More haste, less speed the key to Queensland Reds' game plan
By Wayne Smith
April 16, 2009
No side in the history of Super rugby gets out of the blocks as quickly as Queensland Reds, but it's to be hoped they lose this habit against the Lions at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
In the 14 years of the competition, 15 tries have been scored in the opening minute of play, with Queensland owning a third of them.
Indeed, when Quade Cooper scored after only 25 seconds against the Highlanders in Invercargill last weekend, it was the second time this season he has accomplished the feat - following his 48-second chargedown try against the Stormers in Cape Town in February.
But where other coaches implore their teams to switch on right from the opening whistle, Queensland coach Phil Mooney should be telling the Reds - and Cooper in particular - to hasten slowly.
The Reds lost both matches in which he pounced early and, in fact, only once have they gone on to win after scoring in the opening minute - in 2004 when they built on Steve Kefu's early touchdown to beat the Chiefs 39-25 at Ballymore.
"Hasten slowly" seems to be the battle order of the day overall against the Lions, with blindside flanker Scott Higginbotham paying the price for some reckless play against the Highlanders by being dropped to the bench.
Meanwhile, any hopes number eight Leroy Houston had of returning to the starting XV evaporated when he undid his good work in busting through the defence only to lose possession in sight of the tryline.
But while those two players were held most accountable, the Reds were guilty across the board of pushing 50-50 passes.
"Our problem over the last couple of weeks has been turnovers in the opposition 22," Mooney said.
"The best example on Saturday night was we built pressure for eight phases and had the Highlanders on the rack and then we turned the ball over."
With Higginbotham being sent off to "concentrate on a few areas of his game", Mooney had no choice but to move Hugh McMeniman back to blindside flanker, even though all the evidence of the Highlanders' game is that he is better suited to the second-row.
"I think Hughie plays well when he plays a tighter game, so that's probably at lock," Mooney said.
Still, that reopens the door for Adam Byrnes to return to the run-on side for the first time since the Reds' last win, against the Sharks four matches ago.
At 201cm and 116kg, the Sydney-born former Leinster lock brings a real physical presence to the contest - which perhaps explains why Mooney keeps using him against the massive South African packs.
This will be his fourth start of the season and all have been against South African sides.
"This weekend will be extremely physical," Byrnes said. "From the game I saw on the weekend that the Lions played (against the Blues), they were very aggressive at the breakdown."
Byrnes introduced some much-needed aggression when brought off the bench in Invercargill, and it was refreshing to see at least one of the Reds take issue with the Highlanders for deliberately infringing offside to impede the defence.
Perhaps the most significant change comes at halfback where Will Genia returns after having served a three-week suspension. His dangerous spear tackle on Sharks flanker Keegan Daniel cost the Reds dearly but Genia too, because at the time he was arguably the form halfback in the country.
Even now Mooney believes he can still bring pressure to bear on Luke Burgess.
"Halfback is a position in the Wallabies that is by no means nailed down," Mooney said. "Will's great qualities are his pass and his kicking, so I certainly think he's up there."
