R3 - Reds vs. Crusaders - Suncorp

[Ash]

Reds are just a low-IQ rugby team. Crusaders dropped a lot of ball and threw a lot of passes behind the man, most unforced, or the scoreline would've been a blow out.

When you're barely clinging on you just don't kick it back aimlessly.

Fitness looks good, scrambling defence looks good, not sure what else they have.

At the very least, can they get selections right? Hockings (or ASY (Angus Scott-Young)) over Timu and Fotuaika over Smith are just absolutely bind boggling selection decisions.

 

[Adam84]

Crusaders attacking alignment with decoy runners played havoc on the Reds defence, defenders kept getting caught in two minds especially in the first 10mins until they figured out what was going on but were still unable to stop it.

I thought the scrummaging penalties were a bit of a joke, ref took execution ton Tupous technique and it was all downhill from there, it mitigates arguable the Reds best attacking weapon, Reds won’t be very happy about how they played out, and rightfully so.

 

[Jerry West]

Reds are just a low-IQ rugby team.

That is it a nutshell. Plenty of fight but very poor Rugby IQ gets them into trouble way too often and against the Saders they will punish you.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights:

 

[Adam84]

I don’t think it has anything to do with the intelligence of the team, it’s a lack of composure and experience within the team which means rushed and poorly thought out decisions at key moments throughout the match.

I watched parts of the game again, and my take is that there were some positives to take away, I thought the scrum officiating was poor which mitigated one of the Reds major strengths, I dont think we will see a repeat of that. I thought the defence was pretty good, they struggled with the decoy runners that the Crusaders were running but the defensive line held strong through large passages of play. Higginbotham was on the sidelines raging to get on, and it showed when he finally did with some big hits and strong runs.

Attack was hit/miss, Reds created opportunities but lacked execution and dropped ball. Lack of composure in the team at key moments let them down, it was a rough night at the office for Stewart and Hegarty, likewise for Tupou and Feao.

 

[Dan54]

I thought the scrum officiating was ok, just you have to realise that the young Reds front row were against a pretty experienced couple of props who looked to me to get on top off them. I think Tupou when under pressure seems to keep trying to change his grip, said it last year and thought the same last night, he looks like he is actually trying to bring down opposition, just an impression he has given me.

 

[Dan54]

They were playing with 15 when they should have had 14. A replacement came on after they'd made all of their interchanges.

Crusaaders thought it was an HIA replacement but refs didn't

Did the Crusaders not indicate it was a HIA, because Hunt obviously had no idea where he was when they took him off. I actually thought it was Reds support team on sideline got stuck into the young ref that was doing the subs that made him call Mounga off.

 

[dru]

I thought the scrum officiating was ok, just you have to realise that the young Reds front row were against a pretty experienced couple of props who looked to me to get on top off them. I think Tupou when under pressure seems to keep trying to change his grip, said it last year and thought the same last night, he looks like he is actually trying to bring down opposition, just an impression he has given me.

Nup. His opposing prop was boring in and then losing his feet. The calls were bewildering.

 

[fatprop]

Nup. His opposing prop was boring in and then losing his feet. The calls were bewildering.

He was losing his feet when Tupou rolled in under pressure and he lost a shoulder to push against

 

[wamberal]

Did the Crusaders not indicate it was a HIA, because Hunt obviously had no idea where he was when they took him off. I actually thought it was Reds support team on sideline got stuck into the young ref that was doing the subs that made him call Mounga off.

15 against 14 would have been a lot fairer, though. From the kickoff.

 

[Blake]

Did the Crusaders not indicate it was a HIA, because Hunt obviously had no idea where he was when they took him off. I actually thought it was Reds support team on sideline got stuck into the young ref that was doing the subs that made him call Mounga off.

Yeah they did tell them. Appears the officials didn’t know the rules. Officials have issued an apology to Robinson who has also loged a complaint to SANZAR

 

[HJ Nelson]

Some more photos from last night

https://www.tremainfocused.com/blog/crusaders-continue-their-winning-run-against-queensland-reds

 

[dru]

He was losing his feet when Tupou rolled in under pressure and he lost a shoulder to push against

FP I’m interested in your experience here, but doesn’t this rolling in have anything g to do with the boring in by the opponent?

 

[Brumby Runner]

I think some of the slow ruck ball has been because the Reds have missed a few clean outs allowing the Crusaders to get their hands on the ball and slow it down. I agree though, he will sometimes pick up the ball at the back of a ruck and dither with it before firing it off haphazardly.

Yep. Sorovi's passing was very reminiscent of Nick Phipps last night. Mostly not on the mark.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Yeah they did tell them. Appears the officials didn’t know the rules. Officials have issued an apology to Robinson who has also loged a complaint to SANZAR

If the guy policing substitutions doesn't know that a player taken off for a HIA can be replaced by a player previously subbed off tactically then he shouldn't be the guy policing substitutions.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Hocking should be yellow carded for that ridiculous maul defence. For his own safety

He doesn't have a lot of impact for his size, even when it's the whole of his body weight. But I am starting to think he will be more effective that Rob Simmons (his doppelganger) as he matures.

 

[upthereds#!]

For his height, he is quite light. No impact. Should never have started. Tui back to lock, and a more dynamic player into the backrow (Higs/Timu)

 

[Strewthcobber]

If the guy policing substitutions doesn't know that a player taken off for a HIA can be replaced by a player previously subbed off tactically then he shouldn't be the guy policing substitutions.

Looks like the confusion was that the player didn't in fact have an HIA. He was knocked out so was taken straight off without the formal assessment. To complicate things he also injured another body part in the same incident.

I imagine there was a fair bit of misinterpreted conversation on the sidelines.

 

[Brumby Runner]

He was losing his feet when Tupou rolled in under pressure and he lost a shoulder to push against

That's how I saw it too. Reds scrum was disappointing until the Smiths came on and then it was mostly on top.

 

[Strewthcobber]

He doesn't have a lot of impact for his size, even when it's the whole of his body weight. But I am starting to think he will be more effective that Rob Simmons (his doppelganger) as he matures.

Thought he was terrific for a 20 year old lock in his first starting game, against the best team in the business. Didn't give away any penalties (though should have for the maul defence), couple of nice touches and credited with 17 tackles, missing just 1