1
Fairly predictable that something like this could happen. That many people flying in together from Covid hot spots was always going to be high risk
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-...covid/13064616
Ben Grant reportedly signed with the Reds. No longer on Force website.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Looks like Jack Hardy is leaving the reds, hopefully he is coming back home.
The club (the reds) would also like to acknowledge and thank departing players Chris Feauai-Sautia, JP and Ruan Smith, Scott Malolua, Jack Hardy, Jack Straker, Sean Farrell, Jethro Felemi, Dave Feao, Tom Kibble, Michael Wood and Carter Gordon for their contributions to Queensland.
https://www.reds.rugby/news/2021/01/...quad-announced
Junior Wallaby joins the Force
January 20, 2021
The Western Force has added further depth to their 2021 Super Rugby squad with the signing of hooker Jack Winchester.
Having won the prestigious John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship at Bond University on the Gold Coast in 2019, Winchester brings a wealth of talent and promise to the Force.
Signing a two-year contract with the Force from the Queensland Reds academy, the Junior Wallabies and Australian Schoolboys representative is excited for the upcoming Super Rugby season.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” the 20-year-old said.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play Super Rugby.
“The mix of youth and experience at the Force is great and it seems to be a team with a very strong culture.
“There’s some amazing names in the squad with plenty of international experience, so I can’t wait to learn from them all.”
Head of rugby Matt Hodgson is delighted to have secured Winchester after Argentinian hooker Julián Montoya, who was scheduled to travel to Perth last month, joined the Leicester Tigers earlier than anticipated due to visa-related issues.
“Jack is a very consistent player who carries himself well both on and off the field,” Hodgson noted.
“His physicality, strength around the scrummage and accurate throwing are all assets that he will bring to the squad. We’re really looking forward to Jack joining the team ahead of the Super Rugby season.”
https://www.westernforce.com.au/juni...ins-the-force/
Who will Western Force coach Tim Sampson pick to start at scrum-half in Super Rugby season?
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Fri, 22 January 2021 3:36PM
The three Force options: Michael McDonald, Ian Prior and Tomas Cubelli.
Western Force coach Tim Sampson faces some tough selection decisions ahead of the new Super Rugby campaigns.
But none will be tougher than picking his scrum-half.
Sampson has an embarrassment of riches: Argentinian international Tomas Cubelli, captain and Force stalwart Ian Prior and junior Wallabies captain Michael McDonald, home after a year with the Waratahs.
It’s the sort of decision coaches get paid to make, one that Sampson admits will cause him a headache. But he is giving nothing away.
“It will be a headache but what we’re blessed with is they are different styles of players,” he said.
“If you have a half-back that comes on at the 60-minute mark for example, plays a different style of footy to the guy that’s been out there previously, it can be a handful for the opposition.
Rob Kearney talks with Force skipper Ian Prior at training. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images
“Cubelli is a world class player.
“Ian Prior has been outstanding for the club for many years. He was unlucky not to make the initial Wallaby squad last year.
“Michael McDonald, he’s obviously done some good work when in a professional program with the Waratahs.”
Sampson will need depth in all positions with Australian Super Rugby kicking-off next month going back-to-back with the trans-Tasman tournament.
Coach Tim Sampson watches on at training. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images
“We are going three deep in some positions with quality players. There is depth in each position and we’re going to need it, we don’t hide away from that,” he said.
“There’s a genuine fight for positions.
“There is a possibility, what we’re planning for, is we could go 12 weeks straight bouncing out of Super Rugby AU finals straight into trans-Tasman.
“We are well balanced from senior players right through to those guys in mid-to-late 20’s, to a couple of players that have come up through our academy system.”
The 37-man squad has an international flavour with players like Cubelli and Los Pumas teammates, Tomas Lezana, Santiago Medrano and Domingo Miotti, former All Blacks Jeremy thrush and Richard Kahui and legendary Irish full-back Rob Kearney.
And Sampson is tapping into their knowledge.
“I would be silly to ignore the calibre of players we have. It would be silly to sit back and just squash that. It’s great to learn off each other,” he said.
“We need to tap into these guys and see what they think and if we can adjust things slightly.
“I have had some really good discussions with someone like Rob Kearney who has thrown some little ideas at us and some subtle hints.
“Importantly, they understand that this group played some pretty good footy last year. We’ve got our style of footy, they are really looking forward to playing how we play.”
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-u...ng-b881776575z
Love this line. Nothing like confidence. Bring it on.
“There is a possibility, what we’re planning for, is we could go 12 weeks straight bouncing out of Super Rugby AU finals straight into trans-Tasman.
It mentions a 37 man squad and I have 39 on the first page??
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!