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Reds take ‘baby step in the right direction’ with win over Moana Pasifika

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

For a team under pressure, Friday night’s 40-28 win over Moana Pasifika in Samoa was “a baby step in the right direction” for the Queensland Reds.

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The Reds started their season with a disastrous 47-13 loss to the Hurricanes in Townsville, but appeared to turn a corner in Super Round.

Spurred on by doubles to rising star Josh Flook and star winger Filipo Daugunu, Queensland recorded an emphatic 51-point win over the Western Force at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.

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But the good times didn’t last long.

The Reds lost to the Brumbies in Canberra the following week, which started a run of four losses in five games.

Pressure began to mount on coach Brad Thorn, although Reds co-captain Liam Wright publicly backed the dual international by saying the players needed to take responsibility for their form.

But the Reds had an opportunity to surge up the Super Rugby Pacific ladder with a win over Moana Pasifika at Apia Park in round eight.

Following a tense start to the match, the Reds eventually ran away with it – although they fell agonisingly short of a winning bonus point.

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Speaking about the significance of the performance after the match, Reds captain Tate McDermott said he was “really proud” of his team.

“I don’t really care about the performance at this stage,” McDermott said on the Sky Sport broadcast.

“We’ve had a tough couple of weeks so really proud of that effort, obviously not an ideal last probably 15, 20 minutes, but at the end of the day we’ll take that.

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“We needed the confidence going into the bye weekend to get our season back on track. It’s a baby step in the right direction.”

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Friday night’s fixture will go down in history as a momentous occasion for rugby in the Pacific Islands.

For the first time ever, Moana Pasifika hosted a Super Rugby Pacific match in Samoa – and the crowd brought the noise and the passion to match the occasion.

“It’s a big occasion. Moana over here, they’re a talented side let alone playing them in their home,” McDermott added.

“It was an amazing atmosphere around here and like I said before, we’re really happy with the result.

“It’s similar to Queensland in the middle of summer I’d say, so very sweaty, it’s hot.

“The ball is like a bar of soap out there.

“It’s awesome to be over here, we got in pretty late last night so didn’t get too much time on the island but it’s awesome to be here.”

The Reds are now on a bye, but will host Western Force – the team they outclassed in Super Round – when they return in round 10.

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R
RedWarrior 12 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

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