2011 Rnd 1 Reds v Force

[TheTruth]

he is captain and was named MOM of one of the trials. I think he's earned his spot.

Absolutely Reg

Played very well in trials and deserves his spot. brings that mongrel to the pack that may be missing a bit in Simmo.

Leroy at eight, I reckon if Higgers on bench

 

[spectator]

If that is the starting back three, then there is a good amount of mongrel there..Quirk is no shrinking violet either. I thought they might have gone with Robinson as a starting 7?

 

[Hawko]

Don't concern yourself with the coaching staff Jets. Graham is a big upgrade from 'Dead Man Walking'. I am not in any way being disparaging of Mitch, the Force created the situation of a neutered coach who had, at least once, selections over-ruled by Mitch Hardy in season 2009. Force should have sacked Mitch or given him his head. Nick Stiles may be untested but Community Rugby Manager Matt Tink has doubled as scrum coach in the last couple of years. And Phil Blake has added some steel to what was at times a woeful defense after doing a great job at Manly and being recruited by the Wallabies. I've noticed a vast improvement in the energy at training (and it's been bloody hot here and unusually humid for much of this year) over the last 2-3years.

That's good news for Oz rugby and bad news for my season tipping competition selections.

 

[Jets]

Don't concern yourself with the coaching staff Jets. Graham is a big upgrade from 'Dead Man Walking'. I am not in any way being disparaging of Mitch, the Force created the situation of a neutered coach who had, at least once, selections over-ruled by Mitch Hardy in season 2009. Force should have sacked Mitch or given him his head. Nick Stiles may be untested but Community Rugby Manager Matt Tink has doubled as scrum coach in the last couple of years. And Phil Blake has added some steel to what was at times a woeful defense after doing a great job at Manly and being recruited by the Wallabies. I've noticed a vast improvement in the energy at training (and it's been bloody hot here and unusually humid for much of this year) over the last 2-3years.

It will be interesting to see how things develop over in the west. On the energy front I think that is quite common when a new coach takes over. Everyone sees it as a chance to impress, even if he has been part of the program for a while. I am hoping that Graham develops his own style now that he is the man in charge and that he gets the most out of the players that he has.

Is Matt Tink doing the scrums this year? I struggle to see the benefit in having Stiles involved if the scrums are not his responsibility. Also the footage from the trial against the Tah's shows that they need to do a lot of work there. I had thought it would have been one of their strong points.

I do like the inclusion of Blake. I was always a big fan of his as a player and he has gone about his coaching career the right way so far, earning every role he has been given. If he sorts out the Force defence then it will keep them in a lot more games and they will be a chance of winning a few.

I just think Sunday will be to soon.

 

[Shiggins]

Sharpe is a certain stater !!! That's going to boost our line-out. Very good news


Go the force!!!!

 

[Nusadan]

From the SMH:

Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper believes it's time for close friend and versatile Test teammate James O'Connor to settle on a specialist backline position.

Reds five-eighth Cooper expects to be marked by O'Connor on Sunday when Queensland kick off their Super Rugby campaign against the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium.

The 20-year-old Force wildcard plays on the wing for the Wallabies but has regularly switched between inside centre, fullback and flyhalf in Super Rugby.
Advertisement: Story continues below

Cooper is a fan of O'Connor's exciting skills and flexibility, but feels it is time to specialise in his fourth season for the Force.

"I think it will be good for him to settle into one (position)," he said today.

"He's still young, he's only 20 and showing his versatility and playing all over the shop has worked wonders for his game and given him good points of view from each position.

"But it's about him choosing which position now and really sticking to it.

"I'm sure whatever position he chooses whether it be wing, fullback, centre or even 10 he'll go really well."

The Reds believe O'Connor will line up at inside centre at Suncorp Stadium with New Zealand recruit Willie Ripia given first crack as primary playmaker at No.10.

Cooper, who will notch his 50-match milestone on Sunday, said the Force needed O'Connor close to the play to spark their attack rather than hanging back at fullback or wing.

"They will really need his ball skills around the ball and his running game," said the 24-Test playmaker.

The Reds will wear a special one-off jersey and also raise flood-relief funds with every point scored in the all-Australian derby.

Rugby clubs across the state were extensively damaged by Queensland's January deluge and the 'cash for points' contribution and jersey auctions will assist with disaster relief efforts.

AAP

Wonder if anyone knows what that jersey would look like?

 

[Shiggins]

http://www.qru.com.au/NewsEvents/NewsArticles/tabid/581/ArticleID/1453/Default.aspx. That's the ily pic I can find

Go the force!!!!

 

[TheTruth]

Wow- the Force have a great back 3 - Reds need to match them there and at breakdown. It will be physical. If so Reds by 20 (and with bonus points).

GO THE REDS

 

[hench]

Ewen McKenzie is not the sort of coach who experiments for fun and selecting the frontline Wallabies lock for two trials at No.6 was calculated to have him ready to tackle Western Force.

Fitting Horwill in at blindside flanker will set off a domino effect in the Reds' pack, which will be formally announced on Thursday for the Super Rugby opener.

Hard-hitting 2010 Test rookie Rob Simmons and lineout leader Van Humphries will be paired as locks, which means the Reds will field three skyscrapers of two metres in the lineout.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
It is the sort of lineout troupe that can really rattle the Force, who revealed on Wednesday that skipper and key lock Nathan Sharpe (hernia) will be fit to play. The Horwill-Simmons-Humphries formation puts the squeeze on the back row, where new Wallabies forward Scott Higginbotham will be the unlucky player to miss out on the run-on side.

Leroy Houston will win the nod to rampage from No.8 while Higginbotham's dynamism will be used for impact from the bench.

Over the 16-game season, Higginbotham, one of 2010's biggest improvers, is certain to have plenty of starting time so it is no knock on his abilities.

The great news is that the Reds can field their top-strength backline of 2010 with all the confidence, poise and improvements they have made.

Fullback Peter Hynes and inside centre Anthony Fainga'a did not play a minute of trial time but both came through Saturday's 100-minute hell session to prove they are ready to roll.

The team scored a Reds record 43 tries last season and that adventure has flowed into their appeal at the box office.

 

[Tangawizi]

Do you work at the QRU Hench? That sounds like pretty solid info.

 

[fatprop]

Ewen McKenzie is not the sort of coach who experiments for fun and selecting the frontline Wallabies lock for two trials at No.6 was calculated to have him ready to tackle Western Force.

Fitting Horwill in at blindside flanker will set off a domino effect in the Reds' pack, which will be formally announced on Thursday for the Super Rugby opener.

Hard-hitting 2010 Test rookie Rob Simmons and lineout leader Van Humphries will be paired as locks, which means the Reds will field three skyscrapers of two metres in the lineout.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
It is the sort of lineout troupe that can really rattle the Force, who revealed on Wednesday that skipper and key lock Nathan Sharpe (hernia) will be fit to play. The Horwill-Simmons-Humphries formation puts the squeeze on the back row, where new Wallabies forward Scott Higginbotham will be the unlucky player to miss out on the run-on side.

Leroy Houston will win the nod to rampage from No.8 while Higginbotham's dynamism will be used for impact from the bench.

Over the 16-game season, Higginbotham, one of 2010's biggest improvers, is certain to have plenty of starting time so it is no knock on his abilities.

The great news is that the Reds can field their top-strength backline of 2010 with all the confidence, poise and improvements they have made.

Fullback Peter Hynes and inside centre Anthony Fainga'a did not play a minute of trial time but both came through Saturday's 100-minute hell session to prove they are ready to roll.

The team scored a Reds record 43 tries last season and that adventure has flowed into their appeal at the box office.

That is not the most mobile pack, who will be 7?

 

[Ash]

You'd think Robinson, and they'd carry Higgonbottham plus someone like Gill or Quirk on the bench. Either way, you'd think that the 7 + remaining bench spot will be between 2 of those 3.

Think I'd rather Horwill + Van/Simmons in the row with another on the bench, but it solves the problem of Higgers playing a little loose combined with Houston not having what you'd call a high work rate.

Looks like he borrowed it from an article, as hinted by the "sidebar" bit.

 

[chequebalance]

QUEENSLAND Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has named his team to play the Western Force in their Super Rugby season-opener at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

Queensland: Peter Hynes, Rod Davies, Will Chambers, Anthony Fainga'a, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Leroy Houston, Ed Quirk, James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Van Humphries, James Slipper, Saia Fainga'a, Ben Daley. Res: James Hanson, Greg Holmes, Scott Higginbotham, Beau Robinson, Ben Lucas, Mike Harris, Aidan Toua.

 

[hench]

Article was on front page of foxsports.

 

[Scotty]

The are obviously not going to try and compete with Pocock at the breakdown, but rather just try and blow the Force clean off the ball.

 

[TOCC]

900kg forward pack and 3 players over 2m

 

[chequebalance]

and Higginbotham off the bench..

 

[Reddy!]

And an athletic freak like Higginbotham to come off the bench after 60mins.

 

[hench]

Don't forget Higginbotham is coming off the bench. :thumb

 

[Reddy!]

Haha yeh I think we have covered Higginbotham now...