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FT: ACGS 43 TGS 12

Shit, if that's true, we can't keep losing players like Higgers, Diggers, Butler, Samo etc and not have some kind of near-term external recruitment strategy to replace these types of players (Butler in a different category I know). I'd love to see RG's '2014 S15 competitive capability...

Robbie Deans - Rooting for the Wallabies

100% mate. But the omens so far are unfortunately not encouraging. These issues were looming since end 2011, and too little was done in a planning sense to address them looking forward. Do you remember how limp was the Reds' attack - and general game style - in 2012's early season even before...

Fp, it's amusing that you post this media article by Jim Tucker with emblazoned highlights as though it's a revelation of startling new insight or discovery. The Media Says it So it Must be Right. In fact, a number of us hard-core Reds fans have been saying exactly or essentially this (and...

I see two overlapping issues (amongst many others) for Link pre-August 17: 1. How does he rebuild morale and confidence in a core playing group after what I suspect was a crushing experience for the BIL Wallaby squad after Test 3, when the whole series was lost and lost in that match so...

Good on Dagg, says a lot about the man: http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/leave-quade-alone-dagg-tells-kiwi-fans-5515844

I didn't mention RG. Just stated what I consider important facts re outcomes at crucial junctures in this comp when the objective is to achieve excellence in most facets of play in the finals period.

Whatever the merits of your admonition above TOCC, a central fact is that, last night, when sound defensive structures and execution were crucial in a sudden death QF match, the Reds' defence literally fell apart, 4 tries conceded and many occurred via bad Reds defensive lapses, especially in...

I actually think Horwill's spirit was somewhat crushed via the awful Wallabies performance v BIL Test 3. I'm sure it's taken something from him, hopefully temporarily. Very few Wallabies have played well since that fateful night in Sydney; it's not hard to understand why.

This Reds debacle has a clear history, it's been a long time coming. Have a close look at how we lost badly to the Sharks last QF we played, the clues to a mediocre 2013 season were there. The clues to tonight were there, in that our team has not improved in any way like adequately enough since...

IIRC, at least in the eyes of the commentators, in the last encounter in NZ there were legitimately identified ref howlers (was it one B Lawrence in charge?) at scrum (and maybe other) times with, as but one instance, a Cru prop placing his hand to the ground to save the Cru scrum and the AR...

Just BTW: Before EVERY one of the recent Reds v Cru games, the outputs from blogs and pro commentators were all the same: "The wonderful, tough, know-all-about-finals-rugby, great players dominating, overwhelming favourites, Crusaders vs the highly talented but somehow less strong, less...

Re the highlighted part - for the period late 2009 to July 2011, I totally agree! For the subsequent periods - even though we had legitimate major injury explanations in 2012 - not so much. The subtleties of the Reds' leadership language from early 2012 tended to be more inclined to how good...

Bruce, if we look closely at what is happening wrt the Rebels management in general, the large accumulating losses there have as we now know forced the ARU to take over and essentially bankroll the whole fragile enterprise on an open-ended basis. Rebels' crowd levels remain commercially...

Too right Scoey. With team improvements and renovations taking place in many strong S15 teams and, notably, in some that haven't been great but are going to be much better in 2014, the Reds need to act similarly in crucial backs positions where we are resting on ever-more-distant laurels. I...

I like others would ideally like to see some considered alternative players and combos thereof played in the post-BIL 2013 Wallaby back line, not only at 10, but just as much in the centres and at 15. However, nothing of any great substance will become clear until we appoint and gain value...

News Ltd interview with Link today indicated likelihood that WG & JH both ready to play v Cru. AF in some doubt, ditto MH. RD out for at least 3-4 months. Talk of centres as CFS, BT.

Just BTW, I am sure Link et al will be studying the Tahs v Cru game this year. There were many clues in that game as to how to productively compete with the Cru and of course the Tahs nearly won the game. For example, in 1H the Tahs' high-tempo ensemble play with long passages of ball...

IMO, the only 2013 Reds back that we can say have shown more or less consistent intensity, reasonable to good form and game-impacting skill are: Genia, Cooper, Frisby (when playing), Davies. (Shipps, CFS, Morahan, Lucas, Taps, Lance, Harris, A Fainga'a, DI, all borderline or very inconsistent, or...