Despite making a scrappy start, the early signs for the Queensland Reds and their fans are ones of great promise. For as long as sport has graced our world, one thing has been universally agreed upon when it comes to discussing a champion team.
A champion team has the ability to take the field, not play to their ability, and yet manage to get the job done. No matter how unattractive.
The Queensland Reds, taking to the field with something not experienced in Queensland Rugby for some time now (expectation), did exactly that.
For 80 minutes, the Reds fluffed chances, gave away needless penalties, played large chunks of the match in defence, and yet at the full time siren, the score was in their favour.
When Saia Fainga crossed in the corner to put the Reds ahead, there was a feeling that they would begin to open the Force right up.
This looked to be on the cards, as they went straight back down inside the attacking 22, when a Cooper-bullet rocketed off Anthony Faingaa’s chest onto James O’Connor’s toe before he gathered to dash 80m and put the Force back ahead.
It was a killer blow.
But this was not a Reds team of three years ago. The Reds gave Super Rugby fans around the world a look into what they will be made of this year as they returned inside the Force’s 22, pushing for a winning try.
This eventually came when reserve hooker James Hanson crashed over before Cooper converted to put and end to the scoring with the Reds prevailing 21-20.
The Queensland Reds showed grit, determination and a never-say-die attitude. These are attributes only carried by a champion team.
Although early, signs are good in Queensland. In one game they have now cleared all the painful memories carried by the faithful fans: memories of promise, but the inability to win the tight and scrappy games.
It will surprise no one if Saturday turns out to be the Reds’ worst performance of the season. The team is young, the team is hungry and Queensland Rugby may be on the verge of achieving greatness once again.
Sam
Roar Rookie
Haha sorry about that. As for this year. I think the Reds will knock the Brumbies off this weekend and end up topping the Australian Conference. A trip to NZ or South Africa awaits though if they are to go back to back. It's going to be tough but provided they keep the boys fit, they will be tough to beat. I think everyone will be keen to avoid them come finals time. Anyway. After bragging i'm not going to sit on the fence. I'm tipping the Crusaders to topple the Chiefs atop the NZ conference and go on to win the title. If it pans out correctly with who plays who don't be surprised to see a repeat of last years final with a change of venue. What are you predicting?
Cattledog
Roar Guru
Totally confused me when this appeared in the in-box. WTF? OK, so now I get it, but understand Sam, most have now moved on and are wondering if the Reds can make a massive come back THIS year. So what's your prediction?
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Always good to come back to a prediction that works out. Nice one.
Sam
Roar Rookie
Haven't been on the Roar for a while but to all those critical comments. I told you so. Thanks for coming.
Justin
Guest
You are underestimating the Force big time IMO. How many Wallabies do they have in that side? The back 5 of the pack, JOC, Shep, some pretty decent proprs and wingers to boot.
Harry the 1st
Guest
One week at a time folks, still a long, long way from greatness. Reds were off colour last week but still won, primarily because Cooper didn't panic in the last 20 minutes and remained cool to steer his side home. That wouldn't have happened last year. Reds backrow is the key vulnerability IMO, and perhaps the front row though there is welcome depth in both the propping and hooking department with the emergence of Hanson. As I said at the start of the week, I'd like to see Beau Robinson start at 7 this week, but not sure whether he should against the big SA packs for instance. its along season and perhpas Gill can get a run at some stage at 7 with Robinson and Quirk. Higgers has to lift his workrate and Houston has to eliminate the mistakes. The old adage go forward before you go wide applies for the Reds. Lets wait and see - the Reds backline can improve its cohesion and basics like catching and passing fluently. Chambers for instance had a shcoker on the weekend but bear in mind it was his first hard game for 8 months, so some rustiness is to be expected. Looking forward to this weekend's game.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Well said Emuarse, good comment. It will be an interesting match, now if I can get everyone who doesn't play rugby to not visit me on Saturday night I will sit down and watch with interest. On paper the Tahs look to have the wood on the Reds I think it will be a tight one with the Tahs by 3. This is an unbiased opinion as I am a Reds man through and through. But stranger things have happened. This is top rugby and on the Day????????
stillmissit
Roar Guru
AC - totally agree, Cameron Shepherd at 26 still has time on his side. Had he not had those injuries he would be the first picked at fullback in my book. A truly great player who can turn a match for you. He has class written all over him.
AC
Guest
Shepherd made a few mistakes no doubt, but he's a great player. He's just rusty and out of form having come back from injury.
Loftus
Guest
''On the verge of Super rugby greatness''? First try and reach a semi final please. What is it with Queenlanders and cockiness?
PeterK
Roar Guru
But that is up to the boks and their game plans. Tries that are scored from lineouts are normally close to the line AND with your own throw. So that means the boks were not kicking for the line and instead chose a scrum, or kicked a penalty etc. This would be by choice, nothing to do with the new rule interpretations, if they still had a dominant lineout and maul they could of still easily used it.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Poor selections of bigger forwards in very hot humid conditions. The conditions also made the ball like a cake of soap so flashy backline moves were made even more riskier. Finally they didnt adapt to a ref who did not enforce the law intrepretations enforcing taklers to roll away. Also they did not adapt to the rushing defence, and the ref once again allowed too much offside when they did this. Force played the ref better and continued cheating until yellow carded. Overall for a first game not much to be worried about yet re Reds, lets see if they adapt better. NSW wont be able to slow the ruck down as much, but will be able to use the rush defence.
Suzy Poison
Guest
Big Steve...This is an asute observation. I think more and more coaches will opt for the loose forward playing lock option, that the Force tried by accident, possibly??? I see both kiwi coaches in South Africa have gone down this route. John Mitchell is using Wikis Van Heerden as a lock for the Lions. Plumtree swops William Alberts of the Sharks to lock later in the game too. The incresed mobility means faster to the breakdown. Whilst the scrums are still vital, because of the amount of dropped ball, but there are a lot less line-outs in the game now. Teams are less likely to kick the ball out, in the hope of retaining possession. This is one of the reasons why the Boks struggled, last year, the lineout was always thier greatest strength and used as an attacking platform. Previously stats show that more tries are scored from the lineout, than any other phase. However once this platform was removed, the Boks had to manufacture tries thru thier backline play, something they are not nearly as good at as Australia or New Zealand.
mudskipper
Guest
After watching the reds on the weekend I now understand why McKenzie mid week said he may not start all his Wallabies... I suspect he saw it coming… they didn't impress the Force should have won that match...
Dave
Guest
Stillmissit hit the nail on the head. The only thing that will sink the Reds chances is a revert to Ewen style - conservative football. The Reds WONT beat the top sides through their pack. They just need to do enough to let the backs unleash, and then guys like higgy come into their own with strong carries and support play. I dont know if link can help himself from reverting to the old forward style though.... Mooney's influence on the development of Cooper, Genia - not to mention the attacking nature of the entire side - should not be underestimated. Ewen did a wonderful job last season of adding a tough defence and mental attitude to the side while still letting them run free. I doubted that he would allow that - but he proved me wrong and full credit to him. Frankly, I dont care if teams 'have them figured out'. If given enough quality ball - there isn't a huge amount that the opposition can do to stop them. Like the Wallabies, the Reds backs have bag fulls of tricks and the skill set to play. Cooper can thrown short balls to Digby, or pass 30 metres on the money to Hynes. They have any option that they want. The Force loose forwards showed how to disrupt this to be sure. Its up to Link and the forwards to counter.
Big Steve
Guest
interesting that the 2 coaches made polar opposite sellections in the forward pack. the reds played a lock at 6 and the force played a 6 at lock. I know there are reasons for the force(fitting in Mcalman and brown and week lock strength) but it did seem to benefit the game plan of the force. I think it will be interesting to see how both those sellections play out throughout the year.
Who Needs Melon
Guest
Ah, fair enough. Editors trick to draw more comments. :) By the way, obviously nothing to be ashamed about if you ARE a rabid Queensland fan. I was not meaning to be insulting at all.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Well, I sympathise with you over the editing. I still think it's a bit of a reach, however. It's clear that the Reds are a better team than they were three years ago. Expectations should be higher than that. If it ends up being a tight race in the Australian conference (or in the competition overall) then wins like this will have made the difference, but I'm not sure you can look at it like that from a week-to-week basis. If the Reds start losing games then it's obviously a sign of poor form or secpnd year blues, so to speak.
Sam
Guest
Once again, title originally had a question mark that was lost in editing. It seems I have been taken completely the wrong way because of this.
Sam
Guest
A reds team from three years ago would not have won. We saw the return of the Reds last year and a result like this is one shows another step forward. You look at Collingwood last year, Manchester United in the EPL this year. It is the tight games that make or break a season. It is the tight games that the team that finish on top always manage to win. I haven't stated anything. But a gritty result for a team with high expectations is a promising start. The article title had a question mark on the end. I think the editing hurt me there.