After a very positive weekend last weekend for Aussie Super rugby teams, this weekend – although there were some points to the contrary – was on balance another good one.
It’s fair to say that the Australian Super Rugby teams are playing better than the New Zealand and South African teams. They’re playing higher quality rugby with good pace, accuracy, fundamentals underpinning them as well as individual performances.
First of all the Brumbies were pretty good to get a four try bonus point win. In fact, the Hurricanes first try shouldn’t have been one and the second was in the 78th minute when the game was out of sight.
Pat McCabe continued his good form – the season is only very young but he’s a bit of a revelation. We knew he had pace and was tough but we didn’t know he could catch and pass as accurately and take his opportunities this well. He was almost unrecognizable from the Pat McCabe of a couple of seasons ago. Matt Toomua was also good and the standout Australia ten.
Scott Fardy was very good again and we should definitely not be forgetting about him for the Wallabies. At this point in time Higginbotham should not be replacing him. They could both get in the team, but if we were playing a test next week it would be a giant mistake to leave him out. He adds a real hard nosed, hard working, honest abrasive and effective element to his team.
It was good to see him back at six, he can play lock, but is not quite big enough. I thought Sam Carter continued his improved form in that position.
Then the Reds vs the Cheetahs. It was a win but a strange game. I didn’t think the Reds were decisive at all, despite winning with a bonus point. There were quite a number of forward passes, kicks out on the full, wild long passes (which I hate at the best of time, let alone for no apparent reason).
There were some reasonable performances as well – I thought that all the back-row was honest although only Gill looks like he can play at test level. I thought Simmons was also honest and toiled well, but he doesn’t carry as effectively as you want your big men to carry. I’ve always thought that Hanson is a good player and don’t quite see why Fainga’a always gets picked as starter.
Quade Cooper played better, but I’m not completely convinced. Surely there are two Australian fly halves ahead of him at the moment. Last week I was critical of Quade catching and passing without moving forward. This week that improved a fair bit, but if you take Toomua and Ebersohn, they really initiated the attack of their teams.
So the scrum half distributes the ball, the fly half start his backline moving and gives the direction, the inside centre generates the acceleration. If you see a backline where the ball comes from the scrum half and 4 or 5 runners all come at once, then the defence has to make sure they line up to cover them all, which starts to ask a lot of questions.
If you add a back row, blind side winger and fullback supporting with even a fly-half on the loop, then you‘ve got a real attack. But this business of standing still and distributing the ball is no good – it stops the rest of the backline.
Last week we excused Will saying the forwards didn’t turn up, but we can’t say that this weekend. He almost plays the game now by wrote. He kicks almost every time he gets his right leg free ont he right touch line.
Maybe he doesn’t see the opportunities in front of him because he’s running sideways at such an extent that he can’t see them. I thought Frisby cleared and probed much better – his angle of run gives him the opportunity to attack the defence when the opportunity presents itself. His pass also seems smoother and more accurate to me.
There were plusses and minuses – you can’t complain about 5 points I guess but the Cheetahs really are struggling.
And then we come to what was suggested as the upset of the season so far! I said last week that even though the Force were struggling they did have some positives in their game. They never give in and some individuals were playing well. If they could play in the first half maybe they could win – who would have thought by 32 points!
Maybe Tony McGahan’s choice to make six replacements didn’t work out so well – not that they’re bad players – but it can give the subconscious impression to players that the match is already won, and so no-one needs to play (sometimes like emptying the bench can do).
The Rebels especially missed the more aggressive leg drive, hard work and attitude of Luke Jones, even though he came on relatively early – the damage had already been done. One of the good players from last year – Hugh Pyle – is not playing super well. He seems soft in his carries and falls over in contact where Jones is getting another five metres. You’d think Jones or Neville would be a good balance for him but Pyle needs to deliver a lot more.
Contrary to last week you wouldn’t know Higginbotham was on the field. It wasn’t until after half an hour or more that I was conscious of him actually being out there – which is just not good enough. The Rebels got well and truly dished up by the enthusiasm, aggression and skills of the Force.
I thought the inclusion of Ebersohn also made a big difference. I was pretty amazed when he didn’t start last week. He’s a quality player who can run, pass and is a good kicker – he helps you take the game to the opposition.
I think Alby Mathewson is a good enough player, but he’s a bit ponderous with the ball – he likes to bend down, pick it up, stand up and take a step before passing (although he was better this week).
Godwin does lots of things right and he beats tackles that you wouldn’t think he could. I thought for the first time that Rasolea showed that he has some real ability. He played well and maybe because it was working better from 10 that the midfield got more opportunities.
The Force have a great back-row. Hodgo and McCalman are in great form and Cottrell has now played well for two years. When forwards play well, the midfield can add on their go-forward and then the back-row can restart the attack. This worked well for the Force.
It’s fantastic and well deserved that Hodgo has achieved what he has. One hundred caps is nothing to be sneezed at and if anyone has made the most of his talent it’s Hodgo. He’s a credit to himself and his family.
So well done to the Force and you would have to think that if they can start that same way again their fortunes will look up. I was thinking that their poor starts are indicative of poor preparation. The very first things that you have to do in the game – our kick-off receipts, our kick off chase – have to be the last things we talk about before the start of the match.
We all remember that Lions test when Genia missed the kick off and knocked on, setting the tone of the match. Is this what they’re doing I wonder?
But in this match the Force started extremely positively and nothing could go wrong for them – it was great to see.
