Super Rugby AU Round 2 - Reds vs Rebels

[qwerty51]

I think they should ban penalty goals in Super Time. Would stop a lot of teams kicking constantly I think.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

2nd half was good fun. Some of those hits were incredible. Poor Matty T was lined up near the end and should've stayed down, hit was huge and he needed the break.

Nothing wrong with the physicality. The hit on Hegarty by the Rebs 3 was class. It's just the hands and lineout execution it the issue.

 

[Brumby Runner]

There is little in this post I can agree with.

Stewart is better than run of the mill.
Campbell has class stamped all over him, not so much on the wing.
Hegarty - hmm.
JOC (James O'Connor) is the best 10 we have, he is not out of place there, but he wasn't the best 10 on the park.
Paisami could spend more time in training learning to tackle, but he's fine at 13 while we wait for the return of a better 13.

To'omua spent key time driving this game. Often clever kicking, was the difference between the two teams - definitely nudged ahead for that WB starting slot.

The real issue was lineouts and handling, but lineouts. The penalty count was crazy, Reds still collecting cards.

Rebels unlucky I think.

I accept your opinions on the various players dru, but I cannot agree on your take on Stewart or Campbell. We'll see how they go in the rest of this comp against their direct opponents for higher honours.

 

[Silverado]

I think they should ban penalty goals in Super Time. Would stop a lot of teams kicking constantly I think.

Agree. Particularly when the refs will be more reluctant to award penalties in super time. I'm a bit old school, but a draw is still a result by me.

 

[formerflanker]

Match Report from Sideline Eye:
The incessant loudspeaker music dominated the game.
Sure there was a good beat to most tracks and some clever selection of lyrics (Run to Paradise, We are the Champions) but the rap music was crap. A mix of genres was appropriately inserted to cater for the age groups in the crowd but the enjoyment of the music was occasionally interrupted by flashes of rugby.
With 4.5 minutes of regular time remaining the game started to dominate the music, but DJ Williamwebbellis struck back with longer bursts of cacophony, overlapping actual play instead of just filling the innumerable breaks due to scrum resets and team huddles when captain decisions were required.
Instead of letting the 2 by 5 minute extra time periods generate their own drama and tension, Mr Music was up for the challenge from an entertaining end-game. He must have prepared well for the game because he never duplicated any tracks during his destruction of crowds actually enjoying the, well you know, history-making golden point game.

 

[Up the Guts]

I think they should ban penalty goals in Super Time. Would stop a lot of teams kicking constantly I think.

Might also stop the refs from pocketing the whistle.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Thought the second half was incredibly entertaining.

Great contact, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thought we deserved it - but happy with draw.

Rebels prop (Pone) was great fun to watch. Wrongez ears were monumental.

 

[The Nomad]

Agree. Particularly when the refs will be more reluctant to award penalties in super time. I'm a bit old school, but a draw is still a result by me.

The ref tonight was about as consistent as both team’s lineouts.

When he yellowed Stewart in the first half for cynically playing a man on the ground , I thought righto , he is making a statement at the breakdown here. Followed up by nothing, think he may have even put his whistle in his pocket come extra time , seemed to not even want to call a knock on yet alone a penalty.

I’m happy to have refs to call the game how they see it , just with some consistency please. Same rules and interpretations from kick off to full time.

 

[formerflanker]

I wouldn't lay all the blame for To'omoua's kicking at his feet.
He did so many cross-field kick-passes it must have been an important aspect of the game plan.

 

[Derpus]

I accept your opinions on the various players dru, but I cannot agree on your take on Stewart or Campbell. We'll see how they go in the rest of this comp against their direct opponents for higher honours.

On board with your opinion of Jock Campbell. Don't see it at all. Glad you've finally noticed how pants To'omua is at 10.

I think Paisami is a pretty good 13 though.

 

[The Nomad]

CFS has got to start .

If JOC (James O'Connor) happy to keep the kicking duties, Jock to 15 , Hegarty to the bench and that will do .

 

[Ignoto]

Problem with that is, you've got a back three with only one who can kick. It makes pinning the reds in their own half quite easy.

 

[Dan54]

Well I sat down looking forward to a great or a good game of rugby, and realised I had to give a bit of leeway because of weather but f*** me, that was pretty ordinary, especially first half. I had the feeling that both teams tried but had not a lot of rugby nous!! When the highlights of a game seem to be a couple of hard hits it time to look at what's happening. I usually get a little bit of fun poked at me because I always positive and I a rugby tragic, but even I said to son who wandered out a couple of times , don't bother. Let's be honest Reds had a very good scrum, Wright and Wilson look ver good prospects in the loose, I like the 9, but really the rest are seem barely super standard, though I do think JOC (James O'Connor) is usually good. As for the extra time what a load of shit that was, as expected both teams just tried to make sure they kicked to other end of the field so they didn't let other team have an attempt at goal. I am a bit disappointed this morning thinking on it, and not just because I was supporting the Reds and wanted them to win!

 

[wamberal]

That's bit harsh, Dan, but Mrs Wamberal and I were not thrilled either. Rain should never be an excuse at this level (although there did seem to be a bit of a problem getting towels to the twos prior to lineouts).


A draw was an appropriate result. Neither side played well enough to deserve a win.

 

[liquor box]

It's wet out there tonight. My point is the weather shouldn't be as big of a factor as it always seems to be in Australian Rugby.

Has there ever been a game with worse handling at this level? It was diabolical.

I was wondering if they have new Super AU balls for this season that have a different surface/advertising than the previous Super Rugby balls.

Have skills dropped that much in a few months? Surely something has changed.

 

[Braveheart81]

The second half was a little better but that first half was about the most dire rugby I have ever seen.

Hopeless and clueless.

Literally no winners last night, especially the fans who watched it.

 

[sunnyboys]

From my couch Reb 3 should have been YC or RC for a shoulder charge - clear and simple. Arms were a mile behind his shoulder and were never going to meet the player at the same time as his shoulder.

Swinton last week got away with two similar shots.

I think our teams would find overseas refs officiating those contacts very differently

 

[barbarian]

I didn't mind the second half, though dysfunctional set piece had a way of ruining the flow of the game.

I liked Wilson and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)'s workrate. McDermott is class. Unlike others I thought To'omua controlled the game pretty well and was the standout Rebels back (with Koro).

That's about all, really. Super Time will struggle to work with the way refs are policing attacking teams at the breakdown. As it stands it's just too risky to have the ball in your own half, so PG ban or not it will still be forcings back until one team makes a mistake.

 

[Mr Wobbly]

We now know why the Rebs 3 is a bit weak at the scrum. Recent convert from League. Fun to watch run it in hard though.

Is he? I thought he had played rugby for Moorabbin since juniors.

 

[Braveheart81]

From my couch Reb 3 should have been YC or RC for a shoulder charge - clear and simple. Arms were a mile behind his shoulder and were never going to meet the player at the same time as his shoulder.

The law says that the tackler just needs to attempt to grasp the ball carrier.

I think he does that. He's in a textbook position for tackling, he hits with his shoulder and his arms are wrapping as he's hitting. It's just the timing of the hit and the speed at which Hegarty bounces off that prevents the arms wrapping around whilst Hegarty is within reach.

I don't think the wrapping of the arms is any slower than most tackles. It's just that in most tackles the players are still in contact with each other at this point.

I didn't mind the second half, though dysfunctional set piece had a way of ruining the flow of the game.

Super Time will struggle to work with the way refs are policing attacking teams at the breakdown. As it stands it's just too risky to have the ball in your own half, so PG ban or not it will still be forcings back until one team makes a mistake.

The second half was definitely much better than the first.

I agree on Super Time. We should make it golden try or get rid of it. Even in dry weather I'd imagine teams would try and play field position and keep kicking it. The risk of playing from your own half is too great.