The Rebels have their season, and finals ambitions, on the line when they travel north to play the unpredictable Reds in Queensland. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 7:45pm (AEST).
The Rebels, courtesy of a losing bonus-point to the Waratahs last start, are sitting eighth on the overall ladder, hanging on to the last spot in the quarter-finals.
Melbourne will be painfully aware of the ramifications of a loss tonight. In a game that Dave Wessels would have earmarked as a win, he needs his troops to stand up and lock themselves in for finals rugby.
Much has been made of the expulsion of the Western Force from the competition, and anything less than a finals spot would be deemed a failure in light of that.
In team news, Wallabies flyer Marika Koroibete is a big in on the left wing, and his partnership with Jack Maddocks and Dane Haylett-Petty at the back continues to grow.
Tetera Faulkner starts at loosehead prop, while Anaru Rangi will look to continue his growth at hooker in place of the injured Jordan Uelese. Richard Hardwick returns from his knee injury via the bench.
As for the Reds, they have been frustrating this season, however have shown glimpses of real class and firepower. They have a number of capped Wallabies, and are building a strong, young core that should guide Queensland rugby in the right direction for the next few seasons.
Izack Rodda, fresh off a bumper June Test window, is the big inclusion. However, it’s not all good news, with Samu Kerevi out for up to 14 weeks courtesy of a ruptured bicep. Young winger Jordan Petaia will start at 13 in Kerevi’s absence, allowing Filipo Daugunu a chance to start on the right edge. His match-up with Koroibete will be a belter.
The last time these two teams met, Scott Higginbotham’s ninth-minute red card killed the fixture, so expect discipline from both sides to be a priority.
Ultimately, the only way the Rebels lose this game is if they get caught in a forward battle. Brad Thorn has a willing and ever-improving pack that will be keen to throw their bodyweight around against the potential quarter-finalists.
Who doesn’t love spoiling a party?
Prediction
The Reds will push the Rebels, but the prospect of finals rugby should be enough of a temptation for the men from Melbourne.
Rebels by 8.
riddler
Roar Rookie
don't lump us all together.. we are lucky to have some quality kiwi posters here who i value their contribution and input.. there might be a couple of otts.. but we have way more than our fair share on here from this side of the fence..
aussikiwi
Guest
Says Drongo on Folau thread: ..the kiwi commentary never changes from hyper-critical, superior and smug". Kiwis (along with many Aussies) post positive comments about Reds. Says Drongo: Kiwis are hypocrites pumping up a kiwi coach. What does that make the Aussies saying the same you drongo? You really should stop claiming to speak for others on this site, your rabid anti kiwi bent is yours alone.
riddler
Roar Rookie
bodger the more you write.. the more i agree!! banks over hodge for me as well.. great call..
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Yep Banks at 15 would be lovely. Banks is really starting to come good. He's the Mackenzie of Australian rugby, should be on the bench ahead of Hodge now for the WC.
Baz
Guest
yeah, not wrong there. Watched him go round against the Chiefs and he is probably the most impressive back coming thru for the WBs. You are also right about a backs coach. BT has got a forwards game mentality which is where he needs to be but the reds need someone to organize the backs. Funny Stiles in the Rebels box and McGann in the Reds box.
Drongo
Guest
Keep saying I post under multiple names when there is no evidence whatsoever I do. It is easy for Roar admin to see if posters have multiple accounts and take steps to stop it which they have in the past. I am far too busy living a great life and actually attending Reds games to spend my life posting on here in more than one name. You just can’t fathom that lots of people don’t like your crew’s hyper-critical anti-Australian rugby posts. Of course now we have a Kiwi coach the hypocrisy is rampant. Claiming last night was anything but a disaster of a match is simply to pump up our complete failure of a coach. Second last. Nevertheless I go to every Reds home game and support my team as I have done for decades. Do you?
riddler
Roar Rookie
spot on. bodger. if i was him, i would have been doing all i can to get back into the wallabies, playing super rugby for whoever would have me.. and if he did make back into the wallabies 10 via another super rugby club.. he gives two fingers to those who didn't believe in him.. i also pay zero credence to this defence of wanting to staying at home .. when a rugby career can be over in a tackle.. george smith has just started a new biz in bris.. young family.. and is now off to bristol.. cooper will have another 50 years or so in brisbane when he retires if he wants to stay at 'home'.. he is not a one club man..
riddler
Roar Rookie
backs coach biggest priority i think.. there is some quality talent there now.. stiles letting banks go and keeping players like nabulli and cfs is where we have been done over.. banks playing at 15 for the reds would be lovely..
riddler
Roar Rookie
is the rumour true about mcmahon coming back to qld? i do hope so.. he can slot straight into smith's 7 jersey.. quality player and will add to the developing ethos of the team i am sure..
riddler
Roar Rookie
agree bodger.. you have explained some things very well in this thread.. thank you..
Baz
Guest
Wasn't a particularly pretty game but I thought the Reds scrum worked well. Yes the line outs were a circus and the back line defense disorganized...but even without Kerevi, they did find a way to win.... or possibly the Rebels found a way to lose... I am not really sure. But the Reds scrum looked ok, Sorovi looks the goods at 9. Lance looked good at full back where he should have been all along. Stewart defended well at 10. Need to start looking for a few recruits for next year but a decent forward pack is always a good start.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
And Wright and Tui to that mix. Thorn is brand new to this also but that is a good thing, this team and the players are doing this together. All the young guys speak highly of Thorn and how he’s helped them develop. Next year we need to see a good improvement of the quality of play from the Reds and that’s the big challenge for this young group now. Fitness and skills will be better next year but game management really needs work and is where the big gain is to be had.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Yes Cooper has a contract and yes legally he can keep playing club rugby. Morally he’s doing the wrong thing by the other Qld players, he could have moved on as he had offers and is no longer going to be a part of the Qld Reds. He’s taking a lot of money away from the guys who should be now getting it and the guys playing Super Rugby for Qld... He’s had his year playing for Souths sticking two fingers up at the Reds, he now has no move on for himself as there is no future at Souths for a player of his quality and for Qld.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Yep they’ve done well, a couple more wins would have been nice but we have the basis for a fantastic team developing from a very young group of players. 5 of the players played and are important Wallaby players, Kerevi is the oldest at 24. 18, 19, 20, 21 kids have had exposure to a year of super rugby and will be better for it. So in the context of my post as a development/rebuilding year it’s been a good year, but this hopefully is the start of better things to come over the next few years.
Jacko
Guest
Please explain why he should do anything else. To play Super rugby and possibly test rugby maybe? Just saying!
Val Saunders
Guest
As a Red supporter I was pleased for the win and the way they didn't give up when they were under pressure in the first half but as an Oz rugby supporter the standard of rugby was terrible. Set pieces in theory should be easy to perfect but explain to me how professional players cannot throw the ball into a line out correctly. This is both starting hookers, one of whom plays for the Wallabies! Then you have the lack of ability to pass correctly or should I say to the man and here the Rebels were even worse than the Reds. I know it is easy to compare our players with NZ one's but when you look at the two 10's that played in the Crusaders v Highlanders game (and are not regarded by the All Blacks as the best two in the country) and the two 10's in this game there is a frightening difference in standard. I enjoyed the game because I love rugby and it was excitingly close but coaches can we please please attempt to raise the skill levels of the players and for Thorn this means more than just the scrum.
ethan
Guest
Gill, McMahon and Timu. That would be some backrow!
Jacko
Guest
Surely Thor has to start for the Wallabies after his past few weeks. And surely the Rebels have to give Maddocks a go at 10
Uncle Eric
Guest
Ahh don't knock Drongo, he loves NZ so much. Goes there every year for his holidays.
Jacko
Guest
Haha Poor Drongo...he loves the Reds...so he says...but hates Thorn...Wants his team to lose just so he can hate Thorn more...Dont worry Drongo maybe 1 of the many names (personalities ) you post under may start enjoying the Reds successes and who couldnt enjoy that forward display. Backs looked pretty good too...Such a young team...