The majority of the 30,118 Suncorp crowd at the Reds-Lions clash last night turned up too see the long-awaited comeback of Wallaby fly-half Quade Cooper for his first appearance since the Rugby World Cup seven months ago.
But debutant Chris F’Sautia stole Cooper’s thunder.
The 18-year-old centre-winger hasn’t even played one senior club game. Yet with his first serious touch of the ball he made a midfield bust, transferred to man-of-the-match Will Genia, and doubled around to back up his vice-captain to score without a hand being laid on him.
What a stunning start to his senior representative career. Two touches in one movement, and one try, all in the space of his first three minutes on debut.
The solidly-built and pretty quick Samoan has been a member of the Australian Schoolboys for three years, playing 11 internationals, and is in the Australian under 20 squad for the IRB Junior Rugby World Cup in South Africa next month.
His JRWC captain Liam Gill turned in another blinder for the Reds last night, as the defending Super champions stayed in the hunt for a play-off berth with a 34-20 win over the cellar-dwelling Lions.
Cooper’s return? Quade showed encouraging glimpses of what he is again capable of producing during his 40 minutes back on duty. It was his brilliant midfield bust that led to the Reds first try by Gill on 20 minutes to open the Reds’ account.
But it was far from convincing with the front-running Brumbies in Canberra next Saturday.
For the first 20 minutes and the last 20 the Reds were very ordinary, easily dominated by a franchise that has won just four of their last 45 Super games and in real danger of being dumped from the tournament for the Southern Kings out of Port Elizabeth, the franchise the Melbourne Rebels beat for inclusion last year.
If the Reds play like last night’s effort against the Brumbies, they will be demolished.
Take the first half stats. The Lions had 73% possession for the first 20 minutes and only led 6-0. By half time the Reds had 56% possession and were camped in the Lions quarter for 4 minutes 18, the Lions in reply 2 minutes 37, but the Reds only led 13-6.
The Reds stretched that lead to 34-6 and went off the boil again to win 34-20.
But between those 20-minute segments the Reds played some magnificent rugby in patches by scoring five tries for the vital bonus point with Genia, flanker Gill, winger Digby Ioane, hooker Saia Fainga’a, and prop James Slipper outstanding, with Mike Harris landing all six shots at goal.
The real genius of Genia is surfacing every week now after a slow start to the tournament. Last night another breath-taking 65-metre solo try, the same as last week against the Chiefs, and in the Super Rugby final last year against the Crusaders.
He is the only half-back in world rugby who can turn on that magic. Electric.
There is no finer sight than Genia in full flight. Reminiscent of Mark Ella, David Campese, Reg Gasnier, and Kenny Irvine in their heyday. Pure poetry in motion.
So saddle up for next Saturday. The Brumbies are playing positive running rugby, the Reds will need to bring their A-game if they are to compete and have any chance of defending their title.
And a lot more of Chris F’Sautia if you please Ewen McKenzie.
Exciting and effortless.
Quakezone....
Guest
I am with you redsnut - You have to able to see the opportunity then be good enough to take it - For a kid at 18 yrs of age on debut at home in front of 30000 people he did not go missing in action he nis something special - not many players on debut would be good enough to score that
Max Power
Guest
A swing and a miss
Jutsie
Guest
Dennis is a good player, but no way is he a starting wallaby. I've been a detractor of higginbottom in the past but this year he is head and shoulders above all other aussie no. 6's
Justin2
Guest
mmm
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Justin2 I'll be quick: Rapana, his first NRL games not really because of the 5 tries in 5 games but more the ability to break the line and raw speed: fastest in Force training too so doesn't seem to have lost it: has gone from 89 to 100kg during the two years of his Mormon mission. UJ Seuteni from Adelaide, 90 KG, inside centre/12, hamstring injury for most of the season but in Australia under-20s squad.
Justin2
Guest
KPM - here is your chance! Can you provide us with some more detailed info about these other players. Where did you see them play, why are they going to be a success in S15 and beyond. What are their strengths? What positions do they play and will they play or should they play?
soapit
Guest
so it is improving.... as expected.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
For those still following this thread, Sautia is one of three young tyros. The other two are UJ Seuteni also of the Reds, a 10, and Jordan Rapana of the Force, a wing. Seuteni has had a hamstring injury though is expected back soon while Rapana was injured pre-season and needed a shoulder reconstruction so is probably out for the rest of the season. A shame not to see those two play yet but one out of three is better than none and Seuteni may yet turn up this season.
Handles
Guest
I thought that having Giteau, Barnes and Cooper play 10 over the last 5 years had well and truly put the "Aussie smarts" myth to bed???
Justin2
Guest
They play more exciting Rugby than any other team in the comp. And that proves exactly what?
matthew
Guest
And the Cheetahs play more exciting rugby than any Aussie conference team.
Rob
Guest
What about Morahan? He got an off-field yellow for basically the same tackle.
matthew
Guest
Sure, the Stormers havent scored many tries but the Bulls are the leading try scorers in the comp to the best of my knowledge.
Markus
Guest
Given that half the team only debuted this year, I would think their win loss ratios would be the equal to the teams current season standing of 7-4.
matthew
Guest
SA definetely have better players than Oz especially over the last 5 to 8 years, it's just tactically where the teams come unstuck against the Aussie smarts. NZ's strength is that they have the best of both worlds, SA's talent with good coaching and tactics.
Spencer
Guest
Well said old fella.
Bear
Guest
They must be winning something, they're top of the Australian Conference by a long way.
glacier
Guest
Damo Why do you say that Australia is weak compared with SA at test rugby? Australia has beaten SA 6 times out of the last 7 occasions - a much better ratio than NZ has achieved against SA. The Lions have also been the worst team in Super Rugby since they entered at the inception of the competion in 1996 and now SA wants a 6th side - the Southern Kings - into the competition and revert to a round-robin 16 team format. SA would then still whinge then they now have to make a 6 week overseas trip against the 4 week trip they now endure. Since 1996 teams from SA and Australia have won 3 Super titles each. It's a myth that SA is stonger at rugby than Australia and I think we can see with Meyer wanting to bring back Matfield from retirement and Du Preez and Fourie from their pensions in Japan to face the might of England that the players littering South African Super 15 sides are still the usual 'bash and barge' artists.The fact that the Stormers have yet to get a 4 try scoring bonus this year averaging 1.8 tries per game says it all.
Jerry
Guest
"And I suspect that much of the criticism about the ‘weak’ OZ conference and it’s ‘advantages’ has been more to do with test rugby than super rugby." No it bloody hasn't it's been cause last year 3 of the bottom 4 teams were Australian and until this round, 3 of the bottom 5 were Australian this season.
Justin2
Guest
The old saying comes to mind "throw enough sh.i.t and some will stick" ;)