Although the results for the Australian Super 14 teams equalled those of last week, two wins and two losses, the quality of the wins was not as impressive in the second round of the 2008 season.
More rugby
Wales emerge as only unbeaten Six Nations side
Reds hardman McMeniman out for six weeks
Wanted: a fit Brumbies backline
Way ahead of any of the other performances was the win by the Western Force over the Cheetahs playing at their home ground. The most disappointing result was that recorded by the NSW Waratahs. They squandered a good performance at Sydney against the Hurricanes with a lacklustre, defensive and ultimately defeatist approach against a nervous, error-prone Chiefs side.
Cheetahs 15 – Western Force 16
The Western Force maintained their excellent record in South Africa (only one loss in three seasons) with an on-the-bell victory over the Cheetahs. The most impressive aspect of the win was the fluid, flowing style of play the Force showed. Most of the plays revolved around Matt Giteau who transfixed a strong Cheetahs defence with inside passes, long cut-out passes and double-arounds.
There is nothing new in rugby. The double-around which released Giteau for a sizzling try under the posts was an old Randwick ploy used by Mark Ella in a the glory days of Australian back play. With Ryan Cross on the wing and Scott Staniforth playing at outside centre, the Force had more power and pace at the edges of the field to capitalise on Giteau’s slick playmaking.
The outstanding play of James Stannard at halfback suggested that Mat Henjak’s automatic selection for that position in the past was based more on what the Western Force had paid for him rather than his actual performances on the field.
You need luck to win away from home in South Africa, unless you are the Crusaders or the Blues. The Force received and converted a penalty for the Cheetahs running on a substitute without telling the officials. This is the first time I’ve ever seen this offence punished in decades of watching rugby. And at the end of the match the Cheetahs missed two relatively easy penalties that would have won the game for them.
But the Force used their luck. The final Cheetahs’ missed penalty was run out from behind the posts. In phase after calm and effective phase the Force moved the ball relentlessly and successfully into the Cheetahs half. Finally the Cheetahs conceded a full-arm penalty and a nerveless Giteau goaled from about 40m out.
This was a tremendous and well-played victory to the best Australian side so far in the 2008 Investec Super 14 tournament.
Hurricanes 23 – Queensland Reds 18
The scoreline flattered the Reds. There is no doubting their enthusiasm. Coach Philip Mooney has hit on a shrewd psychological ploy, too, in returning the side back to the old maroon, no-collar jersey. Too much tradition has been thrown out with the advent of professional rugby 10 years ago.
The Reds under the enthusiastic Mooney are a much better team than they were last year under a somewhat world-weary Eddie Jones. But some of the faults of last year remain, particularly the obsession with kicking the ball away. Against a team like the Hurricanes, with runners of the calibre of Jerry Collins and Ma’a Nonu, the tactic should be to keep the ball away from them, hold on to it, and not kick it to them.
Despite the raves of the Queensland media, Rodney Blake remains a problem for the Reds. He is ineffective at scrum time and is finding it difficult to maintain his pace around the field with the free-flowing game that is evolving under the ELVs. The Reds resorted to what seemed to me to be the cynical trick of taking him off after about 30 minutes and then returning him to the field with about 20 minutes of play left when his replacement left injured (?). Legal but smacking of gamemanship, I would think.
With seven Wallaby forwards and five Wallabies in the backs (compared with the Hurricanes seven All Blacks in the forwards and three All Blacks in the backs), the Reds should be played more positive rugby than they did. It was noticeable, for instance, that they opted for scrums with short arm penalties rather than tap-and-run plays, even though their scrum isn’t really very strong.
Chiefs 20 – NSW Waratahs 17
The Chiefs were ripe for a second defeat in 2008 but the Waratah didn’t really go out to win the match as much as try to stop the Chiefs from piling on too many points. There was far too much kicking, most of it aimless and often stupid. The occasional times set moves were put on, the Waratahs made gaps and scored tries with ridiculous ease. Why wasn’t the ball kept in hand more frequently?
The South African referee Marius Jonker wasn’t tolerant to the tactics of slowing down the ruck and maul, either. He gave 10 consecutive penalties in the first 20 minutes against the Waratahs. This bonus to the Chiefs enabled them to establish a 12-point margin at halftime.
The Waratahs negative frame of mind, when compared with the positivity of the Force, was highlighted when with seconds left to play the Waratahs had the ball inside their 22 and needed a try to win or a penalty to draw. The ball was booted into touch on the full by Sam Harris, even though it had been taken back into the 22.
Pathetic.
ACT Brumbies 22 – Highlanders 20
The Brumbies were fortunate to get out of this match with a win. They were awarded a penalty try for a dangerous tackle that prevented a try. Yet their own head-high tackles escaped the notice of the the assistant referees (touch judges) and the referee. Then when the Highlanders launched their a final attacks they were saved once by a brilliant ankle tap by Stephen Hoiles and a second time by a knock-on by the Highlanders halfback right in front of the Brumbies posts, after another break-out right on time.
The Brumbies could easily have been penalised at this ruck as they scrambled back to try and prevent a try or a drop goal.
However, a win is a win. When teams start a tournament poorly as the Brumbies, the Chiefs and the Hurricanes did, they must win their next match or see their season begin to wither away.
The Brumbies owed their win essentially to Hoiles, a reject from the Waratahs. Hoiles made the ankle tap that stopped an inevitable and winning try. He also scored a critical try for the Brumbies with a storming run that took him over the line with Highlanders hanging on to him like limpets. This is the sort of try that Phil Waugh can never score, and a try that George Smith now seldoms scores. I’ve argued for a couple of years that Hoiles is the best number seven in Australian rugby.
A backrow of Wycliffe Palu, Rocky Elsom and Stephen Hoiles would be a damaging force for the Wallabies, if someone had the gumption to select this trio for the Wallabies (sigh!)
The Australian Player Of The Round
Matt Giteau
(Agree? Leave a comment with your Australian player of the round below.)
Number 8 Elia Canakaivata was sent flying by the Highlanders scrumhalf's physicality!
The Drua were kept tryless in the 39-3 result, as the Highlanders produced some razzle-dazzle along the way.
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens scored the Highlanders' second try after a brilliant long-range effort from his teammates through the Fijian Drua defence.
Richie Arnold cut a dejected figure on the bench after being sent off for a high clean out against Leinster. However, Toulouse still prevailed…
Western Force coach Simon Cron claimed his team was suffering mindset issues in their crushing 59-13 Super Rugby loss to a rampant Reds at…
Wallabies lock Richie Arnold was sent off but still has cause to celebrate after his Toulouse team won a record-extending sixth European Champions Cup,…
