Here’s the latest installment of the Tuesday Top Five. Kev sees red, Crusaders and Sharks get carded, Hurricanes dazzle, Super Sefa takes off and the Brumbies lead Super Rugby in defense.
5. Big Kev Sees Red
Twenty minutes into the Rebels v Reds fixture in Melbourne James Horwill earned his second red card of the season. That’s right, his second red card in seven games.
It was the primary reason the Reds lost, at the time Horwill was dismissed Queensland were up 3-12 and looking dominant. Playing with a man down for three quarters of the match was always going to be tough and the Rebels prevailed 23-15.
The nature of the card was perhaps the most disappointing aspect for Reds fans. He was cleaning out Paul Alo-Emile from a ruck and used a swinging arm to make contact to the Rebel prop’s head. There was nothing to be gained from the action besides injuring the opposition and it was unquestionably malicious.
It has raised questions about Horwill’s mental state and commitment to the team. It’s the kind of thing you might see at lower levels ten years ago, but a seasoned professional should understand that you’re not going to get away with that in Super Rugby.
The SANZAR tribunal gave the former wallaby captain a one match suspension, while the Reds management have omitted him from their two match tour of South Africa. That sends a good message to the fans, but what they really need are some better performances. It’s just a bitter pill to swallow, that the most passionate of Queensland Rugby’s sons is letting the team down when they need him more than ever.
https://youtu.be/_6WbU4bjKC8?t=27s
