The Reds were impressive in their 30-13 win over the Blues, and it could have been more if Quade Cooper had bought his kicking boots. The Reds will again have a huge crowd on their side at home at Suncorp, with tickets selling out in 45 minutes.
However, the Crusaders were equally dominant in their win over the Stormers at a wet Newlands, chalking up a 29-10 victory after outclassing the South Africans, their superior scrum a dominant factor.
The Reds vs Crusaders game in their Round 15 game at Suncorp was a classic, with the Reds getting the benefit of a late ref call on Richie McCaw to steal the game via a penalty at the death.
If this game is anything like that, we’re set for an epic. Can Quade Cooper inspire the Reds again? Will Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Sonny Bill Williams have too much class? Can the Reds stop manage to stop the Crusaders scrum and break down their defensive wall?
The Roar’s Rugby guru Spiro Zavos will be responding to your questions live from 12.30pm today. Fire those questions in now – using the comments form below – and join us in another robust afternoon discussion.
Damo
Guest
Well played OJ.
cookee
Guest
spiro ,read your fine article on military strategy and mcqueens references to it. best rod revisits his text or were his players superior back then? anyway many ways to succeed id suggest
Gumboot
Roar Rookie
Dwyer should worry more about his own team than focusing on the AB's, the Wallabies and Red's are habitial offenders of the same thing, you can set your watch by Dwyers comments, strangely around the RWC and straight after a loss, it's half past whine. It's not the Quade Cooper show it's the Dwyer show.
Tui
Guest
Well surprise surprise Bob Dwyer aka Ned Flanders is accusing a NZ team of cheating...again...Yawn
ohtani's jacket
Guest
All right Reds supporters, it's the eve of the big game. I'd wish your team good luck but I don't think they need it. This may not sound sincere coming from me, but I think Reds supporters are the best supporters of any team in Super Rugby and I hope your team wins.
Dexter William
Roar Guru
they need the practise,
Sluggy
Roar Guru
And Cameron and I will be in the front bar at the Oaks for intelligent conversation.
bennalong
Guest
Spiro, Bob Dwyer has accused the Crusaders of illegal tactics at the breakdown including diving over disguised as cleaning out I have drawn attention to the fact that kiwi refs allow this to happen more than Saffers or Oz refs so that the rule about the tackled player being able to place the ball has been largely ignored by them. Given that the non-neutral kiwi ref Bryce Lawrence will be officiating, can we get the quick ball that the "new rules" are intended to support or will the Saders get away with ignoring them?
schtumpy
Guest
And always in Standard Definition. Until 2013, apparently.
schtumpy
Guest
One of Slater's great strengths is the way he is able to diffuse tries he has no right to diffuse. He's a fairly complete player......
Sylvester Hyde
Guest
Crusaders team for this season's warm-up against the Reds: You be the judge as to whether this counts as a "win". 1.Wyatt Crockett 2.Quentin MacDonald 3.Nicholas Barrett 4.Chris Jack (c) 5.Luke Romano 6.Brendon O’Connor 7.Matt Todd 8.Luke Whitelock 9.Willi Heinz 10.Tyler Bleyendaal 11.Tu Umaga-Marshall 12.Adam Whitelock 13.Robbie Fruean 14.Patrick Osborne 15.Tom Marshall Reserves: Jonny McNichol, Tom Taylor, Matt Berquist, Steve Alfeld, George Whitelock, Joel Everson, Andrew Olorenshaw, Codie Taylor, Francis Smith, Sam Prattley
katzilla
Roar Guru
The Oaks in Neutral bay. Well known rugby territory, the Reds game only last weekend across every TV.
Je Geniko
Guest
Gold!
Jerry
Guest
It'll also probably help if they ignore all the Reds entering rucks/tackles from the side and all the times Genia passes to a player in front of him...
ohtani's jacket
Guest
The only thing McCaw got caught doing was playing the game at a level an Australian ref can't understand.
mikeylives
Guest
Slater does not have "massive failings" in defence Stubbie. He is easily the best fullback in the world of league.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Yep and McCaw got caught...
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Since when did trial matches matter so much? The Reds have beaten the Crusaders the last two times they've played and one of those was daylight robbery.
Andre The Giant
Guest
Sounds like it
Winston
Guest
"he Reds have beaten the Crusaders the last four times they have played each other" We all know pre-season games don't count. Still... 2 in a row against the saders is pretty good.