Qld Country - official NRC thread

[Gillys_ghost]

a crack at the best XV taking into consideration that Holmes, Slipper and Simmo wont play much, if at all

1. Faagase (pretty sure hes a tighthead tho)
2. Fainga'a
3. Tupou
4. Tui
5. Arnold
6. Qurik
7. Turner
8. Fakaosilea
9. Tuttle
10. Greene
11. F'Sautia
12. Paia'aua
13. Fainga'a
14. Van Der Walt
15. Taulagi

i really like that back 3 of F'Sautia, Van der Walt, and Taulagi

 

[RugbyReg]

a crack at the best XV taking into consideration that Holmes, Slipper and Simmo wont play much, if at all

1. Faagase (pretty sure hes a tighthead tho)
2. Fainga'a
3. Tupou
4. Tui
5. Arnold
6. Qurik
7. Turner
8. Fakaosilea
9. Tuttle
10. Greene
11. F'Sautia
12. Paia'aua
13. Fainga'a
14. Van Der Walt
15. Taulagi

i really like that back 3 of F'Sautia, Van der Walt, and Taulagi

I'd probably start with Hirsimaki at LHP and Sef at THP. Hirsimaki was fantastic for Country last year.

Also wouldn't mind keep CFS closer to the action at 13 given his awesome QPR form, with Magney on the wing

 

[Gillys_ghost]

with Fainga'a at 12?

 

[Brumby Runner]

I presume Richard Arnold is Rory's brother. Anyone confirm, and is he as big?

Will be great to see Stephan van der Walt get a go. IMO should have been used a bit more by the Brumbies. Not sure why he wasn't.

 

[Red Galloper]

I presume Richard Arnold is Rory's brother. Anyone confirm, and is he as big?

Will be great to see Stephan van der Walt get a go. IMO should have been used a bit more by the Brumbies. Not sure why he wasn't.

Rory and Richard are twins. However Richard played most of the year in Reserve Grade along with Taumata which is a bit of a slap in the face for the south players who missed out on selection.

 

[TOCC]

Richard possesses the unique physical trait of gigantism though, yeah I'm a Souths fan but 2m locks aren't too common in Australian rugby.


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[kiap]

Yep. Two comma zero eight metres (as the saffas put it) is even rarer.

Sometimes it's worth taking a punt on potential, based on his twin bro. Get him in there and training up.

 

[Red Galloper]

Thats the kind of attitude that is killing the Reds atm. Choosing guys who havent earned theyre spot but because they have "potential" or they are related to someone who is good. I would take a guy who has performed all year at premier grade over someone who is a fringe premier level player but is cousins with the brother of someones mother.

 

[RugbyReg]

No one has suggested, or is mad enough to suggest, he has been picked because of who is twin is.

Except you that is.

 

[kiap]

I would take a guy who has performed all year at premier grade over someone who is a fringe premier level player but is cousins with the brother of someones mother.

Fair call.

If Ned Flanders hadn't plucked Philip Kearns out of reserve grade clubbies into the Wallabies back in the day, I wouldn't have had to listen to those voiceovers on the spidercam tonight.

Dwyer should have ignored the Kearns extended family ties.

If it wasn't for those damn meddling kids!

 

[Bairdy]

and here's the QLD Country team:

RADIKE!!!!

Haydn Hirsimaki* Sunnybank
Sef Fa’agase Reds/University of Queensland
Taniela Tupou Reds/Brothers
Greg Holmes Reds/
Sunnybank
Andrew Parker* Townsville Brothers
James Slipper* Reds/Bond University
(Wallabies Allocation)
Saia Fainga’a* Reds/GPS
(Wallabies Allocation)
Alex Mafi Reds/Bond University
Tonga Ma’afu* University of Queensland
Campbell Wakely* University of Queensland
Lukhan Tui Reds
Richie Arnold Bond University
Phil Potgieter University of Queensland
Cameron Bracewell* Bond University
Rob Simmons* Sunnybank
(Wallabies Allocation)
Jack Cornelson University of Queensland
James Turner* Souths
Conor Mitchell University of Queensland
Ed Quirk Reds/Easts
Radike Samo GPS
Lolo Fakaosilea* Reds/
Sunnybank
Scott Gale* Reds/University of Queensland
James Tuttle* Reds/GPS
Harry Nucifora Bond University
Sam Greene Reds/Brothers
Dion Taumata Bond University
Duncan Paia’aua* Reds/GPS
Matt Gordon Easts
Izaia Perese Easts
Anthony Fainga’a* Reds
Jamie-Jerry Taulagi* Reds/University of Queensland
Tom Banks Reds/University of Queensland
Chris Feauai-Sautia Reds/Souths
Stephen Van Der Walt Souths
Elliot Hagen Easts
Campbell Magnay* Reds/GPS

A lot of promising talent in that squad. Seems to be an array of young options at prop, scrumhalf and flyhalf for QLD as a whole when you consider Brisbane City's squad as well.

 

[tigerland12]

Rory and Richard are twins. However Richard played most of the year in Reserve Grade along with Taumata which is a bit of a slap in the face for the south players who missed out on selection.

Agreed, I think this is a joke. How do two reserve players get selected?

Surely there was better options.

 

[TOCC]

People need to ask themselves, is the NRC purely a representative competition or is it also a development tool..

How many 200cm tall locks are there in the QPR?


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[tigerland12]

People need to ask themselves, is the NRC purely a representative competition or is it also a development tool..

How many 200cm tall locks are there in the QPR?


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If we are talking development, why wasn't Izak Rhodda selected? Reds contracted as an obvious development player. Big unit second rower.

Taumata is a shocker of a selection. I rated him a few years back at Sunnybank, but how can he get selected after a year of unable to break into a mid-table Bond Uni?

 

[kiap]

If we are talking development, why wasn't Izak Rhodda selected? Reds contracted as an obvious development player. Big unit second rower.

Because how old is Rhodda - still 18? (eligible for next year's U20s)?

He is contracted for the Reds Under-20s program. That path is open. Rhodda should be working hard on it.

 

[TOCC]

Article on Tongan Thor playing for QLD Country


"Moving forward, gee I'm excited about him," Stiles told NZ Newswire.

"You can really get sucked into looking at him physically and forgetting he's a 19-year-old kid.


"You see his raw power, I've just never seen anything like it.

"How he can scrummage now - well, it's not where I want it to be, but still as good as I've seen in a 19-year-old kid.


Queensland Country coach Jason Gilmore admitted Tupou's powerful running game was well suited to the NRC's rule variations which promote attacking rugby.

But he warned he would be judged on the improvement of his set piece.

"He can run the ball all day but he's got to be able to scrum and do his work in the lineout as well," Gilmore said.

"His first focus point has to be the set piece and then off the back of that comes his carry and dynamic impact."

NZN



Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/sport/tongan...lian-provincial-side-2015080716#ixzz3iNe0MuFJ


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[TOCC]

From TheSundayMail

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[something]

i'd be looking at
9. Gale / Tuttle
10. Greene
11. Magnay
12. Fainga'a
13. CFS
14. Van DW
15. JJT

Pretty damn decent backline.

greene should also combine with thor well as well, they had a good lil combo at bros

 

[RugbyReg]

agreed, reckons it is very good.

Not up with Brisbane City nor the Vikings, perhaps not Melbourne. Probably similar, perhaps a little better, to NSW Country which has some potential.


And with a pack perhaps something like:

8 Loko F
7 Conor Mitchell
6 Quirk
5 Bracewell
4 Tui
3 Faagase
2 Fainga'a (I don't expect him to be our 3rd RWC hooker?)
1 Hirsimaki

 

[TOCC]

i'd be looking at
9. Gale / Tuttle
10. Greene
11. Magnay
12. Fainga'a
13. CFS
14. Van DW
15. JJT

Pretty damn decent backline.

greene should also combine with thor well as well, they had a good lil combo at bros

Jeez there are some big boppers in the backline, Van DW and Magnay are both giants and CFS brings some explosiveness to the backline.