It’s taken but 35 seconds for the Highlanders to serve up a reality check for Australia’s Super Rugby hopefuls in a crushing win over the Queensland Reds in the Trans-Tasman tournament opener in Dunedin.
Triumphant over the Brumbies only six days ago in a thrilling Super Rugby AU final, the Reds came crashing back to earth with a 40-19 loss to the Highlanders at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.
The Highlanders won only three of eight games in Super Rugby Aotearoa while the Reds lost just one in the AU version.
Yet New Zealand’s fourth-best outfit was still streets ahead of Australia’s champions on Friday night.
They set the tone in the opening minute with a try through lovely hands to centre Scott Gregory.
The Reds levelled shortly after through Kalani Thomas but spent the rest of the first half camped almost exclusively on their own line as the pace and intensity of New Zealand opposition exposed an ominous gulf in class.
Jona Nareki runs with the ball. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
The Highlanders converted their glut of possession and territory into a 21-7 halftime advantage following further five-pointers to lock Josh Dixon and winger Sio Tomkinson, both tries converted by flyhalf Mitch Hunt.
With coach Brad Thorn already opting to rest several stars, the Reds suffered another blow when skipper and playmaker James O’Connor failed to front for the second half after failing a HIA.
Injected into the action after the break, prized recruit Suliasi Vunivalu wasted little time reviving Reds hopes when he soared sublimely to reel in a Bryce Hegarty cross-field kick and touch down in the corner in the 45th minute to reduce the deficit to nine points.
Alas, the Highlanders hit back through a second try to Dixon four minutes later as the Reds’ ball security and ill-discipline repeatedly cost them any chance of victory.
Replacements Ngatungane Punivai and Liam Coltman came off the bench to secure a bonus point for the Highlanders with two tries in the closing 10 minutes.
Code-hopper Vunivalu clinched his maiden try-scoring double with another leap after the siren – but it was all too little too late for the Reds.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Republican: Apart from your name I see nothing else to admire in your post. You sound a bit like a whinging pom who cannot accept that Australia is a wonderful place to live. NZ play rugby well, they put more thought into it than we do, they train hard and they don't accept failure in that area much how we do in cricket. Their kids grow up not wishing to be League stars or AFL stars and they read about them on the back pages and see them in the news. Australia punches above its weight when you consider the number of actual players playing beyond school. Pity they don't have a downvote for your comment. BTW I grew up as a pom but got out asap.
TJ-Go Force!
Roar Rookie
My comment was and I made it pretty clear - all 4 grand finalists should have been given the week off. Thought the chiefs vs force and Brumbies/crusaders games were excellent. Boy geez Rebels have got some work to do though.
The difference in clearance speed massively affected to speed of the defense.
Republican imagine the NZ league side if Union died in NZ? We are no 1 now so what would it look like then? Also I think no 1 in Cricket and Netball arnt NZ? All about rugby is it? Our Supercars drivers dominate in Aus too I think. Maybe if Union dies in NZ we will just take up AFL and come over and win that eh? :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Haha the sense of security bit is working but Im not convinced its false...
I very much doubt they spent 3 days on the grog but its a great story isnt it?
Better than "Incontinent infringements" lol
The TMO looks at it... he clearly had no probs with it...or "them"
Yes the NRL referred to that as the best talent selection program they have never run. Make it a SR based comp and play it before every SR game as a curtain raiser. That locks them in to contracts...
They become backs when they switch to Union...All seem to want to play at 12 in union coz they cant get up to speed to be a forward.
killaku
Roar Rookie
Yet your playing a heavy depleted Highlanders team,The Chiefs had a harder Final,Yet travel 8 hours after the party
What makes you believe he has developed better in league than he would have developed in Union for the past 6 years TJ? I make no aspersions against League at all but I dont see how you can claim he is a better Union player by spending time in League..
Danny McGowan
Roar Rookie
NZ had one this year TJ, was good. Just over a week or so at Taupo
Mitcher
Guest
The Reds played like a team that were inferior to their NZ opposition. As will be borne out over and over and over again. And deluded Australian fans will devise bizarre excuses to explain the inevitable. To be clear. I’m not NZer
Mitcher
Guest
Pull yourself together. Cherry picking one moment to moan about in a game that reinforced the fact the five team champions are not even close to the MZ sides.
Mitcher
Guest
You’re right. If the team that won a 5 team comp didn’t drink for three days and develop a solid excuse for deluded fans to carry on in their haze of confusion then they didn’t enjoy themselves.
Mitcher
Guest
Were they second to bottom or not?
Mitcher
Guest
Context is a team played a game a week before then got spanked a week later by a superior force (pun). And six people genuinely think they lost for a reason other than they’re inferior. In fairness. Australian rugby was really making great gains while it was competing with itself.
Mitcher
Guest
How deluded are you lot. The smashings anyone without skin knew would happen are happening and you’re spinning this tripe.
Mitcher
Guest
1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a code war!!! *Sigh*