Author: Shane Sullivan

1. Worst Try – No Try decision… Wait for it… EVER! So I’m watching my recording of the Stormers doing a good job of taking on the Brumbies and beating them when Stormers winger Dillyn Leyds scoots up the right wing and dives over in the corner. My first thought was ‘he’s dropped that!’ I’d learnt from a TMO last round that you have to look at these things in ‘real time’ or they can look worse than they really are. So… I looked. Nup dropped it. So I fast forwarded because it was obviously a no try. And… Why…

Here it is – the G&GR writers’ Super Rugby team of the week for round 5. The Brumbies, Waratahs and the Rebels had wins whilst the Reds and Force lost but who made the team of the week? [one_third last=”no”] 1. Allan Alaalatoa The Brumbies scrum started a little slowly but the finished on top. As they did everywhere else. Allan was a big part of that. [/one_third] [one_third last=”no”] 2. Stephen Moore One of the old men of Australian rugby was at the top of his game. The lineout move for Pococks try was a thing of beauty. [/one_third] [one_third…

After the wash out and shillacking by the Crusadists I gave the Reds a pass despite the score. Tonight against the brumbies I’m hoping for better weather and hoping to see a few things on the feild. Defence. I’m hoping to see a more energetic defencive line. The almost placid line the Reds have run for a few years allows teams to eat up metres for a minimum of effort. I want to se a defensive line moving to cut space and time. Attack. STRUCTURE! something that we can look at and say ‘that’s the reds!’ and say it in…

Before this game the Reds writers got together and decided that instead of writing a full on review of the game we’d just answer these two questions. Learnings from this game for the season ahead (just one or perhaps two things that you got from this season that may impact the Reds Super Season. i.e. The scrum will still be a weapon, our defensive work is still shit etc. Who caught the eye. Just a player (experienced or otherwise) that impressed you in the game. Here are my thoughts; I went to the trial between the Reds and the…

Rugby World Cup 2015 Match 26: Wallabies starting XV to play England at Twickenham, London Saturday, October 3, 8:00pm local time (6:00am Sunday AEDT) 1. Scott Sio (12 Tests) 2. Stephen Moore (c) (97 Tests) 3. Sekope Kepu (58 Tests) 4. Kane Douglas (18 Tests) 5. Rob Simmons (55 Tests) 6. Scott Fardy (25 Tests) 7. Michael Hooper (vc) (47 Tests) 8. David Pocock (51 Tests) 9. Will Genia (61 Tests) 10. Bernard Foley (22 Tests) 11. Rob Horne (28 Tests) 12. Matt Giteau (97 Tests) 13. Tevita Kuridrani (26 Tests) 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (vc) (109 Tests) 15. Israel Folau (34 Tests) Finishers: 16.…

City make the trip up the range to Toowoomba to take on Queensland country in what many consider their Heartland. City are undefeated this season but Country will grow a leg with a decent crowd behind them. The Match It only took three minutes for the country side to cross for the first try. Country fed a scrum ten metres out from the City try line. The city scrum marched forward but Radike Samo produced one of his famous one handed pickups and snuck down the blind side of the scrum. City’s backrow didn’t react and Junior Loloifi was left…

The Wallabies return to a ground where their record is terrible against the opposition who troubles them like no one else. Can Australia beat the odds or will New Zealand continue their Bledisloe dominance. The Match The first quarter of the game was hard but quiet as two strong teams felt each other out. Australia probably had the better of the play despite the 3-3 score. But right on the 20 minute mark New Zealand turned over Wallaby ball in a tackle and Dan Carter used the quick ball, broke the Australian line and put Dane Coles through to run…

Let’s look at the scrums from Saturday’s test match in Mendoza. The general consensus is we struggled for most of the game but came back in the final quarter. But the only way to be sure is to look at the scrums one at a time. Scrum 1 Feed – Australia Won by – Australia Completed – Yes The surface at Mendoza was a problem from the very first scrum. This scrum was on its third reset before we got one kind of completed. The first two reset were because of foot slippage from the Pumas tighthead and at first…

Let’s face it we have a wee bit of trouble beating Argentina. In fact last game we didn’t! That defeat handed the South Americans their first win in the Rugby Championship. EVER! Adding to a mild sense of foreboding is the average one try difference in the scores in our last six matches. The Wallabies have tightened up the ruck area by adding Ben McCalman and David Pocock to the back row and would be hoping to improve their scrum by adding the worlds best pencil legged tighthead prop in Greg Holmes. The fact that Holmes is a far less…

The Highlanders hosted the Chiefs in sudden death rugby at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin. Who ever losses will probably call their season a disappointment. All I know is it will be played at a million miles an hour. The Match The game started with a controversial no try to the Patrick Osborne for the Highlanders. The TMO saw a foot on the line that no one else… on the planet… could see. That didn’t stop either team running everything from everywhere. After the first quarter of the game the Highlanders had probably had the better of the play. The…

Super Rugby Teams Round 18 2015 BYE:

Super Rugby Teams Round 17 2015 BYE:

Super Rugby Teams Round 16 2015 BYE:

The Reds managed 30 minutes of amazing rugby a week ago. Can they build on that base or was it a beautiful mirage? The Sharks have had nearly as bad a season as the Reds but the luck hasn’t fallen their way. This looks like a crucial match for both teams. The Sharks look to take a win away from the Australasian tour and the Reds trying to earn back respect. The Match The game started slowly as the Reds spent most of the first five minutes in the Sharks half. They had two good opportunities to score but knocked…

Super Rugby Teams Round 15 2015 BYE:

There have been major shake ups in the Reds coaching staff this week and rumours of player dissatisfaction are rife. While down in Melbourne the Rebels are proudly having their best season EVER! A win tonight has them in uncharted territory while Richard Graham desperately needs a win to keep his employment hopes alive. The Match The match started tentatively with both teams feeling each other out. Nearly five minutes in the Reds were on attack in the Rebels 22 when they turned the ball over. The Rebels immediately moved the ball to the left wing and caught the Reds defence…

Super Rugby Teams Round 14 2015 BYES:

The Crusaders are struggling to make the play offs and need a strong run home to seal a spot. And host of their huge names are playing their last home game. The Reds are trying to salvage something, anything from their season. Both the Reds and the Crusaders have an us against the world attitude. This year the Crusaders are doing it better. The Match It only took 91 seconds for the Crusaders to open the scoring. From the kick off the Reds kicked the ball back to the Crusaders and they ran and ran at the reds until Nemani…

Super Rugby Teams Round 13 2015 BYES:

Super Rugby Teams Round 12 2015 We will update the lists as the teams come in. Or you can get all the latest info on our Facebook, Twitter and Google plus pages. Preview by Hugh Adams Here BYES: