Reds 2013

[TOCC]

A piece on Ed O'Donoghue in the news... Not too much detail, in a nutshell it reads that if he is called into the squad he will fill the marquee position because of his Ireland Test Cap's....

My favourite piece:

O'Donoghue urged the Reds on to their 2011 title triumph when regularly watching them on early morning TV in Ireland.​

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"I rode their coattails a bit. Everyone thought I was twice as good as I was because I had played for the Reds,'' O'Donoghue quipped.​

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http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...land-reds-import/story-fn8t7efs-1226562166521

 

[wamberal]

Two Ah Wongs don't make an Ah Right Winger.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

I think that the question of who plays where in the backrow will be decided by the lineout. All though higginbotham was a damaging runner i think we will miss his lineout prowess more hence whatever selection link makes will be based on how best cover this fact.......... unless he plans on starting AWH regularly then all bets are off

 

[USARugger]

I'm hesitant about Beau ever making the 6 jersey his from a size perspective alone. He's significantly smaller (height and weight) than all of the other contenders for 6. I can't really see him doing much else but making sure Gill fights for the 7 jersey at the moment.

 

[Jets]

Apparently ticket sales for the trial games aren't great. I would have thought the game on the Sunny Coast between the Super Champs of the last 2 years would be something people would be keen to get to. Quade fighting on the same night might be keeping people away though. Also I think they made a mistake with the pricing for these games. Should have cut the price a bit and focused on families.

 

[redstragic]

It was

Apparently ticket sales for the trial games aren't great. I would have thought the game on the Sunny Coast between the Super Champs of the last 2 years would be something people would be keen to get to. Quade fighting on the same night might be keeping people away though. Also I think they made a mistake with the pricing for these games. Should have cut the price a bit and focused on families.

It was only a couple of years ago that you saw the trials for free if you had season tickets. Now it is like $50 a seat and $70 for a family to sit on the grass. Crazy and even a little greedy, unless all the ticket sales are going into the local rugby communities.

 

[RugbyReg]

which is what is happening RT. Regions tendered for the trials and they cover the costs and keep the profits. Jets's comments aren't accurate. The Downs Trial is tracking very well, and should get a very good crowd. Sunny Coast is slower, however they anticipated that as the Sunny Coast is in shut down holiday mode until after the Aussie Day weekend.

 

[Jets]

Just going off what I was told this week Reg.

 

[TOCC]

I read somewhere that 2500 tickets have been sold for Toowoomba, reasonable so far, id expect a big walkup, last time they played In Toowoomba I was at the game and the crowd was barely over 3000...

 

[MrTimms]

Team announced. Ant captain.

Tuesday 29 January, 2013

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Anthony Fainga'a to captain strong Reds trial team in Toowoomba​

St.George Queensland Reds centre Anthony Fainga'a will captain a strong 28-man Reds trial side which boasts 11 capped Wallabies from 2012 in the Reds opening hit-out of the year against the Blues in a trial match in Toowoomba on Saturday.

Tickets for the encounter at the Toowoomba Sports Ground can be purchased through Ticketek here with Fainga'a to lead the talented group into action for the first time in 2013.

The squad has a solid green and gold feel to it with 11 players selected in the match having featured in last year’s Wallaby Test campaign, which included matches during the June Test window, Rugby Championship and end-of-season Spring Tour.

Headlined by mercurial playmaker Quade Cooper, the Reds starting backline is full of experience with Cooper linking with Ben Lucas in the playmaking roles; Fainga'a and Ben Tapuai in the centres; Luke Morahan and Digby Ioane on the wings; and goal-kicking ace Mike Harris at fullback.

The Reds will commence the match with Radike Samo, Eddie Quirk and rookie Nigel Ah Wong in the backrow; Adam Wallace-Harrison and Blake Enever in the second-row; and James Hanson, Jono Owen and Albert Anae in the front-row.

There will also be plenty of additional impact at the disposal of Director of Coaching Ewen McKenzie with 2012 Wallabies Saia Fainga'a, Liam Gill and James Slipper to be injected into the match from the bench.

“Irrespective of if it’s a trial game or a Super Rugby encounter, we have created a mentality here at the Reds that every time you pull on the jersey you want to walk off the field with the scoreboard in your favour. That’s the approach we will be taking into Saturday night,” McKenzie said.

“There is always a delicate balance in choosing a trial team and it’s important we get our selections right. The inclusion of so many Wallabies is about being sure we are ready to play the Brumbies in round one.

“We’ve only got two trials before our opening Super Rugby game and we need to get the most out of them. Our Wallabies will help us do this but there is talent across the board that we will want to see in action.

“Every year there is any number of young players that use these trial games to push their case for selection and by the end of the season become established household names.

“All our guys have been putting in a tremendous amount of hard work during the preseason and you can really sense their excitement to now go out and play. There is plenty to look forward to in Toowoomba on Saturday night.”

Purchase tickets for Reds v Blues in Toowoomba: http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=REDSBLUE13

St.George Queensland Reds Trial Team v Blues in Toowoomba on Saturday 2 February

1. Albert Anae
2. James Hanson
3. Jono Owen
4. Blake Enever
5. Adam Wallace-Harrison(vc)
6. Nigel Ah Wong
7. Eddie Quirk
8. Radike Samo
9. Ben Lucas
10. Quade Cooper
11. Digby Ioane
12. Ben Tapuai
13. Anthony Fainga'a (c)
14. Luke Morahan
15. Mike Harris

Replacements
Curtis Browning, Jarrad Butler, Rod Davies, Saia Fainga'a, Nick Frisby, Liam Gill, Greg Holmes, Jono Lance, Tom Murday, UJ Seuteni, James Slipper, Rex Tapuai, Aidan Toua

ENDS

 

[emuarse]

I see a number of the EPS are in the 28 selection - interesting way to start the year.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

jarrad butler must be down the pecking order now oi woudl think surely browning and ah wong are ahead of him

 

[Jets]

Good to see Murday and Rex Tapuai getting a run from the Reds College.

I quite like that team for the first hit out of the year. Quirk at 7 will be interesting. Link seems determined to play him there.

 

[Hawko]

Good to see Murday and Rex Tapuai getting a run from the Reds College.

I quite like that team for the first hit out of the year. Quirk at 7 will be interesting. Link seems determined to play him there.

Probably now looking for back-up for Gill since Robinson is out for the early rounds.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Good to see Murday and Rex Tapuai getting a run from the Reds College.

I quite like that team for the first hit out of the year. Quirk at 7 will be interesting. Link seems determined to play him there.

the least openside-esque flanker the reds have on the books. It just doesnt suit his game.

 

[Jets]

Yeah that's a good point. I thought Butler might be a chance of taking that role but Quirk can probably cover a couple of positions on the bench and has played there before.

 

[BDA]

Didn't know Rex Tapuai was even in the fold. I thought he was playing abroad.

 

[Jets]

He's been playing at Sunnybank the last few years and has been going well.

 

[tigerland12]

Is Shatzie and Shipperely injured? I'm assuming they are only niggles because no news has come out about them.

 

[Jets]

Shipperley had a hand injury last year and Schatz had shoulder surgery from memory. Maybe they aren't at 100% just yet.