Cobus Reinach, 21. Meyer Bosman, 22. Odwa Ndungane.

The Details:

Saturday, 21 July

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia

Kick-off: 1940 AEST, 2140 NZT, 1140SAT, 0940 GMT)

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan

Assistants: Craig Joubert and James Leckie

TMO: Matt Goddard

Tip:

I have looked at it and I have real trouble seeing how the Reds won’t win this one. Obviously the Sharks are a good team and can definitely win this, but I don’t think this Reds team will let it happen. I was heartened to see G&GR’s own supercoach agree in his G&GR Whiteboard post. Unlike Scott, however, I will not be so conservative. Scott tipped the Reds by 10; I am saying Reds by 11, such is my faith.

TAGS » ,
POSTED IN » Northern Provincial Rugby, Queensland Reds, Rugby, Super Rugby
About the author: Steve Timms View all posts by
Steve Timms, He likes watching the odd game of Rugby, occasionally writes about it.. Proud member of the original Mudchooks.

Related »

Tahs Top Brumbies in Derby Thriller

Tahs Top Brumbies in Derby Thriller

Review: Young Rebels Rise Against The Stormers

Review: Young Rebels Rise Against The Stormers

Review: Brain explosion costs Force

Review: Brain explosion costs Force

Preview: Waratahs v Brumbies

Preview: Waratahs v Brumbies

Discussion »

  • Kiap

    “this is potentially the last time we get to see Higgers in Red before he turns from the form hard running and dynamic backrower of Australian rugby to a lightweight seagull avoiding the tough stuff somewhere else. Unless the Reds win, in which case he stays good for at least another week.”

    Lovin’ it.

    Go the Reds.

  • RJ

    Love the optimism boys. If our scrum holds, we will be okay. It rarely dominated teams, but Slipper has got to be noted as a tighthead who can anchor is an not concede the penalty. Holmes is a decent toiler also.

    Faingaa has also put on 6 kilo’s this season, now weighing in at 109.

    Daley is a poor scrummager and it has cost him his starting spot.

    C’mon Reds.

  • johnny-boy

    Cooper actually did quite a few flakey things last week trying to push the envelope a bit too far in search of the four try bonus point. Lucas will settle that down a bit and the Reds should be a bit more clinical. They’ll need to be. The more time Lucas has in the game the better he’ll get. He should be firing in the second half of the second half. Hoping it’s a really fast paced game. The Reds can be hard to keep up with for 80.

  • Jay-c

    I wouldn’t be surprised to see the sharks pull a move:
    1- Get inside reds 22
    2- knock on
    3- scrum for tighthead
    4- scrum till collapse
    5- scrum till penalty try
    6- repeat

    • Westo

      I hear what your saying but that strategy won’t be enough and I n ow h know that because your educated.

      However, I have watched the Sharks a fair bit over the last months an they love to play hard in the collision and I should not have to explain why. I reckon they will mix it right up especially with the form of Peterson.

      Either way I am exciting and will be watching from my hotel room in Liverpool England. Bring it.

  • Skyblue

    From the rest of australia..go the sharks

    • jay-c

      from sydney nsw
      GO THE REDS! GO AUSTRALIA!~

  • Skyblue

    From the rest of us in australia..go the sharks

    • RJ

      Just wanted to remind you of last week. those tahs are Pa-thetic

  • Robson

    Interestingly both Craig Dowd and Kevin Putt on “Deaker” the other night picked the Reds to win this one. Deaker had to be different so he was giving it to the Sharks. The hightened confidence around here is a bit nerve wracking, but on the face of things it’s probably well placed. It’s just that I’m not emotionally well placed to immerse myself in it yet. Maybe after eighty minutes of play tonight I will. Gulp …. hope so.

  • Bobby

    Did Steyn get suspended for that tackle on the weekend also? If he didn’t then we have every right to be filthy about the system because that tackle was far worse than Digby’s.

    • http://www.mudchooks.com Steve Timms

      No, Steyn didn’t. Steyn is only not playing because he didn’t play enough regular season matches before the finals. He can’t play for them again this year.

  • bill

    well played Jonathan Kaplan, you were a change champion, the players didn’t embarass you.(that’s irony in case you didn’t notice it).

    well done Reds. well done Sharks, you can’t controll the ref. Yeah the ref gave the reds a few freebies during the middle part but it was kind of interesting where he gave stuff up.

    Genia will go down as the best half in the world this century, he’s still got a bit of improvement, but he’s already there if he’s looking for it.

    Congrats to the reds fans who bought tickets. great return for the situation this year, far better than expected, Reds, the public have shown faith in you, show faith in them in the preseason.

Close