The Brisbane Tens is all about the next generation - 2018 Predictions
This weekend’s pre-season Tens tournament is a precursor to the Super Rugby season, with many established names on show like Julian Savea, Liam Messam, Digby Ioane and Conrad Smith.
While there are also many well-known stars from the past like Carlos Spencer on the card, it will be the youngsters that will steal the show. They get the chance to prove their worth and have the talent to shine on this stage. Just like Shaun Stevenson last year, a number of next-gen stars will take this tournament by storm.
Here is our breakdown of each pool and some the unlikely breakout stars to look out for.
Pool A: Wild Knights, Rebels, Blues, Reds
Hometown hosts the Reds will be looking to put in a strong performance together to definitively put the Quade situation behind them. Fijian flyer Filipo Daugunu will be one to watch after dazzling on the club scene in Brisbane last year and NRC with Queensland Country. Young winger Izaia Perese is pound-for-pound the hardest man to tackle in Super Rugby and Taniela Tupou the ‘Tongan Thor’ will again trample over defenders.
Digby Ioane will return with his Japanese club Panasonic Wild Knights. Ioane scored one of the tries of the tournament at last year’s event with the Crusaders. The 33-year-old will be hoping to reproduce the same magic. Super Rugby’s top tryscorer in 2016, Akihito Yamada of the Sunwolves, will be looking to replicate that form this weekend after missing Super Rugby last year.
The Rebels will field two young mid-fielders that possess game-breaking ability – Hunter Paisami and Semisi Tupou that could feature in Super Rugby this year. Paisami is a blockbusting midfielder that can hit like a truck, you may remember this monster hit from the Australian schoolboys test match in 2016.
The Blues have an impressive squad full of up and coming young stars. Akira Ioane, Melani Nanai and George Moala will bring experience while Caleb Clarke, Orbyn Leger, Dalton Papalii and Sam Nock are New Zealand age grade reps worth keeping an eye on. Of course, the 42-year-old Carlos Spencer is back for a run around, but he will probably look to utilise the young talent around him.
The Blues and Reds will likely be the top two teams from this pool.
Pool B: Pau, Waratahs, Chiefs, Highlanders
French club Pau looks more like an All Blacks re-union party than a Top 14 team. Seven ex-AB’s are apart of the squad headlined by Conrad Smith. While the names look good on paper, the condensed format will probably work against this squad where athleticism trumps experience. Pau will offer a good show but will be unlikely to make a deep run in the tournament.
The Waratahs have been devastated by the news on the eve of the tournament that star Kurtley Beale will miss the tournament due to injury. In his absence, Fijian bulldozer Taqele Naiyaravoro will be a key weapon the Tahs will want to use on the fringes. The shifty ex-Force winger Alex Newsome will enjoy the open spaces while young flyhalf Mack Mason will take responsibility for steering the team around. Irae Simone could a breakout star at this tournament while Curtis Rona will get his first look in NSW colours.
Last year’s champions the Chiefs have named a strong side for their defence, with MVP Shaun Stevenson back for his encore performance after picking up the award in the inaugural event. Tim Nanai-Williams and Solomon Alaimalo will bring flair and form a deadly trio with Stevenson. New Zealand under-20’s flyhalf Tiaan Falcon is a breakout candidate and will get decent game time with Damian McKenzie not available.
The Highlanders will bring a high workrate to the Tens and rely on the young first five-eighths Josh Ioane and Fletcher Smith to show their worth. The two will get the chance to build their case to become Liam Sopoaga’s replacement at the end of the year. The Barracuda Richard Buckman will be everywhere for the Landers, and young Canterbury product Josh McKay has speed to burn that they will look to utilise.
We have to back the defending champs the Chiefs to top this pool, while the Waratahs and Highlanders will battle it out for the next best side.
Pool C: Fiji, Brumbies, Hurricanes, Crusaders
The Fijian side is the wild card of this tournament. Renown for Sevens success, the Fijians could blow this pool open. The addition of the Fijian Drua into the Australian domestic competition (NRC) shocked many as they tore apart a number of sides. Many of that side will feature here and will no doubt be scouted by their opposition during the tournament.
The Brumbies side features a number of established stars in Henry Speight, Kyle Godwin and Chance Peni. One name we predict to shock at this tournament is scrumhalf Isaak Fines, who is perhaps the best non-contracted player in Australia. Fines is a raw attacking talent built for this format.
The Hurricanes highest profile player Julian Savea that will look to start 2018 on the right note, with aspirations of reclaiming the All Blacks left wing jersey. The Canes possess plenty of power running backs in Ben Lam, Malo Tuitama, Losi Filipo, Jonah Lowe and Peter Umaga-Jensen and one super prop in Alex Fidow. Fidow is the New Zealand equiviliant of Taniela Tupou – they both perform feats no props should.
The Crusaders have named a young squad lead by last year’s breakout winger George Bridge. You won’t recognise many names in this squad, but watch out for Tima Faingaanuku on the edge and Ngane Punivai. Manasa Mataele will look to carry over his try scoring feats from last season where he bagged eight tries in six matches for the Crusaders.
The Hurricanes and Fiji are our picks to top this pool.
Tournament Predications
The Chiefs and Hurricanes look good enough to make a deep run at this tournament and of the Australian sides the Reds have enough raw talent to find success. Fiji is the biggest unknown but NRC-form suggests they will do well. These are our four picks to make the semi-finals.
Our shortlist of candidates for MVP include last year’s winner Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs), Solomon Alaimalo (Chiefs), Alex Fidow (Hurricanes) and Samu Kerevi (Reds). A couple of outside chances if their teams catch fire are Melani Nanai (Blues) and Mack Mason (Waratahs).
Our heart says Fiji as winners but our head says the Chiefs or Hurricanes.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments