The Reds were given a comprehensive beating by the Lions in Johannesburg, scoring two tries to seven and losing by 30 points.
Final score
Lions 44
Reds 14
This early Sunday morning game sees the Reds travelling to Johannesburg to play the Lions. Join The Roar from 2:15am (AEDT) for all the live action as we cover this opening Round 4 match from South Africa.
Both sides are coming off losses entering in today’s match, the Reds suffering a heartbreaking last minute loss to the Crusaders at home while a depleted Lions side went down away to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.
The Lions have had the luxury of reintroducing a number of their starting line-up for today’s match, most notable the reintroduction of star five-eight Elton Jantjes along with their exciting centre, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, who will be a handful for the Reds defence this morning.
The Reds themselves have made some changes from last weekend, notably the dropping of Australian Captain Stephen Moore to the bench in favour of Andrew Ready starting today, the young hooker having the chance to impress up against another promising young prospect for the Lions in Malcolm Marx, a key matchup to keep an eye on today.
It is certainly an exciting match up today as these sides has plenty of attacking power and a fast and open match should ensue.
The Lions are heavily favoured here at home but the Reds will fancy their chances in an open match, the talents of Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Eto Nabuli should ensure the Reds have plenty of try scoring opportunities.
The set piece will still play its part however and seems an obvious area for the Lions to attack the Reds, their powerful scrum and accurate lineout a clear hurdle for the Reds to overcome and discipline will be paramount for the Queenslanders as the Lions have shown they will make you pay with their rolling maul close to the line if given the opportunity.
Prediction
I suspect the Lions will have too much up front combined with what I see as a better bench will prove too much for the Reds at altitude.
Lions by 15.
Join us we cover all the action live here on the Roar and don’t forget to let us know your thoughts on the match as it unfolds.
likkewaan
Guest
Meer soos 'n p&%s.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Umm, the Reds came up against a top 3 side, at altitude and had 1 yellow and 1 red. Even the best NZ teams would have struggled. that is a 12 game winning streak at homr for the Lions btw.
Baylion
Roar Rookie
Timing must be spot on otherwise it is obstruction and it all happens in the open in front of the AR, not easy to hide a mistake unless the AR is blind. TMO is there to clear up any doubts too
Dwards
Roar Rookie
You may be right. Pretty line ball call between legit and obstruction. A less generous ref may have seen it another way.
Baylion
Roar Rookie
I was wondering about it as well as the Lions used it to score in a previous match as well. It is very much a timing thing. Whiteley threw the ball to Ferreira, who was in front of the pod, and as soon as a Reds player binds a maul is formed and he passes the ball back. The Reds player is forced to bind as Ferreira would otherwise hold on to the ball and go through. The Reds player can also tackle the ball carrier as a maul hasn't been formed yet but instinct is to bind I suppose. The Lions target an area in front where there often would only be the hooker standing in the tramlines as the other lineout players had been pulled towards the jumper. Well, something like that
Lochie Hackett
Roar Rookie
Was under the impression the low percentage kicks went out the door with Richard Graham. Sadly not. Never understood the logic of giving the ball away when you've got legitimate attacking options in the backline. Simmons far too inconsistent.
RobC
Roar Guru
Options are pretty good. Sef Fa'agase, Pett Paraka
ethan
Guest
Slipper still can't scrum, but who are you going to replace him with? The scrum was even weaker when Vanzanti came on.
RobC
Roar Guru
Nabuli disrupted quick cycle for a certain try. YC was on imo
Bfc
Guest
Can't lay too much fault at the feet of the younger guys...decent individual performances from Paia-Aua, Perese (in defence...no chances in possession...), Tuttle, Korzcyk... Vanzanti had a tough 'baptism' under fire...but he is a prop so that is no surprise. The 'man short' scrum' held up OK at the back end of the game... Frisby was again poor...killed a try scoring chance when the Reds were on attack at nil-all with another poos pass, and as others noted QC copped a head knock as a result of another poor pass from Frisby. Moore did little to suggest the early replacement of Ready was a good idea...Douglas should be left out altogether if Rodda is fit, and L.Tui kept on the bench. Reds forwards left too much of the hard graft to Paia-Aua, kerevi and Hunt...they carted the ball up so often while the forwards waited...eg the Higgers grubber...jeez, run the ball into contact and recycle...take the tackle! QC deserved his red card under the new interpretations...Nabuli's yellow was very soft.
Dwards
Roar Rookie
Just a question, The try before half time - how was that not a penalty against for obstructio?. That really looked like a truck and trailer move.
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks DC. Just saw the replay. Enjoyed the game. Lions did fine job, despite the errors. Game was over when QC was carded at 44'. There's no way 14 men can compete against Lions esp at home in altitude. Reds: Slips and Friz have to move on. Set piece is a mess. Lions: Too many handling errors. Need to fix it, if they want to win the trophy
ethan
Guest
The SA commentators were very one eyed in this one. Luckily they are not the referees. The referee had a good game though. Unfortunately Quade deserved his red - that poor tackle technique of his was always going to get him in trouble at some point under the new stricter laws.
ethan
Guest
realist, Hunt is no 10. His passing game is OK as a 2nd or 3rd playmaker, but it is not his greatest strength. With his physicality I actually think he is more of a centre than a fullback, but with Paia'uau and Kerevi playing well in those positions, Hunt will stay fullback.
Lincoln Lense
Guest
The Reds are complete embarrassment to their state and the jersey. Rugby's decline in Australia is reaching terminal levels with poor performances and zero public interest. I am a rugby man since first playing the game in U7's yet have only watched one Reds game this season and only watched 2 replays from last year's Spring Tour. Opening up the newspaper rugby gets a mention only about 3-4 days a week and on the last sports page before horses racing statistics. We really need to get back to 3 teams and if there is any hope of saving Super rugby - getting back to 12 teams and shaking off the newbies. Bill Pulver, why is your head still on your shoulders???
realist
Guest
Get rid of Cooper. He cannot defend, nor attack the line - as Toulon found out. Hunt to #10 and Higgers as captain.
Harry
Guest
Seriously depressing viewing with the Reds uncompetitive well before the dual cards. They had no answer to the Lions pace and ball skills who are a very very fine team at home, as always built on strong basics. Some harsh assessments from the first half, when it was supposedly an even contest: - I hope Slipper and Quade are carrying injuries because if not their form certainly does not warrant test selection, and barely SR selection. Quade is tentative in contact and his poor defensive technique once again got him in trouble. I fear his best days are well behind him. Slipper is unable to scrum effectively. - Reds soon resorted to aimless and low percentage kicks to break the Lions defensive line, unsuccessfully. Not enough hard shouldered running from the Reds, who shirked contact more than a few times. Simmons and Douglas were woeful in particular, and the limitations of Ready exposed with his poor lineout throwing and set piece. Sigh, another grim season beckons.
RubberLegs
Guest
Hunt and Paia'ua are really on the improve; the Reds forwards look like they are waiting for instructions. When Tupou came on no one would give him the ball. Paia'aua should replace QC at #10 while he serves his suspension. That must be Frisby's last game for a while. Quade was accidently/ recklessly kicked in the head by de Klerk when he had to fall on a loose ball caused by a poor Frisby pass- no action. South African commentators may be worse than the Australian ones.
Diggercane
Guest
Quality finisher alright.
Digby
Roar Guru
The Lions have recorded a comfortable victory at home over the Reds by 44 points to 14, winger Courtnall Skosan crossing for four tries in a remarkable finishing effort. The first half was keenly contested; both sides looking to use the ball but a number of unforced errors from both sides with ball in hand stunting their progress, the Lions finally breaking the early deadlock with Skosans first try in the seventeenth minute of play. Slowly the Lions began to gather momentum from this point as the Reds were unable to mount any sustained attack and ill-discipline gifting the Lions more opportunity, Elton Jantjes adding a penalty to the score line in the thirty first minute before Jaco Kriel scored for the home side just before halftime for a 15 to nil halftime score line. The Lions started the second half full of running and placed the Reds under significant early pressure inside their 22 and the match fully swung in the Lions favour in the forty fourth minute as Eto Nabuli was dismissed to the sin bin for a cynical foul stopping a promising Lions attack and soon after Rohan Janse van Rensburg crashed over for the Lions. In the act of scoring, van Rensburg was collected high by a Cooper swinging arm, the result a red card to Cooper and the match as a contest was effectively over with 30 minutes still to play. The Lions added another three tries in the stages of the match, Malcolm Marx crossing before Skosan collected his last two, ending the rout. To the Reds credit, they never stopped trying, nabbing back two tries of their own down to 14 men, Duncan Paia'aua prominent for the Reds, making a number of breaks for his side and proving a handful for the Lions defence, scoring one himself while replacement Taniela Tupou powered over for the Reds second in the dying stages. The Reds now travel to Argentina and have plenty of work to do before taking on an inform Jaguares side and the Lions will travel to Port Elizabeth to take on South African rivals, the Kings in Round five next week.