Don’t look now, but the Reds have had the best start to a season since 1999 when they also won 4 out of the first 6 games. The Reds went on that year to top the Super 12 table and while that might be out of reach for the 2010 vintage, a spot in the finals certainly beckons.
The Reds have notched a number of milestones already this season – tick ‘em off.
Back to back wins since 2006, three wins in a row since 2004, setting straight a seven game losing streak in South Africa, ending an eleven game losing streak against the Saders and chalking up a record winning margin for the club in Super rugby when they shamed the Force by 40 points.
That’s all great for the stat-freak rugby nerd like me, but there is a more exciting prospect on the horizon, the prospect of finals rugby for the first time since 2001.
Ok, the season is just over half way through, and the Reds sit in sixth place 4 points outside the top four, but indulge me if you will.
The three teams directly ahead of the Reds (19pts) are the Brumbies (5th, 21 pts) the Tahs (23 pts, 4th) and the Saders (3rd, 23 pts). The interesting thing about this is the Ponies and Tahs are yet to have their bye week so the Reds have a game in hand of both.
Canterbury, who have had their bye, stormed home last season to sneak a finals spot but things don’t look so simple this year with two of their last three games in Sth Africa against high flyers the Stormers and Bulls.
Following this they have to haul arse back to Christchurch to face the Brumbies with only a 5 day turnaround for their final match. Significantly, no New Zealand team has won their first game back home after their tour so far this year.
Another small, but not insignificant point is that the Reds also have a better points differential (76 pts) than the Brumbies (8 pts) and the Tahs (47 pts) – this could be the clincher in a tight finals race.
Of the teams below the Reds, the only real contenders seem to be the Chiefs (7th, 17 pts), the Canes and Blues (8th and 9th, 16 pts respectively) and Sharks (10th, 12 pts)
Out of this chasing pack the credentials of the Canes, who are also yet to have the bye, and the Blues, who are yet to travel, are under serious question. Both of these teams are not playing good rugby so it would take a massive turn around for them to feature.
The Sharks are a bit of a smokey but they are also yet to have the week off and the Reds get a chance to rub them out of contention on Saturday.
This task could be made easier with the Sharks’ arduous travel requirements this week as they make their way back from Wellington after a five week tour.
The Chiefs look to be the team below the Reds with the strongest claims as they have had the bye week and play 5 out of their last 7 in the Waikato, but they also would need to find some consistency.
Since the inception of the Super 14, around 41 pts has been required to earn 4th place and with the Reds sitting on 19 pts, and at least 28 still available, they are well and truly in the hunt.
Reds Wallaby Watch vs Cheetahs
Put his hand up: Greg Holmes – The forgotten Wallaby came on at loose-head as replacement for Ben Daley then had to switch to tight-head when Laurie Weeks went off injured. Handled it well and was busy around the field
Did himself no favours: Quade Cooper – An otherwise solid game was marred by a schoolboy sin-binning that could have cost the Reds the game against better opposition.
Bolter Watch: The Faingaa twins, I’m getting sick of trying to work out which one is going better than the other so they’re both in.
