Key posts
Who have you got in Brissie?
Brumbies’ future addressed
We need to focus on the footy tonight, but just one off-field story I promise.
Rugby Australia Chair Dan Herbert addressed the future of the Brumbies this morning after the Herald Sun reported that the Canberra side were “almost certain not to be in the elite competition next year”.
“The Brumbies are our most successful team, and will play a vital part in the advancement of our aligned High-Performance system to ensure improved performances of our Super Rugby clubs and our national teams,” Herbert said.
They have kept us well-informed of their potential challenges, and their plans to overcome these challenges – and we will continue to engage with them, and support them.”
There’s never a dull day in Australia rugby is there?
Rob Leota of the Rebels scores a try that was later disallowed during the round one Super Rugby Pacific match against the Brumbies.Credit: Getty Images
Who have you got in Brissie?
The Teams
A reminder of the teams on a rainy night in Brisbane.
On Friday, Tahs’ coach Darren Coleman spoke movingly about the neck injury sustained by Wallabies centre Lalakai Foketi and how it has affected the squad.
Pleasingly, the centre has sustained no major spinal damage and has full function in his hands and his feet. Due to his absence, young gun Max Jorgensen has been promoted from the bench to the 15 jersey, and Joey Walton slots in inside centre. Youngster Jack Bowen gets the nod for the bench.
For the Reds, Fraser McReight can create havoc at the breakdown and the Tahs backrow will have a huge night trying to minimise his impact.
REDS (1-15): Alex Hodgman, Matt Faessler, Zane Nonggorr, Seru Uru, Ryan Smith, Liam Wright (co-c), Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott (co-c), Tom Lynagh, Mac Grealy, Hunter Paisami, Josh Flook, Suli Vunivalu, Jordan Petaia
RESERVES: Josh Nasser, Peni Ravai, Sef Fa’agase, Cormac Daly, John Bryant, Kalani Thomas, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Jock Campbell
WARATAHS (1-15): Angus Bell, Mahe Vailanu, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jed Holloway, Miles Amatosero, Fergus Lee-Warner, Charlie Gamble, Langi Gleeson, Jake Gordon (c), Tane Edmed, Dylan Pietsch, Joey Walton, Izaia Perese, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Max Jorgensen
RESERVES: Theo Fourie, Hayden Thompson-Stringer, Dan Botha, Sam Thomson, Hugh Sinclair, Teddy Wilson, Jack Bowen, Harry Wilson
Les Kiss from North Sydney Bears to the Reds
Before we get deep into the weeds with the teams tonight, now is a good chance to get to know the new Reds coach Les Kiss who is well known in Europe as a union coach of repute both with the Irish national team as a defence coach latterly with London Irish in England.
Back home in Australia, he is more renowned as a former flying winger for the North Sydney Bears and Queensland.
In a fascinating piece ahead of the game, he talks to my colleague Iain Payten about how he earned his stripes in a new code as a union coach here
Les Kiss, former North Sydney Bear turned union coachCredit: Illustration: Jamie Brown
Welcome
What a relief it is to be back for Super Rugby Pacific and Round One in Brisbane between the Reds and the Waratahs after a few months of drama no Australian rugby fan will be able to forget, as much as some of us try.
My name is Jonathan Drennan and I will be piloting you through the action tonight in Brisbane for the Tahs v the Reds. Firstly, a quick recap of the other Super Rugby action so far.
The season got off to a thrilling start last night as the Chiefs beat the Crusaders 33-29 at a great home crowd in Hamilton, the little master Damian McKenzie was pulling the strings as long as he was on the field. Feast your eyes on this…
It was also the first time smart mouthguards were used in the competition and Crusaders second-row Scott Barrett wasn’t particularly impressed.
“Honestly, I think it’s a step too far, for a player when you’re getting dragged and you’re looking around going ‘what actually happened?’,” Barrett told the media.
“Obviously, yeah, we want player welfare and that’s paramount, but I think if you’re influencing the game when key players are going off and they don’t know what for I think that can be frustrating for a player. It needs to be a happy medium somewhere within.”
The Western Force had a tough opening loss to the Hurricanes 14-44 in Perth, while the tough times continue for the Rebels, going down 3-30 to the Brumbies in Melbourne.
Our focus, however, is between the Tahs and the Reds tonight, so sit down, get comfortable and let’s get reacquainted with these teams!
