Reds debut for ex-Blues and Melbourne Storm U20 player
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: New Zealander Matt McGahan faces a torrid debut in the unfamiliar position of fullback as the Queensland Reds aim to end their long losing streak to Super Rugby rivals NSW Waratahs on Saturday.
The son of New Zealand rugby league great Hugh McGahan has been thrust into the No.15 jersey with Hamish Stewart (shoulder) injured and Isaac Lucas on Junior Wallabies duty.
The 26-year-old playmaker suffered a broken leg in pre-season after joining the Reds from Japan club rugby but has proven his fitness with a handful of games in Brisbane club rugby.
Nonetheless his first Super Rugby appearance since leaving the Blues at the end of 2016 is a high-stakes one with the Reds having lost their past 10 matches against the Waratahs.
“It’s not his regular position. He’s normally a 10,” Reds defence coach Peter Ryan said.
“He’s played there before definitely but not a great deal of time.
“His efforts and his understanding of the position are pretty good from what I’ve seen so far defensively.
“Him getting to the end of the line or communicating what he’s doing in his role there is second to none so I don’t think he’ll have a problem.”
McGahan is one of two changes to the Reds’ starting XV from the team which fell 30-24 to the Rebels last Friday in Melbourne.
Coach Brad Thorn has shuffled his pack with Angus Scott-Young moving to No.8 while Lukhan Salakaia-Loto comes into the team in the back row and veteran Scott Higginbotham dropping to the bench.
Just one points separates the traditional rivals, who both have ground to make up on the Brumbies and Rebels in the congested Australian conference.
With a trip across the Tasman to play the Chiefs next week, Ryan admitted Saturday’s match could be a decisive to the Reds’ finals hopes.
“It’s a big moment for us in the game this week,” he said.
“It means we can either go on or we can fall by the wayside. That’s completely up to our players and us as staff to ensure that doesn’t take place.”
The Reds went down 28-17 to the Waratahs when the two teams last met in March, a match more memorable for the state of the SCG turf than any of the action.
Ryan said a key challenge for the days leading up to the game would be keeping the young Reds team’s emotions in check.
“We want to make it realistic so that we don’t burn ourselves out before we get there on the weekend,” he said.
“We still want to have it to the point where when they get out on the field they really want to hit everything that’s out there in a blue jumper and hurt it.”
Reds: Matt McGahan, Jock Campbell, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Samu Kerevi, Sefa Naivalu, Bryce Hegarty, Tate McDermott, Angus Scott-Young, Liam Wright, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Angus Blyth, Izack Rodda, Taniela Tupou, Alex Mafi, JP Smith. Reserves: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Hoopert, Ruan Smith, Scott Higinbotham, Caleb Timu, Moses Sorovi, Duncan Paia’aua, Seb Wileman.
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
6 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
6 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments