Reds edge Canberra clanger

Reds edge Canberra clanger

26 May 2012

JON CARDINELLI reports on a fiercely contested yet error-marred Aussie derby that was eventually won 13-12 by the Reds.

The game produced one try, but the word ‘dour’ wouldn’t do it justice. The game never wanted for action but unfortunately never developed into a spectacle nor offered the high level of execution you’d expect from a top of the conference encounter.

The error count on both sides was astronomically high, and at times the ill-discipline also stunted momentum. The game ended on an error when Brumbies flyhalf Zack Holmes missed a penalty attempt. The Reds celebrated wildly as Holmes’s shot drifted wide, but coach Ewen McKenzie will be more relieved than anything else after what was an erratic performance.

It was a result they should have secured moments before. The Reds were camped on the Brumbies’ tryline, and when the hosts attempted to clear, Holmes’s kick was charged down. The clock looked to be on the Reds’ side as the teams packed down for a scrum, but incredibly the Reds failed to secure the ball and Brumbies scrumhalf Nic White succeeded in hacking it 60m upfield.

The pressure on both sides was evident, and their tactics were befitting a match of this stature. However, neither McKenzie, Jake White, nor Wallabies coach Robbie Deans for that matter, would have been pleased with the errors at the set pieces, the poor ball security at the breakdown and the lack of physicality at the collisions.

Referee Steve Walsh threatened to take charge of the breakdown early in the game, but then allowed more of a contest as the match wore on. Ball-poaching specialists like Liam Gill and Michael Hooper were influential, and with both teams allowed to forage on the ground nether attack obtained the necessary momentum to score a try.

The only try of the game was scored by Reds fullback Luke Morahan, and it was the product of individual brilliance rather than a concerted team effort.

The Brumbies employed their incessant kick-chase tactics early on, and Morahan soared to collect a high bomb before surging upfield. A neat chip over the disorganised Brumbies defensive line rolled into the in-goal area, and Morahan showed his speed to beat all Brumbies chasers for the touchdown.

The rest of the game played out in a frustrating manner, as both teams niggled at each other and attempted to stifle each other’s attack. The scrums were a mess, but the Brumbies will most lament the number of skew feeds at the lineout. It robbed them of a great attacking platform and was yet another reason why their backs struggled to get into the game.

The win allows the Reds to stay in the hunt for a play-off place, while the losing bonus point sees the Brumbies maintaining a five-point buffer between their closest rivals in the Aussie conference.


191 Comments

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  • 1.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:20 am

    Quade starting, hopefully
    Genia’s seemingly just switched on his best form after re-signing

  • 2.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:23 am

    this game should be a cracker

  • 3.CSI:Rugby: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:28 am

    I tipped Brumbies in this one, they’ve got a good thing going and just got to love what they’ve done at this club after years of in house fighting. Watch the tight I’ve battle, Moore v Faingaa, but really looking forward to Gill v Hooper.

  • 4.CSI:Rugby: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:29 am

    Tight five*

    Damn spell check

  • 5.RL: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:32 am

    Hell man. One more match before the Leeusers play.

    I’m skipping this convict conference c.rap – don’t want to give them my rarings.

  • 6.greatest13gerber: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:32 am

    people come to see Cooper

    be good entertainning game expected

  • 7.AiDoc: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:32 am

    Go Bumblies!

  • 8.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:35 am

    Was it Tacitus who broke into SBW’s house

  • 9.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:37 am

    nah viewer
    he is a obese beergut blou bull supporter,he will not fit through the window.

  • 10.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:38 am

    @greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-6:

    No!!

    It’s just that people stay home when Cooper isn’t playing so he can’t break into their empty house.

  • 11.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:39 am

    liam gill vs michael hooper!!!! It’s on

  • 12.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:43 am

    @chch(chch)-10:

    @chch(chch)-10:

    Why do NZ’ers hate Quade so much?
    Is it because he “deserted” them or because he was mean to Richie?

  • 13.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:44 am

    wtf, he got told off by Walsh for getting too excited and shouting

  • 14.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:44 am

    Try of the season! Wow

  • 15.AiDoc: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:47 am

    @viewer
    no mate it was the reds no 10. He has a history of burglary. That’s how he qualified as an oztrannian.

  • 16.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:47 am

    @Transformation(Transformation)-11: 1 to Hooper!

  • 17.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:48 am

    @Robzim(Robzim)-12:

    I don’t hate him. I just like to make fun of him.

    I am just sick of so many criminals playing sport ….it’s probably because they show so much Rugby League on tv here

  • 18.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:48 am

    first blood to hooper!

  • 19.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:48 am

    Ok maybe not

  • 20.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:49 am

    @chch(chch)-17: well Quade was arested for house breaking lol, so you aint wrong about him

  • 21.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:49 am

    Come Boys, a HUGE EFFORT is needed tonight…and don’t forget to use the Afrikaans calls which Baas Jake has taught you!!!

  • 22.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:51 am

    Walsh is telling all of the convicts to put a cork in it.

  • 23.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:51 am

    jake turned the brumbies around.

  • 24.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:52 am

    what is written on the refs arm?

  • 25.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:52 am

    @viewer(viewer)-19: It was a pretty special individual try. There is no way he should have been able to score it.

  • 26.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:52 am

    @kaksioek(kaksioek)-22:
    Steve Walsh is now an Australian

  • 27.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:52 am

    @Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-24: Remember: Don’t drink.

  • 28.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:53 am

    @chch(chch)-26: Oh, like Russel Crowe you mean? Once a Kiwi, always a Kiwi.

  • 29.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:55 am

    @chch(chch)-17:

    @sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-20:

    Bit harsh to call him a criminal imo.
    The charges against him was dropped after mediation
    None of us really knows what the reasons for the alleged burglary was or if there was iindeed a burglary.

  • 30.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:56 am

    Lol @ the funny green horse on the reds jersey

  • 31.Superbru: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:57 am

    @Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-24:
    Hello,my name is Steve and I am an alchoholic.

  • 32.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:59 am

    @sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-20:

    He has a fetish for laptops.

  • 33.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 11:59 am

    superbru
    maybe
    if found passed out return to (adds his adress)

  • 34.Superbru: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:00 pm

    @Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-33:

    :lol:

  • 35.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:01 pm

    @kaksioek(kaksioek)-28:

    Russel Crowe said he wasn’t sure so that definitely makes him an Australian

    It’s an historical tradition to send criminals there

  • 36.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:02 pm

    Go reds!

  • 37.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:02 pm

    @Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-24: He who controls the whistle, controls the game.

  • 38.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:03 pm

    A ref who has a tattoo

  • 39.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:03 pm

    So the reds have gone with 2 fetchers

  • 40.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:03 pm

    @viewer(viewer)-30: It’s supposed to be a dragon. But that has to be the worst looking bit of sponsorship in rugby, set very amateurishly in a white square in the middle of a red jersey.

  • 41.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:03 pm

    @Robzim(Robzim)-29:

    Yes there are many legitimate reasons for climbing through a strangers house window without their knowledge or permission

  • 42.chch: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:05 pm

    i think steve walsh is having his period

  • 43.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:05 pm

    @chch(chch)-35: That’s fine by me – but please take Mitchell and Spencer back.

  • 44.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:06 pm

    @Robzim(Robzim)-29: Said in the same tongue and cheek way you dit mate

  • 45.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:07 pm

    Steve walsh is blind – genia wild forward pass; flank hooking the scrum feed; skew line out throws

  • 46.brains_trust: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:08 pm

    What a terrible game….. Zzzzzz

  • 47.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:09 pm

    what a s.hit kick

  • 48.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:10 pm

    Cooper :lol: …misunderstood genius

  • 49.Slartibartfast: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:10 pm

    @chch(chch)-42:

    Hehehe yip, what an idiot…captain, tell him not to talk to me! wtf?!

  • 50.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2012, 12:10 pm

    @chch(chch)-41:

    C’mon- Do you really believe those blokes were random strangers? There was obviously much more to it than common burglary. One can pick up a laptop for less that Aus$50 these days, i doubt whether he woukd have risked his career for that, lol.

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