Commenting on Timmsy’s Quick Review: Reds v. Tahs post last night, I said I hoped someone would be able to log the sequence of events between the 50- and 70-minute marks in the match. That’s the period when the Tahs had all the possession, field position, and a string of dominant scrums, and were trying to use brutal, grinding forward power to score a try.
Today I decided to do that logging myself. Why? I’m fascinated by the way that part of the game unfolded. I really enjoyed watching it, seeing the forward packs struggling with each other, the ref, the playing surface, and of course their own energy and confidence levels. Actually, I’ve been surprised to see on the forum quite a few members saying they hated that period of the match, and thought it was a bad look for the game.
Subjective preferences aside, a lot of important decisions were made during those 20 minutes — by ref Ian Smith, skippers Phil Waugh, Dean Mumm and James Horwill, the Reds’ tactical kicker Quade Cooper, and Tahs’ coach Chris Hickey. And a lot of questions have been asked about those decisions subsequently. I’ve formed the opinion that all those decisions have to be seen as part of a chain: each was shaped by the one before it, and each influenced what followed.
Enough explanation; it’s time for explication. It’s nearly ten minutes into the second half with the score at 16–12 to the Reds. The Tahs forwards are Benn Robinson, Polota-Nau, Kepu, Mumm, Timani, Dennis, Waugh and Mowen (wearing 6 but now playing 8). The Reds have Daley, Saia Faingaa, Shepherdson, Simmons, Horwill, Wallace-Harrison, Beau Robinson and Higginbotham on the field.
49:30 A Cooper kick in midfield goes astray and out on the full. The line-out is set ten metres into the Reds’ half on the left side. (When I refer to the left and right sides of the field, it’s from the Tahs’ perspective.)
49:50 The Tahs win a clean ball from the line-out and in the second phase Burgess spins through a Genia tackle on the short side, makes a line break and kicks ahead past Morahan as he crosses the 22. Higginbotham and Morahan get to the ball just before it reaches the tryline. Higgers comes up with it one metre out and Burgess grabs him; Higgers’s back is turned outwards and Polota-Nau crashes into him with full body contact, followed by Carter. They all go over the line and hit the ground. The head-on replay shows TPN’s head on the ground and his neck folding as Carter and Higgers tumble over the top. When the others get up TPN stays flat on his back.
50:10 Referee Smith indicates “taken over” and calls for a Tahs scrum. TPN receives attention. All the Tahs go into a huddle. Smith stops the clock and asks that the bleeding Daley be replaced. Greg Holmes comes on.
50:30 First scrum packs, five metres out from the Reds’ line and about 12 metres in from touch on the left side. The front rows go down on the hit. Smith (who was observing from Holmes and Kepu’s side) says “far side’s collapsed” and tells Benn Robinson and Shepherdson “heads up on engagement — heads up”. TPN is slow to rise.
50:50 First scrum, reset. Smith is on the other side this time. Kepu lines up with his hips higher than his shoulders; on the hit, Holmes’s hand goes to the ground. Burgess feeds, the scrum is steady for a moment then the Tahs shove and the front rows fall inwards. Smith penalises the Reds — “tight head down”. Waugh looks to Beale and takes a moment before he asks for a scrum. An assistant ref says to Smith “red’s loose-head hand straight on the ground as well”. Saia Faingaa is called off and Hanson comes on.
52:10 Second scrum. The Tahs hit hard, Burgess feeds, the shove is on and the Reds go backwards. Mowen has the ball under his feet, then the Reds collapse, the Tahs follow and a stray Tah boot kicks the ball clear of the scrum. Smith blows another penalty — “straight down”. Carter runs in to cheer his pack as TPN rises slowly to a sitting position. Smith calls Horwill over for a talk:
Smith: OK, look at the situation here, we’ve got two—
Horwill: I undersand but look at the—
Smith: Listen, listen to me first — two penalties now, you’re under pressure, you’re collapsing the scrum. If it’s a repeated infringement someone will go to the bin.
Horwill: I understand but look at the turf… our players are slipping, so… it’s hard to when the turf’s going…
Smith: I understand.
Horwill: When the turf goes, we can’t do anything about it.
Smith: Three times. Collapsing. Do you understand what I’ve said?
Horwill: I understand. But—
Smith: Thank you. Deliver the message.
Meanwhile the Taf Whisperer has been crouching beside TPN, who has managed to kneel but is vomiting. She now calls for his replacement. The assistant ref again transmits to Smith regarding the red loose-head’s hand going straight to ground. Waugh checks with Smith who confirms it’s been two penalties for the same offence, so he asks for another scrum. Ulugia arrives; Smith regards the puddle of vomit and says “All right guys, we’ll find some new grass… let’s find some new grass here.”
52:50 Third scrum. Smith gets as far as “Touch” before Shepherdson stands up. Smith says “It’s not stable, go again, same scrum.” The packs break up and reform.
53:20 Third scrum, first reset. The hit is good, power is applied from both sides but Smith pips the whistle before Burgess can feed. He has to blow it three times before the packs disengage and come up. “Just listen,” says Smith, “We’ve lost it on the ground. Same scrum. Over here.”
54:10 Third scrum, second reset. It’s now about five metres closer to the sideline than at the start. Kepu packs with shoulders level with his hips and Holmes is able to get the better of him. The Reds drive the Tahs back and turn them towards touch as Waugh and Kepu lose their places. The ball flies out towards the Reds’ 22 line and Turner secures it. The Tahs spend six phases going nowhere and then Simmons and Horwill steal it from Timani — but the Reds can’t get out of their 22 before a knock-on stops them. There’s been a minute of play; the players need a breather before they can pack the next scrum.
56:05 The fourth scrum packs just inside the Reds’ 22, five metres in from touch on the right side. The scrum is sound and the ball comes out cleanly for the Tahs but the Reds tacklers swarm onto Kingston and Burgess. It’s turned over and sent back to Harris who punts it into the Tahs’ half. Beale runs it back, kicks high and chases. Genia catches it safely in midfield; from the ruck the ball goes to Cooper, who kicks it out on the full, much as he had done to start this sequence of play. The line-out is set five metres out from the Reds’ 22 on the left side. Kepu goes off, Baxter comes on.
57:30 The Tahs have no jumpers to meet Ulugia’s throw but Higgers and AWH go up, the latter getting a good tap-down. The ball goes to Harris again for a clearing kick, which finds Beale down in his own half, over on the right side. He runs to meet the chasers at halfway and tries to chip over them; Ioane grabs the loose bouncing ball near the touchline and tosses it infield, only for KB to grab it, run and grubber-kick to the in-goal. Diggers gets back to it first and runs it into the field of play, where he’s tackled and driven into touch.
58:35 Tahs’ line-out, seven metres out on the right side. Ulungia throws safely to Timani and the rolling maul is on. It goes down a few metres short of the line and Baxter takes a pick-and-go; he’s buried with the ball held to him and the ref blows a scrum to the Tahs.
59:40 Fifth scrum, five out and five from touch on the right side. Smith calls “Crouch”, then the Reds front row stands up. Smith ticks off Ulugia and Benn Robinson for “crowding the mark, you’re closing your own space”.
60:15 The scrum engages this time and Burgess feeds. The Reds hold it together but start going backwards and their front row comes up before the ball comes out. Smith sees them and calls for a reset.
61:10 Fifth scrum, reset. The Reds withstand the shove and the ball comes out to Burgess. Genia is all over him, the ball comes loose and there’s a knock-on in the attempt to tidy up, so Smith calls “scrum red”. The packs are slow to reassemble. Timani goes off and Douglas comes on.
62:00 Sixth scrum, same place as the last one, but this time to the Reds. Genia feeds it behind the front row and it comes back through the legs but the Tahs wheel hard, the Reds crumble and Smith awards a scrum the other way. As they come up from this one Mumm and Higginbotham are nose-to-nose and need to be separated.
62:30 Seventh scrum. Burgess feeds and the front rows come up but the Tahs get it clear and it goes to Halangahu, centre-field and 12 metres out. Carter comes back inside him, crash-balling to no good effect. From the ruck it goes out along the backline to Turner on the wing; Cooper tries to tackle him by the face, then manages to hook his arm and with Ioane’s help they all go into touch about five metres from the tryline.
63:25 Reds’ red zone line-out: Hanson throws to Horwill but Douglas taps it down on his side. The Tahs try to send the ball across the backline again, but Carter elects to be tackled rather than pass it along. Seven more phases of grinding pick-and-go and they’re right at the Reds’ line, a little left of the posts — and Smith penalises Horwill for not rolling away. Waugh pow-wows with his pack on their options and he just has time to call for a scrum before he’s yanked. McCutcheon comes on.
65:25 Eighth scrum, on the Reds’ five-metre line. It goes down on the hit. Smith asks both front rows to start closer to the mark.
66:00 Eighth scrum, reset. This one is strong and stable. Mowen picks up the ball and gives it to Burgess who darts towards the line under the posts, but Anthony Faingaa hits him like a missile and the ball shoots backwards. Beale picks it up and brings it back. Seven phases of pick-and-go-nowhere follow, then Dennis finds a hole and gets right to the line. Burgess is trying to organise the next waves, but then he gives it to Mowen who knocks it straight down to his feet. Beale grabs the ball and darts over under the posts but Smith has blown his whistle. They all take another breather while Higginbotham goes off and Houston comes on.
68:10 Ninth scrum, under the posts. Genia feeds and the Tahs put on a big shove, forcing Houston to pick it up and take the tackle. From the ruck the ball goes back behind the line to Cooper who kicks under pressure, finding touch five metres out. As they prepare for the line-out Benn Robinson is called off and Kepu comes back on.
68:50 Line-out to the Tahs, five metres out on the left side. Ulugia throws to the front and the maul starts rolling. Carter joins at the rear and he’s holding the ball as the mess collapses over the tryline. He comes up celebrating the try while Smith asks the TMO to have a look with the clock stopped at 69:20. The TMO says “inconclusive”; Smith asks if it’s a “collapsed maul” and “unplayable” and when the TMO agrees, he rules “short, taken in, red scrum”. The clock starts again.
69:40 Tenth scrum, back near the vomit puddle. It’s messy in there; the Reds’ front row goes down after the feed, followed quickly by the Tahs’; Houston takes the ball and one tackle, then Genia flips it back to Cooper who finds touch 30 metres out on the left side. Beau Robinson is replaced by Gill.
70:20 Tahs line-out: the Reds get their hands on Ulugia’s throw but knock the ball on. Burgess cleans up and the Tahs use three phases to get inside the Reds’ 22, where Anthony Faingaa is penalised out in front of the posts for not rolling away, after bringing Burgess down and falling on the Tahs’ side of the ruck.
71:00 On the bench Waugh yells “take the points, fuck it” and Beale is already stepping up. He makes the shot, taking the score to 16–15 to the Reds. (In the background Smith is telling the Tahs “He didn’t make it over the line — he’s got to get over the goal line to get a try.”)
So what of the decision-making during all that? Cover your eyes, Matt Burke — I’ve got some opinions I’m not afraid to use them.
Was Waugh right to opt for scrums instead of a kick at goal? Yes. He made that choice three times, always at a point where his pack had the upper hand. But the scrum option comes with a big problem attached: once you’ve shown the balls to try it, you have to keep using it, else you look like you’ve lost faith in your pack.
Was Smith right to not award a penalty try? Yes. He penalised the Reds twice for collapsing, and though they continued to get shoved around in scrums, they didn’t collapse again.
Was Smith right to rule no-try on Carter? Yes. See here:
Was Horwill right to complain to Smith about the turf and (according to TPN) the Tahs’ scrum tricks? Yes. He could have said more, especially about Kepu who (full credit to him) gave Daley and Holmes a really rough time.
Was Hickey right to replace TPN? Yes, but TPN shouldn’t have been playing in the first place.
Was Hickey right to replace Waugh? No, not at that point in the match.
Was Cooper right to keep trying the torp under pressure? Hell no.
Was Mumm right in opting for the goal kick at 71:00? Yes. It narrowed the margin to one point and he probably expected the Tahs could readily earn field position and another penalty shot in the time remaining.
