Search results

Good point re: SA. In fact SA 10s are probably better suited to the current, stolid Reds style. In addition they tend to be quality goalkickers which is another area the Reds have been struggling in.

Well firing okay against the Reds is fine if your next opponent is the Force! I had a bet on the Brumbies to win the championship from before Round 1, on the back of preseason and Cubelli's signing. I cashed it out for surprisingly good odds after the Blues game. Cost me $20, got almost $19...

Brumbies backline fired okay against the Reds, at least in the last 20 minutes. They are okay against poor defence and the Force are similar to the Reds in that they tend to fall apart defensively in the last quarter. I expect the Brumbies backline will do okay and look better than they are.

Maximum points either the Brumbies or Waratahs can get is 44. The four Kiwi teams are on 51, 50, 48 and 48 so no. They had a chance to both make the finals until last week but they both botched it.

ISM is an owner rather than a sponsor but is in it to make money so would have a similar concern for image to what a sponsor does. However I am surprised that Quade is considered a risk now. He's grown up a lot and he was never the worst of the musketeers anyway. Personally if Quade goes to...

"Dunno why, I'd have thought a wet & heavy track suits the 'tahs up-the-guts approach moreso than the Polynesian b-ball Paremoremo jail breaking Bloos." Perhaps - but it surely hasn't escaped your attention that our teams have been somewhat lacking in both handling and kicking skills this...

It's a bizarre decision by the Lions. The bookies have priced them in for 0 points from this game now and while the Jaguares have had a poor season they have looked dangerous at times. Against a second-string Lions they will be out for blood. The Lions are highly likely to lose and if they...

Forecast to be wet and windy. Would have to tip the Blues as favourites in those conditions.

A more accurate representation.

Dales is fit again! It's okay, he's got a whole off-season to get himself right this time when he inevitably comes off injured.

Both those problems (forwards flat-footed and backs telegraphing) IMO ultimately come from slow ball. The forwards can't run onto the ball if it's taking that long to get out of the halfback's hands because they can't time their run. And the backs are forced to stand deep and flat-footed for the...

I was thinking about this yesterday. While we do make a lot of handling errors, one of the reasons for that is because we are regularly carrying the ball for far too many phases. The Kiwi teams do make handling errors too, it's just that you'll rarely actually see them holding the ball for 7+...

Yes there is definitely far too much emphasis on ball security by the Aus teams, and by contrast the Kiwi teams are standing off more in defence except when they stand a good chance of winning a pilfer. The Kiwis don't even have to slow our ball down, we do it ourselves by piling in. Quick ball...

Reds to win off the back of a four-try rampage from Greg Holmes in his last game. With the Rebels suffering so many injuries this is actually a real chance for the Reds. Hopefully McIntyre and CFS are still injured so Duncan P and Kuridrani get starts.

CFS's try against the Hurricanes was certainly a spectacular solo effort. The try against the Blues was a bit lucky, but it just shows what this Reds side can do when they actually work together and use a contestable kicking game. But nobody is denying CFS has the potential, it's the effort...

There's nothing wrong with the individual players in the backline, with a couple of exceptions (McIntyre and CFS for mine). They have issues around handling, kicking and defence, but all of those can be coached. In terms of speed, size, strength, agility and ability they are fine. That's a big...

Average score for Kiwi vs Aussie teams this round is 51-16. And the highest scoring team was the Rebels. Absolutely pathetic. Australian rugby is in crisis.

Even when the Rebels are getting flogged off the park conceding more than a point a minute, they still look more like scoring tries than the Reds do.

Think I remember reading Browning is only on a 1 year contract with Lyon. Also it was not a choice between him and Schatz. Browning jumped, he wasn't pushed. With Houston, Smith and Tui on the books I don't blame him. There's a good chance Schatz will be gone as well.

Agreed. I'll seriously think about walking if MOC is appointed head coach. I will not attend a single game next year. I'm not rewarding this continued failure of leadership and management within the QRU. Both fans and players deserve better. Tonight, I took a Colombian friend to the game. She...