SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) Trials: QLD Reds v Western Force, Ballymore, 3/2/24 @ 3:00pm AEST

[Shiggins]

Good hit out for the force. Some standouts for sure but not a lot to read into. Not easy to pick a starting side at all. Reds had a lot go their way and still didn't get it done. Qld scrum looked dominant but the hooker can't just pop out everytime and win penalties. Most refs won't award that.

 

[dru]

Good hit out for the force. Some standouts for sure but not a lot to read into. Not easy to pick a starting side at all. Reds had a lot go their way and still didn't get it done. Qld scrum looked dominant but the hooker can't just pop out everytime and win penalties. Most refs won't award that.

Force certainly wanted, and deserved, the win. It could have been more with a couple of kicks I thought should have been converted. I thought the first stanza was very good for them. Also that YC did not give the Reds any satisfaction. Force with plenty to be comfortable about.

Mate, in the scrum the hooker was only popping up after the Force scrum going backwards. You're right, the penalty could go either way, but reward to the the dominant scrum doesn't seem silly.

 

[RugbyReg]

But your answer is???

ask them?

 

[Shiggins]

Force certainly wanted, and deserved, the win. It could have been more with a couple of kicks I thought should have been converted. I thought the first stanza was very good for them. Also that YC did not give the Reds any satisfaction. Force with plenty to be comfortable about.

Mate, in the scrum the hooker was only popping up after the Force scrum going backwards. You're right, the penalty could go either way, but reward to the the dominant scrum doesn't seem silly.

Yeh I agree the reds scum looked dominant.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Harry Potter will prove to be a great signing and possibly pushing to take Marky marks wallabies spot, Will Harris another great pick up

Williams is getting better and better as well and should be captain hopefully

Scrum is a concern, Tom Robertson is a massive loss

 

[NoName]

Harsh…. First trial for Christs’s sake…

True, but at what point is winning a fucking game important. Brumbies won, rebels won and force won and red lost

How about practicing winning a fucking game

Sick and tired of the "zomg it was hot" like it wasn't hot and humid for the force ffs!!!!!!

Reds were bad... Admit it..

 

[SouthernX]

Interesting game. Reds created opportunities but very loose in attack. Lacked ball control and very poor securing our own breakdown. Scrum was generally good. Lineout up and down. Cormac Daly was very good I thought and that’s a big plus because lock is probably our weakest spot. I have been working on the assumption McLaughlin-Phillips wouldn’t be rushed in but he is looking our best option at the moment.

Glad to see rugby back.

I did not walk away thinking same of Cormac. He logged some good minutes but didn’t stand out other than line-outs

I’m personally not in the business of watching replays of preseason but will keep a better eye on him next game.

second row is a huge question mark position group for us… in a ideal world you have 2 genuine locks and then Uru is the Jack of all trades utility off the bench or injury replacement during the year.

 

[dru]

Interesting game. Reds created opportunities but very loose in attack. Lacked ball control and very poor securing our own breakdown. Scrum was generally good. Lineout up and down. Cormac Daly was very good I thought and that’s a big plus because lock is probably our weakest spot. I have been working on the assumption McLaughlin-Phillips wouldn’t be rushed in but he is looking our best option at the moment.

Glad to see rugby back.

That loose structure, failing to win the ruck consistently and excessive chancing their luck/no look pass did stand out. This is Les in the lead up, Youtube: Reds TV

From about 8:40 about what he wanted to see in the trial:

"I think that the players really work hard at what they've worked on and... and then Pull the trigger. I don't want them to be too safe. Obviously I want them to try and find out how to manage the game well, but I want them to stretch the game and stretch themselves and just see how they can take the game forward."

I'm not sure we really nailed the stretch, or rather that it needs taming (?). No, let's use Les-talk - "Find out how to manage the game ... and see how they can take the game forward". I'm no coach but right now I'd be looking to reinforce the "work hard on what they've worked on".

And hopefully that includes some pack structure and ruck management. [I'm also wondering if the kick game might need empowering.]

On another note: Reds have occasionally been very good to excellent with the media and presentation to fans. It is looking like this year could be the best from a superb platform.

 

[Adam84]

True, but at what point is winning a fucking game important. Brumbies won, rebels won and force won and red lost

How about practicing winning a fucking game

Sick and tired of the "zomg it was hot" like it wasn't hot and humid for the force ffs!!!!!!

Reds were bad... Admit it..

 

[Wilson]

True, but at what point is winning a fucking game important. Brumbies won, rebels won and force won and red lost

How about practicing winning a fucking game

Sick and tired of the "zomg it was hot" like it wasn't hot and humid for the force ffs!!!!!!

Reds were bad... Admit it..

Trial results do not matter. Never have, never will.

 

[TSR]

That loose structure, failing to win the ruck consistently and excessive chancing their luck/no look pass did stand out. This is Les in the lead up, Youtube: Reds TV

From about 8:40 about what he wanted to see in the trial:

"I think that the players really work hard at what they've worked on and... and then Pull the trigger. I don't want them to be too safe. Obviously I want them to try and find out how to manage the game well, but I want them to stretch the game and stretch themselves and just see how they can take the game forward."

I'm not sure we really nailed the stretch, or rather that it needs taming (?). No, let's use Les-talk - "Find out how to manage the game ... and see how they can take the game forward". I'm no coach but right now I'd be looking to reinforce the "work hard on what they've worked on".

And hopefully that includes some pack structure and ruck management. [I'm also wondering if the kick game might need empowering.]

On another note: Reds have occasionally been very good to excellent with the media and presentation to fans. It is looking like this year could be the best from a superb platform.

Kiss’ comments and mood after the game are intersting too. He seemed pretty content as a whole.

I think one of the problems with a team trying to play a more upbeat, open style is that you get a very high error rate early on while players adjust to getting their execution right under pressure and also being able to pull back a bit. At times there was almost no regard for ball security. I really liked our attacking intent but we are going to have to get far better at our execution and, in particular, be really clear on roles into contact and be more accurate (although at first glance our problem yesterday was more about the speed of the first support to the breakdown then our actual accuracy). Having said that I am a firm believer that if you are going to play that style there is always going to be some early pain and you have to be good enough to work through it and improve. On the evidence of yesterday we are going to have a few frustrating games early in the season. Whether that continues all season or whether the plays start to stick and the cohesion comes later, time will tell. Given it is first trial and the players missing I’m not going to lose too much sleep over the break down in handling execution yesterday - but the lack of effectiveness at the breakdown is something that needs to improve quickly.

I do know this - regardless of what you do everywhere else on the field rugby is a hell of a lot easier if you have a strong set piece to work off. I’m pretty happy with our scrum yesterday. Less so the lineout - but I feel like the blocks are there and, given George Blake had throwing duties for about half the game and we had a strong lineout last year I feel confident at this point it will come good.

 

[TSR]

True, but at what point is winning a fucking game important. Brumbies won, rebels won and force won and red lost

How about practicing winning a fucking game

Sick and tired of the "zomg it was hot" like it wasn't hot and humid for the force ffs!!!!!!

Reds were bad... Admit it..

Yeah - the Reds were bad.

The point at which winning a game is important is round 1. It’s always nice to bank a win but if winning was the priority yesterday we wouldn’t have seen half of those players in the field.

 

[molman]

Kiss’ comments and mood after the game are intersting too. He seemed pretty content as a whole.

I think one of the problems with a team trying to play a more upbeat, open style is that you get a very high error rate early on while players adjust to getting their execution right under pressure and also being able to pull back a bit. At times there was almost no regard for ball security. I really liked our attacking intent but we are going to have to get far better at our execution and, in particular, be really clear on roles into contact and be more accurate (although at first glance our problem yesterday was more about the speed of the first support to the breakdown then our actual accuracy). Having said that I am a firm believer that if you are going to play that style there is always going to be some early pain and you have to be good enough to work through it and improve. On the evidence of yesterday we are going to have a few frustrating games early in the season. Whether that continues all season or whether the plays start to stick and the cohesion comes later, time will tell. Given it is first trial and the players missing I’m not going to lose too much sleep over the break down in handling execution yesterday - but the lack of effectiveness at the breakdown is something that needs to improve quickly.

I do know this - regardless of what you do everywhere else on the field rugby is a hell of a lot easier if you have a strong set piece to work off. I’m pretty happy with our scrum yesterday. Less so the lineout - but I feel like the blocks are there and, given George Blake had throwing duties for about half the game and we had a strong lineout last year I feel confident at this point it will come good.

I think what the challenge will be for Kiss is that SuperRugby isn't a very long competition. From memory the Premiership had 20 regular games last season and Super Rugby only has 14, so there is a lot less time to get things right, find that cohesion. Though I guess the bar for playoffs is low, but even still you'd want to be humming a lot sooner.

I'm all for an attacking mindset and love heads up expressive rugby (who doesn't), but as you said I think there is going to be a lot of frustration if the fundamental areas of the game aren't addressed, such as ruck work and effective transitions from attacking to defensive structures. It's an area that the Wallabies have been guilty of also, their ruck speed, quality of ball hasn't always been great.

 

[TSR]

True - but ii think that is why we have to temper expectations for a first year coaching team. New structures and better execution around breakdown do take some tine to bed down.

 

[dru]

I think what the challenge will be for Kiss is that SuperRugby isn't a very long competition

+1 one on the stupid Super season and what it means for developing cohesion.

True - but ii think that is why we have to temper expectations for a first year coaching team. New structures and better execution around breakdown do take some tine to bed down.

Sure, and we need to give Les enough time to bed it in. Not as much perhaps as was offered to Brad, but reasonable time anyway.

One thing that did bother me, and I'm not sure if I read it right at game speed, was Uru seeming to operate as as a passing link from one pass off the ruck. I want my locks with their heads down arses up and legs pumping through the body on body fray. He did well in chancing the ball generally to better positions but he is not there to as a dummy playmaker. It suggests structure not really pulling together.

I'll have another look at the first 30 to see if I was reading it incorrectly.

I get the feel that Les wants to break free of the Brad rugby-ceiling on this team. I just hope he hangs on to the Brad strengths while he is at it.

 

[HJ Nelson]

Photos from yesterday

Super Rugby Trial - Reds v Force

30+ degrees days in February in Brisbane can only mean one thing, the start of Super Rugby season. The Queensland Reds took on the Western Force in the first trial match of 2024 at Ballymore. The Western Force ran out winners 21-19 in very hot conditions. Queensland 19 (Tries: Harry Wilson...

www.tremainfocused.com

 

[TSR]

+1 one on the stupid Super season and what it means for developing cohesion.



Sure, and we need to give Les enough time to bed it in. Not as much perhaps as was offered to Brad, but reasonable time anyway.

One thing that did bother me, and I'm not sure if I read it right at game speed, was Uru seeming to operate as as a passing link from one pass off the ruck. I want my locks with their heads down arses up and legs pumping through the body on body fray. He did well in chancing the ball generally to better positions but he is not there to as a dummy playmaker. It suggests structure not really pulling together.

I'll have another look at the first 30 to see if I was reading it incorrectly.

I get the feel that Les wants to break free of the Brad rugby-ceiling on this team. I just hope he hangs on to the Brad strengths while he is at it.

I guess the question is whether Uru was doing it at the right time or wrong. My impression was a bit of both. Certainly there were times when the space was absolutely there and we just mucked it up but I thought it times we could have been more direct.

I feel it was more a sign the players are really keen to embrace an open style. But the problem you point to is that they still have to do the grunt work which I thought lacked at times. That was one spot I though Daly was pretty good - but also where Smith & Blyth will add a bit.

 

[dru]

Photos from yesterday

Super Rugby Trial - Reds v Force

30+ degrees days in February in Brisbane can only mean one thing, the start of Super Rugby season. The Queensland Reds took on the Western Force in the first trial match of 2024 at Ballymore. The Western Force ran out winners 21-19 in very hot conditions. Queensland 19 (Tries: Harry Wilson...

www.tremainfocused.com

Fabulous pics Stephen.

I'd forgotten the Petaia tackle on Naiyavoro and both Paisami and Flook look fabulous in these pics.

 

[RugbyReg]

I think what the challenge will be for Kiss is that SuperRugby isn't a very long competition.

Gees I hope Les has remembered to look at the draw and knows how many games he has this season.

 

[dru]