Reds v Canes. Wellington

[RugbyReg]

Van's back!

QR Reds lock Van Humphries has declared he'll be "100 per cent" ready to take on the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday (kickoff 5.30pm AEST) after recovering from an ankle injury that forced him to miss two games.

Humphries sustained the injury in the final lineout of the Reds’ 19-12 victory over the Bulls a fortnight ago and missed the subsequent games against the Stormers and Brumbies.

His experience and leadership around the paddock were sorely missed in the Brumbies match, where the Reds also lost starting locks Rob Simmons (fractured cheekbone) and Adam Byrnes (knee ligament) in the opening quarter of the match.

With Simmons and Byrnes joining fellow lock and captain James Horwill on the sideline, Humphries' return couldn't have come at a better time.

“It’s coming along well. We’ve had a checklist to tick off over the last couple of days and I’ve passed everything so far,” Humphries said.

“I’ll be 100 percent come Friday.”

Humphries could be packing down alongside late season recruit and former Wallaby Radike Samo if Head Coach Ewen McKenzie elects to include him in the squad to fly out for Wellington tomorrow morning.

“He (Radike) has been training for the past two or three weeks. From what we have done so far, and the way we trained this morning, he was very good,” Humphries said.

“He’s done a lot and he’s a good guy to actually come into the squad at the moment."

Humphries insisted the team had moved on from the disappointment of their 12th straight loss to the Brumbies and were eager to take the field against the Hurricanes.

“It’s sort of a chink to our pride, so the boys are really looking to make up for it,” Humphries said of the 32-12 loss in Canberra.

“(But) we’ve done our analysis…and we’ve generally done well on the short turnaround all year. This should be no different.”

 

[RugbyReg]

Reds haven't lost two games in a row since all the way back in 2009. It'd take some effort to break THAT hoodoo.

 

[Biffo]

Van's back!

C'unts in Wellington, get ready to be rolled. :yay

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Cant wait for Nonu V A.fainga. If fainga can handle nonu he has got to be in consideration for a green and gold jersy.

Match up of the round by far

 

[scrubber]

Scrubber:
Size is a "how long is a piece of string type question". Probably about 110 is a minimum, but an extra 10 kgs of lard doesn't help anyone. Good THPs are usually squatter with fat arses but not always. Carl Hayman did alright and he was 193cm. When Trevor Woodman was coaching at Uni a couple of years ago a similar conversation was occurring. Woodman's opinion was that the only thing that mattered was that to be a good prop you had to be a bigger c*** than the bloke you were packing down against. I took that to mean that attitude was probably more important than size.
Slipper is a good prospect but mainly plays LHP. Holmes is also a LHP and I suspect that is why Link played Kennedy. Link understands that the 2 are not necessarily interchangeable, in fact he has often had both Kennedy and Holmes on the bench this year so that both sides were covered. Kennedy wasn't up to it and Holmes was a bit older and a bit smarter and was able to stabilize things.
I think the Reds will struggle until Weeks returns. It just adds further weight to the theory that the first man is your THP and the 2nd man picked is your reserve THP.

Yeah French props aren't giants, just mean bastards

Someone once said "the higest paid player in French Rugby is the tight head prop and the second higest paid player is the reserve tight head prop" Agree that Weekes is the man of the moment however Reds to to bring on the next generation because he is going to be last weekes news next year (2011)

 

[Reddy!]

I saw what you did there scrubber, nice one

Great news about Van. Much needed leadership.

 

[Scott Allen]

Was just out at Ballymore - Byrnes must be doubtful to play again for the Reds - he didn't look good.

 

[tranquility]

He is definatley out for this game, I thought maybe even the season?

 

[spectator]

Perhaps the biggest injury worry is Daniel Braid. He is doubtful for this weekend isn't he?

 

[scrubber]

Does anyone know squad as of yet - read in paper today that holmes is tight head and think kennedy out

 

[Ruggo]

Perhaps the biggest injury worry is Daniel Braid. He is doubtful for this weekend isn't he?

I heard he is 50/50 and will be given till he last minute to be fit.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Phantom_Prop]

Braid is out, the team is

Queensland Reds: Peter Hynes, Rod Davies, Will Chambers, Anthony Fainga'a, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia (capt); Leroy Houston, Andrew Shaw, Scott Higginbotham, Van Humphries, Radike Samo, Greg Holmes, Saia Fainga'a, Ben Daley. Reserves: Sean Hardman, James Slipper, Ezra Taylor, Jake Schatz, Lei Tomiki, Ben Lucas, Brando Vaaulu.

 

[RugbyReg]

team named.

Shees

Peter Hynes, Rod Davies, Will Chambers, Anthony Fainga'a, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Leroy Houston, Andrew Shaw, Scott Higginbotham, Van Humphries, Radike Samo, Greg Holmes, Saia Fainga'a, Ben Daley. Reserves: Sean Hardman, James Slipper, Ezra Taylor, Jake Schatz, Lei Tomiki, Ben Lucas, Brando Va’aulu.

 

[Newb]

shaw ahead of schatz? dunno about that one.

hoping slipper does well with the time he sees.

 

[Scotty]

Link is rolling the dice with Shaw and Samo. Although Shaw did stand up well to McCaw when he played vs the Saders last year, this year he hasn't shown much at all in the opportunities he has had.

The other changes seem reasonable.

 

[scrubber]

shaw ahead of schatz? dunno about that one.

hoping slipper does well with the time he sees.

Thought the Shawie over Schatzie very very interesting - would love to know the Link thought process behind that one - is Shaw getting that other chance to step up into big time - personally think the young bloke should be kept in QLD - big agressive fellow with a heap of MONGREL Note only one reserve prop (slipper) on bench but deserves his shot - will also be interesting to see what game time he gets but obviously depends on how Daley and Holmes go against those big blokes - am sure they will belt them mercilessly Ha ha but good luck fellas

 

[Moses]

Victor Vito is out for the Canes http://bit.ly/cteJ5N

Flanker Victor Vito has been ruled out of Friday's Rebel Sport Super 14 match against the Reds in Wellington after suffering an injury at training today.

In-form blindside Vito incurred a calf injury which is likely to sideline him for only one week but it means he will miss the crucial match against their fellow-playoff contenders. The Hurricanes are seventh and the Reds fourth, leaving both teams desperate for victory.

Lock Michael Paterson has been shifted to the blindside flank, with Jeremy Thrush promoted from the reserve bench to start alongside Bryn Evans in the second row. Nick Crosswell comes onto the bench.

It is the third change to the Hurricanes starting side who beat the Chiefs 33-27 last Saturday, with the All Black Piri Weepu supplanting Tyson Keats at halfback after spending recent weeks on the reserve bench while prop Jacob Ellison starts on the loosehead side in place of John Schwalger.

All Blacks centre Conrad Smith was named to start but must pass psychometric tests today after suffering multiple head knocks against the Chiefs.

Former captain and No 8 Rodney So'oialo will play his 100th match for the franchise while backs Jason Kawau and Willie Ripia have been bracketed on the reserve bench.

Cory Jane, Tamati Ellison, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Aaron Cruden, Piri Weepu, Rodney So'oialo, Karl Lowe, Michael Paterson, Bryn Evans, Jeremy Thrush, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore (captain), Jacob Ellison.
Reserves: Dane Coles, John Schwalger, Nick Crosswell, Scott Waldrom, Tyson Keats, Jason Kawau/Willie Ripia, David Smith

 

[Ruggo]

Holy Shit, we now have two Wallabies in the pack ha ha.

That team is deffinatly good enough to go and get the job done. Canes are a tough side but I think we are the type of side that can really disrupt them. We have good defensive centres to contain Nonu. I think we have a great chance in attack turnining the big bloke around. Providing we can get good ball, Cooper should be licking his lips at the thought of attacking the channel between Cruden and Nonu.

GO GET THEM YOU MIGHTY REDS :thumb

 

[Reddy!]

Canes by 50.

 

[tranquility]

canes by 50? I don't like the sound of a man jumping ship, doesn't sit well.

Shatz is not a 7, fantastic player with a high work-rate but not a 7. Shaw is a big-bodied very aggressive explosive player who I believe is being given his shot in contract negotiations with Quirk and Gill coming out of the shadows fast. It will also be very interesting to see Lee Tomiki get a go, before the season started I was very excited about the tag team he would have with Braid but he just never happened. I have heard from good reports he just could not keep up with the rugged preseason that Link was serving up. Im very glad Slipper is getting another go, he may be young but he is a dominant scrummager alot more potential than Kennedy for mind.

I'm not sure what is left of Radike's razzle dazzle show, but it will be good to get another hard head in the pack who can solidify the set piece.

Reds to do enough.