You can't underestimate how important that win was for Australian Rugby. If we are to be serious contenders at the RWC we needed a team to make the final. It would have been gutting for the Reds to drop out, gifting the final game to either NZ or SA.
I didn't follow Rugby in 99, so you will have to enlighten me?
If I was the blues, I would be glad to see the back of McCalister too. The guy is a flake imo. I hope the AB's take him to the RWC.
Get Rod Davies into a Wallabies jersey!
Well done Reds - great win! Bring on the Final!
Really, I was going to comment on how good the Reds are at tackling around the ankles, the Stats are against me but surely if a team can sustain 15 phases and not conced a try then they are doing something rightMissed tackles for the Reds will be of concern heading into the final. The Reds missed 35 tackles or on average 1 in every 4 attempts. The Blues missed 21 tackles also 1 in every 4 attempts.
The Reds turned little possession into opportunities into points. The Reds had 35% possession in the 1st half and 40% for the entire game.
In the 2nd half the Reds spent 29% in the Blues 22. The Blues spent 9% of the 2nd half inside the Red 22.
21 penalties in the game. The Reds conceded 11, but 9 of these were in the 2nd half.
Really, I was going to comment on how good the Reds are at tackling around the ankles, the Stats are against me but surely if a team can sustain 15 phases and not conced a try then they are doing something right
That period was the best example of the Blues not looking to set the platform upfront FIRST!! While the Reds did tackle very well, the Blues made it easy by just shovelling the ball sideways - almost as if they were waiting for someone to single-handedly break the game open. Someone like Rene Ranger...**sigh**