Reds pip Tahs at death
25 Feb 2012
Dom Shipperley snatched a last-gasp try to hand the Reds a 25-21 win over the Waratahs in Sydney.
The Reds failed to cross the tryline for all of 80 minutes as the home defence held firm, but ironically it was a missed tackle in the last play that provided the visitors with a decisive opportunity.
Shipperley set sail from deep within his own half beating some desperate cover defence. His try ensured the defending champions began their 2012 campaign with a massive win against a well-organised Waratahs side.
Up until this piece of individual brilliance, the Reds had looked solid although devoid of their usual magic. Flyhalf Mike Harris did well enough in the absence of Quade Cooper and even goaled six-from-six attempts, but it was an attacking spark the champs lacked as they went into the final minutes trailing the Waratahs 21-18.
The game was all but over following scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius’s try in the 67th minute. The Waratahs showed terrific patience and continuity to move to within striking distance, and the former Cheetahs No 9 subsequently broke from the base and showed his finishing skills in placing the ball on the whitewash. This try was scored during a period where the hosts had dominated everywhere but on the scoreboard, and following Pretorius’s snipe it appeared as if they would hold out until the final whistle.
The Waratahs will lament the late lapse that cost them the game. They had defended brilliantly for large periods, keeping other threatening figures like Will Genia in check. Although they were nailed by referee Jaco Pyper at the breakdown, they competed aggressively and stifled the Reds to the point where the visitors battled to build momentum for much of the contest.
But there were also areas of the game where the Tahs underperformed. In the absence of regular flyhalf Berrick Barnes, Daniel Halangahu kicked four from six. Had he goaled that other conversion and penalty the Tahs would be celebrating a famous home win in a long-standing Australian rivalry.
As it stands, the Reds have begun their campaign with a win, and have done so on the road. Considering the weakness of teams like the Force and Rebels, and the fact that the Brumbies are rebuilding, this is as tough as it gets in terms of the Australian conference. In that respect, the Reds have ticked a big box in their quest to capture Australian honours for the second year running.
21 Comments
25 Feb 2012, 10:42 am
Sarel Pretorius Tah Dragon!
25 Feb 2012, 11:19 am
Tahs Reds.
Worst game of the weekend so far.
By some distance.
Higginbum is a thug.
25 Feb 2012, 11:19 am
Try Time for Palu..
25 Feb 2012, 12:21 pm
Well, THAT IS robbing the kid of his bonbons big time.
Well done Reds!
25 Feb 2012, 12:25 pm
jeeez about time a game went my way.
2/5.
Hopefully the start of my late rally.
25 Feb 2012, 12:33 pm
that’s what die hard belief brings you Reds were down and out yet still believed enough to produce a last gasp miracle, largely outplayed yet Harris kept them in touch (better fly half than Cooper imo) and right down to the very last play Genia, Higginbottom, Ioane and Horwill still believed that they could produce a result from nothing which No.14 provided beyond the pale of the end of nowhere, Waratahs were shattered after having done everything necessary to take this win.
But that’s what belief in the impossible can produce which Mckenzie has bred into these players who don’t believe in losing even when they facing loss in the face.
25 Feb 2012, 12:33 pm
What does Sarel have to do for a Bok Jersey?
would be Good off the bench
Crazy first round
25 Feb 2012, 12:49 pm
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-7:
Sarel is good but he has a number of weak points…in a tight game he goes wandering. sure he scored a try but don’t let that cloud judgement. His passing is not that strong as well.
25 Feb 2012, 12:55 pm
yes valid points
25 Feb 2012, 13:11 pm
Bad result for South African teams.
This conference system is such bogus. The Reds aren’t likely to be troubled by the Brumbies, Force or Rebels, so they’ve won the one game they might have been expected to lose – the away game to the 2nd best team in their conference.
The Reds could well win all of their conference games now.
It is no coincidence that an Assue team suddenly won the competition the moment the conference system was introduced. Their conference is utter rubbish.
It is basically impossible for an SA team to end above the Reds, and given the Crusaders being back at home this season, it seems the best SA can hope for is third place.
This system sets us up for failure.
25 Feb 2012, 13:17 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10: You may well turn out to be right.
25 Feb 2012, 13:39 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10:
The format designed to save ANZAR and the franchises, instead there is a waning interest mid season.
Then this cost cutting policy is extended to referees traveling, and why not?
25 Feb 2012, 13:47 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10: Until the Cheetahs and Lions perform better against foreign teams and land up higher on the log we have no excuse. Our conference could be said to be just as easy.
Granted our derbies are far more intense, but we should be bringing that intensity into every game, Rugby’s moved on, no time for provincial bullsh*t where SA teams can only get themselves up for other SA teams, it’s about winning every game.
I think the Reds will struggle more this year, everyone knows they’re dangerous, Bulls, Shark, Stormers, Saders and Blues are going to throw everything at them.
Personally I can’t wait to see Horwill and Genia annihilated.
Oh… STOOOOOOOOOOOORMERS! Season tickets baby! I see I’m also 6th on my first Superbru round ever with more likely victories to come. Of course its a marathon not a sprint…
25 Feb 2012, 13:50 pm
Loved that Reds try at the end beating the quogga (sp) throwers.
25 Feb 2012, 14:05 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-14: I believe it was certain Force players who threw the little quokkas, not Waratahs players…
25 Feb 2012, 14:13 pm
I have watched all games so far and i hope the standard of rugby improves over the coming weeks,these games so far are the first of the season so i will reserve judgement for the later weeks,all that matters to me is the bulls winning and i hope their standard of rugby improves that is all that i am interested in.GO BULLS.
25 Feb 2012, 14:40 pm
@blueboy(blueboy)-16:
The standard of rugby will improve pinkboy.
Just wait for the next game.
25 Feb 2012, 15:08 pm
@blueboy(blueboy)-16:
Standard has been poor! Then we should expect as there are new boys on the paddock since many retired or moved on after rwc. Untried combinations are wrecking havoc.
In the reds game Hariss stood to deep…hardly took to the ball to the line then passed!!
25 Feb 2012, 17:00 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10: “It is no coincidence that an Assue team suddenly won the competition the moment the conference system was introduced. Their conference is utter rubbish.”
The main reason was
Reds v Crusaders WON TWICE
Reds v Blues WON TWICE
Reds v Stormers WON
Reds v Bulls WON
The best teams they met in the comp.
25 Feb 2012, 17:05 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10: Plus last time Aussie conference was the easiest mainly because Brumbies played pisspoor, therefore making just 2 horse race.
Should either of the Bulls/Sharks/Stormers play really bad and leave just 2 main contenders, will you call SA conference the easiest?
26 Feb 2012, 23:50 pm
Hard to believe so many people talking up Sarel Pretorius. His defence is non existent, his passing is worse than Luke Burgess (renowned for his poor pass), and, if he hadn’t snuck over for that try (which was a good piece of play), people would be calling for his head.
Seriously, lets get some perspective, the guy has a lot to work on at the Super Rugby level let alone at international level.
And as for the refereeing…….same old, same old. Someone has got to do something about the morons running the games. I counted at least 3 games on the weekend where the result could have gone the other way had certain dodgy decisions not been given.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.