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‘When two Titans meet’: Ex-All Black ready for ‘world-class’ Ethan de Groot
Former All Black Jeffery Toomaga-Allen couldn’t stop smiling when asked about the prospect of packing down opposite “world-class” prop Ethan de Groot for the first time on Friday.
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Toomaga-Allen, who played one test for New Zealand in 2013 but was more recently capped by Samoa, has been named to start at tighthead prop for the Queensland Reds this week.
The 33-year-old joins another former All Black, Alex Hodgman in Queensland’s front row, with try-scoring machine Matt Faessler set to line up alongside the pair in the No. 2 jersey.
While the Reds are without Wallabies Fraser McReight and Tate McDermott through suspension, coach Les Kiss has named a strong side to take on the touring Highlanders.
Head-to-Head
Last 5 Meetings
Wins
1
Draws
0
Wins
4
Average Points scored
26
28
First try wins
20%
Home team wins
80%
One of the matchups to look out for is Toomaga-Allen against de Groot. De Groot would have to be considered a certainty to take the field for the All Blacks against England later this year.
Toomaga-Allen joked about WWE’s WrestleMania and potentially giving it to the Highlanders enforcer before explaining why the challenge that de Groot poses is one he “can’t wait” for.
“Oh mate I can’t wait,” Toomaga-Allen said on Stan Sports’ The Night Before Gameday.
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“I can’t say it on here but WrestleMania was what, last week?
“Nah, I can’t wait. He is a world-class loosehead prop.
“To be fair I am a big fan. I saw him come up through playing with the (Southland) Stags and playing for the All Blacks… earnt that loosehead jersey.
“Seeing him run out with the Landers will be good. I haven’t actually scrummed against him so given that he’s world-class I always want to test myself.
“I’m ready for the challenge… when two Titans meet, that’s what you want.”
Toomaga-Allen is excited for his positional match-up against one of the best props in the world, but the experienced front-rower also understands what this match means for the Reds’ season.
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This is a fixture that both the Reds and Highlanders are desperate to win. With Super Rugby Pacific passing its halfway point, this fixture has a finals-esque feel to it.
The Reds haven’t won since their 53-26 win over the Melbourne Rebels on March 15, and the Highlanders have lost four matches on the trot dating back to the 8th of March in Sydney.
Queensland were widely considered the favourites last time out against Moana Pasifika in New Zealand, but Les Kiss’ men were stunned 17-14 at Okara Park.
“If I’m honest it’s been quite sharp and brutally honest and training,” Toomaga-Allen discussed when asked about training.
“Les, straight in the changing room after that Moana game, just as you want from a head coach is a dose of truth with a dose of reality.
“We’re not far off and we haven’t been far off. A couple of narrow losses.
“But just knowing and believing that we can do it is important to us and Les really drives that and has driven that this week.
“It’s going to be a good game on Friday.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments