4 March 2025
Good morning G&GRs and welcome to Tuesday’s news. Hopefully you had a great weekend and enjoyed the Super Rugby that was on offer. If you want a recap of it, check out BLL’s excellent Monday news here.
Today I’ll cover the Super Rugby Women’s games from the weekend, provide a roundup of news from around the grounds and round it out with the Aussie men’s team of the week.
Super Rugby Women’s
With a five team competition this year in SRW the Reds started with a bye/development game, we get to see the Waratahs host the Drua and the Force host the Brumbies.
Waratahs v Fijian Drua
It was a rematch of last year’s grand final to kick this year’s season. The defending champions, Waratahs, have a changing of the guard with 5 debutantes for the game. It was great to see Emily Chancellor back on the field after missing last year through injury.
Gee, Fiji got got off to the fastest possible start with a try after 10 seconds, that’s right 10 seconds after the Waratahs let the kickoff bounce, Fiji toed the ball through and boom, the outside centre scored. Fiji couldn’t have hoped for a better start to lead 7-0.
Fiji brought a power game in the scrum to go with their loose play, earning a couple of scrum penalties in the first half including one inside 10 minutes that was converted for 10-0.
Despite being from NSW, the Waratahs women are a class team, so it wasn’t long before they stitched some phases together and Friedrichs put Maya Stewart over for another try to the star winger and it was back to 10-5.
Fiji converted another scrum penalty for 13-5 and then manged to score off a lineout through inside centre Naihamu who had plenty of work to do beating three defenders in 10 metres after the Waratahs almost stole the lineout and the ball bounced kindly for Fiji. All of a sudden it’s 20-5 to Fiji at half time.
The Waratahs started the second half with more intent, earning an early penalty and deciding to play on quickly. They also took the opportunity to bring on powerhouse replacement prop Faliki Pohiva who made an impact with strong carries, and after some sustained phases, Bridie O’Gorman picked up a bounce pass and ran 20 metres to score. It’s 20-10 to Fiji and Waratahs are playing with more intent.
Both teams had periods of scrum dominance and both teams looked to run the ball at their opposition. Friedrichs and Stewart have a great combination and Stewart has a real talent for finding space. The replacement Fijian prop, Korovata, saw yellow for a high tackle but the Waratahs weren’t able to immediately capitalise, in fact Fiji were next to score to take a 23-10 lead.
The Waratahs scored through Friedrichs in the final minute and there was a chance for a fairy tale finish after a drop goal conversion brought it back to 23-17, but the Waratahs fumbled the kick off into touch to give Fiji the victory.
A cracking game to start the season, played in hot Sydney conditions with plenty of running, some great individual skills, solid defence and generally improved goal kicking compared to previous years.
Western Force v ACT Brumbies
The Brumbies travelled west to take on the Force in Perth on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The teams met once in 2024 with the Brumbies winning a thriller 38-36 in Canberra. Both teams have everything to play for this year after finishing 3rd and 4th and then being eliminated from the finals.
The Brumbies have a lot of firepower and incumbent Wallaroos, but the Force have built a strong squad for this year with 168 international caps among the match day squad including Ash Masters at number 8.
The Brumbies got on the score board first with a great play down the left hand side featuring Palu making a break, feeding to Dawa, and then back inside centre Paraone to score. A good conversion from Moleka and it’s 7-0.
The Force hit back hard with two very good tries, one in the left corner and then one in the right corner. Ash Masters showed great skills to hold up the pass and put her winger through in the lead up to the second try. Both conversions were successful to take the Force out to 14-7.
Cecilia Smith saw yellow for a high tackle and the Brumbies looked to capitalise. After some sustained pressure including key hit ups by Palu and Tuinakauvadra to get within 2 metres, they went left through the hands for Dawa to score. 14-12 to the Force.
Palu was having a day out with strong runs, including a 40 metre effort through the Force line, but it was the Force who scored next through a penalty to go ahead 17-12.
The Brumbies scored two good tries before half time, both times saw Paraone making a good break and giving the ball to Enyi to score . The Brumbies would take a 26-17 lead into half time. and despite willing attack and defence from both sides it would take 15 minutes for the Force to get enough field position and territory to score. Cecilia Smith made a half break and gave it to flyer Buleki to score another very good try. 26-22 to the Brumbies.
Treherne saw yellow for the Force after 63 minutes and the Brumbies kicked a penalty to stretch the lead to 7 points at 29-22. The Force weren’t done, though, and Treherne got a measure of redemption by scoring in the corner in the 79th minute. A nerveless sideline conversion by replacement back Nicole Ledington saw the Force draw level. There was drama to come with the Brumbies earning a kickable penalty, but Moleka kissed left and the scores finished at 29 all. A great match to watch.
Reds v Penina Pasifika
The Reds Women’s team took on Penina Pasifika in the sun at Ballymore on Saturday afternoon and, despite winning 60-7, were made to work hard for the win. If you head over to the Reds homepage you can read a good summary of the game by the Reds Media Unit here.
The Reds have a tough first up assignment, travelling to Fiji to take on the victorious Drua this weekend.
Some news from around the grounds
Some more changes coming to the Reds backline after the first two weeks with Hunter Paisami suspended and Josh Flook out with a hamstring complaint. Thankfully, Tom Lynagh will be ok to play after initially failing a half time HIA. There isn’t much information available about the availability of Jock Campbell and I’m sure the Reds will be looking forward to getting him back along with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto.
Injury Watch
There are plenty of injured or unavailable players across the Australian teams:
Brumbies
- Feao Fotuaika (ankle/round 4)
- David Feliuai (finger/round 4)
- Tom Hooper (concussion/round 4)
- Noah Lolesio (concussion/round 4-5)
- Rob Valetini (hamstring/TBC)
- Ben O’Donnell (hamstring/TBC)
- Tevita Alatini (ACL/TBC)
- Harry Vella (ACL/TBC)
- Tuaina Taii Tualima (illness/TBC)
NSW Waratahs
- Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (toe)
- Joey Walton (groin)
- Fergus Lee-Warner (foot)
- Lukas Ripley (shoulder)
Western Force
- Harry Johnson-Holmes (knee)
- Bayley Kuenzle (knee)
- Harry Hoopert (knee)
- Kane Koteka (ribs)
- Divad Palu (shoulder)
- Matt Proctor (shoulder)
- Henry Robertson (ribs)
- Papillon Sevele (knee)
- Tiaan Tauakipulu (ribs)
- Sio Tomkinson (head injury protocols)
- Jeremy Williams (head injury protocols)
Queensland Reds
- Jock Campbell
- Matt Gibbon
- Mason Gordon
- Isaac Henry
- Will McCulloch
- Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
- Hunter Paisami
A not so subtle message from Fiji Rugby
The Fiji Drua official instagram handle posted this image after the game against the Waratahs, and after watching Amatosero put a choke hold on a Fiji player in a maul, then Leota’s high tackle see yellow rather than red, they might have a valid point. It’s quite an extraordinary move from the Drua and it’ll be interesting to see if they face any repercussions for it.
G&GR Team of the week – Week 3
I’ll start this section by saying that I have only watched the full replay of the Reds vs Force Game, which was a cracker, and watched the mini games of the other Aussie games. The team this week.
- Angus Bell – might be hard on Pearce from the Force, but Bell was instrumental in a couple of Waratahs tries and made many metres with his carries.
- I don’t know who to pick this week, over to you G&GRs.
- Tom Robertson – both Force starting props carried strongly in their time on the field.
- Darcy Swain – is making a nuisance of himself in defusing opposition lineouts and seemed to have the measure of Faessler in the first half. Though it might have been the sun in Faessler’s eyes.
- Angus Blyth – starting to see the form that saw him get a Wallabies call up last year.
- Seru Uru – strong against the Force with carries, good hands, and great support play.
- Carlo Tizzano – managed to outshine Fraser McRieght this week with two tries and good carries throughout.
- Langi Gleeson – a more complete performance with improved handling and running including a pair of tries. Harry Wilson and Charlie Cale were also good.
- Tate McDermott – outstanding game from Tate, with his running game on full display.
- Tom Lynagh – was the pick of the Aussie 10s before leaving the field with a head knock.
- Filipo Daugunu – a very solid game from Daugunu including scoring the game winning try.
- Foketi – a better game from Foketi playing in his favoured position.
- Josh Flook – two tries to Josh Flook in a winning team, but left the field with a hamstring problem.
- Dylan Pietsch – wore 11 on the weekend, but on the weekend was the best of the wingers after Daugunu.
- Mac Grealy – a solid game from Mac, was involved in good play.
- As with the starting hooker, I couldn’t work out who to pick, so over to the comments section.
- Marley Pearce – was carrying strongly all game.
- Over to you G&GRs,
- Ryan Smith – was good around the ground and his support play for the second Reds try was first class. Pips his locking partner Blyth this week.
- Liam Wright – a welcome return to the field for Liam Wright in a strong performance.
- Nic White – outshone by Tate, but a good game to keep the Force moving forward.
- Hamish Stewart – makes the players around him look good, another good performance .
- Tom Wright – his try saving tackle on McKenzie early in the Chiefs game was excellent and important to keep the Brumbies in the game.
There were a few tight picks this week, I’m keen to see your thoughts in the comments.
Over to you G&GRs.
