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Gee - that’s tough. This is where Australian teams really come up short. 2-3 injuries and there is a real gulf to their next best. Any chance there is an experienced prop coming off a season in Japan who can come in on a short term contract?

Also I would rather see them run Daugunu on the wing at this stage. I know his defence needed work, but so does CFS and Daugunu is better in attack IMO.

I’m not convinced on the premise that Kerevi is s better 12 then 13. That seems to be some amalgam of the belief that he could develop into our version of Nonu and that it hides his deficiencies better. I’m not sure on either of those - although I think his catch pass game does have potential...

If the starting team was an indication of the current pecking order I though Paia’aua & Timu look the most likely to cause a change of thinking. Without Paia’aua out there our backline looks very 1 dimensional.

Haha - that’ll do it. I blame the same thing. I didn’t watch all of the trial. From what I watched it was pretty vanilla. Nothing too expansive, some solid play, some clear work ons. From what I saw Paia’aua was the real bright spark in attack - generating some opportunities when not much else...

Cracker of a quarter final going on between Samoa & South Africa. Samoa well on their way to being a consistent competitive force in World 7s under Sir Gordon.

Australia starts off Hamilton 7s with a win over Argentina. Fiji in the same pool looking very strong against Wales - up 33 - 0 at half time.

Maybe it’s not set in stone he is going. Personally if they think he is the best captain in the current squad then I am happy for him to be captain.

I’m not sure we should be looking at a massive turnaround this year, but I feel cautiously optimistic for some reasonable improvement. I feel the core of the squad is improved and the coaching is definitely improved. Depth is still very skinny and injuries will hurt and our halves need to...

For clarity - the rumours I heard predated Brad Thorn. Also, I believe that the Reds S&C coaching staff of the time did resign when Brad was an assistant due to clashes over the workload. Not to say he was right and they were wrong, but as I understand it he was encouraging players do extras.

I’m not okay with it Bobby Sands. Although it is not unusual for a code switched to do an interview talking up the new environment and/or the sections of the media who are aligned with league deriding rugby whenever possible (I do remember Wendell doing at least one such interview). However, I...

Has there been any talk about the Global 10s this year?

Still can’t help but feel disappointed how Hunt’s gig at the Reds panned out. I wish him well at the Tahs (except against us of course). I still think he has potential to get into the Wallabies starting side if he can take his new start and make the most of it. Hegarty is a good addition for...

Haha - you must have enjoyed writing that.

Fair point - but across various forums I read that Salakaia-Loto, Rodda, Higgers, Petaia, Kerevi, the Smith Brothers & I’m pretty certain a few others were definite departures because of toxic culture at the Reds. Some of these comments suggested that these movements were all done deals. I am...

Fuck me that shits me. In my experience, the whole Individual player insurance and the casual player fee that has flowed from it has been an absolute fucking disaster. I have no problem with an RA official grabbing whatever positive news he can - but claiming the casual player fee as being some...

With regards to the player departures, it wasn’t that long ago that people were posting there was going to be mass exodus from the Reds this year. I’m not saying anything printed on here is wrong, but nor am I going to loss sleep on speculation. By the same token, whilst I am happy that there...

I think it depends how they configure the backs. If they play Paia’aua at 12, then he provides the creativity, possibly alongside Toua or Daugunu from 15. If Kerevi plays 12 then I am not sure he will be creative as such, but I think he’ll be expected to improve his passing & offloading to add...

I’m very dubious that Larkham’s credentials ever justified him scoring the gig, but in the current set up I would have assumed he would be 4th in the pecking order to go. It would be interesting to know how Cheika justified that it is Larkham who needs to go while he, Grey & Raiwalui just need...

BR - and that is all well and good. And I do largely agree with your confidence in Naisarani - however equally Froggy’s point is a fair one too. He was down on form early and, at present, he is not a proven world class backrower, merely a very promising prospect. Much like Banks or my personal...