Super Rugby: Highlanders vs. Reds in Dunedin (29/03/2013)

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Other matches this weekend:

http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/...urricanes-vs-Kings-in-Wellington-(30-03-2013)

http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/...iefs-vs-Blues-in-Mount-Maunganui-(30-03-2013)

http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/...by-Brumbies-vs-Bulls-in-Canberra-(30-03-2013)

http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/...eetahs-vs-Rebels-in-Bloemfontein-(30-03-2013)

http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/...ormers-vs-Crusaders-in-Cape-Town-(30-03-2013)

http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/...ugby-Waratahs-vs-Force-in-Sydney-(31-03-2013)

BYE

 

[Darwin]

The Highlanders will win this week. I can feel it. The Reds have no chance...

Anyways, back to reality. I'm hoping (perhaps in vain) that the Highlanders will play a bit more intelligently this weekend. It sounds like Woodcock is on doubt - if there is any question mark over his fitness I wouldn't play him, as he has hardy been in great form. I can't see us changing our style of play, so our best hope is to pick the side best adapted to play our crazy style. I would look at playing two opensides (Boys and Hardie), though that would leave us a bit short at lineout time.

My lineup would be:
1. King, 2. Coltman, 3. Fia, 4. Thorn, 5. Bekhuis, 6. Boys, 7. Hardie, 8. Dixon, 9. A Smith, 10. Slade, 11. Gear, 12. Nonu, 13. Emery, 14. Poki, 15. B Smith
16. Rutledge, 17. MackIntosh, 18. Wheeler, 19. Hoeata (would prefer Grant, but it won't happen), 20. Tanaka, 21. Parker, 22. Popoali'i

 

[The big Kangaroo]

Genia and comper just started to get it going last week. Reds to win this one

 

[Darwin]

Queensland Reds: Jono Lance, Dom Shipperley, Anthony Faingaa, Ben Tapuai, Luke Morahan, Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Jake Schatz, Liam Gill, Eddie Quirk, James Horwill (captain), Rob Simmons, James Slipper, James Hanson, Greg Holmes.
Reserves: Albert Anae, Ben Daley, Ed O'Donoghue, Jarrad Butler, Ben Lucas, Aidan Toua, Rod Davies.

Ioane and Feauai-Sautia out injured, which is good news for the Highlanders. Apart from that it is a pretty good looking Reds side, with Gill back, and the top locking combination starting for the first time this season...

 

[Gena_ZA]

hmm, got a feeling this is the game where the Highlnders will click but the Reds have most of their stalwards back and key players are showing form
Expect a good game and a close one

 

[lynam1104]

Will be interesting one for the Reds haven't seen saturdays game yet but if Genia is back firing they are a hard team to beat.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Reds will win, having arguably two of the fastest wingers in Australia (one of them maybe even world rugby) in the Match day 22 will be a huge boost, While they aren't exactly Digby or Sautia they will play a style that the Reds haven't played this year a speed based one . I hope Davies gets on, he got demolished against Samoa when he last played and after a knee reconstruction let's hope that he's good to go. Should be a tight game, I'd say Reds by 3

 

[Larksea]

hard to believe the highlanders are the only team in super rugby without a win though they have had to play the defending champions twice, doesn't excuse the fact when they have the strongest squad on paper the highlanders have had in my memory.

Biggest problems for highlanders IMO:

Hoeata is not playing match winning team rugby
Aaron Smith in general isn't firing
Slade isn't kicking enough goals
In general they are finding Nasi Manu hard to replace.
Not enough Mackintosh & Cabbage in the front row.
There is only one Ben Smith when they need him in about 3-4 positions.

highlanders to win through share desperation.

 

[Tekadus7]

I think the highlanders will edge this one by a point. The potential is definitely there and they are very capable of winning. Its all a matter of whether they click or fail to fire like their last 4 games

 

[daveypnz]

the reds are a despicable team that keeps getting lucky against teams who blow so many chances to beat them(hurricanes lol and bulls) highlanders clean house here.

 

[Darwin]

Highlanders: 1-Tony Woodcock, 2-Andrew Hore (capt), 3-Chris King, 4-Brad Thorn, 5-Josh Bekhuis, 6-Jarrad Hoeata, 7-John Hardie, 8-Elliot Dixon, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Colin Slade, 11-Hosea Gear, 12-Ma'a Nonu, 13-Jason Emery, 14-Buxton Popoalii, 15-Ben Smith
Reserves: 16-Liam Coltman, 17-Ma'afu Fia, 18-TJ Ioane, 19-Tim Boys, 20-Fumiaki Tanaka, 21-Lima Sopoaga, 22-Phil Burleigh

I'm surprised to see Hore back so soon! Woodcock back too gives an incredibly experienced front-row, but whether having these two back will actually help the Highlanders is yet to be seen. I actually though both Fia and Coltman had very strong games last weekend, while Woodcock and Hore have been average at best (though to be fair Hore hasn't played that much). At the moment Woodcock is in the side purely on reputation, so needs to deliver if he wants to stay in the starting lineup. The rest of the forward pack is pretty predictable, though I still think we don't have the mobility required for the game-plan we are using. There is a bit more mobility on the bench with Ioane and Boys though.

The backline looks good (again), and while it is disappointing Poki is out injured, Popoali'i is a very dangerous player in his own right.

 

[dasNdanger]

Reds with a try, and to everyone's delight Marshy has already been corrected for one of his assessments. And I should be in bed.


das

 

[austingtir]

Jittery start by the landers but they've shown if they control the ball they will win games. Nonu is looking great so far and in general they are looking pretty good as long as they dont feed Gill to many turnovers and let the reds counter attack to much they should win this.

 

[austingtir]

Yeah Gill is having a bit of a field day with no decent opposition in the HL back row. Man how did the landers end up with THIS back row. There are so many better players in NZ than what they've ended up with in those positions?

 

[Darwin]

Reds all over us at the moment - luckily they completely blew another try scoring chance there. Hore gets a deserved yellow. Not looking for us at the moment.

EDIT: try for Schatz now.

 

[austingtir]

Oh wow... yeah o.k i agree landers have no answer to this attack from the reds. There are gaping holes in that D as soon as the reds are on attack.

Even with 14men it should be better than that. That was pretty pathetic.

 

[dasNdanger]

Wow...try fest. I must call it a night (or a morning, since it's 3:20 am here), but will watch the rest over breakfast. hopefully things will improve for the Highlanders. Would like to see a 1 in that W column.


das

 

[austingtir]

That was an enormous error by smith there. A try before half time would of kept the landers in it at least.

 

[Darwin]

21-16 HT lead to the Reds is probably a fair reflection of the game. We have had the edge in possession and territory, but the Reds have looked more dangerous with the ball they have had. Gear, Popoali'i and Emery have looked dangerous - we just need to get them some quality ball to play with.

 

[admartian]

NZ sides not looking clinical lately. If the Wallabies just pick mainly from the Reds they'll be right against the Lions (and for the RC for that matter).