Highlanders v Reds Sat 22nd March 1:35pm AEST

[emuarse]

The Highlanders are having a mixed season to date, with 2 wins & 2 losses.
One loss was to the Waratahs by a point, and a win against the Auckland Blues 29 -21.
Although the Highlanders have the home ground advantage, the Reds, depending on current injuries, have the stronger team.
But this year's Super Pacific competition is proving topsy turvey, so it should be an interesting game.

 

[Sully]

LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) is back for this. Flook was in the coaches box so my guess is he is out. McReight to be rested.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

HIGHLANDERS (1-15): Ethan de Groot, Soane Vikena, Saula Ma'u, TK Howden, Mitch Dunshea, Sean Withy, Veveni Lasaqa, Nikora Broughton, Nathan Hastie, Taine Robinson, Timoci Tavatavanawai (c), Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Tanielu Tele’a, Caleb Tangitau, Finn Hurley

Replacements: Jack Taylor, Josh Bartlett, Sefo Kautai, Fabian Holland, Will Stodart, James Arscott, Ajay Faleafaga, Sam Gilbert

REDS (1-15): Sef Fa'agase, Richie Asiata, Zane Nonggorr, Josh Canham, Angus Blyth, Seru Uru, John Bryant, Harry Wilson (c), Kalani Thomas, Tom Lynagh, Tim Ryan, Hunter Paisami, Filipo Daugunu, Lachie Anderson, Heremaia Murray

Replacements: George Blake, Alex Hodgman, Massimo De Lutiis, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Joe Brial, Louis Werchon, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Dre Pakeho

 

[dillyboy]

Fraser & Tate both rested due to Wallaby standdown protocols? (I know Fraser was injured but Kiss said he wasn't likely to play anyway)

 

[hawko07]

Interesting that G. Blake is the reserve hooker this week. Anyone know the status of Faessler?

 

[Wilson]

Interesting that G. Blake is the reserve hooker this week. Anyone know the status of Faessler?

Both he and Nasser are listed as injured, but no details on what. Also a bit surprising that Fa'agase is clear to play after going off with a head knock in the first few minutes last weekend.

 

[Ignoto]

Interesting to see the Reds went with Zane over JTA (Jeffery Toomaga-Allen). De Groot is a huge lump of a lad come scrum time.

 

[Dctarget]

That's a really long injury list. Don't think it's surmountable. If Reds backline don't click the 'Landers have some terrifyingly good backs that will take them to the cleaners.
Queensland Reds

• Jock Campbell
• Matt Faessler
• Josh Flook
• Matt Gibbon
• Frankie Goldsbrough
• Mason Gordon
• Isaac Henry
• Will McCulloch
• Fraser McReight
• Josh Nasser
• Liam Wright

 

[Dctarget]

Didn't realise that Harry had yet to be captain of the Reds, congrats on that milestone even if it's slightly in the wrong order.

 

[JRugby2]

Tavatavanawai vs Paisami is gonna be a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge battle. Like two freight trains jousting.

Reds by 30

 

[Wilson]

Tavatavanawai vs Paisami is gonna be a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge battle. Like two freight trains jousting.

Reds by 30

Not as direct as it could've been - Tavatavanawai is back on the wing this week

 

[JRugby2]

Not as direct as it could've been - Tavatavanawai is back on the wing this week

damn, anyway hope they still run it straight uce

 

[dru]

Interesting that G. Blake is the reserve hooker this week. Anyone know the status of Faessler?

Hell yes. George sat in at Hooker from the bench during injuries last year. Spoke to him pre-season and he claimed to also back up at prop thinking actually either side. Got to love the enthusiasm of youth. I thought his games at LHP have been pretty good this season and interesting to see him backing up again at hooker.

You can't complain about his flexibility for the squad. Hoping he goes well. While I didn't mind his LHP work I do like him at #2/#16.

FWIW I also like what I've been seeing from Fa'agase - a player who in the past who has had to work hard to meet starting #1.

 

[Adam84]

That's a really long injury list. Don't think it's surmountable. If Reds backline don't click the 'Landers have some terrifyingly good backs that will take them to the cleaners.
Queensland Reds

• Jock Campbell
• Matt Faessler
• Josh Flook
• Matt Gibbon
• Frankie Goldsbrough
• Mason Gordon
• Isaac Henry
• Will McCulloch
• Fraser McReight
• Josh Nasser
• Liam Wright

This has a bit of the Crusaders feel to it..

Faessler, Campbell, Flook, McReight, Wright, McDermott, and Smith are all matchday starters who will be missing this one, 7 all up.

 

[Wilson]

I'd definitely prefer everyone was available, but it's worth noting the 23 who put 31 unanswered points on the highlanders last year (players playing this weekend in bold):

REDS (1-15): Alex Hodgman, Matt Faessler, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Cormac Daly, Ryan Smith, Liam Wright (c), John Bryant, Harry Wilson, Kalani Thomas, Tom Lynagh, Mac Grealy, Hunter Paisami, Jordan Petaia, Suli Vunivalu, Jock Campbell

RESERVES: Josh Nasser, Peni Ravai, Sef Fa'agase, Angus Blyth, Joe Brial, Louis Werchon, Lawson Creighton, Tim Ryan

McReight, McDermott and Flook also missing from that game, along with Uru. Not to mention the additions of Canham, Salakaia-Loto and Daugunu since last year as far as wallabies go.

 

[Dan54]

Be interesting game this one. Highlanders when you look at their squad shouldn't be near other teams. They have only 1 test player, De Groot, with only Fakatava (who's in squad) the only other one. There would be no other super team I can think of that's had such an inexperienced team. I think their average age of whole squad is 22, with 18 of them only playing U20s last year.
Reds should be hot favourites, but as showed against Blues , there no guarantees in this comp. Just maybe the JJ factor along with the Zoo can sway things?

 

[Dctarget]

I'd definitely prefer everyone was available, but it's worth noting the 23 who put 31 unanswered points on the highlanders last year:

McReight, McDermott and Flook also missing from that game, along with Uru. Not to mention the additions of Canham, Salakaia-Loto and Daugunu since last year as far as wallabies go.

That's a really good point. Highlanders team have a lot of the same players too. They've got Tangitau and Hurley in the backs now who are both brilliant. Some changes in the forwards but I'm not sure as to their quality.

 

[Wilson]

That's a really good point. Highlanders team have a lot of the same players too. They've got Tangitau and Hurley in the backs now who are both brilliant. Some changes in the forwards but I'm not sure as to their quality.

Yeah, there are a fair ins and outs for the Highlanders since then too (players playing this weekend in bold):

HIGHLANDERS (1-15): Ethan de Groot, Ricky Jackson, Saula Ma'u, Hugo Pummer, Pari Pari Parkinson, Oliver Haig, Sean Withy, Billy Harmon (c), James Arscott, Cameron Millar, Jona Nareki, Sam Gilbert, Tanielu Tele'a, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Connor Garden-Bachop

RESERVES: Henry Bell, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Rohan Wingham, Will Stodart, Nikora Broughton, Folau Fakatava, Ajay Faleafaga, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

Tangitau and Hurley are great additions to the backs, but they've come at the expense of Nareki and Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens so it's not necesserily an upgrade.

None of this is to say it's a fait accompli or anything - the game is in Dunedin this time, both teams are probably playing better than last year and it's a different phase in the season. That said, we should absolutely be targeting a win here and the team we've put out, they're more than capable of delivering it.

 

[Derpus]

Pretty sure Tavatavanawai weighs more than the whole Reds backline combined.

 

[Micheal]

Helluva shakey start for the Reds but great exit there.