Reds vs Rebels - 2011R05

[TheTruth]

Likely team IMO
Daley
Faainga
Slipper
Van
Simmons
Robinson
Horwill
Houston
Genia
Cooper
Chambers
Ioane
Davies
Toua/Morahan
Ben Lucas

 

[WB3]

I'll personally find it very interesting to see Cipriani vs Cooper

 

[louie]

Can't wait for this one

 

[Ruggo]

This is the one for the Reds to open up a bit and run the Rebels around the park. The loss of Gerrard will be hard the rebels who I think will try to pin us down with their kicking game.

 

[daz]

+1 Ruggo. The Reds just need to do one thing and one thing only: Run, run, and run some more.

 

[TOCC]

surely if Samo is fit we will see him in the mix somewhere

 

[Ruggo]

Bring Horwill back for Van and leave the side unchanged. There is no room for Samo at the moment. I would give Gill a lot more game time this week. Morty looked to hit a glimse of form last week so this will be a good test for Chambers.

 

[Hawko]

I reckon that this is a real banana skin of a game for the Reds. Not only are the Rebels stiffening up in defense they are also improving their attacking options. I can see Cipriani making mince-meat of Cooper's defense given the right opportunity. The Reds cannot afford to lose too many more as I can see the Force coming home with a wet sail if Ripia can get back on the park. If I was Link I wouldn't be getting much sleep this week.

 

[Ruggo]

I would up the pace for this game and not be drawn into a slugfest for this game. The Chiefs pretty much showed that the Rebels struggle with a faster paced game. Cooper is just as big a chance at shredding Ciprani's defence. I agree about this being a banana skin game. I am not so worried about the Force comming home with a wet sail but if I was a Tahs fan I would be concerned about the Reds comming home with one. For all the talk, we both sit on two wins from three and all that seperates us is a couple of bonus points. Should we get over the Rebels on the weekend we will have claimed three of the four Scalps in the Australian conference and it is generally the Aussie sides that are the bogey teams for us.

This should be a good game.

 

[spectator]

Can't see much change being made to the team apart from Horwill returning. Hope he returns at 4 with Higgers or Quirk to play 6 and Van on the bench maybe?

Might be a good opportunity for the backs to play a more expansive game. With Gerard out, will Hux go to fullbacK? If so, I can see even more kicking and more opportunities for counterattack.

 

[Gnostic]

I hate Horwill at 6. Makes it a very unbalanced pack.

 

[Red Rooster]

I reckon that this is a real banana skin of a game for the Reds. Not only are the Rebels stiffening up in defense they are also improving their attacking options. I can see Cipriani making mince-meat of Cooper's defense given the right opportunity. The Reds cannot afford to lose too many more as I can see the Force coming home with a wet sail if Ripia can get back on the park. If I was Link I wouldn't be getting much sleep this week.

lose too many more? they have only lost one game - In fact they have played 5 times including trials and lost once - throw out the baby and the bathwater

 

[Gagger]

There's so much space around the ruck with the Rebels, I can't see Link passing that up

 

[Scotty]

I wouldn't be surprised to see horwill come back via the bench.

 

[Dumbledore]

We're going to get rolled here.

 

[blues recovery]

Keep the faith this is a game we think we can win. Mac vs Mac in the coaches, fantastic.

 

[disco]

I just wanna see the Reds backline fire hopefully the Reds play more on the adavantage line & Quades passing game come into effect.

Cipriani had a good game last week taking the ball to the line & hitting his runners with flat passes.

 

[TheTruth]

I just wanna see the Reds backline fire hopefully the Reds play more on the adavantage line & Quades passing game come into effect.

Cipriani had a good game last week taking the ball to the line & hitting his runners with flat passes.

Agree Disco - IMO backline has not fired or played to ability yet - it is always the comment that forwards are at fault - forwards seems to being going fairly well so now no excuses

 

[GC]

Doubt Horwill will play for the Reds.

Big injury list for the Rebs.

Reds should win in a canter.

Horwill set for cotton-wool treatment March 14, 2011 - 2:51PM

An imposing block of four matches against massive South African packs is likely to see Queensland skipper James Horwill put in cotton wool for Friday night's Super Rugby clash with the Melbourne Rebels.

Horwill (ankle) and fellow tall timber Van Humphries (thumb) remain hopeful of overcoming injuries to turn out for the Reds at Suncorp Stadium but coach Ewen McKenzie is reluctant to risk the duo.

Reds wary of renewed Mortlock
Queensland will be wary about a rejuvenated Stirling Mortlock on Friday night with Reds coach Ewen McKenzie warning the former Wallabies skipper is getting back to his venomous best.

While the Rebels are feeling the pain of a growing injury crisis, the fledgling Super Rugby outfit are finding their feet and no one has showcased their early-season improvement more than Mortlock.

The Melbourne captain admitted he’d lost his “explosiveness” after the Rebels’ opening-round 43-0 thumping by NSW but has since shown signs he can return to the form he was renowned for in his 80-Test career.

Mortlock has been combining nicely with fellow former Brumbies back Julian Huxley in the centres and was a handful for the Sharks defence in the 34-32 loss last Friday.

McKenzie is unsurprised the veteran No.13 has showed his true colours after being sidelined for much of the past 18 months with serious knee and back injuries.

“He’s had a lot of injuries and that will sap your confidence,” the Queensland coach said on Monday.

“But he looks leaner and meaner and it’s only a matter of time that … he would find form.

“He’s been a brilliant player for a long time so if he was able to get through week after week it was only a matter of time before he reached his peak.

“He’s in a good space now which is good for them.”

Already reeling from the month-long loss of influential fullback Mark Gerrard (shoulder), Rebels coach Rod Macqueen will delay his team announcement for the Suncorp Stadium encounter until later in the week due to a litany of injury concerns.

In worrying signs, lock Alister Campbell (shoulder), halfback Sam Cordingley (hip), No.8 Gareth Delve (knee), flanker Michael Lipman (ankle) and Gerrard’s likely replacement at No.15, Luke Rooney (abdominal strain), were all unable to train on Monday afternoon and are in doubt.

Hooker Adam Freier, five-eighth James Hilgendorf and versatile tall forward Hoani McDonald are also sidelined for lengthy periods while lock Kevin O’Neill is again set to be sidelined after missing the Sharks loss with a calf problem.

 

[MrTimms]

Link was saying yesterday that with the tour to SA so close, he would hesitate to risk the injured locks, so I see Van and/or Kev being on the bench at best.