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Staniforth a danger man: Reds
By Wayne Smith
April 15, 2008
HE is the least flashy player in the gifted Western Force backline but no-frills centre Scott Staniforth has been identified by Queensland as their main danger in Friday's match at Suncorp Stadium.
Even without Matt Giteau, who is being rested to ensure there are no complications from the concussion he sustained against New South Wales last weekend, the Force boasts some of the most gifted backs in Australia in Drew Mitchell, Cameron Shepherd, Ryan Cross and Lachlan MacKay.
But in the estimation of Reds coach Phil Mooney, it was Staniforth, the 'Mr Fixit' of Australian rugby who has alternated between wing and inside centre over the past two seasons, who stepped into the breach against the Waratahs following the early loss of Giteau.
"I thought he was the critical guy for them, the one who more than anyone else stood up and had a go," Mooney said. "People tend to look at the Giteaus and Mitchells and co but think back to the Bledisloe Test that Australia won last year and the role that Staniforth played in it - and I'm not just referring to the try he scored.
"He is the guy who is central to the Force and he allows all the others to do what they do."
Staniforth admitted he was flattered by Mooney's assessment and predictably welcomed any extra attention the Reds might direct against him because it would open up opportunities for less heavily marked team-mates.
"But I guess there was a lot more responsibility with Gits out for me to play a bigger role," Staniforth said.
He also believed that with Giteau on the sideline, the Force would be more difficult for the Reds to analyse.
"Teams have been watching him very closely and experimented with all sorts of ways of shutting him down but now that our attack is not pivoting off him, they're not going to feel so comfortable with their analysis," he said.
Still, the Reds could not have helped but notice how strongly replacement five-eighth MacKay took the ball to the line, rarely passing to supports - although when he did it usually was to good effect.
Certainly a MacKay-Staniforth 10-12 pairing will represent a serious physical threat to the Reds' midfield, although Queensland inside centre Berrick Barnes has proven himself to be one of the best defensive backs in the Super 14. And he will be aware that opposite number Staniforth represents probably his biggest rival for the No12 Test jersey.
"That's going to be a great match-up and I definitely feel there's a Test spot on the line there," Mooney said.
Force coach John Mitchell rejected the suggestion that his players might struggle to get themselves up physically and mentally against the Reds after such an exhausting game against the Waratahs.
"It's no different," said Mitchell. "It's another derby. At the end of the day, each player individually is responsible for his mental preparation but if you don't get up for an Australian (game), there is something wrong with you."
Although the Force was not called on to make quite as staggering a defensive effort as the Waratahs, who made 252 tackles, 35 of them by Dan Vickerman alone, they still got through 175.
Worryingly, they will be facing a Reds side fresh from the bye and no longer constrained by the thought that one more slip-up could cost them a semi-final berth.
Yet again, the play-offs are a forlorn hope for the Reds and about all they have left to play for, aside from pride, is the scalp of another Australian team.
We dont just give out TWF Player of the Year awards to anyone you know!
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
this should be a good game but it would or could of been better if the reds would change their line up...
turini needs to go and barnes isnt a inside.. they need to bring back chris siale to 12..also bring rodzilla back. im not a reds fan but i do love seeing props running in the midfield espically when their 135kg +
i would rather see a good, hard fought game like we saw against the tahs than a 50 point belting..
Anyone agree???
I love big props running hard up the middle, is he injured like holmes???135kg eh, baby back, baby back, baby back ribs...GET IN MY BELLY>>>
Proudly bought to you by a brewery somewhere....
yer holmes is out for like 4 weeks i think..
phil mooney hasnt got a clue.
Looks like another big loss for the reds this week..
oh yeah just herd andrew walker is back in the 22.. should of retired long ago