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18-year-old set to join exclusive Reds club against Wild Knights in Japan

Frankie Goldsbrough of Australia (C) during the match between Australia U18s and New Zealand Schools at FMG Stadium Waikato on October 06, 2024 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)

Queensland coach Les Kiss has named a teenager and a former New Zealand U20 representative to make their starting debuts for the Reds, who will take on the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan on Monday for the Saitama-Queensland Shield.

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18-year-old Frankie Goldsbrough will line up at outside centre when the Reds take the field at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, while backrower Kohan Herbert has been rewarded with a starting spot at openside flanker.

Goldsbrough will join the likes of Elton Flatley and Jordan Petaia by playing their first minutes of senior rugby for Queensland at that age. This selection in the No. 13 is a justified reward for the teenager’s progress since joining the Reds straight out of school last year.

 

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Coach Kiss has named Goldsbrough to partner Dre Pakeho in the midfield. The pair played together in the centres at Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School in 2022, which makes this almost a fairytale selection for the two youngsters.

As for Herbert, the loose forward brings a wealth of experience into this role after playing for New Zealand representative teams as a junior and then Bay of Plenty in the NPC. This year, Herbert has shone brightly for Souths in Queensland’s Hospital Cup.

“It’s terrific to have these international experiences as a team and to keep building on this relationship we have with the Wild Knights,” coach Les Kiss said in a statement.

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“Ryan Smith has been a leader within the squad all season and to name him captain is a reward he deserves.

“We said from the start that this tour could provide opportunities for some players from club rugby so it’s a highlight to see Kohan and Hamish earn their spots.”

Former All Black turned Wallaby Alex Hodgman will pack down in an internationally-experienced front-row. Wallaby Josh Nasser and former All Black Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen round out a talented list in jerseys one, two and three.

Josh Canham joins captain Ryan Smith in the middle row, with Connor Vest, Herbert, and Joe Brial making up the rest of the forward pack as the loose forwards.

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In the backs, Kalani Thomas will partner Wallaby Tom Lynagh in the halves, while Pakeho will link up with Goldsbrough in the midfield. Coach Kiss has named Heremaia Murray, Floyd Aubery and new signing Mason Gordon in the outside backs.

This match is scheduled to get underway at 2:00 pm AEST on Monday, November 4. This will recognise the 40th anniversary of the sister state relationship between Saitama and Queensland.

Queensland Reds team to play Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights

  1. Alex Hodgman
  2. Josh Nasser
  3. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
  4. Josh Canham
  5. Ryan Smith (c)
  6. Connor Vest
  7. Kohan Herbert
  8. Joe Brial
  9. Kalanai Thomas
  10. Tom Lynagh
  11. Heremaia Murray
  12. Dre Pakeho
  13. Frankie Goldsbrough
  14. Floyd Aubrey
  15. Mason Gordon

Replacements

  1. Richie Asiata
  2. Sef Fa’agase
  3. Massimo De Lutiis
  4. Taine Roiri
  5. Hamish Muller
  6. Louis Werchon
  7. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips
  8. Will Cartwright
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J
JW 15 minutes ago
'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Well a) poor French results doesn’t seem to effect the situation much. In fact one of the reasons given for this selection policy is that the French don’t tune in for foreign rugby content on the other side of the world, at a time when theyre not having their vino. So who would know the results? And b) this is the crux of the matter, they are legally abided to play them as part of WRs tier 1 reciprocal tours programme. The only real choice for the SH team is to treat it the same, which is fine when teams are happy to do that, but the AB’s have a totally anthesis policy/mentality so would never use the games in the same way.


So alligned with b) the only real option is to complain to those in control. I suspect that’s why weve seen France reneging on the practice, and you can only be left to think that if they hadn’t reneged, WR would have done something more drastic about it. Which of course would mean not just telling them to bugger off when they want to tour, it’s no one playing them (from t1 at least) at all (assuming they have no interest in scheduling match’s outside the windows, like Ireland and NZ are doing).


Then of course that means no involvement of France in the Nations Championship. Which means they are automatically the last ranked team in 6N to qualify, so the actual worst team in 6N gets to compete in it, making a mockery of the promotion and relegation WR wanted to happen between T1 and T2 for qualifying purposes. Yup, b) is just something nobody wants to happen. Well done FFR and LNR for making the tour work instead (how well is yet to be seen).

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T
Tom 1 hour ago
No definites, but which Wales players could still make Lions squad?

Williams, Faletau, Lake, Morgan are the only ones who have a chance. None of them are guaranteed but I'd imagine they'll pick Williams and Morgan who could get in on merit and will likely be favoured for inclusivity.


Williams is fighting it out with Ben White for 3rd slot behind JGP and Mitchell.

Morgan is up against JVDF, Earl, Curry, Curry, Willis for 4 flanker slots. Morgan is a fantastic player but a huge call to leave any of those boys at home given how much Wales struggled at the breakdown against England. He's by no means solely responsible for that but it will be fresh in the minds of the selectors. Given the amount of hybrid players emerging and the inclination for a 6-2 split, they may be able to find room for a 5th flanker in the squad. In which case may be Ben Curry who misses out or Willis might be excluded given we have such depth in the players who have chosen to play for clubs this side of the channel.


Lake and Faletau are good enough but I'd be surprised if Faletau gets picked over Conan and Lake would be up against Cowan-Dickie which I can't see happening. Blair Murray is probably 4th in the 15 pecking order behind Kinghorn, Heenan, Marcus Smith. He may be a better 15 than Smith but Smith brings versatility so would be ahead of him. Since Smith may go on tour as a 10/15 hybrid, they would already have 3 fullbacks in the squad so Murray won't make it, good player though.


Nicky Smith and Dafydd Jenkins clutching at straws.

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