Reds v Cheetahs

[RugbyReg]

Queensland Reds giant Hugh McMeniman is set to make an inspirational return against the Cheetahs at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

The towering forward missed both the Reds' opening Super 14 games in South Africa after being sent home on compassionate leave following news of a serious illness in his family.

It was thought McMeniman may have been out for an extended period to deal with the difficult family crisis but he trained at Ballymore this morning and will be named in the side to tackle the Cheetahs as the Reds go in search of their first win of the season.

He will slot into the second-row, in place of Adam Byrnes, after Scott Higginbotham made a successful case to retain his spot at flanker with a surging display against the Stormers in Cape Town last weekend.

Reds coach Phil Mooney said the side would welcome McMeniman back with open arms and 80 minutes of rugby could provide an outlet from the testing period in his personal life.

Higginbotham said Wallaby flanker McMeniman would add some "mongrel" to the Reds that was lacking on the winless but promising two-game tour to South Africa.

The precarious nature of McMeniman's situation means it could change at any minute but he is understood to be raring to go, assuring coach Phil Mooney he is physically and mentally ready for action.

There was more promising injury news for the Reds, with Berrick Barnes and hooker Sean Hardman certainties, while Wallaby winger Peter Hynes will be given another day to overcome a knee injury.

Ben Lucas will be named as the starting scrumhalf, taking over from rival Will Genia, when the side is named tomorrow.

 

[disco]

Fuck yeah MMM offend MMM on assault.

This is a must win game for us, the flashes of brilliance over in the republic will count for zero unless they win well at home this weekend.

 

[RugbyReg]

This is a must win game for us, the flashes of brilliance over in the republic will count for zero unless they win well at home this weekend.

absolutely, we need to break the cycle of "promising performance" then "shit performance" then "promising performance" then "shit performance".

So far we have had

Force trail = promising
Bulls = shit
Stormers = promising
CHeetahs = pending.

Definitely can't afford it at home.

 

[Scotty]

Not only do we have to win, but we have to do it by playing well, and not relying on Cheetahs playing rubbish. If they play rubbish we should put them to the sword.

 

[Lee Grant]

All rugby heads in Oz will be pulling for the Reds. They have deserved and excited our interest and our hopes for their victory will scarcely be less than those of Reds fans.

I hope that 3M will be OK and if he is he will offer more than Byrnes and give a bit more leadership and direction in the contests for the ball.

If the Reds can at least get their counter-rucking and their counter-counter-rucking right, they'll go a long way to getting a result. It will be a hard job against those big Cheetahing forwards who lean on the ruck and put their weight above the ball, but the job will have to be done.

I guess Mooney must be rotating the scrummies as I see no reason for Genia to be dropped.

 

[TOCC]

This game is the game of the season where it is make or break, whilst im not expecting a finals campaign from the Reds in 2009 i at least wont to see some wins on the board.

If the Reds lose this match, then its going to be a long season ahead, if they win(and i think they will) then it will show direction at least, i think if all the promise and potential materialises in this match, we could see a massive scoreline for the Reds.

 

[Rugby Rat]

Reds $ 1.38 favourites on the TAB. They would have had a longer trip than the Cheetahs.

Reds could rolled here.

 

[Ash]

I guess Mooney must be rotating the scrummies as I see no reason for Genia to be dropped.

Goal kicking.

 

[RugbyReg]

it will be interesting to see what happens in the outside backs. I guess they're waiting to see if Hynes is fit, but assuming he is, do they stick with Va'aulu? I thought he was fairly anonymous last week. I would be seriously considering playing Connor.

Shall be interesting to see how Rodney Davies goes in the warm up too.

So I'm guess we will stick much the same so:

15 MacLindon
14 Vaaulu
13 Ione
12 Barnes
11 Hynes
10 Cooper
9 Lucas
8 Houston
7 Braid
6 Higgers
5 MMM
4 Humphries
3 Weekes
2 Hardman
1 Holmes

16 Fainga'a
17 Edwards
18 Byrnes
19 Tasi
20 Genia
21 Fainga'a
22 Connor

Which makes the A team interesting:

15 Aiden Toua (is he on 7s duty?)
14 Rodney Davies
13 Charlie Fetoai [c]
12 Ben Tapuai
11 Luke Morahan (probably on 7s duty)
10 Jonno Lance
9 Brendan McKibbon
8 Ezra Taylor
7 Andrew Shaw
6 Jake Schatz
5 Liam Shaw
4 Robert Simmons
3 Jack Kennedy
2 James Hanson
1 Ben Daley

16 James Charalambous
17 James Slipper
18 Alistair Davidson
19 Ed Quirk
20 Mark Swanepoel
21 Brett Gillespie
22 Dom Shipperley

 

[TOCC]

i think Morahan is on 7's duty, but i dont think Toua is

 

[PaarlBok]

Cheetah team?

 

[disco]

7 Andrew Shaw

What do you think of this bloke Noddy? Potential?

 

[RugbyReg]

quite honestly haven't seen enough of him.

Don't think he's the great white hope though. We need Pocock.

 

[en_force_er]

did mmm play club when he went home for family issues? if not, which is likely, i dont see him having a terrific game. as always he will play straight hard rugby but will take some time to get back into it.

picking lucas first is a good call for me. right now him and genia are equal with completely different strengths but i think lucas' potential far outweighs genias.

 

[PaarlBok]

latest news from Camp Cheetah

Springbok wing Jongi Nokwe and centre Corn? Uys are fit and have been included in the Cheetahs 22-man squad for Sunday?s Super 14 match against the Reds in Brisbane.

OFM Sport reports that Springbok flanks Juan Smith and Heinrich Brussow have also been declared fit after sustaining injuries against the Western Force last Friday.

Coach Naka Drotske will finalise his starting XV later. Top accommodate the two returning backs, Bjorn Basson and Hanno Coetzee drop out from last week?s match 22.

The 22 players are:

Backs:
Hennie Daniller; Fabian Juries, Piet van Zyl, Corn? Uys, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Danwel Demas, Jongi Nokwe; Meyer Bosman, Tewis de Bruyn, Sarel Pretorius.
Forwards:
Frans Viljoen, Juan Smith (capt.), Hendro Scholtz, Heinrich Br?ssow, David de Villiers, Wayne van Heerden, Nico Breedt, Bees Roux, Adriaan Strauss, Richardt Strauss, Wian du Preez, en Kobus Calldo.

 

[TOCC]

out of that Cheetahs side the only names i recognise are Juan Smith and Adrian Strauss

 

[liquor box]

I guess Mooney must be rotating the scrummies as I see no reason for Genia to be dropped.

Goal kicking.

I bet Genia is getting a sore foot from practicing goal kicking, if he learns to kick he is a certain starter

 

[PaarlBok]

out of that Cheetahs side the only names i recognise are Juan Smith and Adrian Strauss

Vokket you should know Jongi Nokwe. May I remind you Ellispark, Springbokke vs Wallabies, the Bok that scored the most tries in a match and the Wallabies losing by a record margin. :lmao:

 

[TOCC]

meh, i missed that game, was working in the middle east at the time, and wasnt to concerned on watching a replay of it either

 

[disco]

did mmm play club when he went home for family issues? if not, which is likely, i dont see him having a terrific game. as always he will play straight hard rugby but will take some time to get back into it.

I think he'll be very emontional as his Dad is very ill but that can sometimes drive a player as smashing blokes on the rugby paddock can be a great release of stress.