Queensland Reds can go top of the Australian conference for the first time since 2013 when they meet the Melbourne Rebels in a Super Rugby blockbuster on Friday.
The Rebels’ grip on the conference is slipping after they lost a third straight game to welcome back the chasing pack over the weekend.
It sets up a mouth-watering second bout between Quade Cooper and Brad Thorn in Melbourne.
Queensland coach Thorn was just three days into his first pre-season as a Super Rugby head coach when he unceremoniously dumped veteran Cooper from the Reds squad in late 2017.
The move banished Cooper to Brisbane club rugby for 2018 but the 70-Test playmaker returned through the Rebels this season and beat Thorn’s men when they first met in round seven.
The Reds drew level with the Rebels on five wins after defeating the Sunwolves on Friday, and now sit two points adrift of the conference table toppers.
But if Queenslanders beat the Rebels they’ll go top of the Australian conference for the first time in six years.
The Reds may have to do so without forward Harry Hockings who was sent off for stomping on the head of a Sunwolves player during the win.
Hockings will appear at a SANZAAR judicial committee hearing via video conference at 5pm AEST on Monday after being red carded for the incident.
The Brumbies snapped a three-game losing streak against the Blues and are second on points differential, after the Rebels left their run too late against the Hurricanes in Wellington.
The Waratahs squandered another chance to top the conference and instead slipped to fourth after wasting chances against the Bulls in Pretoria.
There are six rounds remaining in what is shaping as the closest Australian conference in history.
The Brumbies have played an additional game but they face the bottom-placed Sunwolves twice, the first instalment in Canberra on Sunday.
The Waratahs meet the Lions in Johannesburg for the second leg of their South African tour.
There were two draws in round 12, with the Crusaders converting an after-the-siren try against the Sharks and Chiefs playmaker Marty McKenzie doing the same to the Highlanders.
The Jaguares forced their way into the top eight with a hard-fought win against the Stormers, which means all five teams in their conference are separated by just one win.
Two-time reigning champions the Crusaders remain on top of the overall ladder, six points clear of the Hurricanes and 14 ahead of the Bulls.
riddler
Roar Rookie
My preseason prediction of us topping the conference isn't so much of a fantasy now!! Not sure if we will but am proud of the lads and am eating humble pie re hegarty. He is getting better. Good luck to him and the team.
riddler
Roar Rookie
Good on u aj for going to the game and for ur season tickets.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Hodge is 100% not a 12.
Pinetree
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the full stop tip, cheers jeznez!
jeznez
Roar Guru
Frustrating isn’t it. I either leave my typos or insert a full stop on each line break rather than let the site wipe out the spacing.
Danny
Roar Pro
From the lies, damn lies and stats department comes this year’s favourite: collapsing home ground crowd size means collapsing support for that franchise. In particular I’ve seen Thorn haters and Cooper lovers target the Reds with this deceptive statistical weapon. No matter that the top-of-the-SA-table Bulls attracted less than 10k to its game on Saturday. Or that the darling Brumbies barely scraped 9k to a finals game last year. Or that NZ crowds have been woeful for two+ years. Or that the Tahs couldn’t get 10k into the brand spanking new Bankstown stadium. Not suggesting there’s zero link between performance and home ground crowd sizes – far from it. But crowds across the competition are generally woeful right now and I think it reflects the abysmal state of the competition. Perhaps SW and Jag crowds aren’t so bad but their fans are not that far out of their honeymoon phases. I’m so sick of local derbies I wouldn’t pay to see a single one in any conference. SANZAAJR or whatever it’s called now has butchered the comp, with help from WR, local unions and Fox. The Aus and SA conferences are like a race to the bottom and the NZ conference is very top heavy this year. Fans are voting with their feet across the board. An honest and deep SANZAAJR naval gaze at the end of this season is desperately needed.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
and maybe hope the backs can just click somehow. Now that sounds like it comes from the current coaches playbook.
AJ
Guest
I was one of the few fans there on Friday night to witness that game. Friday nights are junior rugby training now and the games are on early Saturday morning. As a Dad of junior rugby players I wonder how much this affects the crowd numbers on a Friday night, there was no way I was taking my boys as they would've been too tired and I only went cause I've paid for season tickets. The off set is that junior rugby participation appears strong. It seems whenever a team loses to the Reds that team must have been terrible, but it has to be said that the Wolves defended very well. The Reds had quite a few opportunities in the first half but were somehow shut down. Jock Campbell looked to be try bound 3 times. The Reds were brainless in the second half and couldn't rely on their set piece to make use of the overlaps. If Hamish didnt throw the intercept they'd have a bonus point. Rebels will be clearly favorites. The reds can do it but need parity or better up front and maybe hope the backs can just click somehow.
Pinetree
Roar Rookie
Why do the paragraphs disappear when I edit a comment?
Tooly
Roar Rookie
The Brumbies will need to be concentrating against The Wolverines. The Rebels with Hodge at 15, Meakes at 12 and and a better pack will be too good for a lone Kerevi.
Pinetree
Roar Rookie
It is going to be very tight for the Aus/SA conferences. Let’s look at the run in for the Aus sides and the teams they will play at home and away. The Brumbies run in the final rounds is: Sunwolves (h), Bulls (h), Sunwolves (a), Waratahs (a) and Reds (h). Rebels have: Reds (h), Bulls (h), Sunwolves (a), Waratahs (h), Crusaders (a), Chiefs (h). Reds have: Rebels (a), Waratahs (h), Chiefs (a), Jaguares (h), Blues (h), Brumbies (a). Waratahs have: Lions (a), Reds (a), Jaguares (h), Rebels (a), Brumbies (h), Highlanders (a). The Waratahs having 4/6 games away from home, 1 each in SA/NZ, and I think the Jaguares will be tough to beat in Sydney, sees a bridge too far to cross for me. The Reds have a tough run in with 2 kiwi teams and the Jaguares, but the Blues and Jaguares could be defeated in Queensland. Can’t see them getting enough wins though with their up and down form, but I guess an outside chance? The Rebels have 4/6 home games, but 3 games outside their conference. The Rebels have only managed 5 table points from teams outside their conference, which is the lowest in their conference. This is a trend that has continued from last year with only 2/7 wins coming outside their conference. 2/3 losses to the teams in the Aus conference last year came in the last 3 rounds also (losing to the Waratahs, Reds and Highlanders in the last round). I think they will fall short of winning the Aus conference. The Brumbies have 3/5 home games, have the Sunwolves twice, and stay in Aus with no NZ teams to play. They have acquired 18 of their table points outside their conference, which looks far more hopeful than the Rebels come playoff time. Even though the Brumbies have 1 less game than the other Aus sides, I think their run in will see them top the Aus conference.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
The Rebels have choked. The Reds were terrible last week but got the win. Think the Rebels will take their frustrations out on the Reds and smash them by 20+. Hooefully Quade imposes himself on rhe game. He is still a faie way off playing well enough to make Wallabies 23 (although he will make the squad).
Realist
Guest
Gee if the Reds go top after a quality of performance akin to Friday’s match then everyone is in big trouble. I only saw the Horrortahs game in full but what parts I saw of the Reds were a team that didn’t put a lot of pride on the park. Casual defence with no urgency and zero kick chase which is an Australian rugby phenomenon. I’m pinning my hopes on the Brumbies and Rebels putting forward the most Wallabies this year (even if Chieka won’t select them)
Redsfan1
Guest
Ah the Rebels. Champions in pre season for a second year in a row with Coach of the year - Dave Wessels. Wessels was given the honour after round 1.