On reflection, there was nothing surer. After daring to put the words, “I don’t see any difficult picks this weekend” on the record in the Super Rugby Expert Tipping panel last Friday, there was just no way the opening round would go according to plan.
Not even my pre-emptive, “…which, of course, means we’re all in for 4/7 rounds and wasted powerplays” could save me. The opening round script was comprehensively disregarded.
This all said, and with the benefit of an extra day to let it all sink in, it’s been hard to get away from the conclusion that way too much focus has been on the upsetees, rather than credit for the upseters.
How many match reports and first-round summaries have you read where the winners were given token mentions before the main thrust became all about the thoroughly outplayed loser?
Why is it that the Crusaders always start slowly, and so the loss in Christchurch – the first loss in Christchurch to an Australian side in more than a decade – was to be expected, rather than the result of a wonderful performance from the Melbourne Rebels?
It wasn’t an upset, but why is more being made of the Reds’ capitulation, rather than the choking breakdown and defensive pressure of the Brumbies?
Then there was the Western Force. You might not recognise the name, but they were the team who beat the rusty, lazy, entitled, slow, incoherent Waratahs in Sydney on Sunday. They’re not my descriptors, by the way; they’re pinched from the copious comments written in the day-plus since the Force’s 25-13 win. Or the Waratahs’ 13-25 loss, it seems.
It seems to be the way of the Australian rugby fan in recent times. Token reference to the winners in the stampede to point out the fault of the loser. As Wallabies fans, we’re all guilty of it, but it’s also become commonplace as parochialism has taken over Super Rugby discussions.
So we have what we had on the weekend; the benefits of the Rebels remaining largely intact since the end of last Super Rugby season have been overlooked. The continuation of Laurie Fisher’s breakdown systems and the obvious defensive improvement of the Brumbies under Peter Ryan don’t rate a mention. And the Force’s self-discipline and ability to execute a simple gameplan exceptionally well is lost the weeds.
The Force is by no means chock-full of stars, but as they showed throughout last season they can compete with the very best. They devise gameplans to suit their skill levels, and they execute those plans to the letter. It’s easy to say they play simple rugby, but simple rugby is still difficult to pull off without a 15-man effort and complete trust in each other to do whatever’s required in that moment.
And you can see that in the way they scored their tries on Sunday.
The first took advantage of the Waratahs being down a man, after Wycliff Palu was yellow carded. A clean lineout take at the back into driving maul met very little resistance – Will Skelton aside – but on the first call to use it, the Force pigs simply reset themselves, drove away from Skelton (by now the only Tah in the maul) and crashed over.
Angus Cottrell’s try under the posts came on the 14th phase, and after phases 7 to 13 all occurred within a step of the on-ground signage in the north-eastern corner of the ground. Cottrell was just supposed to be a centring pick and drive, but he broke the rather feeble tackle and strolled over.
The patience on show in the build-up is a credit to the way the Force know they can hold possession and build pressure by doing so. It took them seven or eight phases to make the final 10 metres, but it mattered not. In a Rugby World Cup year, this is an important skill to master.
Their third try, to Luke Morahan, came down to desperation. Alby Mathewson kicked from the back of a ruck near his own 22, and he and Kyle Godwin won the race to the ball despite giving five metres’ start to one of three Waratahs’ chasers. Mathewson then saw that the lazy chase extended across the field and kicked ahead to Morahan in space. Too easy.
The fourth try was probably a touch lucky, but the fact that Kurtley Beale’s desperate hack could be taken so cleanly by reserve prop Francois van Wyk showed that the Force players are ready for opportunities whenever they may present.
The Rebels were great at doing whatever it took to stay ahead, and their patience in defence while they watched the Crusaders play surprisingly laterally at times was very impressive.
Like the Force, the Rebels showed more patience when they needed to, and more desperation when they needed to as well, highlighted by Nic Stirzaker’s regathering of a stray ball after an errant Dan Carter grubber.
But they still had to defend for the last 15 minutes, knowing the Crusaders would throw everything at them. As impressive as the Brumbies’ attack was, the Rebels’ patience in defence, along with the Force’s composure throughout were the highlights of the weekend.
And the Brumbies’ attack was outstanding, it really was. They created pressure and turnovers through their defensive line speed and breakdown presence, and then capitalised on the opportunities as they presented.
David Pocock was the man of the match, officially, but he very quickly deflected and it truly could’ve been any number of players. Yet people still wanted to talk down his effort because he ‘only’ made 5 out of the 64 tackles the Brumbies made all night!
For the record, Pocock was one of four Brumbies players to make five tackles, only topped by Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano’s six tackles each. Those six players made half the Brumbies’ total tackles.
Credit to the boys, indeed.
Quading in...
Guest
Yeah, he was fantastic wasn't he? That said, might be another of the overreactions Elisha Pearce writes about elsewhere on the Roar for WB call-up to be mooted at this stage.
Quading in...
Guest
Yep, spot on Brett. I think the defensive pressure and sustained possession stats are really telling. They describe, in fact, why the Reds WERE so poor. Love both those teams though, so I wasn't too happy it was a thrashing. That said, might be the best start for both teams. Coleman was very good at the back too, makes me wonder about Mogg's eventual return...
LikesRugby
Guest
I wasn't quite surprised about the lineouts. I thought before the match that the Reds would be whipped because of their weak tight 5, especially without Holmes and Simmons. But they capitulated worse than I thought...
Aussie James
Guest
Sorry Brett, I may have missed the point a little because I was going for the force and had already had my little celebration elsewhere! But loved their gritty uncompromising team play! Just what we need for a World Cup! Their scrum getting monstered by a 7 man waratahs was a little scary though! Would also like them to use Godwin and their outside backs once they've created that great forward movements in the piggys... Too everyone out there calling it Beale bashing - I went to school with him, and never care about the individual but the team. With good coaching Beale could reign in his 'xfactor' 50:1 risk taking and become a classy playmaking threat but his age it seems this may not happen. Think of Larkham and Dan Carter - I believe Beale has the potential for that, but he is heading in the wrong direction, and will be hard to change at his age.
Toomuaforpresident
Guest
Hi Brett and thanks for the article You might already know of this, but watch out for Ben Darwin on RugbyHQ this week representing his company Gain Line. I think he will talk about how this week there werent really any upsets at all, and explain his reasoning. Funnily enough last week he posted his Top 4 for this year. Waratahs, Crusaders, Hurricanes and Stormers. Canes and Stormers looking pretty good already.
Harry Jones
Expert
He did
Brett McKay
Expert
I readily admit that..
Sandgroper
Guest
Thanks for your article Brett. We in the West have come to expect Tahs/Reds-centric reports, last-choice player transfers and a trickle down approach from the ARU with the Rebs and Force last in line. The way forwards is for a fair distribution of players, a national approach and a bit more of the even-handed reporting as in your piece. We are proud of our guys achievements against the odds as it's been David against the Goliaths for 10 years - no wonder the team has been forced to go to SA for players.
Woodsman
Guest
The reds had 50,000+ members in 2014. only 23,000 so far this year. I think it's clear people are waiting to see which reds team will show up in 2015 before they start spending.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Well, you had no back foot game, I'm reliably informed. #flattrackbully
Rugby Fixation
Roar Guru
Coles didn't play did he?
dru
Roar Rookie
I also thought that scrum performance, pretty much across the Aussie conference, was a major step up. Go knows, maybe they have started getting the message?
dru
Roar Rookie
Ah! Hello comrade. There is only one more of us.
RodMac
Roar Rookie
I've been a Reds member off and on for the last 6 years (hiatus during 2012-13 due to living overseas) and this year, whilst I've had every intention to sign up again, I've procrastinated up until this point always with the thought that I'd do it before the first home game. While in previous years it's simply been a given that I would buy a membership regardless of whether I might be out of town for 1, 2 or 3 home games (thus removing any "bargain" to be had by getting a membership as opposed to buying tickets at the gate each week), the general malaise which crept into the Reds' game last year and now seems to have taken hold has me second guessing my decision. Not saying I won't end up signing up again, I probably will, but I would bet that there are plenty of semi-rusted on members such as myself who might just keep their money in their back pockets this year. Who knows what things will look like if we have a repeat of 2014 this year. Sorry Brett, all very negative. Great article, and I will say my disappointment in the Reds was offset by seeing a fit and firing Pocock in action again. It is a world cup year after all.
dru
Roar Rookie
Reds? Genuine concern. I'm still smarting. Pace makers for setting a new standard at bottom of the barrel. Let's hope it's nothing but a temporary aberration.
Brett McKay
Expert
That's fair. Medium will be good mate, I can breathe in and make it look slimming...
Matthew
Guest
You dont need stars to have a good team. Thats been proven in many many different sports and compeitions around the world. In fact sometimes, a team can have too many 'stars' and they flounder. Id actually say the Red are once of the worst teams at the moment , which is proven by their quickness to snatch up O'Connor.. a player who has had .. how many chances?. Im not sure all their influxes of 'stars' will pay off for them.
Gus
Guest
seems to me that the force, carrying over from last season, have gained that Pocock-like ability to really focus on their game, not sure whether to put it down to effective man-management or the quality (not necessarily talent) of the man they are recruiting. They obviously get a very clear and succinct game plan from Foley, undertake some precise preparation, and come game day deliver. I'm not suggesting for a moment that Cheika doesn't a) have a clear game plan or b) communicate it to the players effectively, but over the last year or so the force seem to be playing free of distraction which is something i couldn't say of the waratahs. The force just seem so focused, despite not having the glamour of other playing rosters i think they'll be threat all season
boomeranga
Guest
It'd be disappointing if the players hid behind and let him take the bullet alone. Most likely that both need to lift their games.
RobC
Roar Guru
Good one Brett thanks. Force and Rebs showing heart and skill. Next week will be another adventure. That Morahan try, was 80% Godwin: - He chased that kick and won the collision - Turned over the ball single handedly vs two Tahs - This was whilst the Tahs were still forming defence - The kick from Matheson was ok, and missed his mark. But the space and time created by Godwin was the reason Morahan could get off the deck after slipping, and still score his try. Lucky it wasn't Brache! ;) Brumbies were awesome, yes. But the Reds bad form was more outstanding: - No matter how good you are, you dont win almost 20 penalties on your own skills alone - I doubt Chiefs Tahs or anyone else will rack up so much against Brumbies. Tahs, Set piece looked v good. They were both soft and rusty. If they can back to last year's form in rucks and defence. They will win it again - also if they keep uninjured.