Reds bounce back in Auckland
27 Apr 2012
GARETH DUNCAN watched the Reds record a crucial 23-11 win over the bumbling Blues at Eden Park.
Defending champions the Reds struggled with their backline injury crisis in March and April as they only won one of their previous five fixtures. However, the victory over the Blues saw them jump back into the race for the top spot in the Australian conference, despite only having accumulated 25 log points to date.
The hapless Blues remain at the foot of the table as they suffered their eighth loss of the season. This defeat came after the Reds enforced a 12-point deficit in the opening moments of the match.
The hosts experienced a nightmare start after they folded on defence early on. The Reds capitalised on the hosts’ shaky guard, scoring two tries inside five minutes via outside centre Digby Ioane and fullback Luke Morahan – Ioane powering over from close range after a great chip into space from flyhalf Ben Lucas, while Morahan hit a gap with a smart inside step and dart to dive over.
Inside centre Mike Harris could’ve added further damage with the boot in the first quarter as he had three shots at goal (two conversions and one penalty), but he could only kick two points.
The Blues then bounced back with a strong finish to the first stanza.
They became stronger on defence as the half progressed and their lineout play improved after losing four of their own throws. They used the set piece as a platform for their first try as skipper Luke Braid dotted down via a strong rolling maul.
Flyhalf Gareth Anscombe and Harris traded a penalty apiece for a 15-8 half-time scoreline.
The Blues failed to build on to the momentum they achieved in the second quarter, making it easy for the Reds to close out the win. Wing Dom Shipperley touched down shortly after the kick-off, while Harris slotted a penalty to confirm the result. Anscombe’s second penalty was the Blues’ only points after the break.
Ewen McKenzie’s charges are now in a good position to challenge for first place in the Australian conference, which will secure an automatic play-off place. For the Blues, however, they’ll be playing for pride … or what’s left of it.
75 Comments
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27 Apr 2012, 11:08 am
Well, since there is not really much of a highlights package from this game, its time to pick my AB’s squad or just a starting XV:
15.Dagg
14.Jane
13.C.Smith
12.Nonu
11.Kahui
10.Carter
9.A.Smith (debut)
8.Read
7.McCaw (c)
6.Vito
5.Whitelock
4.B.Retallick (debut)
3.Woodcock
2.Mealamu
1.O.Franks
16.Hore
17.B.Franks
18.Hoeata
19.Thomson
20.Ellis
21.Cruden
22.SBW
27 Apr 2012, 11:17 am
Jeeez this was a bore fest.,
Seri-aaaaasly.
27 Apr 2012, 11:18 am
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-51:
Think you are spot on with that team, if you switch Woodcock and Franks.
27 Apr 2012, 11:23 am
I am tempted to be mean to the Blues – I put my faith in them and was let down AGAIN – but nothing I say is going to make any difference at all. They already know they are playing poorly, they don’t need me telling them that!!
27 Apr 2012, 11:23 am
Oh yeah, and congrats Reds, good game.
27 Apr 2012, 11:35 am
I will never put my bru faith in the blues again.
that being said, they’ll probably start winning!
27 Apr 2012, 12:46 pm
In Kimberley for the Wildeklawer Super Schools tournament.
All the big schools are here, Affies, Paarl Boys, Paarl Gym, Grey Bloem, Paul Roos, Waterkloof, Boland Landbou, Glenwood, Maritzburg College, Monument, Krugerdorp, Middelburg….
Rugby is starting tomorrow but damn this is a one horse town.
27 Apr 2012, 13:08 pm
Blues by name..blues by nature
Worst Auckland side ever
27 Apr 2012, 13:24 pm
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-45:
True they have gone through a slow demise. Time to change the management as you say…fresh views and tactics.
I think piri may have a season at best left in him and then should go make money in Japan or france. Good player but passed his prime imho…sorry. A man showing weight issues in the middle of the season has retirement written all over him.
27 Apr 2012, 13:35 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-59:
agree. Will not be selected for ABs again. Expect him annouce he is going overseas soon. Ala Luke McAlistair
27 Apr 2012, 15:32 pm
Blues need a new coach quick.. terrible display of inept handling for 2 weeks in a row vs Sharks and now vs Reds.. this Blues team in total tatters and array…
Lam gotta go and he better take Weepu with him.. the Blues can come right
and to think Bulls lost to this collection of crud AT HOME nogal.. just like they were supposed to lose to that collection of JW shitzblits last week but for the outright manipulations of Joker Jonker at HOME nogal.. and to think the Bully brekers were actually gaaning on about how f’ng sensationally superior they were in EVERY facet of total rugby this year.. TILL the wheels began coming OFF .. at a huge rate during the speed wobble known as Spiesing disease.
27 Apr 2012, 15:51 pm
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-51:
very accurate. I think Hansen will select majority of your picks
27 Apr 2012, 16:13 pm
Well, my only concern with NZ rugby at the moment is that there is daylight between a fit McCaw and the next best openside kiwi flanker. Sam Cane, Matt Todd, Tanerau Lattimer, Braid Brothers, Jack Lam, Hardy, Lowe, Waldrom, all great fetchers of the ball, but you can throw a blanket over all of them and to be honest, McCaw is not the fetcher he was from a few seasons ago, and the next in line is?!? Questionable back-up position. Brussouw, Pocock, Kolisi, Hooper, are actually better at pilfering the ball at the moment and I have not even thrown in the likes of Ferris and Warburton, Dusautoir into the mix.
Probably time will tell with the likes of Hardy and my pick for future AB’s 7 in Sam Cane. We look set for a great international season.
27 Apr 2012, 16:23 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-61:
The Aussie outrage over Jonker’s display (see below) is very funny. They didn’t mind so much about Bryce’s ineptness in New Zealand last year.
ACT robbed: SANZAR
Crystal Ja
April 27, 2012
Read later
Wynand Olivier tackled by Christian Lealiifano and Pat McCabe during the Super Rugby Round 9 match between Vodacom Bulls and Brumbies from Loftus Versfeld on April 21, 2012 in Pretoria, South Africa. Photo: Getty Images
SANZAR officials have all but accepted responsibility for a farcical refereeing blunder that cost the ACT Brumbies victory in Sunday’s 36-34 Super Rugby defeat to the Bulls, labelling CJ Stander’s try a ”stone-cold mistake”.
But they’ve chosen to back South African referee Marius Jonker for his overall performance despite Brumbies coach Jake White openly questioning the heavily lopsided penalty count of 14 to six.
The Brumbies came achingly close to pulling off the upset of the season after outscoring the Bulls five tries to two at their lauded fortress of Loftus Versfeld Stadium to finish up just two points adrift at the final siren.
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But SANZAR game manager Lyndon Bray admitted yesterday the Bulls’ second try was awarded in error – with both Jonker and assistant referees Lourens van der Merwe and Stefan Breytenbach missing a clear knock-on from Morne Steyn.
Stander ran on to score from the midfield after everyone else – including his Bulls teammates – stopped and waited for a whistle.
”That particular error is just a stone-cold mistake,” Bray said.
”He’s just got to put his hand up and say ‘we got it completely wrong’.
”That was between the assistant referee and the referee and that cost seven points.
”And that probably colours the overall view of the performance because of that mistake.”
White has demanded a please-explain from SANZAR, disputing the number of penalties that were awarded against his squad. In the end, they proved the difference, with Steyn notching a game-saving 26 points off his own boot.
”I need to know what we have done wrong or what we need to change,” White said.
”It’s like any feedback – it’s very hard to start changing things if everything I see is OK.”
Bray and White were due to speak on the phone late yesterday to review the match, ahead of the Brumbies’ last clash in South Africa against the Lions tomorrow morning. AAP
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/act-robbed-sanzar-20120426-1xo9h.html#ixzz1tFbQKOnW
27 Apr 2012, 16:23 pm
Having a go at Wallabies selection now:
15.Beale
14.O’Connor
13.Ashley-Cooper
12.Barnes
11.Ioane
10.Cooper
9.Genia
8.Palu
7.Pocock
6.Higginbottom
5.Horwill (c)
4.Sharpe
3.Kepu
2.Moore
1.Robinson
16.Polota-Nau
17.Slipper
18.Pyle
19.Hooper (debut)
20.McKibbin
21.Lealiifano (debut)
22.McCabe
Tough one to pick, but Deans never really strays far from his incumbent squad members, few tweaks here and there.
27 Apr 2012, 16:25 pm
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-63: Bismarck du Plessis is actually a better fetcher than Richie McCaw.
27 Apr 2012, 16:38 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-61:
Andy Dalton (Berger Geldenhuis friend) should have sacked him 3 weeks ago already, seemed the noise Lam made about racist calls earned him some reprieve
So, Jonker will ref in Blum this weekend, just when I thought he was done for the Super Rugby?
27 Apr 2012, 16:40 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-61: Lam to hopefully be replaced by John Kirwan and Wayne Pivac.Following players to be moved on as well: Stanley, Lowery, Paulo, Williams, Mathewson, Weepu, Moli etc.
Hopefully We will have Hernandez next season from Argentina, also Orene Aii whos signed with Northalnd. Canterbury and Highlanders are packed to the rafters with fringe players that we can take on, would mind the younger of the Whitelock brothers to be Blues number 8 next season, or blindside flank. Chiefs have Bradley, Thompson and Frits Lee in the 8 spot, surely we can entice one of them north of the Bombay Hills. Open up your cheque books ARFU, its time to do what we use to be great at…. import all our players from other unions… Maybe Sam Warburton may want to play down south next season… who knows?!? Desperation stages it is…
27 Apr 2012, 16:42 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-66: Not wrong there, I’d say that Hore is one of the best pilferers as well.
27 Apr 2012, 16:45 pm
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-68:
No more Kiwi players left in the North Island?
27 Apr 2012, 16:47 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-70: No more quality players left in Auckland more like it
27 Apr 2012, 16:48 pm
@CSI:Rugby(CSI:Rugby)-69: True.
27 Apr 2012, 17:30 pm
“Lourens van der Merwe and Stefan Breytenbach”
As if having a Louren van der Merwe isn’t double-trouble as it is, throw a Breytenbach into the mix and oh dear lord.
28 Apr 2012, 03:49 am
REDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !
29 Apr 2012, 02:51 am
Blues are like my young huntaway pup. Trying their asses off & not doing anything.
These guys are part of the top 150 players in NZ, one of the top 500 players in the world & they CAN’T CATCH the Ball!!!!
Nonu & Woodcock are the only two who can hold their heads up
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