3. Seeing Red
The comments section of Scott Allen’s match summary was a collection of ill-informed rants, pointless hatred and a fair bit of juvenile name-calling (of both players and other commenters). Most of it was very undignified. There were a few calm heads, but they were very much in the minority.
Most of the invective was directed at the Brumbies’ tactics, no doubt helped by Link’s sullen grumbles after the game to anyone who would listen. Then the focus turned to the ref, who apparently allowed the Brumbies to get away with these heinous crimes. Both of these points ignore the fact that the Reds played a quarter of the game against a team with 14 men, and still couldn’t get the win. I thought the ref was OK in very trying circumstances. Ultimately he chose to let the game flow, which contributed to the spectacle people were raving about, but also raised the ire of plenty with his goal-line interpretations.
In all the finger-pointing and screaming, barely anything has been said about the poor option-taking by the Reds on the Brumbies’ tryline. There are instances where it is tactically sound to spurn a penalty kick for a lineout. There are instances where it is sound to take a quick tap. And then there are times where defences are set, your pack is tired and you have a penalty right under the sticks. In those cases it is not sound to take a tap, you take the bloody points and get out of there.
I am all for playing attacking rugby, but the way the Reds did it left a lot to be desired. Their first option was to kick to touch and set up a maul, which worked once. Their second option was to take a quick tap and mindlessly charge at the opposition. Or to pass it wide to a player on the sideline with four men on his back. Then pick and go, pick and go, pick and go. Put bluntly, it was waaay too predictable for a smart team like the Brumbies, even with 14 men. Now hindsight is a marvellous thing, but surely if your tactic is to turn down points and ‘play rugby’, do you think you might have a few different avenues to pursue once in the opposition 22? Maybe try a cross-kick, or a tap move, or something?
The Reds had ample opportunity to win the game. They had possession, territory and even a numerical advantage for much of the game. The fact that they did not win comes solely down to the decisions made in that 10-metre space.
