Highlanders v Reds Good Friday 29th March

[something]

St.George Queensland Reds team to play the Highlanders
1. Greg Holmes
2. James Hanson
3. James Slipper
4. Rob Simmons
5. James Horwill (c)
6. Eddie Quirk
7. Liam Gill
8. Jake Schatz
9. Will Genia (vc)
10. Quade Cooper
11. Luke Morahan
12. Ben Tapuai
13. Anthony Fainga'a
14. Dom Shipperley
15. Jono Lance
16. Albert Anae
17. Ben Daley
18. Ed O'Donoghue
19. Jarrad Butler
20. Ben Lucas
21. Aidan Toua
22. Rod Davies

 

[something]

Dont you love the reds depth! Diggers, Harris, CFS & Frisby have minor injuries

Davies & Daley's first game for 2013

Toua & Lucas coming off the bench

& new wing combo of ships & moz.

 

[No4918]

That's the Reds best XV minus Ioane.

Harris would be good to have on the bench as the backs look a bit weaker but most of them can cover a couple of positions very adequately. Will not be surprised to see Genia play the 80 to leave Lucas available for other spots. Not sure that Rocket will get a run but it is good to see him fit again.

Reds by 15

 

[something]

no saia but?

 

[Troy]

Doesn't Anae also play #2?

 

[No4918]

Thought it was strange he did not get on against the Bulls.

 

[Brumby Jack]

no saia but?

The Reds will also be without hooker Saia Fainga'a, who is continuing to recover from joint inflammation in his neck;

 

[Sully]

Albert is a great loosehead who can play hooker.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[bloodred]

Reds by15 - good call 4918- Good to see Hanson getting another start, not only because his footy was good but he has done his time on the pine

 

[gel]

Reds by15 - good call 4918- Good to see Hanson getting another start, not only because his footy was good but he has done his time on the pine

Hanson, so hot right now... Hanson

 

[emuarse]

That's a very interesting bench:

Reserves:
16. Albert Anae
17. Ben Daley
18. Ed O'Donoghue
19. Jarrad Butler
20. Ben Lucas
21. Aidan Toua
22. Rod Davies
I hope Rocket Davies gets a run, as also Ben Daley who is a go ahead forward - look at the difference Big Kev made last week. Daley is another player in that mould, just not as big.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Interesting bench.
Anae has gone well at prop but will double up at hooker.
Great to see Daley back. Supposed to be training the house down. He will be very enthusiastic in his return.
feel a bit for big Ed but was always going to happen with Kevie and Simmo.
Lucas hopefully doesn't cop another injury - he really is a wonderful backs bench as can play nearly anywhere.
Aiden - great to get his next chance.
most interesting of all is the Rocket - really thought he was done as the quality and depth out wide is great but gets a shot to impress.

Reds by 15

 

[Tangawizi]

Reds by 15 is perhaps a touch ambitious given the Highlanders came within about 30cm of rolling them at Suncorp last season.

Reds by 1 will do this week and it will be hard to achieve.

 

[qwerty51]

Link will overtake Robbie as the most capped Super Rugby coach at 121 this weekend.

 

[Hawko]

By heavyweights, do you mean one of the 3 teams above us on the ladder? ;-) I say that tongue in cheek because I take your point that we've not been playing the best footy but you said it yourself, it's been effective. I think 'minced' is a bit strong a word. We will struggle against the powerhouse teams but that is because they are the powerhouse teams. Even if we were playing 2011 Reds Rugby we would still struggle against the big teams - that's why they are the big teams.

The Chiefs away are on the schedule after the bye. That's a game where they will have to improve hugely to be competitive. One week later they've got the Brumbies. Those two games could almost define the Reds season.

 

[gel]

I really hope the reds build on last game this week. I don't think it will be easy, since the highlanders will definitely be keen to make amends for what has been a disastrous start this season - and no kiwi side is poor. Ever.

 

[Ruggo]

Some fans just never learn. No easy beats in this competition and when you take opposition lightly you end up with egg on your face. Did we not learn that 2 weeks ago?

On song the Highlanders have a pack that can dominate any other in the comp.
Their Back three is easily just as potent as ours.
Slade is a good enough goal kicker to bury any opposition.
They have a home crowd that is wild in support of their team.

We will need to bring everything including a polished performance if we are to beat these fellas.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Link will overtake Robbie as the most capped Super Rugby coach at 121 this weekend.

Do the games this year count? Link is Director of Rugby for the Reds not coach.

Reds by 15 is perhaps a touch ambitious given the Highlanders came within about 30cm of rolling them at Suncorp last season.

Reds by 1 will do this week and it will be hard to achieve.

The bookies tend to agree with you and on Footytips.com.au the Highlanders are at $1.75 with the Reds at $2.05.

The new indoor thing in Dunedin isn't Carisbrook, and many of the players may not born and bred hard arse Southern NZers, but Otago at home is always a difficult ask for the visitors.

 

[Sully]

Do the games this year count? Link is Director of Rugby for the Reds not coach.

Funny the Director of coaching stands in the same spot as the head coach did last year. And the Director of Coaching is still the forwards coach.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Is his appointment officially the Director of Coaching or Director of Rugby?

I think I may be able to win a few bob in the bar this weekend depending on the answer.