The Reds and Brumbies won in the republic on the weekend, and while the Reds win was mainly down to the coin-toss-esque nature of the South African conference, the Brumbies win was down to a stoic defensive effort and their 226 tackles.
What’s more, there’s every chance wins on tour will decide finals positions. The Lions jumped from ninth to fifth with their narrow win on Friday, and that’s possible because just five match points – the equivalent of one bonus-point win – separate 14th and fifth.
The Canberrans and Queenslanders are one and two points from the play-offs respectively thanks to these tour wins. Next the ACT team travel to Argentina, while the Reds will return home.
Their Australian counterparts, the Waratahs, are still to tour, which they will do from rounds 12 to 13, when they will play the Bulls and Lions. In a suddenly close Australian conference, this is where the Waratahs could succeed where the Rebels failed.
Lachlan McCaffrey of the Brumbies (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
The Melbournians dropped a 28-point lead shortly after half-time against the Lions, which could really come back to bite them as the remaining Aussie teams bridge the gap between the conference leaders and the pack.
Now the Rebels are floundering, having lost three consecutive games to the Lions, Sharks and Stormers respectively, and they just went down to the Waratahs in Sydney.
For the Aussie teams, the reality is that any wins over New Zealand teams are important but too rare, and outside of derbies, South African matches, travel notwithstanding, are very winnable, especially with the republic’s conference the way it is.
Similar to what Brad Thorn told rugby.com.au, “we didn’t want to get back on the plane without having something to take back with us”.
Much has been made of the poor record against Kiwi teams throughout 2016, 2017 and, at times, 2018, but before this weekend, not since 2006 have two Australian teams both won in South Africa in one round, though it’s not often multiple Australian teams are on tour at once.
While the Brumbies won over there last year and took two wins home the year before, it’s not been a happy hunting ground traditionally. Take the Reds as an example: they’d not won there since 2004.
The New South Welshmen snatched a 32-30 win back in 2016 to further illustrate how difficult wins actually are to come by.
While the Saffa pool has been more up and down than a yo-yo, all five teams are in the top ten, while if the finals were next weekend, three teams would feature – more than the Aussie conference, where only the Rebels are on pole position.
It’s not a pretty stat for Rugby Australia, but it starts with the teams themselves. The Rebels could be kicking themselves come finals time about letting the lead drop against the Lions, but will they?
Jacko
Guest
So glad you found so many fair minded people at the Tahs fan club meetings
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
In all fairness it isn’t just Tahs fans who are less than impressed with SA refs reffing home games against touring teams. I’m never upset when a kiwi refs an incoming Aussie side as I just expect us to get cleaned so the refs doesn’t really make a difference. But my point is that when the man in the middle and most of supporting crew are from the republic... I may swear at my TV more than once during a match. Even my wife, who knows nothing about rugby, knows what country the ref is from by how much a mutter obscene comments under my breath.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
A win is a win and it shows they must be doing something right.
Dahl
Roar Rookie
The fair minded people I've surveyed consider each of those to be reasonable interpretations too.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Agree PK. Two neutral refs last weekfor the Reds and Brumbies. It won't happen this weekend.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
The Sharks own coach described their win over The Lions as the best performance by them in years. 1 week later after getting hammered he described it as the worst performance in years. That's pretty coin tossesque enough for me.
Dave
Guest
Refs aren’t neutral in SA, it’s a corrupt 3rd world country, and with the performances some of their refs put out what part of you thinks the refs are completely fair
Frank
Guest
Yes, right up there with the excuses in past rounds that, the brumbies only lost to the reds because it was hot, and the stormers lost to the reds because they played poorly or rested springboks. I think it was because they didn’t bring enough biltong on tour.
PeterK
Roar Guru
neither of those were tah losses. I totally support neutral refs. You rarely get them in SA. Surprise surprise now that the oz teams have had them they get 2 close wins which hasn't happened for years, maybe even a decade, probably since they got rid of neutral refs
Jacko
Guest
It must be another PeterK then that posts all the "Refs arnt neutral when in SA" Posts I have read today and yesterday. I have replied to 4 of them and ignored another 3 or 4 by PeterK PS: I dont believe me when I say that its another peterK
Jacko
Guest
CP I watched both games in their entirety and i fully grasp how good a win, from a defensive effort, the Brumbies had. But to denigrate the Reds win as a "toss of the coin" was very dismissive of the effort they put in in defense as well.
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
Jacko, What you don't grasp is that the Brumbies won with only 30% possession & territory, and a dubious penalty try awarded against them. They were outstanding.
Wally
Guest
One thing I noticed was how the Reds support play was very similar to the way many of the kiwis run their support lines. It had a particular effect about it this week. Well done fellas
PeterK
Roar Guru
utter rubbish Lets look at their season Canes were better than tahs and deserved to win by more tahs got the rub of the green against the wolves lucky to win that one. tahs against reds no issues either way brumbies beat the tahs and the scoreline flattered the tahs in fact brumbies significantly better tah deserved to beat the crusaders by more, crusaders did get the rub of the green but it didn't effect the outcome tahs loss to sunwolves was due to hubris, lack of effort, lack of smarts and sunwolves were hungrier, the ref favoured the tahs once again if anything blues - tahs , blues were the better team and probably deserved to win by more. The main issue I had with the ref was allowing endless pick and drives sealing off the ball to close out the game , a negative tactic that should be penalised. tahs - rebels, tahs were lucky and got the rub of the green from the ref. They made the same infringements especially offside that the rebels did and didn't get pinged. So overall not 1 loss by the tahs due to the ref, in fact 2 close wins I believe they got the rub of the green. Only 1 game did I think the ref gave the rub of the green to the other team but it didn't effect the result.
Jacko
Guest
So the Reds win was a toss of the coin was it? The Brumbies were brilliant in defence??? Brumbies brilliance concedes 17 points but the toss of the coin Reds only concede 14. Also the Brilliant brumbies score 19 yet the toss of the coin Reds score 21. Looks like you didnt even watch the Reds game there Tom. Perhaps try that next time you write an article and put such comments in.
Jacko
Guest
Peter thats rubbish. You blame the refs all the times for Tahs losses.
PeterK
Roar Guru
it will be unlikely tahs be assigned a neutral ref, that makes it a lot harder
AJ
Guest
Did the other lose because they were worse? It seems this is the case whenever a team loses to the Reds.
ForwardsWinMatches
Guest
Can’t see any joy for the Tahs on the Highveldt. Bulls have been up and down, but when up, very good. Lions a new lease of life with Whitely and Kwagga back. For the second year in a row the Tahs play the Lions after the Lions have a bye and the Tahs have travelled. Rebels have a good run in with many home matches. Great to see the Brumbies and Reds win in SA - here’s hoping they can push for the conference all the way.
Billy Boy
Roar Rookie
Wouldn't the Tahs be in the finals as they sit in 8th spot on the table