Expectation was in the air as the 18,000-strong crowd shuffled into Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
The expectation was borne of the Reds’ exciting close loss to the Highlanders the week prior. We thought we were going to see them bring the same entertaining game against the Crusaders. There was no real expectation of them getting a win against the most successful rugby union club on the planet, though, which perhaps became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
As it turned out, the game itself had its entertaining moments, principally from a couple of magical Crusaders tries right at the start. Crikey, those lads have some skills. What other team has an outside centre who can put a left-footed kick across the park for his winger to score a try more skilfully than most fly halves?
Jack Goodhue, a chunky, aggressively blond-mulleted unit who looks like he might well get his cardio chasing a pack of pig dogs through the wet New Zealand forests, left no doubt why he has nailed down the All Blacks No. 13 jersey.
Once the Crusaders had given their rugby union equivalent exhibition of the Harry Potter wizarding world’s broomstick-riding game of Quidditch, the game settled down into being more informative than entertaining. The Reds showed the sort of defensive heart that coach Brad Thorn and defence guru Peter Ryan have been working so hard to instil in their players, with a 91 per cent tackle success rate and the only Crusaders tries after the initial two coming off rolling mauls.
What reinforced my confidence in the Reds’ defensive grit most was 130-kilogram-plus rookie prop Feao Fotuaika making a string of big tackles in a row right before he was substituted at around the 45th minute. Subsequently I checked the ESPN rugby website and it turns out the big man made 13 tackles with only one miss in just over a half of rugby. Bloody outstanding!
Fotuaika was schooled by All Blacks prop Owen Franks come scrum time, though, giving away multiple penalties for incorrect binding. The same thing happened the previous week against the Highlanders. Whatever problems Fotuaika is having with his scrummaging technique in the big jump from NRC to Super Rugby, I reckon with a work ethic like that he demonstrated in that game, he will have it sorted out by mid-season.
For all the gritty defence, the Reds just couldn’t seem to get the attack going for much of the game. The Crusaders dark arts had a fair bit to do with that – jersey pulling, subtle obstructions and hits off the ball abounded, and at one stage while there was a Reds lineout right on halfway the Saders backs were clearly lined up two metres on the wrong side of the ten-metre line.
Seta Tamanivalu of the Crusaders (Phil Walter/Getty Images)
However, it seemed that reputation clouded the minds of the officials and the Death Eaters got away with a lot of their black magic, befuddling the Reds playmakers into popping off poor kicks and returning to their ‘give it to Samu’ approach from previous seasons.
It was only when Peter Ryan, who was sitting in front of me, barked at the playmakers to hold onto the ball that things started to change. When the Reds were disciplined and patient, using their big ball runners to grind forward against the Saders, they were able to get into a position to put Samu Kerevi over the line, with Scott Higginbotham doing the same thing from the back of a scrum off the bench.
That is the big lesson for the Reds this game. Rugby has always been about what you can get away with – the Crusaders aren’t cheaters, they’re just the best at winning. As an ex-Crusader, Brad Thorn would know that the battle against teams like these is in the chest and between the ears, and the Reds have that half right.
Aside from Fotuaika’s outstanding effort, the most heartening, if unusually so, thing I saw about the Reds’ attitude was when Jordan Petaia came off injured early in the first half. He was absolutely devastated, which was hard and good to see at the same time – it’s clear he clearly loves his rugby.
Hopefully Petaia is not laid off too long, but in any case having motivated young players like him and Fotuaika learning the hard lessons now against the best club on the planet bodes well for the remainder of the season for the Reds.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
The high kicks came out of the Waratahs successful use of the tactic to get Folau in possession in the opposition half. My take is that that Cheika adapted that as a strategy for exits from his own 22, because he hates kicking for territory with a passion, it doesn’t fit into his idea of “running rugby”. Remember that Larkham had virtually no say in how the Wallabies ran all last season, that wouldn’t have been his idea.
RobC
Roar Guru
Checkout the grounds MrChook! And checkout the cheerleaders too! Whats your tip for this Sat?
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
I can remember a tennis coach telling me "the only bad drop shot is the one you never hit". In a similar vein I don't see that there's any one golden exit strategy. Running the ball out can work, so can a long punt kick, so can a high box kick. It's the other factors, the chase, the strength of the line-out etc that can determine the success.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Shy and a hot head. That's a most unusual combination
Danny
Roar Pro
Some are, others aren't. I posted a few views several weeks ago. As a refresher: As unfashionable and ridiculous as these views and predictions might seem, here goes anyway: 1) Yes Brumbies played well, but against a Chiefs side well on truly on the slide in the post Dave Rennie era, and the scoreline flattered the team’s real strength. I don’t think they’ll make the finals. I think Rebels and Reds will. Highlanders with ABs away and Crusaders at home is as tough a start as any team will have this year. Last week didn't change my view. 2) Reds close loss to Highlanders was far more impressive, and Thorn’s year-two team is on the move. If not this year, by 2020 Reds will have injected the most new young talent into the Wallabies of any Aus super rugby team. Standing by this one. Really like Petaia and hoping he returns soon. 3) Thorn will be the Wallabies coach by 2022 and oversee a new era of great Wallaby performances not seen since the great Rod MacQueen. Not meant as a troll but would understand if some saw it that way! 4) RA will come to its senses sometime in the next five years, the sooner the better, and merge Brumbies with the Rebels, based in Melbourne. Excess talent from this merger will form the basis of a restarted Perth franchise. Perth has a real rugby ecosystem deserving of a super franchise; the Canberra rugby ecosystem is shallow, and like the city exists as a parasite on the rest of Australia. Melbourne is a massive sports ecosystem with a young rugby culture, and should have had a super franchise from 1996. Better late than never. Ditto. As to Cooper - in the past he's managed to hold himself together for a few weeks, a month maybe. But his real character will bubble up inevitably. An AB-less Highlanders at home and a variable Brumbies away are moderate tests. Deep down he's still the tackle shy hot head he's always been. Probably won't see that until he gets to SA.
Hoy
Roar Guru
You're right, it is the chase as much as the kick... Elsom and Stephen Moore both offside... I just think it's a poor exit strategy, with minimal chance of benefit, particularly since we in Australia have shown over goodness knows how many years that we stink at kick chase. In fact really, we have shown that we stink at the 1% efforts...
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Thanks Chook, enjoy the Tahs game. You should write an article about it, I’ve been trying to start a thing here for a year where people actually go to rugby games and write about them, rather than rehashing the usual stuff about selections. Few have bitten yet, but a long awaited return to the SCG for the Tahs seems like a good opportunity.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Damn Genia for this example of a box kick from your own 22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngZG8YbJpbg It's the chase as much as the kick.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Qld produced Quade Jacko. The Tokoroa U12’s shoulda offered him a contract before the evil poachers from the Brisbane GPS school got to him. But hang on. Make up your mind. Do you want to claim him, Or boo him?
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hey Jacko, Finished 15th out of ???? And then 14th out of ???? It's a bit like junior coming home from school saying this week I got 8 out of 20 that's better than last week when I only got 6 out of 10. They played more matches in 2018 than they did in 2017 in a smaller pool and they finished closer to the bottom in 2018 than they did in 2017. It ain't rocket science Jacko the Reds season was demonstrably worse in 2018 than it was in 2017. UNLESS you're off the belief that finishing last is the goal that the Reds should aspire too. FINISHING CLOSER TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE IS A WORSE RESULT. Simple as that
Machooka
Roar Guru
Thanks Rhys... good read, many thanks. The goodest part was the Goodhue part... or the lack of a part. Or a mirror for that matter! ;) Will be watching your mob play my mob at the beautiful SCG this Saturday night. I can't remember the last rugby game I went to watch there... it's been years and years!?!
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
It was avoidable - Paiaaua at 12 and Kerevi at 13 and Kerevi at 12 and CFS at 13 are both valid centre partnerships. No, but I would be very interested to find out!
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Yep, don't know if it was avoidable in this case, but at his age Jordan is still growing, and he'd be putting his body through a lot off and on field. Anyone know anything about the prevalence of (say) 18 - 22 year old players to be injured vs the 23 - 27 year old bracket?
JamesDuncan
Roar Guru
Agreed. 10 and 15, a big part of the spine of the team, are not cutting the mustard at the mo.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Not convinced it is rotten luck. I think it is actually the fact that we’re rushing guys before they are ready.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Wade
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Quade Cooper actually.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Quade or Lealiifano? In the case of Quade, I agree. But it does seem to me like he enjoys playing rugby - so I would thought he would stick around in Australia for a few more years. I hope he does so, anyway. Could easily be our Wallabies flyhalf next year.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I don't know... to me, bombing from your 22 to the midfield, is a bad kick, and a poor option. Sure, bomb from the midfield into the 22, but not out of your 22... that is just inviting the opposition to run it back in, with broken play... Silly option to me. Poor exit strategy. But then you are right, Australia just keep plugging away at the kicking/no chasing game... when will it be picked up that chasing well turns bad kicks somewhat better?
Franco
Guest
I’ve no doubt Thorn told the Reds to tackle better…..and run faster….. and jump higher etc. Inspirational and innovative “stuff”.