The issue with the backs wasn't anything to do with personel there (excepting Genia). The forwards barely gained parity in most contact situations and I would've awarded the set piece at both scrum and lineout to the Brumbies. As a result the backs were trying to run from 15-20 metres behind the gain line.
I couple of years ago I opined that the days of the fetcher 7 could be numbered unless the fetcher is of a class above like Pocock. I think we are indeed seeing that come to fruition. The Reds could have done a lot better at the breakdown if the first and second players arriving were intent on RUCKING past the ball instead of trying to grapple with it. We saw towards the end of last year that the refs are indeed giving the attacker the space needed for him to hold onto the ball until the tackler rolls away. In those two or three seconds the ruck is formed and the chance for a pilfer is very limitted, unless the opposition back row is buried somewhere. IMHO most teams would be better off fielding a player like McCalman at 7 rather than a pilferer, but unlike the ill fated RWC experiment with that selection the whole forward pack needs to change running lines and patterns to ruck the ball and only look to pilfer with the hands vaery rarely. Do not misconstrue my meaning, I like Gill, he is a future player but he is not a fetcher 7 (though he has some successes there along with as many penalties). With a backrow like the Reds have now they really must look to change how they attack the breakdown. That will also mean S. Faiingaa will have to make way for Hanson to start. As I said earlier the Reds IMO lost the set piece, so that even though they didn't lose the ball on their feed (they did give up penalties) they were under real pressure and couldn't advance the scrum as they wished producing back foot ball from the set piece. Inclusion of Hanson should improve the set piece and with the proper direction improve the breakdown.
