Queensland’s struggling Reds take on the Rebels of Melbourne tonight at Suncorp Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:40pm AEST.
Nobody saw the Reds’ dismal season coming. They’re currently languishing in 13th place, above only the Cheetahs and last-placed Stormers.
Yet it’s the manner in which they’ve been losing and the players who’ve contributed to their poor form that’s taken most of the attention.
Quade Cooper appears out of sorts, Will Genia is a shadow of his former self, while James Horwill has developed a demeanour that could be described as petulant. Not a good look for a captain.
Only the Cheetahs (32.8) have conceded more points per game than the Reds (31.6). And it’s not as though their attack is making up for their average defence. They’re near the bottom of the table for clean breaks, metres gained, and defenders beaten.
A crowd of 34,000 turned up at Suncorp last week to see the Reds play their old foes the Crusaders, only to see their team get smashed like a guitar. They were unceremoniously defeated 57-29 by a rampaging Crusaders team which appears to have slipped into sixth gear.
One recent positive for the Reds is their discipline, with their penalty count being greatly reduced of late.
They may need to spend the next couple of evenings pushing scrum machines over dew-laden grasses, as the Crusaders scrum was nothing short of dominating. They dispersed the Reds forwards like parents at a house party.
The Rebels (12th) are off a couple of recent losses to the Hurricanes and Sharks. They’ll be looking to leverage their solid defence as they possess the best tackle percentage rate in the competition.
While the Rebels are at the bottom of the log for just about every attacking stat, they’re playing exciting footy this year and developing an almost ominous maturity.
The Reds have won all six of their matches against the Rebels, scoring over 32 points in four of those games.
But the Australian conference is on its head this year, and anything can happen tonight.
Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:40pm AEST.
Robbo_76
Guest
Good point re goal kicker....i agree you would have to go with CL...we can't afford to miss 6 or 9 points in a test from having someone not up to it...
Zero Gain
Guest
You are all class mate, wow a holiday is Bali!
james
Guest
Wow , probably the first time the SA teams can string together victories against NZ/oz sides. Its def. been the week where winning streaks end for the teams losing this weekend. Embarrassing stuff by the Brumbies. Upsets seem to come from unexpected teams
Magic Sponge
Guest
Genia is a class act , just cant b arsed with s15
Squirrel
Guest
Combsey Don't push me cause im close to the edge I'm training to lose my head It's a jungle out here.
felix
Guest
Wuh huh go Stormers,that is some scrumming haha :-D
Michael
Guest
Force can't keep defending. They really need some possession.
Rob G
Guest
Haha good chat
Digby
Roar Guru
There is a live thread to jump on mate
Michael
Guest
Wow! What defense! Force are defending well. :)
Chan Wee
Guest
"" Reds captain James Horwill says his side were "robbed" by a controversial TMO call during Saturday's 30-27 loss to the Rebels in Brisbane. The TMO Steve Lescinski ruled Ed O'Donoghue had eye-gouged Rebels skipper Scott Higginbotham, after referee Steve Walsh had originally awarded a penalty to the hosts. The decision left Horwill fuming, all the more so in the wake of more refereeing controversy during his side's defeat to the Lions earlier this season. "In the end, once again we were robbed by a stupid refereeing decision," Horwill told Fox Sports. "I have played more than 150 games of professional rugby and I have never ever seen that happen before - ever," Horwill said. "It's getting beyond a joke. It's ruining the spectacle that Super Rugby is. "Super Rugby has always been about expansive rugby but it's going out of the game because too much of the game is being slowed down to look back (at incidents)." ""
Michael
Guest
Who's still awake?
Charl
Guest
And Steve Walsh makes three......
Anto
Guest
Yep, and anyone who thinks it wasn't a deliberate butt is not looking at it objectively. Having said that, his Reds victim did make contact with his eyes, albeit not very hard. I don't agree with pulling back the play, after the Reds had been awarded a penalty, kicked it into touch, then almost thrown in the subsequent lineout. If those are indeed the rules, then they need to be changed - that's just a farce. If the replays show something particularly nasty which wasn't picked up at the time, then charge the guy after the game. I agree with Horwill there. Video replays of every ruck, from every angle will find some kind of infringement. Do we go back for them? If next week, we have a player complain that he was gouged in a ruck when the other side is on the attack, do we stop the play and get the TMO to look at 5 minutes of footage to see what's happened? Also, having now seen the Horwill presser, I don't see that he's done anything fine-worthy. I think he was quite restrained, actually. Poor guy is just frustrated by having to continually explain why that doofus beside him (and I use that description advisedly) can't come up with a decent game plan. Did you see Graham there? Seriously, he doesn't have a friggin clue. There was no cogent analysis of where they went wrong; no indication that things were going to change. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. No indication that he has any insight whatsoever into what's going on. And, you know what? He's been like that at every presser this year. If a great State like Qld can't come up with a better option than him, then we are screwed not only this year, but next year as well. http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/reds-skipper-james-horwill-fumes-after-gouging-sendoff-for-ed-odonoghue-in-loss-to-rebels/story-fndpt9s1-1226921477612#ooid=53bW14bTrAVT9QXghS53SIMWBLIfqn7h Beaten by the Rebels at Lang Park! How totally embarrassing.
RobC
Roar Guru
It didn't look like a gouge. SH didnt complain and didnt seem injured or affected. EO'D covered his face and eyes as part of the struggle. SH was also reaching out for EO'D's face. But it was hands on the eyes with pressure. So it was technicality, and looked bad in slow mo
Rugby101
Guest
Best advice is watch it yourself and make your own judgement. Yes a pity about QC, but I do think Toomua is playing better. don't think they will throw Goodwin in yet, so maybe CL but heavily influenced by his goal kicking, although that hasn't been good of late!
PeterK
Guest
agree re Cooper. But if McCabe is picked who is the goal kicker? You must have a good goal kicker. There is CL and Harris who are eligible. Foley is NOT a good goal kicker. Out of CL and Harris clearly CL is the better option.
Robbo_76
Guest
I didn't see the game (luckily - would have hurt tonight). I enjoyed reading the comments of all... Tragedy about Quade tonight - he was so good for the WBs on the end of season tour last year, in spite of the poor results of the Reds, i still would have had him the WBs - I'm surprised about people advocating for CL or KG for the WBs...i think they have both been very quiet...although i wouldn't have thought i would say it at the beginning of the year, surely McCabe's form is irresistible? (Assuming Toomua goes to 5/8) The eye gouging thing sounds bad - was it provoked? I'm not saying it is justifiable, but when was the head butt in relation to it?
Oz Rugby fan
Guest
"Check under your bed for Tahs tonight Combsey, theyre everywhere." That made me laugh out loud, nice one!
eagleJack
Guest
Put your hands on an opponents face and "rake" and you are going to get into trouble. If anything Walsh didn't want to make the decision asking for clarification repeatedly from the TMO. So not sure if you can describe the decision as "mind boggling".