Reds v Waratahs Academy game: Kingsley Uys, Ewald Kruger, Lehopa Leota prove potent front row combination

The Reds under-18s fell agonisingly short against the New South Wales Waratahs at Ballymore. All the talking points, highlights from the Academy clash here.

Toowoomba Grammar School old boy Ewald Kruger had a strong showing at hooker for the Reds under-18s.

Prop pairing Lehopa Leota and Kingsley Uys, as well as hooker Ewald Kruger, put in a mammoth scrummaging performance in the Reds under-18s 33-26 loss against the Waratahs at Ballymore on Saturday.

In the Reds’ first Academy performance of 2024, the powerful trio struck on the boggy Ballymore turf, Uys, Leota and Kruger having a dominant showing against the ‘Tahs scrum as Queensland fell away from a 14-all half time deadlock to lose 33-26.

The Reds rolled out five big guns from last year’s Super Rugby Under-16s grand final team (Uys, William Ross, Bennett Armistead, Finn Mackay and Treyvon Pritchard) and will head to New South Wales for game two with fire in their bellies after a promising prelude showing to the Reds Super Rugby Pacific opener at Suncorp.

Lehopa Leota. Picture: Tom Primmer/QRU.

SUPER SUBS

Stan Keats came on and made a brilliant impact at scrumhalf for the Reds, the super sub mustering quick ball for flyhalf Finn Mackay and pouncing on quick-tap opportunities.

A dopple-ganger of a young Tate McDermott, Brisbane Boys’ College product Keats produced a wonderful second half stint after Nudgee College’s Sam Watson played well for the opening fifty minutes.

Stanley Keats running out for BBC last year.

Around the speedy Keats, hooker Blaze Moana made an impact at scrum time, as did prop Danial Christodoulou, back rower John Grenfall and outside backs Wallace Charlie and Chace Oates.

Moana was marvellous in the rolling maul and Christodoulou powerful in the scrum. Grenfall had an impressive highlight when a thumping tackle of his dislodged the ball from an opposition runner.

Charlie and Oates had a couple of nice touches between them.

COMBINATIONS

Finn Mackay. Picture: Tom Primmer/QRU.

Flyhalf Finn Mackay, jinking centre Josh Takai and winger Tom Howard were dynamite.

Howard scored two tries, Mackay’s kicking game was quality and Takai shedded tackles with his power-running.

Mackay also slotted three-from-four off the tee, the St Laurence’s College senior having no troubles converting from the sideline.

HOT TAKE

Tom Robinson, pictured with the ball, was tireless on Saturday.

The Reds blindside flanker and captain Tom Robinson played the full 70 minutes and made not one mistake.

He showed stamina. The type of stamina that has earmarked him as a potential Super Rugby Pacific player later this decade.

The son of former international Brett, the highly respected open side flanker who was part of the brains trust behind the Brumbies domination of Super Rugby during the 1990s, Robinson did a bit of everything in a losing effort.

FINAL SAY

It was the first of two games between the two teams and both sides were excellent. The Reds showed strike across the park, power in the forwards and there were matchwinners who came off the bench and added energy and attacking instincts.

Next week’s game is shaping up to be a ripper.