G’day G&GRs. Well, that was something, wasn’t it? Exactly what it was, I’m not sure, but it was something. Some parts are good, a lot of parts are bad. Crap weather, injuries (like we need those), pesky TMOs but, we managed to tough it out on what was a big gamble.
This Monday we’ll have a poke around that game, and I’ll also have a poke around the Queensland Reds v Japan’s Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights. And to cap it off, I’ll close out with an ‘Old Man Shouting at Clouds’. So, prepare yourself for a bumper edition, Brisney style. Pour a quadruple shot espresso of the good stuff☕, and let’s talk about the game they play in heaven.
Wallabies 19 defeated Japan 15
Wallabies S\survive Tokyo tempest to edge Brave Blossoms – G&GRs, if you haven’t done so already, make sure you read Sully’s excellent game review here.
Well, my fellow rugby tragics, if you were hoping for a calm start to the Autumn Tour, you probably should’ve stayed in bed with a cuppa. The Wallabies scraped, scrambled and slogged their way to a rain-soaked 19–15 win over Japan in Tokyo — a match that had all the grace of a pig on roller skates but just enough Wallaby grit to get the job done. Let’s call it what it was: a proper arm wrestle. The Brave Blossoms, coached by none other than Dr Evil, came at us with line speed, offload flair and a willingness to throw the kitchen sink at the green and golds. And in the driving rain, it very nearly paid off.
Newly minted skipper Nick Champion de Crespigny didn’t muck around in his first outing with the (c) next to his name. He bashed his way over early from close range to put the Aussies on the board. But the joy was short-lived — injuries struck faster than a dodgy vindaloo for dinner with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (ribs) and Josh Canham (concussion) both gone inside 22 minutes. CdC had to pack down in the second row, and suddenly the Wallabies’ lineout looked about as steady as a Jenga tower in a gale.
Still, there was intent. Pressure built, penalties mounted and Japan’s Charlie Lawrence took a 10 minute breather 🧀 style after repeated offside infringements. The Aussies capitalised with Andrew Kellaway slicing through beautifully off a scrum before putting Josh Flook in for a debut try. Welcome to test rugby — hope you brought your snorkel. At 14–3 up at halftime, it looked like the Wallabies might pull clear. But Japan, tough, disciplined, and absolutely not reading the script, came roaring back. Shuhei Takeuchi burrowed over to close the gap, the home crowd found its voice, and the rain got heavier. The Aussies looked rattled.
Carlo Tizzano, bless him, spent the night chasing tries like a kid after the ice cream truck — denied not once, not twice, but thrice before finally smashing over on his fourth attempt. The man’s lungs must be sponsored by Duracell. But even that didn’t kill off Japan. Aussie-born Ben Gunter muscled over to make it 19–15, and the final 10 minutes were pure panic stations. Kippei Ishida nearly broke Aussie hearts with a clean break, but desperate scramble defence — led by Hunter Paisami and Hamish Stewart — forced a turnover with two minutes left. One lineout, one boot to touch, and the Wallabies exhaled.
Ugly? Absolutely. Gritty? You bet your Wallaby socks. But in the pouring rain of Tokyo, a win’s a win.
Three things we learned
- Carlo Tizzano is the Energizer Bunny in gold – Denied, dumped, drenched — didn’t matter. The bloke just kept charging. His persistence finally paid off, and his work rate over the ball was world-class.
- Injuries could bite hard on this tour – Losing both Salakaia-Loto and Canham in the first quarter forced the back-row reshuffle from hell. Depth will be tested in the weeks to come.
- Hunter Paisami is the glue – Whether smashing blokes in defence or cleaning up at the breakdown, Paisami led by example. His composure in the dying minutes saved the Wallabies’ bacon.
Not the prettiest, not the cleanest, but in Tokyo’s torrential downpour, the Wallabies found a way. Pack the ponchos, folks — the Autumn Tour’s only just begun.
Queensland Reds 36 defeated Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights 26
Reds tame Wild Knights in Ballymore barnburner – Well, strap yourselves in, rugby tragics, Ballymore turned on a beauty as the Queensland Reds and Japan’s Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights served up a nine-try thriller that had everything short of a streaker and a pitch invasion. The Reds held on 36–26 to keep the Saitama Queensland Shield in Brisbane for a fourth straight year, but it wasn’t all one-way traffic this time around. The Wild Knights, stung by their Toowoomba towel-up (59–19 last week), clearly had a good look in the mirror during the week and came out breathing fire. Gone was the passive defence and missed tackles — this time, they muscled up and threw the kitchen sink at the men in maroon.
Early on, the Reds had to weather a storm. With winger Lachie Anderson binned after a professional foul on none other than Marika Koroibete (who, let’s be honest, is still running at top speed somewhere near Ipswich), the Wild Knights pounced through fullback Tom Parton for the opener. But as the old saying goes — cometh the moment, cometh the Martens. Young halfback James Martens had himself a day out, laying on a silky pass for Dre Pakeho to crash over, before pulling out a cheeky little pump fake that would’ve made Quade blush. He then found Anderson, fresh from the naughty chair, who powered over to redeem himself in style.
The Reds’ scrum flexed its muscle, driving deep to the line for debutant #8 Vaiuta Latu to score his first in the maroon jersey — always a special moment. At 19–7, the Reds looked in control, but the Wild Knights weren’t done. They struck either side of halftime, with Kiwi flanker Lachie Boshier finishing off some crisp backline movement to tie things up at 19-all.
Enter Treyvon Pritchard — an 18-year-old schoolboy from Churchie making his debut. In a story straight out of rugby fairy tales, the young bloke might’ve been standing in the pre-game honour guard if not for his late call-up — instead, he was scoring the go-ahead try that brought Ballymore to its feet. Classy support play, sharp hands from Pakeho, and Pritchard was over. That’s one for the scrapbook, young fella. The Reds then turned the screws. Flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips was at his scheming best, featuring twice in a flowing move that saw hooker Theo Fourie burst into space before Martens finished it off under the sticks. The Wild Knights kept fighting, but a superb try-saver in the corner by Xavier Rubens in the dying minutes sealed the win.
Off the bench, we saw a youth parade for the Reds — Jack Brady, Zac Hough, Graham Urquhart, Harrison Usher, and Finn Mackay all pulling on the jersey for the first time. With the next generation putting their hands up, there’s plenty to be optimistic about heading into the summer. Co-captain Seru Uru deservedly took home the XXXX Player of the Match gong, putting in another trademark shift full of big carries, deft touches, and hard yakka at the breakdown.
Ballymore was buzzing — Japanese drums, street food, and nine tries of pure entertainment. Rugby, as it should be.
🍺 Three things we learned
- The kids are all right – Debutants Pritchard and Latu didn’t just fill jerseys, they made a genuine impact. With more debutants off the pine the Reds’ depth looks far healthier than it has in years.
- Martens is the real deal – The young halfback’s composure, passing accuracy and attacking nous were top shelf. If he keeps that up, he’ll make the #9 jersey mighty uncomfortable for the incumbents.
- The Wild Knights bounce back – After being thumped last week, Saitama showed pride and polish. Their defence stiffened, their attack clicked, and they made the Reds earn every metre. That’s the kind of response you want from a champion club.
Old Man Shouting at Clouds
Look, I’m a Queensland-residing bloke originally from NSW (so I’ve got a foot in each camp, kind of) and I love the rugby. But this commentary bias towards the Waratahs players from the ex-Waratahs commentators (yes, Michael Hooper, I’m looking at you) is getting old, and worse, it’s damaging! Damaging to the credibility of the Stan commentary team.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Stan. The service and quality are 10 times better than what we used to get from Fux Sports. Not having to listen to Phil Kearns dribble shite anymore is a vast improvement. But, the continual pumping up the tyres of their pet players is really starting to give me the 💩. In Hooper’s case, we know they’re your mates and former teammates. But continually just picking Waratah players to compliment is just total dribble.
Anyway, enough of this old man dribbling shite himself. Over to you, G&GRs. Have at it.
