Reds v. Crusaders, May 29th, Suncorp - 2011R15

[allitsab]

Just got home after the game, and I have to say that it was easily the high point of the season thus far. The game had everything, end to end stuff and I can't believe that period of 10 or so minutes in the second half where it seemed the players had done many k's of running as the play went back and forth. I'd love to see the telemetry data on that.

On top of the play itself being excellent, I thought a nice touch was the crowd singing happy birthday for Big Kev. What a way to celebrate your 26th..

 

[Hawko]

Definite wrong call I have to say in the context of the game. Stu was pinging the Crusaders at the breakdown all game so down by 2 and 8 mins to go you need to score a try imo. Another scrum would've either resulted in a penalty try, yellow card or another penalty. They had clear dominance and a penalty wasn't going to cut it. Baffling call but Carter's kick was even stranger.

I think Richie watched the Reds-Tahs game and saw how hard it is to get a penalty try/yellow card through scrum dominance. He did the opposite of what Phil Waugh did and I, for one, remember the deluge of Red criticism of Waugh's decisions that night. Consistency says that taking the penalty was the right option.

Had the Saders taken the scrum and got a result though might have been better for the Reds in the long run as it would have highlighted their scrummaging deficiencies and they would have had some incentive to deal with it. They are going to get attacked that way through the finals by a good scrum and I don't think they dealt with it all that well this afternoon. A Crusaders, Tahs, Stormers, Bulls or Blues outfit are going to give it a red-hot go if they get the chance. The Sharks scrum won't be up to it and only the Tahs and Saders will be sure they can do it but everyone is going to try.

 

[Joe Blow]

Well done to the Reds. It was the toughest of Super games and the Crusaders came looking for an important win.
Lots of food for thought for R. Deans.
Radike Samo........what a legend. He must be in the Wallaby training squad and if he keeps up this form should be in the RWC squad.
Higgers, Pocock and Samo make a tidy looking backrow if Rocky doesn't get right in time for the Tri Nations.
The scrum was a worry with Slipper struggling despite having Horwill behind him.
The Crusaders were unlucky and showed that they are still very much in contention for the title despite having several key men out.
Dickinson? Well, what can you say?

 

[Riptide]

Richie was called to stay out of it - he did not so fuck him! Deservedly pinged!

Sorry but his is bullshit. The ball was out following a counter-ruck. There was nobody over the ball. It was a ridiculous decision.

Reds showed (with another favourable call from the ref on the knock-on) who well drilled they are. Link is a superb coach. His teams know how to play, even without top personnel. Genia was brilliant in marshalling his players.

 

[Riptide]

Agree with this. If people are going to have a go at Dickenson for his dodgey performance, there are much better decisions to criticize than that last one. It was 50/50, McCaw was very impatient.

Sorry, Dickenson was abject, just as Kaplan has been. I can understand Crusader fans being livid. McCaw was well within his rights to take that ball.

However, it doesn't negate the brilliant play by the Reds to get in position after marching down the field.

 

[HKTiger]

Sorry, Dickenson was abject, just as Kaplan has been. I can understand Crusader fans being livid. McCaw was well within his rights to take that ball.

However, it doesn't negate the brilliant play by the Reds to get in position after marching down the field.

If they're livid just shows their ignorance of the laws of rugby. Ball was still trapped in legs and had to be rucked out. Law 16 and ref's interpretation of the status of the ball. Last time I checked that is what the ref is there for. Not Richie M.

 

[Riptide]

If they're livid just shows their ignorance of the laws of rugby. Ball was still trapped in legs and had to be rucked out. Law 16 and ref's interpretation of the status of the ball. Last time I checked that is what the ref is there for. Not Richie M.

non

I'm not a Crusaders fan but you have to have a strong bias to fail to observe that there wasn't a single person bound and on their feet at the "ruck" when McCaw was penalized. Not one. Franks drove over the ball. McCaw was fully entitled to place hands on ball. "The ruck is a phase of play where one or more players from each team, who are on their feet, in physical contact, close around the ball on the ground". In other words, to maintain or gain possession both teams try to drive the other off of the ball and secure it for their team. The Crusaders did this, and McCaw was fully entitled to the ball.

There would be no discussion on this if Genia or Heinze had attempted to seize the ball. Dickenson was wrong and made some very poor calls in a wonderful match that the Reds played superbly to win.

 

[Riptide]

I watched the game again and really would like to tip my glass to Genia, Samo and most of all Ewen McKenzie. McKenzie just doesn't get enough credit. Two years ago, the Reds were crap with essentially the same personnel.

In my gut, I'd much prefer to see McKenzie steer the Wallabies after this WC.

 

[Top Bloke]

Richie was called to stay out of it - he did not so fuck him! Deservedly pinged!

Dickinson's call came as McCaw picked up the ball. Too late IMHO, SD should have been calling "still a ruck" as soon as Franks drove thru.
But this illustrates the major issue with the LOTG, too much subjectivity around the Ruck & Maul, we've all seen many other instances where this would have been let go, particularly when not in the red-zone.

 

[TheTruth]

cannot believe the focus on one penalty - there were others that were contensious on both sides - anyway was at the game and was a great spectacle for rugby - game was only decided at end.
by the way: Sonny Bill Wherewashe

 

[No4918]

SBW didn't manage to get one offload away. Both sides looked like they had really done their homework and put the others strengths to the test.

 

[Ruggo]

Just got home after the game, and I have to say that it was easily the high point of the season thus far. The game had everything, end to end stuff and I can't believe that period of 10 or so minutes in the second half where it seemed the players had done many k's of running as the play went back and forth. I'd love to see the telemetry data on that.

On top of the play itself being excellent, I thought a nice touch was the crowd singing happy birthday for Big Kev. What a way to celebrate your 26th..

Yep happy birthday Kev. I would love to see the data recorded from those GPS devices that the Saders were wearing under their jersey's.

 

[Richo]

SBW didn't manage to get one offload away. Both sides looked like they had really done their homework and put the others strengths to the test.

The double hit with one high and the other low seemed to work very effectively. A blueprint, at least for now?

 

[chasmac]

I haven't read any of the other post match comments, so apologies if this repeats any of the points above.
The game was epic, with players out on their feet. Even so there was brilliant composure from both sides to keep performing and keep doing things well. There were no soft tries which I loved, made the game so enthralling.
I think the reds got the best of the marginal calls and were a little lucky that some handling errors didn't end up as scrums.
The way all of the S15 is played, I am surprised that there are not more elbow injuries like Beau Robinson's to all of the openside breakaways. He will be a big loss, he loves hard work.
The reds seemed to use their bench pretty well, Samo was definitely a passenger for his last few minutes - very good for his first 55 (?) minutes though.
No player was out of his depth which is great; Tapuai, Lucas and the bench all gave a good account of themselves. That was the first I have seen of Lucas, I was impressed with his intensity, speed and skills.
The scrum was great, I think they gained parity, even with the bench players on. Good result given the quality of the opposition.
The first reds try was extremely clever, some good coaching, good execution and a good read as to when to make that play.
The senior players stood up - for both teams - and really played big games: Horwill, Genia, Cooper, Higgers, Simmons, Slipper, Faainga * 2, Daly and of course Digby all had blinders.
Carter, McCaw, Freun, Thorn, Jack, Franks, Gillford for the crusaders were all in top form.
I rate Mackenzie and his assistant coaches very highly. To get this result is a huge feather in their collective caps. I would love to have a beer with them and talk footy and fantasize about being a part of it for a while...
Finally, how good was the crowd, Suncorp would have to be one of the best venues, I'm a bit jealous of you poxy queenslanders at the moment.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

SBW didn't manage to get one offload away. Both sides looked like they had really done their homework and put the others strengths to the test.

Yet Cooper still managed 2-3 freakish offloads.

 

[Top Bloke]

Pragmatic quote from RMC below - In my opinion this raises a valid point, If Ben Franks' action in counter rucking past the ball was OK then logically that must have ended the ruck. SD should have pinged Franks for diving thru & sealing off, possibly would have saved some grief.


the All Blacks captain was diplomatic when quizzed on his concession of the match-turning infringement.
"I'm always going to think I was right but the ref saw it a different way. It's pretty disappointing. Ben (Franks) counter rucked, I presumed that was considered OK. I presumed he went past the ball so it was out so I went and picked it up. He (Dickinson) said it was still in the ruck."
McCaw disagreed with the ruling but saw no point complaining.
"You don't say what you're thinking. I guess when you think you're in the right and you're not, what can you say? He's made his decision and he wasn't going to change it."

 

[whatty]

Dont think I need to wait till Tuesday Cyclops, its all about the refs wall to wall

 

[barbarian]

SBW didn't manage to get one offload away. Both sides looked like they had really done their homework and put the others strengths to the test.

He got a couple away IIRC. Foxsports gives him two. But your point still stands, Benny Taps and Ant Finger and Benny Lucas limited his space really well.

 

[fatprop]

The double hit with one high and the other low seemed to work very effectively. A blueprint, at least for now?

maybe, but if three are lining him up each time there are others not being marked - so other opportunities. I expect to see him being used a bit more as a dummy runner dragging units away.

 

[Bullrush]

maybe, but if three are lining him up each time there are others not being marked - so other opportunities. I expect to see him being used a bit more as a dummy runner dragging units away.

I saw a couple of opportunities yesterday as well where he was looking to off-load but didn't have anyone in support to give it to.

He'd probably be disappointed in his own game though.