Force embarrass rubbish Reds
31 Mar 2012
SIMON BORCHARDT reports on the Force’s 45-19 win against the Reds in Perth.
Has there been a worse Super Rugby title defence than the Reds in 2012? Having blown a 17-0 lead against the Sharks and then conceded 61 points against the Bulls, the Queenslanders slumped to an embarrassing defeat to the Force that may have already ended their play-off hopes at this early stage of the season.
The injury-wracked Reds were bullied up front by the Force, their backs offered little on attack and their defence was poor, to be polite.
The Force, who came off the back of a win against the Waratahs and a narrow loss to the Rebels, did the basics well and took their chances.
They had 85% possession in the first quarter and led 14-0 after three penalties from fullback David Harvey and a try by flyhalf James Stannard.
The latter’s game was cut short when he suffered an ankle injury, but that didn’t disrupt the hosts, who struck again on the half-hour mark when scrumhalf Brett Sheehan broke away from a scrum and veteran lock Nathan Sharpe barged over to make it 21-0.
The Reds finished the half strongly, though, turning down two shots at goal in favour of attacking scrums. That positive approach paid off when tighthead prop James Slipper scored an unconverted try in the left-hand corner three minutes into added time.
But all that good work was undone early in the second half when Reds flyhalf Dallan Murphy’s grubber was charged down by Sheehan on the halfway line. The Force No 9 collected the ball and sent replacement flyhalf Ben Seymour away for a seven-pointer.
The Reds responded with a converted try by second rower Van Humphries that was the result of a turnover won by opensider Liam Gill, but they never looked like getting back into the game.
Harvey slotted another penalty and winger Samu Wara scored the hosts’ bonus-point try with 10 minutes to go when he collected Seymour’s well-placed grubber kick.
Force No 8 Matt Hodgson then finished off a long-range attack and while Reds winger Dom Shipperley scored in the last move of the game, it was scant consolation for his shattered side.
15 Comments
31 Mar 2012, 13:18 pm
Red DRAGONS struggling…
31 Mar 2012, 13:49 pm
Hahaha and the 50 year old scores for the Reds…
Interesting scoreline.
31 Mar 2012, 14:16 pm
Go the Force!!! This game shows how sub-par the Sharks were struggling against these Reds
31 Mar 2012, 14:18 pm
The Reds are making the Bulls’ 08 “champions campaign” look wonderful by comparison.
31 Mar 2012, 14:19 pm
Transie… How many first choice players were missing in the Sharks game… Then Bulls and now?
31 Mar 2012, 14:24 pm
only ioane & harris were out, i think, for the bulls game… Remember ioane was also sin-binned in the Sharks game!
31 Mar 2012, 14:32 pm
Think there is a bit more but ok…
31 Mar 2012, 15:38 pm
The Force beating the Reds should be an indicator for the Pink Panthers not too get too excited about their chances this afternoons game.
31 Mar 2012, 15:49 pm
seasons come…and seasons go….
31 Mar 2012, 16:05 pm
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-9: True. Reminds me of the Bulls in 2008, finishing 10th after winning it the year previously.
31 Mar 2012, 16:12 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-10:
yip, looks like they’ll go the same way this season.
31 Mar 2012, 16:41 pm
Simon just couldn’t bring himself to say “rubble Reds”
31 Mar 2012, 16:54 pm
I do not care WHAT the Reds supporters say about their FLUKE 2011 Title … it was heavily influenced by a completely biased draw. For example they say they won the minor premiership in 2011 … go figure … by playing the Lions and Rebels twice, and the Crusaders did not play those two teams at all!
Oh ya …. and lets not mention that it was World Cup year.
This lot are a bunch of jokers.
1 Apr 2012, 07:08 am
Analyst you can only play whats in front of you.You will recall that the Reds beat ,amongst others, the Stormers in Cape Town,the Blues in the semis and the Saders 2x.You dont just stumble upon the trophy in Superugby.Give credit where it’s due.
1 Apr 2012, 14:17 pm
the Reds WILL be back !
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.