Reds notch Super 14 hat-trick

No I think thats the end of it. He has other investigations to worry about. All part of the package with Quade, certainly at the moment the good is outweighing the bad by some margin. Having Genia and Faingaa either side of him is a huge help - defence in particular.

does anyone know if Cooper idiotic attempt at a trip is under further investigation

I would pick Mumm (I have always rated this guy and said although he looks soft he does in fact work hard in the tight and, as we saw last night, is a dangerous ball carrier with real go forward) and (almost unbelievably since the start of the season but his performances clearly merit it) Van at 4 and 5 if I was picking a test team today. But yes, Sharpe does show leadership at S14 level and should be in the wider Wallaby squad.

Just enjoy it RF! I'm sure you are, like me. McKenzie must be a bloody good forwards coach - he has got previously dud players like Van, Houston, S. Faingaa and Holmes playing at career best form, and has a rookie second-rower Simmons looking the goods. The set pieces still need work- not suprising given the inexperience of Faingaa, Daley, etc at this level - but they are clearly improving every week. And I'm afraid I can't resist adding to the hype on Genia - not there yet, but clearly has the potential to be in the same category of world class player as Horan and Lynagh.

'If you were to pick the 2 Aussie locks on current form it would be the 2 old blokes, Sharpe and Vanny. Do you agree??? Is he any chance ?' He should be picked this year if he plays well enough but I worry about lock, where the cupboard is barer than other positions in terms of next year. 'Chis has been dropped by Brumbies, Ben Hand is their number 1 lock' and he has terrible hands, dropped it twice cold that I saw the other night. I have been critical of Sharpe at test level, but jeez he's good in S14. That side isn't t travelling that well but imagine how they'd have gone without him.

its a strange one isnt it. you dont like to see Test teams revisiting history with players but Van is doing very well.

RF, how good in Van the man going??? If you were to pick the 2 Aussie locks on current form it would be the 2 old blokes, Sharpe and Vanny. Do you agree??? Is he any chance ? Chis has been dropped by Brumbies, Ben Hand is their number 1 lock

Let's hope the 'odd' feelings continue, RF!

what a great win. the boys weren't at the top of their game, but still won. quade boy still can have a short circuit sometimes. i hope its the last for the season. scrum needs some work. young daley in trouble against wiley old bokke. simmons and van played the full 80 mins and had great games. very pleasing to see the youngster really step up. i'm not use to these good feelings... i feel kinda odd....

Totally agree. It would be great to see Foxsports, Sky NZ and the SA channel offer a spot or two on their home commentary panels for one or two commentators from the other teams home national channel. Indeed, it would be a positive move I think to have a neutral commentator occasionally (ie Tony Johnston commentating with say Hugh Bladen and Marto on a Reds vs Bulls game). We might start to hear some balanced and more thought provoking commentary than the rubbish that marto and kearns seem to deliver when put together. Incidentally, TJ is my fav commentator in S14 at the moment. Would also love to see Gordon Bray back commentating S14.

I would usually agree with you there Bay but I thought the boys commentated the Brumbies game last night really well. Kearns for once was not mindlessly spewing forth whatever came into his head... perhaps it was because Marto wasn't there and they couldn't feed off each other. On the other hand, the South Africans had an absolute shocker - calling Chambers instead of Davies, Houston instead of Higginbotham, Faingaa instead of Ioane.... and it happened throughout the game, not just the odd occasion! Its as if they didn't have a team sheet linking the numbers on the players backs to their names. Very unprofessional....

Mate, didn't see or hear the comments (but know about the incident). I should have been specific by saying I am refering to the Super 14 coverage by my comments. But it's an opinion, like arseholes, we all have one. Martin and Kearns are the worst perpetrators but you also don't know what they've been directed.

Interesting you think that Cattledog. I really can't agree with your opinion that South African television commenatators are any less biased than Australian or New Zealand ones. Particularly when they are talking about important decisions that occur during the game. It's all very well for Greg Martin or Phil Kearns to be positive, or expectant, in relation to the Reds or the Tahs as they readily admit bias in those instances. It's another for a commentator to give an opinion as an authoritative voice, without reference to his bias or that he supports a particular team. This may be a laboured point from last season, and yes it involves Test rugby not Super rugby, however, the video footage of Burger eye-gouging during the Lions test meant that the SAF commentators were in an ideal position to say, yes, that's despictable, eye-gouging has no place in the game, he should be sent off. There was no other justifiable position to take after viewing the footage. Yet, this didn't happen during the call. In Australia, for instance, Greg Martin, but admittedly not Kearns, said straight away that the Sharks should have been awarded a penalty try against the Tahs for Beale's hand interrupting Terblanche's pass. (And you could argue Beale's hand was going up to catch the ball, but not that Burger was doing anything other then eye-gouging). I'll take the lighthearted bias that the Aussie commentators show, and their at times forced humour, rather than the underlying but unspoken bias from so many others. PS can Greg Clarke stop saying 'out the backdoor'. Roy and HG may be flattered by imitation but it's starting to grate.

I agree the Saffie commentators, IMO, are very good and well ahead of both the Oz mob and NZ (although I agree Kafer is the only one worth paying in the Oz mob). Whilst they may get the odd name wrong (probably on the program incorrectly) they give an excellent unbaised coverage on the games. Where I watch it we get the Super Sport SA channel and gee you get great rugby coverage from schoolboy to Varsity Cup right through. I suppose it is easier when it is the dominant sport and it doesn't have to compete with the likes of league and AFL etc. My only gripe with SS chanel is some of the interviews is in Africannes and whilst that's probably expected, unless your South African, you miss this aspect. Oh well, even that's better than listening to the tripe from OZ and NZ

Hey Pablo, you've got me thinking about the standard of commentating we recieve for the Super 14: The multinational nature of competitions such as the EPL or Champions League seems to have done away with the petty local rivalries and biases we take as part of the television coverage of rugby. (Although my viewing of soccer coverage is limited to SBS fare.) Considering how well rugby supporters embrace each other, particulary in relation to those of European football, why do rugby commentators remain parochially entrenced? Apart from one of my favourities, Ruggamatrix, I think the standard of rugby coverage worldwide is considerably below where it should be for a sport that its adherents like to think is multinational, hopefully intelligent rather than base, and fair-minded.

Another terrific defensive effort (except when Cooper binned) and much of that is due to Link bringing young Matt Taylor into the fold in a defensive role. Still a way to go but gee it's looking positive, and the young guys are really numbering up! Wish I was around for their return to Suncorp!

Im with you Bay, The Saffas are the best of all three countries with the OZ commentators pipping the Kiwis in a tight one for worst. Im just glad that Ian Smith has gone off to do the cricket otherwise he'd be embarassing Kiwis more with his not so subtle digs at visiting Captains.

Agree. I kept waiting for them to correct their mistake but Will Chambers must give them a big thankyou, "he" had a blinder coming on!

I'll still take the Saafie commentators over the Fox Sports boys (except Kafer)!

And let's all remember that when in the Republic, Rod Davies will from now on be known as Will Chambers. Coupled with the South African underestimation of the Reds, and Higginbotham becoming the somewhat darker Leroy Houston during the call, it makes you wonder whether commentators (and viewers) realise this is a 14 team competition, as opposed to a tournament involving only their domestic teams occasionally playing foreign sides.