Reds v Highlanders Friday 30th May

[biggsy]

If you watched the highlanders v crusaders game over the weekend.

I can feel the Reds are going to get yet another flogging.

Defence will have to be on Friday night.

 

[RugbyReg]

It is also the Reds' Indigenous Round, which I have always enjoyed for the occasion that it is. I know the QRU are always particularly proactive in the week leading up, ensuring the members of their Learn Earn Legend program engage with the team, traditionally handing them their jerseys at the captain's run.

I feel the players genuinely like the occasion too. Let's hope they can step up for the occasion.

 

[gel]

It's really hard to see how the reds can possibly win this one.

Terrible rugby being played by a terrible team at the moment.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Based on form the Reds should get flogged

BUT the group knows it has to turn around its season and after a bye they will be fired up to start on the road to redemption.

Who will play 10 ?. Has to be either Lucas or Rebel Mike

 

[qwerty51]

I dunno about flogged, at home the losses have all been very tight bar the Crusaders match. Reds by 10.

 

[RedsHappy]

Posting this here as it's relevant to this game, but reveals much more re 2015 plans, Harris' departure et al............my emphasis added:

Ben Lucas to fill fly half position for Queensland Reds in Super Rugby clash against Highlanders - AAP

Queensland Reds' Mr Fix-It, Ben Lucas, will need to be at the height of his powers to fill the boots of Quade Cooper in Friday night's Super Rugby clash against the Highlanders.

The Reds are on a six-match losing streak and the versatile Lucas will have the big playmaking responsibility as they try to turn around their fortunes against the fifth-placed Kiwis.

Coach Richard Graham has indicated the 26-year-old utility will lead his side around Lang Park with five-eighth Cooper sidelined by a season-ending shoulder injury.

Lucas earned his spurs after replacing the Wallabies number 10 early in the controversial 30-27 loss to the Melbourne Rebels and scoring a second-half try which put them back in the contest.

"I thought he played well for the 70 minutes there when he came on," Graham said on Monday.

"He hadn't been there all season and I thought he did a pretty good job."

Graham denied fellow play-making utility Mike Harris's decision to sign with the Rebels, announced on Saturday, had been a factor in his selection.

Harris is set to stay at full-back against the Highlanders, with Lachie Turner's return from a lingering ankle injury put back to after next month's international window.

While there has been speculation the Reds are keen to sign James O'Connor for next season, Graham dismissed that as a reason for Harris's move.

"You get to a point in discussions where inevitably you can't go any further and clearly his expectations and our expectations were a fair way apart," Graham said.

The Reds have not announced any players that have been re-signed, instead choosing to wait until the end of the competition before revealing their 2015 list.

Graham said they would also leave positions vacant and target form players from the inaugural National Rugby Championship, kicking off in September.

The Highlanders are viewing their trip to Brisbane as a must-win fixture and will start favourites against a Queensland side that will be bolstered by the return of forwards James Slipper, Liam Gill and Ed Quirk.

Despite a weekend bye, Queensland's injury woes have continued with hooker Saia Fainga'a in serious doubt due to a calf problem.

AAP

 

[gel]

BUT the group knows it has to turn around its season and after a bye they will be fired up to start on the road to redemption.

Do they really though?

I have heard a hell of a lot of talk in the interviews being "up" for this game or that game, and then they run on and just seem to be almost disinterested (that might be the wrong word - I can't really think of the precise word I am after atm) most of the time.

Certainly there is next to no intensity in their pre-game warm ups, and they are unbelievably quiet when they are playing.

I think there might be a couple of guys that would be pretty cut about how this season is going (Horwill, for instance, is pretty bummed about it all), but to my eyes quite a few of the others look as if it is all a bit too hard to bother with really.

Have a look at how the rebels or the force prepare for their games next time you get the chance - they are are "ON" as soon as their feet touch the field of play and there is an amazing amount of talk and gee up for each other. Our guys wander around with some half hearted jogs, avoiding eye contact with each other as much as possible before doing a couple of quick practice forward passes.

I know a lot of you guys may have more of an opportunity to speak to the guys a lot and will no doubt be able to put my mind at rest with some kind assuring words to the contrary - but I am just relaying what I am seeing o the field of play, pre, during and post game: and it doesn't look pretty to me.

There's the downer for the week ladies and gentlemen. It's all up from here on until Friday

 

[biggsy]

I know a lot of you guys may have more of an opportunity to speak to the guys a lot and will no doubt be able to put my mind at rest with some kind assuring words to the contrary - but I am just relaying what I am seeing o the field of play, pre, during and post game: and it doesn't look pretty to me.

There's the downer for the week ladies and gentlemen. It's all up from here on until Friday

I'm with you there gel,

On a positives note I'm glade at this stage Lucas is at 10.

 

[tranquility]

Lucas is a better option at 10 in my opinion. Harris isn't a fluid ball player.

 

[Forcefield]

Come on Reds. You've had 2 weeks to prepare for this and the Highlanders have a 6 day turn around and will be weary from this being their 6th game since their last bye. Beat them now and it puts a pretty big spanner in their works for a run to the finals. Come on!

 

[ChargerWA]

Yeah, come on you guys. Do us a favour and knock these blokes off.

 

[biggsy]

Sounds like the Force fans are a bit concerned and losing a little faith in there team. Your only play a in form Crusaders this weekend.
Would you like the reds not to turn up a few weeks when they play the force as well.

 

[Forcefield]

Yes please.

 

[Brumby Runner]

A Reds win would be very handy for both the Force and the Brumbies, but don't think it will happen unfortunately.

 

[Hoolly Doolly]

i think the reds can do it. highlanders are notoriously inconsistent. i think they can match em up front. defense is the key in containing some of the talented runners from otago.

 

[Forcefield]

I don't actually think the Highlanders are that great. The Reds completely have it in them to win this one and win it well. It's hard to know exactly how much is going on behind closed doors at the Reds but at some point everyone puts aside their differences so put the breaks on the roller coaster.

 

[USARugger]

Is Sopoaga still having ankle issues? I see he went off early during the Crusader's game but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet.

A big boost for us if he is and if he isn't we just need to get in his face because he doesn't deal with pressure all that well.

I'm feeling confident about this one, for some reason - just woke up that way so I'm going to roll with it.

Has anyone noticed a pattern with A. Smith's play? I know he's had some absolute shockers in the past (one or two this year, I think) and I'm wondering if there's a pattern to it..

 

[Dan54]

Yep USA, I have noticed a pattern to Smith's game, he seems to get to rucks and mauls and then pass the ball bloody quickly. Seems to pass to players in good position quite often to.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Excuse me Moderators but there is some MANIAC one post above here who has come online and BLABBED about highly secretive NZRFU intellectual property match plans.​

​

Please DELETE this extremely sensitive documentation and publicly censure the individual responsible for days and days and weeks and, ok, forever.

-D.Pollock​

 

[Brumby Jack]

We are Reds

1. James Slipper
2. James Hanson
3. Greg Holmes
4. Rob Simmons
5. James Horwill (C)
6. Curtis Browning
7. Beau Robinson
8. Jake Schatz
9. Will Genia (VC)
10. Ben Lucas
11. Rod Davies
12. Anthony Fainga’a
13. Ben Tapuai
14. Dom Shipperley
15. Mike Harris

16. Andrew Ready
17. Albert Anae
18. Sef Faagase
19. Dave McDuling
20. Liam Gill
21. Nick Frisby
22. Samu Kerevi
23. Jamie-Jerry Taulagi