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.
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks Rhys Enjoyed the game. Reds are on the rise, albeit in the early stage of the curve. 2H Reds had little time in the Saders half. It was tight for 60' but Reds finishers could not do what the Saders did If only QC nailed that penalty. Oh well, they will improv3
RobC
Roar Guru
Wanna see Roda and Lukhan Tui together.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Yeah, I was going to say, it is not his normal game... he is a good passing half normally. Luke Burgess, when he was playing in the old NRC, or what ever it was called back in single year it was around, was far and away the best passing halfback in Australia then... but when he made the Tahs the next year, his passing went to hell and I started to suspect that our coaches in Aus OVERCOACH our halfbacks. They put to much into their minds. It either turns them into robots, gives them too much indecision... or makes them only do one thing... for a long period... so we get box kicks from Frisby. Last year and the year before, he didn't do them... why now so much?
DOUBLES
Guest
Agree..Hard nut and is fit..
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
That's OK....I was born in Ulster, but left in 1980, and am now Australian...but proud of being Irish also....but no question who I support now ! Was different for first few years here, especially when boys I coached at school were playing for Ireland.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Oh, I didn't realise they had just played the Irish there. Apologies to any Irish people, you are all very mentionable, I meant somebody else :-).
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Lol, the Welsh name is just because Mum liked it but the Bosley ancestry isn't too far away in Cheshire and Gloustershire. I'm a lifelong andipodean though, so it goes without saying that I'd back the Welsh in Cardiff ahead of the unmentionables :-).
Jeffrey
Guest
As a hardcore ABs fan, that Rodda kid scares me. Looks really promising, like a young Brodie Retallick.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
A very positive piece....and very honest. Thanks Rhys......and with that name you would be happy to see Wales come good in Cardiff ? The Reds are indeed a team of promise, as they showed in the first half. I would think that the coaching staff would do well this week to look hard at the basic skills across the board and improve there......passing, effective kicking especially. Also decide where the main strengths are, and play to those strengths, and where the weaknesses are, and cover for them. They can lift, I have no doubt, but with two losses, the pressure is now really on. Pity they have to go to South Africa next week...but that is how it is.
Dontcallmeshirley
Guest
Australian Super Rugby teams seem infatuated with kicking. This includes box kicking and kicking in open play. I find this penchant for kicking Interesting for two reasons. 1. none of them are very good at it; and 2. Michael Cheika is adamant that the Australian way is to not kick.
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
We keep kicking it down the other team's throat.
Bfc
Guest
Phipps n Frisby...if they are our two scrum half options when Genia is unavailable, then the Wallas are in strife. Surely Tuttle is at least in the 'discussion' in regards to the starting scrum half spot...?
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Yeah name one good thing that's ever happened from a Genia box kick ;) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLaSAxYQmns
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Thanks folks :-)
ajg
Guest
I admire your optimism Rhys but I have to disagree. I cant imagine many fans wanting to go back to watch the Reds play like that. They didn't turn up in the second half and just looked to be trying to run the clock down from about 15mins till time. Even when they were a man up they looked clueless and leaderless. While I was watching I fell into despair that the Reds could be so dynamic and enterprising in the first half but so dire and aimless in the second half. On that display I really cant see them beating the Highlanders nor any of the NZ sides
Rt
Guest
I was at the game. The reds bombed at least three tries and after the crusaders scored their second try it seemed somehow inevitable they would win. Frankly the reds should've won by 20+ points. They really went out of their way to lose that game.
gatesy
Roar Guru
That's because he has learned from the Genia school of aimless box kicking!
rl
Guest
Good read, refreshing change from the "Australian rugby is a shot-duck" bandwagon that so many are readily jumping on.
Paul
Guest
Rhys, Why why why why do we have to have Frisbee in the team, the bloke is a massive liability... He did numerous box kicks 22 meters out that went straight up and straight down the throat of opposing teams to counter or kick back with interest.... Why doesn't he run it now and again,?? Or why doesn't he put the box kick out into the stands?? He never runs it ( that would keep the d in check )... He is useless.. No wonder Quade is losing his hair... Everytime he did one the crowd GROANED ..Has Stiles told him to stop it ?? box kick box kick box kick box kick, No running, slow service, slow to breakdown, slow decision maker .. That is Frisbys game summarised
Dwards
Roar Rookie
Thanks Rhys. As a Reds fan watching from Sunny Bundy I had a similar experience. I feel like this team is pretty close. I'd love to see Tuttle start though. It was an exciting game to watch, and given the other game I watched was the Blues NZ match it was the best of the two.