Reds v Lions 7pm Friday 27th Mar

[Intruder]

Mate ATM for me RWC is a long way off and I'm a bit more in State Trubal mode.

I hope he remains in---y free and plays well.

Foley has been good and will be 10 at Wallaby level. I reckon the best Quade can do realistically is get a bench spot. I'd be happy with having him injected in the last 20 - game changer at that point

Go the Reds

Quade should and will hopefully start at 10. Simple there is no depth in that position.
The other injured players will be eased in I'd imagine the Reds are still a big chance to make the wildcard position sitting 9 points off that position.
A string of wins is what is needed and with South Africa coming up. That trip will be vital won't be surprised to see some of those returning players come start via the bench.

 

[Marcelo]

Mate ATM for me RWC is a long way off and I'm a bit more in State Trubal mode.

I hope he remains in---y free and plays well.

Foley has been good and will be 10 at Wallaby level. I reckon the best Quade can do realistically is get a bench spot. I'd be happy with having him injected in the last 20 - game changer at that point

Go the Reds

I disagree, Cooper-To'omua combination is the best opportunity for Wobs to win the WC. In their best performances, obviously. Remember the Spring tour 2013

 

[Fireworks]

I disagree, Cooper-To'omua combination is the best opportunity for Wobs to win the WC. In their best performances, obviously

I wouldn't be so quick to suggest that QC (Quade Cooper) should wear 10 at the WC, before he's even donned a reds jersey this year. BF-To'omua would be my 10-12 combo for now, subject to change, pending how well/consistently QC (Quade Cooper) plays in Super Rugby.

 

[liquor box]

Cooper will either start at the World Cup or not go at all.

Cheika will either be forced to select him after he saves the Reds and gets us to the finals or he wont pick him because he has other options.

I dont think this is necessarily fair but it is the only way I see it panning out.

 

[Braveheart81]

Cooper will either start at the World Cup or not go at all.

Cheika will either be forced to select him after he saves the Reds and gets us to the finals or he wont pick him because he has other options.

I dont think this is necessarily fair but it is the only way I see it panning out.

I don't really see a situation where Cooper isn't in the squad if he's healthy. He's clearly in the top two fly half options.

I think he'll be hard pressed earning the starting spot if both he and Foley are healthy though. He's coming back to a struggling side and faces a much tougher road to showing how well he leads a team around compared to Foley. You'd think that with Foley starting in 2014, Cooper will have to show that he's a better option rather than just a comparable option.

Everyone keeps harking back to the EOYT 2013 where we played some very good rugby with Cooper at 10 and To'omua at 12. I think people also need to remember that those matches were with the previous coach and some different players. I don't think those matches will influence Cheika much, if at all.

The 2014 EOYT would have been considerably more successful if our scrum hadn't been butchered in every test (we conceivably would have won two of the three tests we lost). I doubt our troubles at scrumtime will be pinned on Foley.

Anyway, this is a Reds match thread so I'm looking forward to seeing Cooper back in action. Hopefully the return of him and the other big names will lift the Reds to a win.

 

[Marcelo]

I wouldn't be so quick to suggest that QC (Quade Cooper) should wear 10 at the WC, before he's even donned a reds jersey this year. BF-To'omua would be my 10-12 combo for now, subject to change, pending how well/consistently QC (Quade Cooper) plays in Super Rugby.

Yeah, right now is ok. ATM Lopeti Timani would be my first pick for second row, if the WC starts tomorrow, is just an example, obviously.

I mean, with all the players at their best performances, Cooper-To'omua is my first pick for 10/12.

 

[RugbyReg]

St.George Queensland Reds team to play Lions at Suncorp Stadium
1. James Slipper (C)
2. James Hanson
3. Sam Talakai
4. James Horwill
5. Dave McDuling
6. Adam Thomson
7. Curtis Browning
8. Jake Schatz
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. James O’Connor
12. Anthony Fainga’a
13. Samu Kerevi
14. Chris Kuridrani
15. Lachie Turner

16. Saia Fainga’a
17. Ben Daley
18. Greg Holmes
19. Marco Kotze
20. Michael Gunn (potential debut)
21. Nick Frisby
22. Ben Tapuai
23. Chris Feauai-Sautia

 

[Braveheart81]

Well, that's certainly a much stronger Reds team.

Hopefully they can do the job agaist the Lions and build a bit of confidence.

It's such a different team that they have the chance to draw a line in the sand and put the early season woes behind them if they can produce a good performance.

The Lions are a pretty gritty team but realistically, you couldn't hope for a much better matchup when looking to get your season back on track.

 

[Fireworks]

Anyone know why Beau Robinson was left out? Seems unusual to put Browning at 7. Other than that, quite expected. Though I would've started Kotze and Holmes. It's refreshing to know that Hendrik Tui, Rob Simmons, Karmichael Hunt, Ed O'Donoghue and JJ Tualagi will be in the mix next week.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Anyone know why Beau Robinson was left out? Seems unusual to put Browning at 7. Other than that, quite expected. Though I would've started Kotze and Holmes. It's refreshing to know that Hendrik Tui, Rob Simmons, Karmichael Hunt, Ed O'Donoghue and JJ Tualagi will be in the mix next week.

+Gill.

Starts to look like a much better team. Hopefully they can play like one

 

[daz]

An open letter to the Queensland Reds:

Dear lads,

Be very fucking alert and play for 80. These Lions bite.

Sadly,

The Melbourne Rebels.

 

[No4918]

Much better team but I am still not confident. Going to take a time for it to come together.

Why was Fainga'a benched? Why wasn't the other Fainga'a benched?

 

[Braveheart81]

Why was Fainga'a benched? Why wasn't the other Fainga'a benched?

Richard Graham is still learning the names.

 

[TheBigDog]

Only selections I'm not a fan of are McDuling and Schatz. McDuling hasn't been able to bring his NRC form up to the next level and Schatz has been his usual self all season, providing nothing special.

Would have preferred to see them start a specialist 7 in Gunn and move Browning to 8.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ I think it is a message to Shatz to lift his game.

If he isn't performing, he'll be hooked early with Browning to 8 and Gunn to 7.

Good to see Michael Gunn get a gig on the pine, and I reckon the young bloke will get a fair amount of game time.

 

[RugbyReg]

15. Andries Coetzee
14. Ruan Combrinck
13. Lionel Mapoe
12. Harold Vorster
11. Sampie Mastriet
10. Elton Jantjies
9. Ross Cronje
8. Warren Whiteley (c)
7. Warwick Tecklenburg
6. Derick Minnie
5. Franco Mostert
4. Robert Kruger
3. Ruan Dreyer
2. Robbie Coetzee
1. Schalk van der Merwe

16. Armand van der Merwe
17. Jacques van Rooyen
18. Julian Redelinghuys
19. Martin Muller
20. Jaco Kriel
21. Faf de Klerk
22. Marnitz Boshoff
23. Howard Mnisi

 

[liquor box]

I don't really see a situation where Cooper isn't in the squad if he's healthy. He's clearly in the top two fly half options.

.

I am more concerned about the input a rival franchises coach will have in selections. Cooper needs to be so could it would be criminal not to select him.

The Tahs are in a similar position to what the Broncos had when Bennett was previous coach. Bennett had such an influence on who would be selected for QLD that he could assure players coming to his club or currently playing for them that they would be able to get bonuses for rep honors and could accept a lower wage to help with salary cap issues.

The Tahs can structure a good player like Foley's contract to pay a lower wage than other franchises might play and assure him he will play for the Wallabies (deservedly so in my opinion) and this will add a lot of dollars to his overall earnings.

If this was to occur it is very unfair to other franchises.

I think this may have been one of the ways Link managed to keep Cooper once it was obvious he was going to be national coach

 

[Ruggo]

Much better team but I am still not confident. Going to take a time for it to come together.

Why was Fainga'a benched? Why wasn't the other Fainga'a benched?

Well simple rotation explains the first simply with a shortage of match fitness certain players will have a huge work load required and Ant is the most capable of shouldering that. After a long lay off from a shoulder injury Cooper won't have the fitness or the confidence to take on a major load particually in defence. He will be their mostly to give the side some direction in attack where we have badly lacked at 10 this year.

 

[Ruggo]

15. Andries Coetzee
14. Ruan Combrinck
13. Lionel Mapoe
12. Harold Vorster
11. Sampie Mastriet
10. Elton Jantjies
9. Ross Cronje
8. Warren Whiteley (c)
7. Warwick Tecklenburg
6. Derick Minnie
5. Franco Mostert
4. Robert Kruger
3. Ruan Dreyer
2. Robbie Coetzee
1. Schalk van der Merwe

16. Armand van der Merwe
17. Jacques van Rooyen
18. Julian Redelinghuys
19. Martin Muller
20. Jaco Kriel
21. Faf de Klerk
22. Marnitz Boshoff
23. Howard Mnisi

That tells me they are going to have a run and exploit a lack of match fitness. That is what I would be doing if I was their coach.

 

[gel]

The reds have a pretty good side on paper. RG said not to expect much in the way of cohesion (or words to that effect) which is only natural given how little they have all played together recently.

It will be interesting to see how this game pans out - a team of good individuals without a lot of teamwork versus a team of lesser lights (I use the term loosely - there are some good players in the lions team) that has been gelling pretty nicely.