Big Dell’s no dick
11 Feb 2006
Wendell Sailor copped a truckload of abuse from a hostile 38 000 crowd at Suncorp Stadium, but the winger had the last laugh as the Waratahs edged the Reds 16-12.
A pre-orchestrated campaign by the Brisbane media, which encouraged Queensland supporters to boo their former winger, achieved its objective. Every time Big Dell touched the ball a chorus of boos rung out around the ground. When play stopped the crowd chanted ‘Wendell’s a wanker’ and when he came close to the touchline spectators hurled abuse his way. To his credit, Big Dell turned to face the crowd and waved his arms aggressively – urging them to keep it coming. The ex-rugby league star fed on the atmosphere and gave one of his best performances since switching to union.
Forget about state against state, when the Tahs take on the Reds it’s hate against hate. It took 30 seconds for the first punches to be thrown and a minute later there was another scuffle.
Local derbies are usually tight and this was no exception as Peter Hewat and Elton Flatley kicked two penalties apiece to see the sides locked 6-all at the break. While the Reds never looked like scoring during the first half, the Sydneysiders came close on two occasions.
As the game entered the second quarter, Tahs centre Morgan Turinui kicked infield for his midfield partner Lote Tuqiri who collected the loose ball. However, Reds scrumhalf Sam Cordingly hunted the Wallaby down just before the tryline.
Tuqiri was involved again on the half hour mark when he darted down the left hand touchline, but put a foot into touch just before the tryline after a good defensive effort from Reds lock Hugh McMeniman.
Despite the Tahs first-half domination, it was the Reds who took a 9-6 lead when Flatley slotted his third penalty kick, 10 minutes into the second half. This prompted a shuffle in the Tahs backline, with Tuqiri moving to the left wing, Hewat replacing Sam Norton-Knight at fullback and Shane Berne coming in at centre. A minute later, and the Reds were out to a 12-6 lead, after yet another penalty from Flatley.
The Reds began to dominate possession and when Hewat missed his second penalty attempt of the night, with 15 minutes to go, it seemed as if the home side would pull off the first upset of the season.
However, the Tahs struck back straight away when Burne threw a skip pass to Hewat, who put flanker Rocky Elsom away for the first try of the game. Hewat made no mistake with the conversion and the Tahs led by a single point.
A minute later, Hewat had a chance to add another three, but again his penalty attempt went wide.
With time running out the Reds worked their way back into the Tahs half only to concede their 17th turnover of the match, which took play deep inside home territory. The Reds then gave away another penalty, which used up valuable time and made it 16-12.
With the siren having sounded the Reds launched one final attack, but the Tahs forced the turnover and Big Dell – who else? – booted the ball into touch.
SCORERS:
Reds – Penalties: Elton Flatley (4)
Waratahs – Try: Rocky Elsom. Conversion: Peter Hewat. Penalties: Hewat (3)
38 Comments
11 Feb 2006, 11:30 am
Waratahs by 15
11 Feb 2006, 11:56 am
one and a half minutes gone and already two scuffles! great to see the aussies have adopted the SA mentality!
11 Feb 2006, 12:00 pm
But was there any blood … only when blood is drawn will they have adopted the sa mentality
11 Feb 2006, 12:06 pm
It sounds like the reds are playing their usual spoiling game and giving away lots of penalties. Any that look like they should be yellow card offenses?
11 Feb 2006, 12:07 pm
Jeeezz Cubi
11 Feb 2006, 12:08 pm
I mean the comment about the blood.
11 Feb 2006, 12:10 pm
I mean the aussies are known for their hand bags at 100 yards and then screaming foul, so if there was fisty cuffs was it real SA style (or Kiwi / Pom) fisty cuff eg: Lewis Moodey against Samoa
11 Feb 2006, 12:17 pm
Perhaps Aussies need to recruit a Johan Le Roux/Adri Geldenhuys type player to beef up their attitude a bit??
11 Feb 2006, 12:23 pm
The Aussies need a few SA forward imports,from Pretoria and FS!
11 Feb 2006, 12:26 pm
I believe that the aussies already have gone that route but they are looking at the South Sea Islands … anyway the aussies will always be competitive because of their backline and two fetcher loose forwards winning turnover ball.
11 Feb 2006, 12:29 pm
I seriously hope these two teams **** eachother up.
11 Feb 2006, 12:32 pm
And a few citings would help too …
11 Feb 2006, 12:36 pm
Any idea who this McMeniman is? Sounds like he is playing lock and is a ‘real find’?
11 Feb 2006, 12:39 pm
McMeniman was touted the new John Eales last year.Young bugger.Made the Aussie squad I believe.
11 Feb 2006, 12:46 pm
Anvil
Anyone that can be called the new John Eales best be very good.
Eales is a LEGEND. ******* Aussie *******.
11 Feb 2006, 12:51 pm
Yeah Dood,the boy is an Eales look alike as well.
11 Feb 2006, 12:53 pm
Very poor game this.lousy advert for Rugby.Looks like the games gonna be decided on penalities.
No tries.Big Dell is nowhere.What a plonker!
11 Feb 2006, 12:57 pm
Go Queensland ya little Beauuuuties !!!
11 Feb 2006, 13:19 pm
9-6 to Queensland … will we all be shouting this loud when they are beating the SA teams
11 Feb 2006, 13:21 pm
Damn it the Warratahs have scored – SA teams could really do with the Reds knocking over one or two of the big fish…..
11 Feb 2006, 13:23 pm
Bugger … any chance of Queensland stealing it with a penalty at the end via Elton Flatley?
11 Feb 2006, 13:24 pm
BMM
None of the Aussie teams are a threat this year.
Bank on that.
11 Feb 2006, 13:28 pm
Hope your right Dood.Bulls should massacre the Brumbies!
11 Feb 2006, 13:28 pm
the Reds-tahs games are normally pretty bad
11 Feb 2006, 13:32 pm
Brimbies game is going to be huge. Bulls by 10.
11 Feb 2006, 13:35 pm
Mna that was the KAKEST Game of rugby to date
I really think it should the be Aussie sides bringing up the rear i this Super 14 from what we have seen to date
11 Feb 2006, 13:37 pm
I never saw the game but it could not have been worse than that game that the sharks lost against queensland a few years back 6-5 …
11 Feb 2006, 13:39 pm
Two things:
1) Big Dell is a ****, and let us never forget that. Should have gone back to the the Broncos
2) None of the Aussie teams were overly impressive, least of all NSW. Force were hopeless. Mind you, I’m a Shark fan and should probably withold my comments untill tomorrow. Reds do have some real talent coming through. Berrick Barnes is going to be a star.
11 Feb 2006, 13:53 pm
Wls
Sounds like a kak one but Cubiczirconia (F**K, what a name!!!!) is right. That Sharks vs Reds game must be the worst game of rugby ever played.
11 Feb 2006, 13:55 pm
What worries me is that all these Aussie teams look k@k but they still whip our asses…
11 Feb 2006, 14:15 pm
Jondood
You may be right but the only way that the SA teams are going to be a force this year is if teams like Reds and the W Force beat a few of the the other bigger teams (Warratahs were finalists last year remember) Hopefully they can raise their bar and beat a few of the Kiwis as well………heres hoping!!!
11 Feb 2006, 14:26 pm
Next will be a better indication on where the Aussie teams are at. Aussie derbys like the SA ones are scrappy and intense affairs.
11 Feb 2006, 14:37 pm
BrumbyIV
But do the derby matches include any blatent thuggery like AJ Venter on Robbie Fleck or Japie Mulder on De Wet Barry?
11 Feb 2006, 14:41 pm
did in the past. Brendan Cannon playing for Qld shredded one of the Tahs players
11 Feb 2006, 15:04 pm
These guys played KAK.
Even the sharks will give them a few PK’s
11 Feb 2006, 15:15 pm
It is still early in the season and the sharks, cats and stormers are yet to play so lets not be too confident.
Remember that most sa teams have the ability to snatch ‘DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY’, especially in games where they are the favourite
11 Feb 2006, 21:30 pm
Now the tahs head to SA to play, they needed that tough game, especially playing over SA, where scuffles is normally a way of saying “welcome”. Reds play Crusaders, the way they played showed that they can compete, but Crusaders to win.
12 Feb 2006, 03:53 am
reds always play alright against nsw, and the games are always low scoring and scrappy, dont think it says much about either side. nsw will do good this year, and the reds will end bottom 4, cant see them winning more than 4 games this season. crusaders will smash them by 20
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