Super Rugby News

Smudge

Richard Graham goooooone after two games this season.

Stargazer

Isn't it a bit ott to sack a coach after losing the two first games of the season? 

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
Queensland Reds coach Richard Graham sacked after back-to-back losses to start Super Rugby season The Queensland Reds have sacked Richard Graham after back-to-back losses to open their Super Rugby season. 
 The Reds lost to the Waratahs in round one before failing to score a try in Saturday's 22-6 home loss to the unheralded Western Force. 
 He took over at Ballymore in 2013 after championship-winning coach Ewen McKenzie was elevated to his ill-fated stint at the Wallabies. Graham has presided over seasons of turmoil at the Brisbane side highlighted by star signing Karmichael Hunt's drug suspension last year. 
 MORE TO COME
</blockquote>
 Just imagine Boyd being sacked by the Canes ...

KiwiMurph

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="563074" data-time="1457325096">
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Isn't it a bit ott to sack a coach after losing the two first games of the season? 

 Just imagine Boyd being sacked by the Canes ...
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</blockquote>
 
Graham should have been sacked at the end of last season at least. It's not over the top - it's 6 months too late.

antipodean

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="563074" data-time="1457325096">
<div>
Isn't it a bit ott to sack a coach after losing the two first games of the season?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Not given his record, no.
 
What's OTT is the Reds gave him two games this season to fuck up.

mariner4life

What's fucked is they gave him the gig at all. He was fucking terrible at the Force, and they promoted him?
 
The Reds lack a lot, so this won't be the instant fix many of their rabid supporters hope it will be

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="563077" data-time="1457325386">Not given his record, no. What's OTT is the Reds gave him two games this season to fuck up.</blockquote> That's what I meant. Either you sack him over Summer, or you give him a reasonable number of games in the new season. Sacking him two games into the season is just ridiculous. <blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">Reds coach calls it quits Reds head coach Richard Graham has been released from the remainder of his contract with immediate effect. Graham, who was head coach for the past three seasons, will be replaced by co-interim head coaches Matt O'Connor and Nick Stiles. Stiles has been the Reds' forwards coach since 2014 and also led Brisbane City as head coach to back-to-back titles in the National Rugby Championship. O'Connor joined the Reds as attack coach ahead of the 2016 season after spending the last seven years coaching in Europe, most recently as head coach of European Cup semi-finalists Leinster. The QRU will commence a worldwide process to appoint a head coach for the 2017 Super Rugby season. It is likely that this process will take between 90 and 120 days once the QRU formally goes to market. Both O'Connor and Stiles will be invited to be part of this open process. "QRU conducted a high-performance review in the middle of last year and as a result implemented significant change across our Rugby department. At that time the Board made the decision to reappoint Richard as head coach for a year, but we always said there would be periods within the 2016 Super Rugby season where we would take stock of how the team was performing," said QRU Chairman Damien Frawley. - ONE News</blockquote>

antipodean

Agreed. It just makes the board look even more incompetent.

booboo

Isn't that the problem? ie the chairman who loved him has gone so the road block to getting rid of him has gone too.

Stargazer

Bugger, Nehe Milner-Skudder out for the rest of the season!
 
Scans have revealed he needs shoulder surgery.

Crucial

Are we back to looking for another 14 for the ABs? Naholo and Dagg need to come back strong, Jane looks to have been ditched at the right time as well. Maybe Bender moves back to 14 and McKenzie comes into FB?

KiwiMurph

Another option would be Barrett to 15 and Bender to 14 with Cruden/Sopoaga starting/on bench.
 
Hopefully Rene Ranger starts to get his old mojo back and putting his hand up for that 14 jersey.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="564889" data-time="1458089568">
<div>
Are we back to looking for another 14 for the ABs? Naholo and Dagg need to come back strong, Jane looks to have been ditched at the right time as well. Maybe Bender moves back to 14 and McKenzie comes into FB?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I certainly hope Naholo and Dagg will return from injury soon and come back strong, because Ranger hasn't been convincing enough yet to re-claim a spot in the ABs IMO.

Smudge

I saw Naholo at the supermarket at lunchtime today walking freely to his All Blacks Ford Falcon, so that's a good sign...

No Quarter

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="564887" data-time="1458089209">
<div>
Bugger, Nehe Milner-Skudder out for the rest of the season!
 
Scans have revealed he needs shoulder surgery.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
That really really sucks, he's my favourite player to watch at the moment.

broughie

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="564890" data-time="1458089924">
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Another option would be Barrett to 15 and Bender to 14 with Cruden/Sopoaga starting/on bench.
 
Hopefully Rene Ranger starts to get his old mojo back and putting his hand up for that 14 jersey. 
</div>
</blockquote>


That is my preference. Not sure Mackenzie is AB material yet and his size makes him a defensive liability. International rugby is another step up but I could be wrong. We have plenty of good wingers to allow Bender to stay at FB. Osbourne, the ex Mako Waikato winger, heck memory is bad but I like more size. The game is trending bigger and stronger. This is probably why Cruden has so many injuries. Love the way Cruden runs into space with the ball.

Bovidae

Moala played on the right wing vs Samoa. 
 
I don't rate Osborne that highly myself.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="broughie" data-cid="564939" data-time="1458100861">
<div>
That is my preference. Not sure Mackenzie is AB material yet and his size makes him a defensive liability. International rugby is another step up but I could be wrong. We have plenty of good wingers to allow Bender to stay at FB. Osbourne, the ex Mako Waikato winger, heck memory is bad but I like more size. The game is trending bigger and stronger. This is probably why Cruden has so many injuries. Love the way Cruden runs into space with the ball.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
 
Tell that to Nadolo

broughie

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Bovidae" data-cid="564940" data-time="1458101094">
<div>
Moala played on the right wing vs Samoa. 
 
I don't rate Osborne that highly myself.
</div>
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Fair enough. The ABs did bring him into camp as cover so he must have some stock. You are right on Moala. Names werent coming to me.

broughie

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="564944" data-time="1458101889">
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Tell that to Nadolo
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</blockquote>

I don't think based on one tackle you can consider MacKenzie a defensive force? Maybe brave. He is known more for his offense.

Billy Tell

Preference 1: give Naholo an extended run at 14
Preference 2: Barrett at 15, Smith to 14
Preference 3: Dagg miraculously finds form, or give McKenzie a shot
 
Not a Ranger fan. Not top class AB material, and don't think he ever will be. Bench at best.

The Silver Fern

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