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The best way of describing the mood at Suncorp Stadium for the Reds game against the Crusaders would be ‘cautious’.
The new Super Rugby season had been greeted with optimism in Queensland, with the Reds signing a bunch of experienced Wallabies of the stature of George Smith, Stephen Moore and Scott Higgenbotham on top of last season’s late signing of Quade Cooper, with exciting new talents such as Taniela Tupou – also known as ‘Tongan Thor’ – and Izaia Perese looking to make their mark on the competition.
Early season wins against the Rebels in the trials and the Sharks in the first game had given Reds fans cause for hope. The Reds were definitely rusty, but their set piece and breakdown work was solid and their back play exciting, with multiple runners attacking Quade Cooper and with plenty of offloads, even if they were a bit mistake-prone at times.
The second game against the Force in Perth was a nasty surprise, with the Reds heavily expected to win but with a Force team invigorated by a new coach and some excellent new talent pulling off a surprise 26-19 victory. Perhaps the Reds and their fans underestimated the men from the West.
That the Reds fans therefore tempered their expectations when playing the mighty Crusaders, the most successful team in Super Rugby history, seems reasonable. However, it didn’t take the fans long to get excited, with their team dominating possession and territory from the outset of the first half and quickly racking up two tries in the first 30 minutes courtesy of the Red’s Fijian connection Samu Kerevi and Eto Nabuli. Quade Cooper kept adding extras with penalties and conversions, his place-kicking ratio of 80 per cent a marked improvement on previous weeks.
The Crusaders were in the wars in the first half with key injuries, but the Reds didn’t have it all their own way – in particular their lost son, Digby Ioane, made life difficult for them by setting up a classy try with a kick ahead down the right wing. By the end of the 40 and with a 20-7 lead the crowd was parochially noisy, as every home footy crowd should be.
The crowd kept it up in the second half, but unfortunately the belief and professionalism of the Canterbury side shone through. They fought back in the finest Kiwi counterattacking tradition: by exposing the Reds’ defence out wide as wanting and racking up a couple of tries to get them within a point.
The tension in the stadium was palpable, the Queensland crowd roaring encouragement to their team, who showed enterprise with a 100-metre kick-chase by Adam Korczyk for Eto Nabuli, who was only pipped at the post by a particularly pacey Crusaders back. The crowd roared again as the Reds fought on their own line to keep the ball and wind the clock down against excruciating pressure from the Crusaders.
Unfortunately it was not to be. With just over a minute to go the Reds gave away a penalty, which the young Crusaders ten was able to convert on the hooter. Now it was the turn of a minority of Crusaders fans to be very noisy, with the desolation on the faces of Reds fans telling the story of the one that got away.
But that is the main point, isn’t it? The game was a great story, entertaining and dramatic – ten times better than the bumbling and embarrassing efforts that the Reds have put up in the last couple of years. I will freely admit to having been one of those who thought the Reds’ buy-in of former Wallabies was going to propel the team early, but it turns out there is more to it than that.
The Reds’ forward pack are already capable of matching it up with the best, but the backline is taking longer to gel. That is understandable given that we have a fly half who hasn’t played much top-level rugby for the last three seasons and who has been dropped into a relatively inexperienced backline.
What we do know is that when the Reds’ backline moves do come off they are dangerous and damn exciting to watch, and they have forwards who can link and contribute to the entire effect.
And aside from the scruffy good looks of the Reds’ game, to me the Reds have the feel of the Highlanders about them in the years prior to their title win in 2015, losing most of their games but only by a few points for lack of polish in closing out.
Frustrating, hell yes, but also worth keeping the faith for.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.