I have one super clear memory of the Reds playing the Bulls and Suncorp. Mostly because it makes me look like a rugby genius. I was walking into the game with my buddy Linc and he asked how our lineout would go, would we dominate? I said we’d be lucky to take one lineout win off them all night because they had Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield and the best lineout running around. The Reds pressured the Bulls lineout all night but couldn’t take a lineout off them. About 55 minutes in the game is on a knife edge, and the Bulls have a lineout 45 metres out from their own line. I turn to link and say ‘This is the lineout we need to win”. Moments later the ball sails inches over the catcher’s hands and ricochets off Higgers into Will Genia’s hands. He passes to Chambers who backhands it to fainga’a who dishes it to rocket Rod Davies who scores in the corner. How bloody good did I look?
Those were heady days for the Bulls and the Reds, but both sides have fallen on tougher times.
The Rub
It’s been a while since the Bulls played at Suncorp as you can see from the lone photo from 2011 of a game between the two sides. The Bulls and the Reds will put out two of the biggest packs running around in Super Rugby this year. The Reds pack got the better of the Brumbies last week in a tough contest. The bulls did well to keep up with the Lions finally going down 49-35. The Bulls seem to be trying to play a more expansive game this year but they shipped 49 points last weekend. The Reds are concentrating on stopping the other team from getting any rhythm. It hasn’t really clicked yet but you can see they don’t want to leak points. It an interesting mix of styles and maybe the first time these sides have played these roles against each other.
The Reds have made the surprise move of moving possibly their best performing back, Duncan Paia’aua, to the reserves bench and starting the big centre pairing of Samu Kerevi and Chris Feauai-Sautia. Neither players is known for their distribution skills and it’s not hard to figure out what the Reds plan to do.
Fearless Prediction
Honestly, I haven’t watched a Bulls game this year. Life is hectic right now and I haven’t been doing as much rugby related stuff as I’d like to. Which is one of the reasons I put my hand up for this gig. But that won’t stop me going out on a limb and make the totally predictable prediction of a Reds win. The belief the Reds took from their win against the Brumbies was palpable. And I just can’t see them letting it go. The Bulls have had a hard loss to the Lions and a long flight from South Africa without the usual vacation in Perth for a rest.
The Reds will win by eight!
[one_half last=”no”]
Reds
1. James Slipper (C)
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3. Taniela Tupou
4. Izack Rodda
5. Kane Douglas
6. Adam Korczyk
7. Liam Wright
8. Caleb Timu
9. James Tuttle
10. Jono Lance
11. Eto Nabuli
12. Samu Kerevi
13. Chris Feauai-Sautia
14. Filipo Daugunu
15. Aidan Toua
16. Alex Mafi
17. JP Smith
18. Sef Fa’agase
19. Harry Hockings
20. Angus Scott-Young
21. Tate McDermott
22. Hamish Stewart
23. Duncan Paia’aua
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]
Bulls
1 P. Schoeman
2 J. Visagie
3 F. van Wyk
4 G. Snyman
5 L. de Jager
6 R. Smit
7 H. Liebenberg
8 N. de Jager
9 A. Warner
10 H. Pollard
11 D. Matthews
12 J. Kotze
13 Je. Kriel
14 T. Ismaiel
15 W. Gelant
16 Ad. Strauss
17 L. Gqoboka
18 T. Nyakane
19 J. Jenkins
20 M. van Staden
21 E. Papier
22 M. Boshoff
23 D. Rossouw
[/one_half]
