upthereds#!
Peter Johnson (47)
Daugunu with a Wallaby top up - thats pretty huge. They only have 20 odd on top ups. Probably presuming that a few in the current crop will depart prior to WC and best to secure people now.
Reds 2020
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
dillyboy
Colin Windon (37)
I know a guy who's just moved to Japan
He's won a Super Rugby title, a tri nations title, had experience with a young developing side & played in 2 World cups....
Finsbury Girl
Trevor Allan (34)
Between Hegarty Lucas Gordon and Stewart I'm happy with our 10 stocks.
I want to see Daugunu step up in D. He looked clueless a fair bit last season. But yes he can be exciting in attack I just see other options working better.
I want to see Daugunu step up in D. He looked clueless a fair bit last season. But yes he can be exciting in attack I just see other options working better.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
They used to be called Players of National Interest(PONI’s), not sure if that was an official acronym but more or less it’s used for top ups on players the wallaby coach thought would be of benefit to the wallabies, now or in the future. There have been a number of examples where it has extended to uncapped players, especially in years when there has been exodus of capped wallabies.
Double Agent
Allen Oxlade (6)
So would it be Scott Johnson making those calls on top-ups at the moment?
Purce
Dave Cowper (27)
Our 10 stocks are fine. Bringing in an experienced 10 would be more for hitting the ground running from round 1 and, more importantly, passing on their knowledge and experience to those younger 10s. I wouldn't want them starting every game, quite the opposite actually. More to help ease the younger guys into super rugby with a bit of confidence.
Even someone like a Barnes or a fringe AB towards the end of their career. Perhaps with a carrot of possible future coaching role or seen as a transitional position for someone want to cut their teeth at coaching.
In any case the reds are in a good position if we are talking about only 1 spot where we would possibly like a marquee player.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Yes at the moment I believe Scott Johnson is the one coordinating all these and will be until Rennie takes over the Wallabies coaching role in June.
This was from an interview with Scott Johnson last month:
“There are only three things that I am about for the next four years,” Johnson began.
“One, secure the talent. Two, get them fit. And three, coach the coaches.”
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
If we were going to sign a 10, it needs to be a top notch 10 IMO and I can’t think of one free, doubt we could afford them and find it extremely unlikely that RA would sign off on it.
We have a talented, but young and inexperienced backline. Hegarty is a solid option and, from all accounts a very positive influence. I can’t see the point in signing another ‘solid option’. They won’t have a material impact on our squad. A top level 10 on the other hand could really fire our backline. But I would assume if that was happening we’d already know about it.
What I do really want to see is a very solid prop added to the stable. We don’t need a starter - I’m confident in Tupou, Smith & Hooper but we need someone who could start in need, make an impact off the bench, provide strong injury cover and/or put the pressure on the other 4 at training. It is very unlikely our 5th prop won’t get plenty of time over the course of the season so
I’d really like to see someone locked in who is more than a development player/promising up-and-comer.
We have a talented, but young and inexperienced backline. Hegarty is a solid option and, from all accounts a very positive influence. I can’t see the point in signing another ‘solid option’. They won’t have a material impact on our squad. A top level 10 on the other hand could really fire our backline. But I would assume if that was happening we’d already know about it.
What I do really want to see is a very solid prop added to the stable. We don’t need a starter - I’m confident in Tupou, Smith & Hooper but we need someone who could start in need, make an impact off the bench, provide strong injury cover and/or put the pressure on the other 4 at training. It is very unlikely our 5th prop won’t get plenty of time over the course of the season so
I’d really like to see someone locked in who is more than a development player/promising up-and-comer.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
So Wallabies are in dire need of a 5/8, there is no clear solution to who that looks like at this stage from across the 4 Super Rugby teams, Is it really in the best interest of Australian Rugby to have a foreign fly-half to take up 1 of the 4 starting fly-half positions at one of the Australian Super Rugby teams?
dru
David Wilson (68)
NO.
But there is a lot of chat ^^^ that our 10 stocks are fine. Honest, right now, hogwash. They might build during the season but we are not in solid shape here and now.
The real issue isn't about bringing in an international, it's about our ability to build 10s. The example here is Stewart, who is a fine rugby player but at the end of 2019 was not a good 10's nat-hole.
Reds are rocking fantastically in most areas, but 10 is to be proven.
TSR
Andrew Slack (58)
No - it’s not.
But the discussion was around whether or not the Reds could/should sign a marquee 10. IMO that ONLY makes sense if they are a top flight 10, not just a solid squad option. I can’t think of an Australian eligible player who fits that criteria at present who may be likely to sign.
upthereds#!
Peter Johnson (47)
We couldn't pick a 10 when we had Foley Lealiifano and Quade, and now we can't pick a 10 because we don't have Foley Lealiifano and Quade.
10 is definitely where RA stuffed up their planning.
10 is definitely where RA stuffed up their planning.
B
Bobby Sands
Guest
Lets take Lucas as an example...
He finished school in 2016 and couldn't have been a more decorated schoolboy 10.
That was only three years ago. In that time he has played for Qld and Aus U20s, some for the Reds and a season of NRC.
For Australia he has played almost exclusively at 15, at the Reds he played both (with aplomb) and finally he played the whole season of NRC at 10. Now him moving around his not a bad thing, he is a talented player who can strike all over. However it doesn't necessarily set him up for success at 10.
I would hope that he is thought of as a 15 primarily at this stage, and given another season to worry about himself while at the same time doing some training at 10 and learning from the others.
Between Hegarty, JOC (James O'Connor), and potentially even Hamish we have no need to throw him in the deep end.
Not that anyone is suggesting that we do that in this instance, but this is what we have done in the past.
I will be very interested in Dave Rennie's approach to developing 10s and how he works with the individual unions specifically around development. From the clips of him, he seems to really be into the theory of rugby - and educating in a class room setting (he was a teacher of course) about what to do in certain scenarios. Will be very interesting how he develops all these young blokes quickly becoming the glue of all the state sides.
Rebels3
Jim Lenehan (48)
I personally don’t think Lucas is a 10 at the professional level. He’s a talent and a half but his best attributes are support play, running into holes, isolating people 1 on 1 and been evasive, all perfect for a 15. Hegarty I think is the safer option at 10.
Lucas is in the DMac role, can play 10 if needed but to utilize his best attributes it should be at 15. I’m not sure if his passing game is what’s needed at 10 at the highest level. He’s a clever passer given time and space to bring outside runners into the game once he’s squared up his opposite, but I have my doubts about him throwing miss passes and drawing the ball out the back against a rush defense on first phase, it’s something I don’t think comes naturally.
Let the boy run and have freedom. He’s our version potentially of DMac let’s not try and do what NZ and the Chiefs did with him to ordinary results last season.
Lucas running into outside channels with Petaia, Daugunu and Speight outside him is where it should be at and then playing a 2nd receiver role when needed from 15.
Lucas is in the DMac role, can play 10 if needed but to utilize his best attributes it should be at 15. I’m not sure if his passing game is what’s needed at 10 at the highest level. He’s a clever passer given time and space to bring outside runners into the game once he’s squared up his opposite, but I have my doubts about him throwing miss passes and drawing the ball out the back against a rush defense on first phase, it’s something I don’t think comes naturally.
Let the boy run and have freedom. He’s our version potentially of DMac let’s not try and do what NZ and the Chiefs did with him to ordinary results last season.
Lucas running into outside channels with Petaia, Daugunu and Speight outside him is where it should be at and then playing a 2nd receiver role when needed from 15.
Finsbury Girl
Trevor Allan (34)
Kid looks better than Berrick Barnes. I don't recall peeps having a whinge about him playing straight out of school.
Hegarty has been around a while he is a solid player who didn't let us down last year. We are 100% fine with 5/8 at the moment.
Hegarty has been around a while he is a solid player who didn't let us down last year. We are 100% fine with 5/8 at the moment.