Reds look to salvage their season by beating Waratahs

The Reds and Waratahs first played each other in 1882. There’s a bitter rivalry between the two teams.

Between 2004 and 2009 the Reds endured plenty of dark days in the Super Rugby competition, finishing no better than 10th when the competition featured 12 teams and 12th when the competition featured 14 teams.

Prior to those years, the Reds had won the Super Rugby competition three times before rugby turned professional, and finished the regular season top-of-the-table on two occasions since the advent of professionalism.

In the six years while the Reds were in the wilderness, the Waratahs played in two Super Rugby finals (losing both to the Crusaders) and although they finished 13th in 2007, they were clearly more successful than the Reds in that period.

However, regardless of how poorly the Reds or how well the Waratahs had performed during that six-year period, there was always a rallying cry from the faithful that the Reds could salvage their season by beating the Waratahs.

Reds fans have the 2011 Super Rugby title to help them keep the faith, although those heady days seem a distant memory given 2014 results.

This season the Reds could finish the regular season anywhere from 10th to 14th, depending on results in the final round of the competition. The Waratahs of course have already secured top spot.

The Reds have performed terribly this season and I don’t say that measured just on results. At times they have been missing in action on the field. Yes, they lost some close matches and copped some poor refereeing decisions, but that doesn’t account for the way they’ve played. At times it’s been hard to discern what the game plan has been in attack, and their defence has been disgraceful.

By contrast, the statistics confirm that the Waratahs have scored more tries and more points than any other team, while conceding less points than any other team and only the Sharks have conceded fewer tries.

The Reds are in the middle of an injury crisis, with nine players who would have played this weekend unavailable. I can only think of one missing Waratah – Dave Dennis.

The ‘Tahs played fantastically in their last match against the Highlanders, while the Reds sunk to a new low with their performance against the Force.

Head coach Richard Graham is under fire from most Reds fans (and from plenty who aren’t Reds fans). He recently told the media that a comprehensive two week review of the Reds’ season will be conducted once the season finishes.

Many fans don’t think a review is necessary – they’ve already decided they want Graham and his assistant coaches dumped. But there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening.

Jim Carmichael, the Queensland Rugby Union Chief Executive, is firmly backing Graham as the head coach. Nick Stiles and Steve Meehan have recently been appointed as the head coaches of the Queensland teams in the upcoming NRC, which wouldn’t have happened if there was any thought of moving them on from their positions at the Reds.

This week Stan Pilecki – one of the Reds’ living treasures and the man who the Reds annual best player award is named after – ripped in to the Reds, saying, “I find it hard to support a team that doesn’t support itself.

“I was embarrassed and disgusted with the efforts shown on Saturday. I don’t mind losing as long as you try to win… Have a go! Not too many guys had a go on Saturday. They showed little pride in the jersey.”

On the other side of the Tweed, all is rosy for Michael Cheika, who has turned the Tahs from under performers to strong favourites to win the competition.

I’ve been full of praise for Cheika and his assistant coaches this season. I love Cheika’s attitude to the game and the way he’s got his players to adopt his mantra, but I’m also so impressed with the attention the coaches obviously pay to the little details that make the difference to the outcome of matches.

Last night at club training we showed our players video of the way the Tahs are playing in one key area – support play. As coaches at club level, we’ve been banging on about this aspect of play since the beginning of pre-season in November last year, and we’ve seen some good improvement but not as much improvement as is obvious with the Tahs.

There’s only one cloud on the horizon for the Waratahs when it comes to coaching – the rumour that Cheika may depart for overseas again in 2015 to Argentina or even Toulon. Let’s hope for the sake of Australian rugby they turn out to be nothing more than rumours – we’ve already lost one very good coach recently in Laurie Fisher from the Brumbies.

So, with the Tahs on a roll and the Reds going down the slippery slope, surely there’s no chance for the Reds on Saturday night?

The Reds will no doubt be fired up by the criticism they’ve been copping and at the opportunity to beat the old enemy. Reds fans will still feel the Reds can salvage their season by beating the Waratahs, as I mentioned earlier. 

However, that didn’t work out so well when the Reds were last in the Super Rugby wilderness – during those six years from 2004-2009 the Reds only beat the Waratahs once in six Super Rugby matches (2004, when they won 23-7 at Suncorp Stadium).

Passion can only carry the Reds so far. The Tahs will record a comfortable victory.