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If you talk of me, that's (sorry) rubbish and backs my last post re your inner spirit here. At no time have I stated that the 'injuries were the sole, or dominant, reason we lost v Sharks'. See my extensive post yesterday listing the Reds' multiple failings in the Sharks game. But of course...

q51, no one here (as of now) has suggested these injuries are 'excuses'. But there can be no doubt whatsoever that these latest injuries and Diggers' likely suspension will have a serious impact upon the winning potential of the Reds in SA (and possibly beyond). You'll no doubt in this context...

Bb, you make many good and thoughtful points on GAGR. But, IMO, you'll undermine their integrity and credibility over time if you increasingly mix them with what appears more like Saffer schadenfreude v an Aussie team, than good constructive analysis.

Agree louie. This is a crucial point. It was open to the Tahs to recruit a top international coach, and drive a cultural and player change program. It's somewhat obvious they actively decided against that course. They then appointed (a) a seriously injured fading star as Captain, then announced...

Apparently no longer so...

You can be sure Lee Grant will have something for us re Rapana. He's played with the Rats: http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/insert-web-head-here46/ And here's a bit re Eyres-Brown: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Eyres-Brown

Kafe's prediction had nothing to do with these injuries, or the general assumption of away game injuries; it was to do with the known absence of QC (Quade Cooper). If a media commentator's theory was that losing prime players at 10 and 12 could lower a team's chances of winning away games, he'd hardly be...

Ah hum. Link is 'hinting that Samo might play on the wing' v Bulls. Dallan Murphy in serious contention as 10, and more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/super-rugby/queensland-reds-winger-digby-ioane-cited-for-foul-play-in-loss-to-the-sharks-in-durban/story-e6frf4qu-1226303037298

If we have all of Diggers, Lucas and Harris out, and Morahan a come-lately turnstile that can be relied upon to leak points if required to make a critical tackle, then Link may need reinforcements tomorrow. The Bulls will have tracked our now consistently poor handling and ball security in 2012...

Needless and poorly executed kicks and stupid grubbers (with either zero gain for the kicking team or excellent gains for the opposition on counter attack from the receipt) are rapidly becoming the bubonic plague of Australian rugby.

I have been very critical of the Force's board, management and coaching as I see them as 'busy getting nowhere' over 6+ years of IMO wasted opportunity. I stand by my overall concerns and observations, but, as Gnostic says above, last night's game plan and its execution was sound as a way of...

Agree completely re yr notes on DM. Excellent 180 degree field vision too, a bit like QC (Quade Cooper), just instantly senses where there's spaces or holes for his backs, left and right of his own position. Re him starting: hmmm....v Bulls in SA....not an easy baptism for a rookie in a crucial position. But I...

Mate, you get me wrong, I am not saying we have 'lost the comp':eek: or even close. I remain positive BUT the heart of improving and gaining more wins than losses is ALWAYS honest self-analysis. I sense somewhere as I did v Force that we have gotten just a treensy bit of 'champions' disease'...

tl12: always like yours and Bowside's work, but a comment or two: - yes, the loss of two 10s had a massive impact on the Reds' game. Not an excuse but a hard fact is that if Lucas had stayed on, he looked great, and the score would have been much closer as he would have made 1 or both of...

Bb, assuming Link would have gone with a 4/3, whom in your opinion is the added Reds back that would have credibly been the savior, and, by your inference above, made all the difference. Your jibe at Link noted (obviously deserved as he's lost a single game), but do you think it's an easy...

Whatever else is happening for the Tahs, crowds at SFS of c 14,000 etc are, if sustained, a very serious financial/business-viability issue for the NSW RU (and indirectly the hand-wringing observers at the ARU). Bruce mentions this above, and we discussed it last year as post-Cheetahs this...

Ruggo, it's Genia's kicks that worry me. They are slowly but surely getting Barnes-like under pressure: too quickly executed when containing possession looks far more prudent, often ill-delivered high and direct to a good opposition player in good space. Then a fired up opposition, loving the...

Too right Biggsy if Harris and Lucas remain out, and not just for the Bulls, the game v Force on the way home will need an able 10! Let's hope for the best on the injury front...but Harris coming off early and after 2 knee operations last year... Dallan Murphy who's in SA is a very talented...

Sharks deserved it, Reds defence, handling, kicking, turnovers, just not good enough. 9 turnovers conceded to what 4 to Sharks, very telling. Yes, terrible misfortune to have lost 2 10s, and no doubt that cost us, but not a good enough excuse given huge lead we blew. Genia looks overconfident...

Opening next 10 without Diggers will probably be our toughest 10 this year looking at how the Sharks are likely to exploit it.