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Tuned in for a couple of minutes near the end of the Wests/Gungahlin match. Wests were leading 36 - 26 or thereabouts and looked like they had the Eagles' measure over the park. What stood out to me about the Eagles was that a replacement prop, No 17, looked to be the tallest player on the team...

JC, I'd suggest the lower quality of defense in the NRC is somewhat contributed to by the change to the scoring system. Play to the scoring system in place in higher levels of rugby, and it just might meet its objective of readying club players for higher levels of rugby. However, even saying...

Wouldn't mind seeing the "B" teams play as the curtain raiser to the Super Rugby derbies, but retain the NRC at the end of the Super Rugby season for all the reasons it exists today - developing premier grade players to compete at a higher level, talent identification, raising standards generally by mixing next...

You are right KP but it doesn't only apply at schoolboys level. Matt To'omua was the bast defensive No 10 in the country for years and hardly got a look in by any of the national coaches. Had he had an extended time in the Wallabies, he possibly would have still gone o/s to be with Elise but just...

I have a different slant Gel. Read was doing just what he does every game and is very good at; chasing the kick off and either retrieving the ball himself or batting it back to his supports. He did not get to the same height in the air as the jumper though when competing for the ball...

TOCC, This illustrates precisely the most disappointing aspect of the Reds/Brumbies game on the weekend. It's not that the Brumbies lost, but the manner in which they played the game. Who could bemoan the the few sparks of hope shining through in some of the Reds' players, DP, Parese, Rodda...

Talking of old stagers, I wonder if there is any hope of the Brumbies replacing Mann Rea and Abel in the hooker spot next year. Mann Rea does some good things but doesn't seem to use his intelligence when the game gets underway. How many times does he get caught with the ball at the back of a...

Reg, you have just identified one of the turning points in the game. Butler went into the centres and as would be expected was a fish out of water. His defensive nous was about zero, which is fair given that he has probably never even trained in the backline to learn the patterns etc. However...

I would hazard that the reason for not naming the bench has some basis in waiting on a final decision re Lealiifano's fitness to take part.

In reality, that is very hard to see. There are quite a few still young locks who are ahead of him and who will be around the Wallabies for a long while yet. Coleman, Philips, Staniforth, Rodda, Tui, Aholelei, as well as his contemporaries in this year's U20s and Swain. It will be many years...

I'd guess, Abel, Mayhew, Makin, Enever, Butler, Cubelli, Lealiifano, Dargaville. But, might be a bit of a gamble with both Tomas and Christian coming back from injury. Christian might drop out and Cusack brought in to bolster the forwards.

Nice creative bit of tipping there BLR. Force by many.

Yeah - that's right BJ. I'd have preferred Smiler to stay on for another year or two. He had pretty much locked down the No 8 spot this year, and with Fardy's departure could have had the choice of 6 or 8.

Jordie was favoured at 15 during the June tests as I recall over moving Beauden there and starting Cruden at 10. If consistent with selections, that is what will happen.

Was previously with the Brumbies on an extended playing contract. Plays No 8 and had some game time in Super Rugby iirc.

Brumbies have a history of losing games they should win, especially towards the end of a season. Hopefully, they get away with the Reds, but I can't see it by anywhere near 35.

http://www.rugby.com.au/players/harry-hocking In Cheika speak - "You know what I mean?".

But there has been little consideration given to the accidental nature of a collision with the head area during this year. Even the Watson/SBW incident had an element of accidental collision in it as Watson seemed to be ducking into contact under the influence of the other tackler. But that did...

Perhaps there will be more interest in the individual performances than in the result? Is Lance fit and playing? Could he come into Wallabies' contention? Ditto RHP? Will Koroibete outplay Rona or Peni? Is DHP fit and well? How will Lomax go against the Force old stagers in the front row?

I'd suggest with the compressed defensive line, we are more susceptible to the cross field kick/pass than if we stretched out more across the ground and just let the outside man linger a bit back behind the line until the ball is clear of the No 10 spot/Barrett whomever is playing at No 10.