Tahs get out of jail
13 Feb 2010
The Waratahs were undeserved 30-28 winners over the Reds in Brisbane.
With Dean Mumm in the bin, the Tahs somehow produced two tries in the last four minutes to steal the result. Reds captain James Horwill was nearly in tears after the match, and although his side dominated for 77 minutes, the scoreboard is where it all counts. The Reds will know they relaxed when the game was there for the taking.
Before the match, the Waratahs claimed they would discard their boring style which has seen them lose many fans, but it didn’t pay dividends for the majority of the match as five penalties and two late tries were all they could produce. Their execution was clearly lacking, with scrumhalf Luke Burgess’s indecision costing them repeatedly, while they faced a Reds side vastly different to the one in previous years.
Under new coach Ewen McKenzie, who was up against his former side, the Reds were always expected to exhibit more structure compared to their touch rugby approach in 2009. After just 80 minutes on the park it’s clear he’s also supplied a hard edge to their mantra. The Reds will have to learn how to close out matches, but based on this evidence, they won’t be the easy-beats and although this is very early in the season, it just goes to show what a decent coach can do for a side.
Quade Cooper missed an early penalty, but for the remainder he was largely solid in all departments and outshone former team-mate Berrick Barnes, who left the park after an hour.
Barnes opened the scoring, much to the disgust of his former fans who booed him virtually every time he had the ball, but that was the only time the Tahs would hold the lead, until the final siren.
The Reds were fired up – clear evidence was a charge of biting leveled at lock Adam Byrnes halfway through the first half – and then Daniel Braid replied with the first score of the match. Cooper was instrumental, his teasing style drawing and beating defenders in the build-up, and finally the floated pass finding the opensider, who beat a defender to crash over.
The Reds bulked up their pack with Wallabies lock Horwill on the flank, and although it didn’t help at scrum-time – where the Reds took a little strain – it did add some grunt in nullifying the Tahs’ front eight at the collisions.
Leading 10-6 at half-time, the hosts were held up over the line in the second minute of the second half, but Horwill wouldn’t be denied from his pick-and-drive in the next phase. That score granted the pumped-up hosts a nine-point lead, and the disinterested Tahs would need something inspirational to prevent an upset.
Barnes’s boot kept the Tahs in touch, eventually narrowing the gap to three heading into the final quarter. The Reds butchered an opportune chance to seal the result with 20 minutes to go after a Will Genia break, with the final pass going astray. But the Wallabies scrumhalf produced the score that sent to the Suncorp crowd into delirium, his 50m break forcing Ben Mowen to infringe illegally and deliberately hit the ball into touch.
With the assistance of the TMO, referee Craig Joubert was in no doubt, and the try was rewarded.
At 28-18, it was seemingly game over. When Mumm was yellow-carded, it should have been, but that’s the difference between title contenders and also-rans: they produce when it matters most.
With eight minutes remaining, debutant Rory Sidey finished off, and then Wycliff Palu crashed over under the posts. Daniel Halangahu knocked over the kick and Reds’ hearts were broken.
By Grant Ball
140 Comments
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13 Feb 2010, 18:12 pm
@Michael: The Stormers loose-forwards are outstanding today.
13 Feb 2010, 18:12 pm
I am watching .justin.tv/bom72#r=j1efYe0
13 Feb 2010, 18:14 pm
YYeeessss superb defence!!!
13 Feb 2010, 18:15 pm
Sorry but Schalkie’s no captain.
Thats my boys drive these *****’s back to where they belong back in their own half.
13 Feb 2010, 18:15 pm
the other thing is …you can’t expect Muir to do something with such a bunch of loosers
13 Feb 2010, 18:19 pm
i know its still early … but the only 2 teams that impressed me in the whole super 14 in week 1 are the Stormers & the Bulls…. so far!! … maybe the Sharks can also perform … I think the Sharks are like the Proteas ..things looks bad (mickey Arthur retirement) … things like that gells a side…but i dont expect much from them… Stormers & Bulls final & Newlands
13 Feb 2010, 18:20 pm
these Lion’s front row is stronger than Stormers but rest of team are second grade.
13 Feb 2010, 18:20 pm
The young Lions winger could be good. He needs a proper conditioning programme tailored to his age and he can go places.
13 Feb 2010, 18:20 pm
de jongh got so much pace for a 12 no wonder the stormers look very threatening when they run it
13 Feb 2010, 18:20 pm
Egads. The Lions girls look like vampires.
13 Feb 2010, 18:23 pm
I like the Lions 8, Jonathan. He needs to be stuck with. Class.
13 Feb 2010, 18:25 pm
@rashied: are you watching the same stormers team as me? they look anything but competition winners at the moment..
13 Feb 2010, 18:25 pm
who is this scummy nr 20 of the lions …. he looks good
13 Feb 2010, 18:25 pm
as a player!
13 Feb 2010, 18:25 pm
@mbaxman93: S14 is not a problem for me – I subscribe Mediazone and it works fine. It’s 6N and EOYT games that make me piss off.
13 Feb 2010, 18:25 pm
Jacques Coetzee where have you been?
13 Feb 2010, 18:26 pm
poppa … they’ll beat the Saders by 10+ if you compare them on 2day’s performances
13 Feb 2010, 18:27 pm
yeah this no. 20 scrummie got some true spunk
13 Feb 2010, 18:28 pm
@rashied: perhaps, dont really think the lions have tested them though..
13 Feb 2010, 18:28 pm
mxhosa …. what do you think of that 19 year old wing of te Lions …. thrown into the deepend …. thats just not fair…he had a shocker …..
Lions players pulling hamstrings left, right & centre
13 Feb 2010, 18:29 pm
poppa …i agree..the lions aren’t putting up a fight …. i guess all will be clear in a week or 3
13 Feb 2010, 18:30 pm
@Nils: i’m in the uk so i dnt have any problems with the 6N ,try spvod it looks phony but its very reliable ,u need the default windows IE for it too work tho
13 Feb 2010, 18:30 pm
The Lions are playing better in this half.
13 Feb 2010, 18:31 pm
@rashied: He has promise. He needs a tailored conditioning programme and faith in his ability. He has potential.
13 Feb 2010, 18:32 pm
@rashied: lots of one out stuff from the lions, seem disorganised and no real plan of attack… though I suppose Stormers are pressuring them into it too..
13 Feb 2010, 18:33 pm
killian …another EP/uitenhage boy’tjie
13 Feb 2010, 18:34 pm
@poppa69: as soon as I say it they spin it wide and change angles and it works… commentators curse lol
13 Feb 2010, 18:34 pm
well… in 2nd half Lions 7 – Stormers 0 …. but the Stormers went to sleep.
13 Feb 2010, 18:37 pm
poppa…whats your prediction for the Sharks / Cheifs game … i think it will be much closer
13 Feb 2010, 18:38 pm
@rashied: yep, looking forward to that game, should be a cracker… Im tipping chiefs, just, think their backline will win it for them.. Chiefs by 5-10
13 Feb 2010, 18:38 pm
Doppies has been best Lions player.
13 Feb 2010, 18:42 pm
Stormers are trying too hard. Bekker is playing well though.
13 Feb 2010, 18:42 pm
i guess it depends on what sharks team turns up…. but i guess the chiefs are favourites…. something just doesn’t look right in the sharks camp
13 Feb 2010, 18:44 pm
fo the cricket fans ….. WP 44/4 after 11 overs vs Dolphins…
13 Feb 2010, 18:44 pm
44/5 now … go the Warriors
13 Feb 2010, 18:45 pm
@rashied: should be an engaging battle regardless..
13 Feb 2010, 18:51 pm
ok..why are the Stormers going for posts … 13 point lead with 4 mins left to play…bonus point guys!!
13 Feb 2010, 18:54 pm
Well done Stormers.
Lions looked better in 2′nd half.
13 Feb 2010, 19:04 pm
@rashied: very wise considering scotland managed to lose by 7 point after leading by 10 with 5 minutes to go .
17 Feb 2010, 23:34 pm
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them!
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