Reds v Force

[RugbyReg]

QR Reds Head Coach Phil Mooney has named an unchanged starting lineup for Friday night?s Investec Super 14 match against the Western Force in Perth, with just one bench change from the team beaten 50-26 by the Chiefs.

Powerful former Highlanders backrower Ezra Taylor has recovered from a shoulder injury suffered against the Sharks on March 14 and comes onto the bench in place of Poutasi Luafutu.

Injured wing Peter Hynes (knee) was unable to recover in time from an arthroscopy, so Mooney will stick with his teenage wing pairing of Blair Connor and Rod Davies, who had a torrid time against their more experienced Chiefs opponents.

?Blair and Rod have spent a lot of time with Peter Hynes this week analysing their game and getting advice from Peter, so they need to get back on the horse this week and put that into practice. I?m confident they?ll bounce back,? Mooney said.

?I?ve said a couple of times this week that you don?t become a bad player or a bad team overnight, so I?m also confident the Reds as a team will be able to give a good account of themselves in Perth.?

Mooney said the Reds? selection meeting thought long and hard about their forward selections especially, with backrower Scott Higginbotham giving another rousing performance off the bench to put pressure on the whole back five.

?Higgers could be considered unlucky not to have won a starting spot, as he?s definitely breathing down the other guys? necks, while it?s also tough on Tasi (Luafutu) giving his spot on the bench to Ezra,? Mooney said.

?But we felt Ezra deserves a bit more time than he?s had so far this year due to injury and that he offers a bit more physicality. This is his chance to impress against very strong opponents.?

As expected, with young Ben Daley in good form at loosehead prop, former Wallaby Greg Holmes (shoulder/neck) has been given another week to recuperate.

The team is:

1. Ben Daley (Gold Coast)
2. Sean Hardman (Brothers)
3. Laurie Weeks (University)
4. Van Humphries (Souths)
5. James Horwill (c) (University)
6. Hugh McMeniman (Wests)
7. Daniel Braid (Sunshine Coast)
8. Leroy Houston (Norths)
9. Ben Lucas (Sunnybank)
10. Quade Cooper (Souths)
11. Rod Davies (GPS)
12. Berrick Barnes (Wests)
13. Digby Ioane (Sunnybank)
14. Blair Connor (Norths)
15. Mark McLinden (Sunnybank)

Reserves:
16. Saia Fainga'a (Souths)
17. Jack Kennedy (Souths)
18. Scott Higginbotham (Wests)
19. Ezra Taylor (University)
20. Brendan McKibbin (Brothers)
21. Anthony Fainga'a (Souths)
22. Charlie Fetoai (Sunnybank)

Would've liked Higgers to start to get some sting back in the pack. Tough on Tasi too. He really hasn't had much of a chance this season. Perhaps 80 minutes of club footy for Wests will be good for him.

Not convinced in Taylor as yet.

 

[formeropenside]

bugger - Noddy and I posted the same thing at the same time in separate threads.

 

[formeropenside]

I'd have rested Houston and started Higgy at 8. Shame about Hynes.

No cover for Braid on the bench. Maybe thats Fainga'a's job? Mooney has to get over his Fainga'a love, because neither twin has been particularly impressive. Pedestrian is closer.

What is of broader concern is that Luafutu is not getting much game time, and if Braid does not take up his option for next year then the Reds have to hunt for a 7 again, with not a lot more experience to Luafutu and no S14 time for Schatz or Andrew Shaw.

 

[RugbyReg]

I'd have rested Houston and started Higgy at 8. Shame about Hynes.

No cover for Braid on the bench. Maybe thats Fainga'a's job? Mooney has to get over his Fainga'a love, because neither twin has been particularly impressive. Pedestrian is closer.

What is of broader concern is that Luafutu is not getting much game time, and if Braid does not take up his option for next year then the Reds have to hunt for a 7 again, with not a lot more experience to Luafutu and no S14 time for Schatz or Andrew Shaw.

then again, we don't know how Hanson has been going. Although I did hear that he Kennedy and Daley played well as a unit in a recent QLD A game.

I reckon we'll be chasing Beau Robinson for sure. Andrew Shaw as back up too.

 

[fatprop]

How long before the Faingaas are got rid off, neither provides any value.

I would stick MMM on the bench, you want to go through the Force, not around them.

 

[RugbyReg]

MMM the bench? Massive call. And way off too. He was poor v the Chiefs, but in my eyes he is our most physical forward. And when I say "our" I mean Australia's.

Anyway, Force named.

Western Force have welcomed back Wallabies No.8 Richard Brown and winger Nick Cummins for Friday night's must-win clash with Queensland Reds at Subiaco Oval.

Brown missed the past three matches with a shoulder injury while Cummins was sidelined for the loss to the Sharks with a hamstring strain.

Drew Mitchell switches from the wing to fullback, while James O'Connor reverts from the No.15 jersey to inside centre.

Junior Pelesasa has been relegated to the bench.

The side has also been boosted by the return of lock Sam Wykes, who has been named on the bench after recovering from a shoulder reconstruction.

Brown replaces Tamaiti Horua in the run-on side while Scott Staniforth retains his position on the right wing.

The Reds and Force are anchored near the foot of the table and Force coach John Mitchell conceded his team needed to win to keep their finals hopes alive.

"We've got no choice but to take responsibility for our own future in the 2009 competition and to do that we'll need to bring a positive mentality and be willing to chance our arm in each of our remaining games," Mitchell said.

"The bye last week gave us an opportunity to re-assess our position and set our targets for the remainder of the season and there's no doubt we need greater cohesion i in the second half of our campaign."

Drew Mitchell, Scott Staniforth, Ryan Cross, James O'Connor, Nick Cummins, Matt Giteau, Josh Valentine; Richard Brown, David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Tom Hockings, Ben Castle, Tai McIsaac, Pek Cowan. Res: Luke Holmes, AJ Whalley, Sam Wykes, Tamaiti Horua, Chris O'Young, Junior Pelesasa, Haig Sare.

 

[formeropenside]

MMM the bench? Massive call. And way off too. He was poor v the Chiefs, but in my eyes he is our most physical forward. And when I say "our" I mean Australia's.

Anyway, Force named.

Western Force have welcomed back Wallabies No.8 Queenslander Richard Brown and winger Queenslander Nick Cummins for Friday night's must-win clash with Queensland Reds at Subiaco Oval.

Brown missed the past three matches with a shoulder injury while Cummins was sidelined for the loss to the Sharks with a hamstring strain.

Queenslander Drew Mitchell switches from the wing to fullback, while Queenslander James O'Connor reverts from the No.15 jersey to inside centre.

Queenslander Junior Pelesasa has been relegated to the bench.

The side has also been boosted by the return of lock Sam Wykes, who has been named on the bench after recovering from a shoulder reconstruction.

Brown replaces Tamaiti Horua in the run-on side while Scott Staniforth retains his position on the right wing.

The Reds and Force are anchored near the foot of the table and Force coach John Mitchell conceded his team needed to win to keep their finals hopes alive.

"We've got no choice but to take responsibility for our own future in the 2009 competition and to do that we'll need to bring a positive mentality and be willing to chance our arm in each of our remaining games," Mitchell said.

"The bye last week gave us an opportunity to re-assess our position and set our targets for the remainder of the season and there's no doubt we need greater cohesion i in the second half of our campaign."

Drew Mitchell, Scott Staniforth, Ryan Cross, James O'Connor, Nick Cummins, Matt Giteau, Josh Valentine; Richard Brown, David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Tom Hockings, Ben Castle, Tai McIsaac, Pek Cowan. Res: Luke Holmes, AJ Whalley, Sam Wykes, Tamaiti Horua, Chris O'Young, Junior Pelesasa, Haig Sare.

fixed the quote

I'd probably keep Rabbit at 15 and Staniforth at 12, with Mitchell (Drew) on one wing. It seems to me that Rabbit at 12 is like sending an invitation to Digby, Staniforth on the wing is a waste of his talents and exposes a comparative lack of speed, and Mitchell at 15 is defensively unsound.

 

[Scarfman]

"We've got no choice but to take responsibility for our own future in the 2009 competition and to do that we'll need to bring a positive mentality and be willing to chance our arm in each of our remaining games," Mitchell said.

"The bye last week gave us an opportunity to re-assess our position and set our targets for the remainder of the season and there's no doubt we need greater cohesion i in the second half of our campaign."

This bloke is drifting off to Matt Williams land. Give him the bone and give Cheika the job.

 

[Cutter]

I'd probably keep Rabbit at 15 and Staniforth at 12, with Mitchell (Drew) on one wing. It seems to me that Rabbit at 12 is like sending an invitation to Digby, Staniforth on the wing is a waste of his talents and exposes a comparative lack of speed, and Mitchell at 15 is defensively unsound.

Amen to that. Also, Rabbit at 15 doesnt lack anything that Mitchell brings to the table. Its a stronger team. I wonder if that will happen during the game.

 

[naza]

Richard Brown, David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Tom Hockings, Ben Castle, Tai McIsaac, Pek Cowan.

No wonder they're struggling. Worst front row in the S14. Three opensides. And a seagull. Reds best make sure they play tight before going wide.

 

[spectator]

Richard Brown, David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Tom Hockings, Ben Castle, Tai McIsaac, Pek Cowan.

No wonder they're struggling. Worst front row in the S14. Three opensides. And a seagull. Reds best make sure they play tight before going wide.

Agree Naza, and throw as many forward attacks at the 10-12 channel as possible.

 

[PaarlBok]

This one about to start. Is the Aussies still awake, to help us out?

Muss help me with the Saders Brute game but surely he has past out by now. :lmao:

 

[barbarian]

Just have a feeling the Force may pull one out of the bag tonight, as they have a strange habit of doing. Promises to be a cracker of a game though, especially if both 10s fire.

 

[Gagger]

Moses doing a live score report here: http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/force-vs-reds-live-score/#comments

 

[cyclopath]

Jeez, the Reds are pissing me off!! So much ball, and so little "finish". I must admit though, at the end of that 1st half, Pocock lucky not to get penalised or worse - asked several times to leave it alone in the red zone, doesn't, Reds take quick tap and the Force are about 3 m back, Ioane held up. Bit tough I thought.
Some very poor handling skills from the juniors for the Reds.
If Ioane doesn't get a starting gig for the Wallabies, something is very rotten. He is so dangerous with ball in hand.
Force - solid but unspectacular, but 2 opportunities converted with some soft defence from the Reds to help.
Houston has a way to go.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Force lead 17-0.

Half time and the Reds had all the ball and all the territory, but coughing up the ball just before scoring with poor ball security and pushed passes.

Force are playing great but they don't need to with the Reds making so many errors.

Force aren't putting any numbers into the breakdown, so they're able to fan out and defend easily. Reds need to get Higgers on and get some pick and drives going, suck in the Force forwards (Pocock is ripping up) and go from there.

 

[PaarlBok]

Thanks Gagger, did not knew you had (vrekking nice by the way, do you only do the Aus teams this way?). Watch till the score was 17-0 but there is something serious wrong with the Reds at the moment. They dont look like having the same passion they had untill two weeks ago. Maybe they dug deep in the second half but there is to much flash and no penilasing in that backline.

The cricket is also on now. Pointing winning the toss and will bat

Team news: Ben Laughlin gets to make his ODI debut. Australia have also gone in with a specialist spinner in Nathan Hauritz.

Australia: 1 Michael Clarke, 2 Brad Haddin (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 David Hussey, 6 Callum Ferguson, 7 James Hopes, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Nathan Hauritz, 10 Nathan Bracken, 11 Ben Laughlin.

South Africa 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Johan Botha, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

 

[cyclopath]

Well, after 2 halves I'll be more complimentary for the Force - they played pretty bloody well, but the Reds didn't MAKE them do anything hard. Killed them at the breakdown battle, and that was it pretty much. Solid defence, but the turnover count was critical, although there was still plenty of on the ground crap going on at some breakdowns which Dickinson let go.
For the Force - O'Connor impressed, all the forwards esp Pocock and Brown on the ball, even the Bald Seagull had a solid one. For the Reds - Ioane tried bloody hard, the back 3 were a weak link again, 3M scares no-one running with the ball, and the Dancin' Man got well bashed down a few times. Van the Man tried pretty well too I thought, but no Reds forwards had any vigour at the tackle, and I was repeatedly surprised to see 1-2 Force attackers hold off 3-4 Reds over the ball with ease. Braid is OK, but he is no Croft for the Reds.

 

[Spook]

3M is hugely overrated IMO. I'm still waiting for him to dominate a match.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

3M is hugely overrated IMO. I'm still waiting for him to dominate a match.

When the Reds beat Canes in the first game of 07 he was best on park and put in some massive hits, and he's been MOTM in plenty of games.

The problem with him at the moment is that he (and it seems Mooney) are unsure if he's a lock or a 6. He's a great footballer but he's running style is far too upright and he's playing too loose. I think Mooney should stick him in the second row with Horwill or even run him off the bench next game.