The Waratahs, Reds, Force and Brumbies have all announced their teams for Round 1 of the 2021 Super Rugby AU season.
It might only be the first batch of team announcements of the year, but already there are some eye-catching decisions made by the coaches.
Wallaby Scott Sio hasn’t been picked in the Brumbies’ entire matchday squad as they start their title defence with a trip to Perth to face the Force, while Reds coach Brad Thorn has moved Jordan Petaia away from his favoured position at outside centre and onto the wing for their season opener against the Waratahs, and left Taniela Tupou out of the starting side altogether.
Tim Sampson has decided to go with club captain Ian Prior at scrumhalf instead of Argentinian star Tomas Cubelli, who’s been named on the bench, and the Waratahs will call on former Red Izaia Perese in midfield for their clash in Queensland.
Perese will line up alongside Joey Walton in midfield for NSW, with James Ramm and Alex Newsome on the wings, Jack Maddocks at fullback and Jake Gordon and Will Harrison in the halves.
Rob Penney has been able to name a first-choice front row of Angus Bell, Tom Horton and Harry Johnson-Holmes, and new signings Sam Caird and Jack Whetton will make their club debuts in the second row together.
In the back row, Carlo Tizzano has been given first crack at replacing Michael Hooper at openside. He combines with Jack Dempsey and Will Harris in the back row, the latter of whom will wear the number six in Lachie Swinton’s absence.
Swinton isn’t the only Wallaby missing from the game due to suspension; Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is also unavailable on account of his red card picked up in Australia’s final game of the year against Argentina. New signing Suliasi Vunivalu is also suspended, while Test players Liam Wright and Brandon Paenga-Amosa are injured.
With Paenga-Amosa unavailable and Tupou on the bench, Thorn has gone with an inexperienced front row of Dane Zander, Alex Mafi and Feao Fotuaika. Seru Uru comes into partner Angus Blyth at lock, while Angus Scott-Young, as expected, takes Wright’s place in the back row alongside Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson.
James O’Connor will captain the Reds from flyhalf in Wright’s absence, with Tate McDermott at scrumhalf and Hamish Stewart and Hunter Paisami in midfield. Filipo Daugunu, Petaia and Jock Campbell make up a strong back three.
In the second game of the round, the Western Force will run out most of their new signings: Tom Robertson and Santiago Medrano start on either side of Feleti Kaitu’u in an imposing front row, while Medrano’s fellow Argentinian, Tomas Lezana, will wear the number six.
Tevita Kuridrani takes his preferred spot at outside centre with Kyle Godwin inside him, and Irish veteran Rob Kearney starts at fullback.
There are still plenty of familiar names in the Force’s side, with Jeremy Thrush, Fergus Lee Warner, Brynard Stander, Prior, Jono Lance, Marcel Brache and Byron Ralston named to start after backing up from last year’s campaign.
Their opponents, the Brumbies, have gone with a fairly full-strength side, with Sio’s omission the only real shock. Len Ikitau gets first crack at the 13 jersey vacated by Kuridrani, and Jahrome Brown will start at openside flanker.
Mack Hansen starts on the wing in place of the injured Tom Wright, and Issak Fines-Leleiwasa has been named as the utility back despite being a scrumhalf by trade.
James Slipper starts alongside Folau Fainga’a and captain Allan Alaalatoa in an all-Wallabies front row, with Darcy Swain and Cadeyrn Neville locking the scrum behind them. Rob Valetini and Pete Samu join Brown in the back row.
Andy Muirhead has been named opposite Hansen out wide, Tom Banks will wear the 15 jersey, and Irae Simone joins Ikitau in midfield. Wallabies Nic White and Noah Lolesio are the halves.
Suncorp Stadium, Friday, 7:45pm (AEDT)
Reds
(1-15): Dane Zander, Alex Mafi, Feao Fotuaika, Angus Blyth, Seru Uru, Angus Scott-Young, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott, James O’Connor (c), Filipo Daugunu, Hamish Stewart, Hunter Paisami, Jordan Petaia, Jock Campbell
Bench: Richie Asiata, Harry Hoopert, Taniela Tupou, Ryan Smith, Tuania Tali Taualima, Moses Sorovi, Bryce Hegarty, Ilaisa Droasese
Waratahs
Angus Bell, Tom Horton, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Sam Caird, Jack Whetton, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Jack Dempsey, Jake Gordon (c), Will Harrison, James Ramm, Joey Walton, Izaia Perese, Alex Newsome, Jack Maddocks
Bench: Dave Porecki, Tetera Faulkner, Sio Tatola, Jeremy Williams, Hugh Sinclair, Jack Grant, Tane Edmed, Mark Nawaqanitawase
HBF Park, Friday, 9:55pm (AEDT)
Force
Tom Robertson, Feleti Kaitu’u, Santiago Medrano, Jeremy Thrush, Fergus Lee Warner, Tomas Lezana, Kane Koteka, Brynard Stander, Ian Prior, Jono Lance, Marcel Brache, Kyle Godwin, Tevita Kuridrani, Byron Ralston, Rob Kearney
Bench: Andrew Ready, Angus Warner, Greg Holmes, Ryan McCauley, Tim Anstee, Tomas Cubelli, Jake McIntyre, Richard Kahui
Brumbies
James Slipper, Folau Fainga’a, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Darcy Swain, Cadeyrn Neville, Rob Valetini, Jahrome Brown, Pete Samu, Nic White, Noah Lolesio, Mack Hansen, Irae Simone, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Banks
Bench: Connal McInerney, Harry Lloyd, Tom Ross, Nick Frost, Tom Cusack, Ryan Lonergan, Reesjan Pasitoa, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
The Reds game is up there now :rugby:
GWSingapore
Roar Rookie
Best wishes to Rugby Australia and Channel 9 for the rebooted SupeRugby season. Unfortunately, and in my opinion unbelievably, matches cannot be seen in Asia. For years we had coverage on pay TV channels and then streaming through Rugby Pass. No longer. As all too often I am afraid, Australia only looking internally, not at a bigger global picture. Singaporeans access will be via streaming clips and newspaper reports.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Frankly, Friday morning UK time isn't ideal for me to watch live anyway as I am meant to be working so a delay is workable. I just have to accept I know the result
jeznez
Roar Guru
Yeah. Chatting to a mate who is both a front rower and a Reds man he advises me that Zander is more of a LH than TH and that Fotuaika can play both sides. Tet Faulkner actually went well against Tupou last season when they packed down.Would say he managed a draw. Tet will likely be on the other side though. Tough ask for the Tahs new kid Tatola!
Bentnuc
Roar Pro
Usually no later than a day. I find it a bit better than the streaming cause it's always dropping out
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G'day jeznez. Perhaps memories of last year's second game loom large for the Reds management, and finishing with the strongest front row is the plan of attack. That finish could be 60 minutes long or 25 minutes. There's certainly been plenty of time for last year's new, young props to grow and learn. I don't think the Reds would have let the Smith brothers go if they saw a great deficiency in their prop stocks.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Amazing. That's got to be millions left on the table. And worse, I can't watch the rugby live on my TV. You'd have thought that their bid was backed by agreements with world partners contingent on them winning the process
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
I tipped the Tahs before seeing the selected team. I have no faith in Coach Goon.
Antony Henrie
Guest
So thorn plays arguably the best tighthead in oz from the bench. Tahs for an upset.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Yeah, he looks quality. After losing Short and McDonald I wished he came to the Tahs.
MO
Guest
I was really impressed with Fines' firepower in the NRC for the Force and would just like him to find a spot in someone's 23. Don't care if that's in Oz or elsewhere.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Multi-skilling is great. Frank Lomani is another that played a lot of wing for the Rebels last year.
MO
Guest
Makes sense. Tom Robertson bless him is too light to play tighthead even though he's nice and short. His height and sufficient strength make him very suited for loosehead.
MO
Guest
likely to only be a stop gap but Phipps has had to play wing in a test match so these guys do need to multiskill. I do like small zippy wingers and think it a waste where a guy who has the pace misses out. EG Jack McGregor has the speed of a good wing but is probably too small for a top full back and not quite good enough for a 10.
Don
Roar Rookie
Nonggor is at least a season or more away from being a SR prop Jez. If the vision is still available online on Reds TV take a look at how the Easts front row destroyed Bond Uni in last year’s finals. The Tigers popped him off his feet.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I think by build they are probably the right way around. It's just that I've only ever seen Zander at tight and Fotu at loose. Am guessing that Lilicrap has looked at them biomechanically and driving the switch.
MO
Guest
Reckon you're right. If you went Cubelli (9) Miotti (10) TK (13) and Kearney (15) you do lose cohesion until they have their lines sorted.
MO
Guest
Wikipedia says Fotuaika is 6ft 1 and 135 kgs so he has the build of a good tight head and if enough of that is muscle he should be okay to wrestle with Gus Gell. At loosehead don't they pretty have to go with Zander or Hoopert so perhaps a coin toss. Perhaps they think Hoopert is first choice and want to run him with TT as a pair and Zander Fotuaiki as pair.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I'm not knocking them using him there. Just don't think he'll get a heap of time to learn and develop. I'm fairly sure that as soon as Kata and Wright are back, he'll be the third halfback again rather than the third winger he is this weekend. If my assumption is wrong and this is actually a long term plan to transition him then all power to him. If it is just a stop gap solution then also wish him well.
MO
Guest
Yeah mate but whilst positioning needs to be learned it can be learned. If you are fast enough it helps but time to learn and of course it helps line up the tackle or run people down. I just get annoyed that people require 100kg plus wingers. Glad Kolbe and the Japanese show that not every winger needs to be a monster. If Fines can't get a run at 9 (he keeps being third string) then why not transition into being an attacking winger with the skills of a pretty good half back.