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I’m not sure any of the players knew what to do either.

1. Bell 2. BPA 3. Tupou 4. Neville 5. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) 6. Sinclair 7. McReight 8. Harris 9. McDermott 10. JOC (James O'Connor) 11. Lomani 12. Stewart 13. Paisami 14. Wright 15. Banks

I thought that was a good game. Reds very good - put plenty of pressure and took their chances is attack. Some very good one on one battles. Rebels certainly didn’t lie down. Was a quality game I thought.

I think you are right enough Dru. At the start Thorn still had guys like Moore, Smith & Higgers involved. He has also bought in guys like Speight, the Smith Brothers, Hegarty & O’Connor. Not all Wallabies, but proven Super Rugby players. I think Thorn has always recognised the value of having...

Different friends?

100% agree - and Australian rugby will be in a much better place when we get to the point where we are leaving guys out of the test 23 of this calibre because there are other options which will better fill the role of finisher. All of that said, and at risk of contradicting myself, McReight is...

On the evidence of last night, I’ll assume you right.

Quite possible. Again - that might depend on the quality of the 6s & 8s coming through. McReight & Hooper are both great players and I can see a solid argument for McReight in particular being let lose with 20 to go. But I can probably see more upside in subbing off one of the bigger guys and...

My understanding was the rules say that attackers can’t make contact prior to contact with the defence. I get that it’s pretty impossible in a lineout, but I assume they shouldn’t be able to advance. Having said that Horton should have used arms in the tackle.

Basically, yes. And the problem then is that it becomes subjective. How fast before it’s a fast moving flying wedge.

I didn’t think that the attacking team was allowed to advance in formation in that situation. I thought the ball carrier had to detach and run themselves, at least until they made contact.

However - if you swap LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) & Wood in their places on the bench, it suddenly becomes more realistic. Including Wood in there in any form is pure pie in the sky stuff at this point, but based on the rational that this team was proposed it’s not a bad speculative pick. Certainly I was happy to see...

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed that game - not least because no one wants to watch a group of young guys struggling like he Tahs have been this year and that has been their best game with a number of the young guys prominent. It’s only one game but if the Tahs can keep those sort of performances up...

Slipper is playing 3 because he can and because Harry Lloyd is miles better than the reserve THP. I think Slipper is a better 1 - but then I think he is a much better prop now then he was 3 yrs ago. Admittedly I think injuries took him backwards for a number of years. Ironically I suspect that...

If Bell doesn’t struggle, I’ll be very surprised. I know we always focus on props at scrum time, but the Brumbies back 5, and locks in particular, are miles ahead of the Tahs, and they do make a big difference. In any case Slipper is clearly the number 1 LHP in Australia at the moment IMO...

100% agree a few hardened campaigners are needed, and I think your question around Wayne Bennett’s quote is very valid. Nothing is an absolute and I think Dan McKellar’s comments last year around having realistic expectations around young locks & 10s is very relevant to your point. I think the...

I thought Campbell was excellent in his first year on the wing for the Reds - although I concede I don’t know what his missed tackle stats were. Last year he certainly struggled. It does make me a bit nervous.

They’d improve it significantly - particularly if you threw and experienced THP in there, even if he was your bench player. You would still need a better run with injuries and/or another 4-5 quality squad players across the team to have the Tahs fighting with the top teams.

I will throw the question up - how much do the Tahs wish they still had Rob Simmons. Not physically imposing by any stretch - but every part of his game would bring improvement to the current Tahs team. Edit: although to suggest any one player would make a material difference to the Tahs would...

It’s an interesting argument Shutefan1 - and personally the enjoy reading a different perspective like the one you put up. I have no knowledge of the players you are putting up from Shute Shield - so I am not in a position to question you on the direct comparisons. And I do think some licence...