Reds V Highlanders Rd 17

[gel]

Frustrating game to watch. I'm not sure the refs rulings they put up on the big screen are actually the right calls which is sometimes a bit confusing. Kaplan is usually one of the better refs (imo) - I personally prefer the saffa refs to any other country's - but his game tonight was overly officious in almost all aspects. It leads to players getting niggly and that's when it just goes downhill.

 

[biggsy]

Best $25 for a hours worth of Internet in Dubai to read about this win.

Sounds like cooper is back, and with try savers. I think this injury could be the best thing to have happened to him at such a young age in the sport. 3 years with the Reds and with Genia, more GF's to come for us Qld fella's. BUT QC (Quade Cooper) needs to show this performance in a test match and a better performance against the AB's to shut everyone up. For my sake to because my mates know that I'm a big fan of him and i cop plenty of slack for it, But 2 follow the tahs' so they don't count, and there been quiet as the tahs are so awesome this year so the cooper bashing is there next best thing. I wish they would fuck off back south for the super 15.

Anyways a wins a win,but still have along way to go.And with the injuries and players performance through out the year they have done great job to get where they are and now the Reds are settled and losing only Higgers to Melboune ($$$$$$$ not rugby) Rubgy looks bloody good QLD.

Good stuff.

 

[Penguin]

CFS looked great until the injury. Hopefully it is not a high grade hamstring tear for him.

Some of the media reports were saying a knee injury for Simmons which if correct could be a worry for his season (and the Reds). Samo might be required to play lock.

Courier Mail & Fox reporting it's a cork.

 

[No4918]

Agree with Biggsy re Cooper. Injury may have been just what he needed. He is looking Carteresque in the last couple of weeks. Awesome defence in the 10 channel. I was all for leaving Barnes at 10 and play Cooper off the bench until last night.

 

[TSR]

I'm not sure Cooper's defence is awesome yet, but at least he is defending in the front line and seems to be sound. He is made a few critical tackles so the signs are good.

I hope the report on CFS's injury are correct and that it was only a cork - he may have been below par at the junior world cup but he is getting better every outing in Super rugby.

Have I got my maths wrong? Won't the Reds still make it if we win next week and the Hurricanes lose to the Chiefs (probable) and the Sharks lose to the Cheetahs (possible)? Not the ideal situation, but I'm prepared to live in hope for another week.

 

[vidiot]

Sadly CFS is out for the season with that hamstring strain, according to Jim Tucker at the Courier. Simmons is said to have had a cork.

 

[tigerland12]

And what was its security not escorting him from the field? It felt like he was reacting the the crowd booing him after about 20 minutes. How many hits FTS and FTA put in. Absolute wrecking balls in defense. We are going to miss Higgers next year.

Yes we will miss Higgers next year, but strange you bring that up after his worst game this year. You're right about the Fainga'a boys though, they bloody hit hard.

 

[vidiot]

Nice to see Quade defending at 10. He still has a high-but-not-impacty tackling style that sides are going to send runners at, interesting to see how the brains trust at the Tahs attack him. Sending tom carter at him all day? Oh, wait...

 

[Karl]

My boys both love FTA and FTS. They fully cheer those hard low tackles.

Back on the apocalyptically interruptive referee. It felt like he just decided that he wanted to be the star, not the game. People are saying he should have had the cards out but I think he kept them in because he knew the infringements he was handing out were bullshit and carding someone for repeatedly holding their mouth in the wrong position would be a step too far. When you come out and take a pedantic and officious attitude to everything and blow your whistle every 10 seconds you paint yourself into a corner.

And what was with holding up that line-out in the second half while the Highlanders faffed around endlessly with an interchange? It was just typical of how he ran the game. He seemed to revel in all of the "administrative" aspects of the game where he could call the shots and talk to the players about whatever the fuck he was rabbiting on about and direct things and wave his arms around and make decisive looking hand gestures that drew blanks looks from 30 players and 30,000 fans. And as for the last 10 minutes, he just seemed intent on keeping play in the Reds 22 to give the Highlanders a crack at the try. I haven't seen a replay yet but anyone who says the Reds got the rub of the green must have been watching a different match. What was the penalty count?

Dead set, I wanted to punch him in the face by the end of the game and I can't remember the last time I felt that way about a ref. Hang on, yes I can. The last game of last season for u10 played at Ashgrove. That was disgraceful, but he earned the hugs he got from the other team after the game so my boys team dropping from equal first to third on the table was worth it for a bottom third team to go out on a high. (I probably need to build a bridge over that one, but it really was disgraceful how that game was conducted.)

 

[Slim 293]

The game was conducted fine.

If you don't want Kaplan to blow his whistle then don't infringe.

If anything he let the Reds get away with more, and they were lucky not to finish the game with 14.

There was nothing wrong with any of the decisions he made and he explained himself well to the players every time.

It was actually a good refereeing performance from Kaplan surprisingly.

So quit being a sore winner.

 

[light]

Honourable mention to both Saia and Anthony who once again stayed an hour after the game signing autographs for the kids, Genia also stuck around but only after he finished talking to the Highlanders fly-half for a good half an hour or so.. On my way out ran into Robinson in his moonboot, not sure how he keeps going with that injury as it looked pretty serious, and Horwill who had a very noticeable limp. Seemed to be some kind of Reds post-match meeting in the carpark. They all looked pretty tired and sore so didn't want to be the idiot who asked for autographs

 

[What2040]

Kaplan had a crap game.
Saaia deserves run-on spot over Hansen;
Schatz was massive;
Samo seemed more motivated than any game this year;
After first 2 scrums (Slipper penalised being too low in 1st and Holmes pinged on 2nd ) thought Reds scrum dominant (under more pressure when Holmes replaced);
Dour game that a couple of years ago the Reds would not have won;
QC (Quade Cooper) passes are flat and long, his tackling has IMPROVED;
Butler got first Cap - and a win to boot - congrats

Concerns: Sautia's hamy again - think thats about 5/6 times in last couple of years. He has so much talent I just hope injury doesn't stall his career. (bit like Toua)
Higgers off to hospital with an infection in elbow
Simmo: not sure whether ankle or knee

 

[TOCC]

Crap performance by a ref

 

[Jiggles]

The big positive last night was Quade Cooper. He is the best 5/8 in Australia by a long long way. He just gets that backline humming like no one else can. I also thought Schatz really stepped up, and it was probably the best game he has played for the Reds. He put in a Read like performance. Big hits and hard work.

I was disappointed in a couple of options taken by the backs after Cooper got them through the gaps. Harris and Shipperley need to take the blinkers off and look for options once they make the break or tackle bust. For Shipperley it is the one thing that is probably holding him back from the next level as he has a lot of the skills you want in a winger.

Genia needs to smarten up around the ruck. His play looked lazy and arrogant. The Highlanders were always going to bring their big counter ruck game and Genia didn't respect this. Link should've torn strips off him at fulltime as Genia should've known better. He is a leader now so he should start playing like one.

 

[tigerland12]

How good was Shatzie. He is really coming into his own in the back half of the season. Nothing flashy about him but he hits hard and does great tight work.

 

[Reddy!]

Don't care about Higgers much, either for the Wallabies. He is a Seagull through and through. All I saw him do last night was sit on the wing and play like an AFL ruckman.

 

[What2040]

Don't care about Higgers much, either for the Wallabies. He is a Seagull through and through. All I saw him do last night was sit on the wing and play like an AFL ruckman.

Bit harsh there Reddy - friggin' hope he's ok because the stocks are getting low !

 

[armatt]

The game was conducted fine.

If you don't want Kaplan to blow his whistle then don't infringe. [etc etc etc]

Sorry Slim, I simply cannot agree. First example to mind is Quade trying to intercept a ball above his head, fumbling it, and trying to regather and fumbling again, being penalised for being a deliberate and cynical knock down? You have to be fucking kidding me. Kaplan was a joke all night.

Most refs speak to the front rows and captains before the match - totally fair. Last night Kaplan spent over fifteen minutes in each dressing room, speaking to every player individually (in position groups - so front rows, locks, loosies etc addressed together - so still a decent amount of time each player). It was clear from then he went out with an intent to blow the pea from his whistle - and it showed, the first 20 minutes were the worst before he slowly calmed down... marginally.

He was an officious joke all night.

 

[Slim 293]

I'd have to watch that one again, but will agree that decision was maybe the only one of the night that had some question marks about it.

However, the Reds were lucky because Kaplan did deem it a penalty, and Quade should've been carded following the multiple warnings previous.

Kaplan could've easily blown his whistle plenty more times during the night.

If any Reds' fans feel hard done by from Kaplan they need to take these off:

The Reds definitely deserved the win as the Highlanders were impatient in attack and bottled their opportunities.

But to suggest Kaplan was in any way one-sided is laughable.

 

[qwerty51]

How the Reds did not get one card one will never know..