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Four yellow and two red cards - How the Reds need to improve to make the play-offs
Queensland captain Samu Kerevi would love to wipe the slate clean after one of the Reds’ uglier wins.
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But he says they must take lessons from the scrappy 32-26 defeat of the Sunwolves that at one stage saw 14 playing 12.
Four yellows and two red cards were handed out by referee Angus Gardner at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, with the Reds copping the sole straight red when Harry Hockings’ boot caught an opponent late in the clash.
All but one of the remaining cards came when the Sunwolves illegally slowed the Reds’ progress or were caught offside – the other was for a marginal high tackle – with Brad Thorn clearly annoyed by the tactics.
The victory puts Queensland just two points behind Australian conference leaders Melbourne into second and ahead of the Waratahs on the live standings.
Kerevi is buoyed to be in the finals conversation but frustrated they have made things so hard for themselves.
“I feel like a broken record, but the leaders need to put our foot down because the little things are killing us,” he said.
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“We’ll take that win, but we’ve got to really learn because it’s starting to get to that point in the season where we’re either there or we’re not.”
Thorn was sympathetic of the officials but critical of his side’s game management as the Sunwolves gave away a mammoth 18 penalties.
Rather than throw the ball wide to exploit their numerical advantage, the Reds opted for their much-vaunted scrum and rolling mauls only to lose possession.
“It’s silly just to keep things battling away; I’d like to think we’ve got other weaponry,” he said of their lack of creativity.
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“It’s an interesting one, it ended up 12 v 14, how often do you see that?
“It must be hard, he’s a really good man (Gardner) and had an awkward responsibility to send a message (to play by the rules).
“If it keeps happening where does it get to?”
Opposing coach Tony Brown didn’t see it that way though.
“There’s World Cup spots coming up; they’re all wanting to do well,” he said of the pressure on officials.
“It was one of the first times I’ve seen Angus Gardner under pressure in a game of rugby and he didn’t handle it well.
“I think he’ll look back at that game and hopefully learn from it and be better, no different from any rugby player.”
AAP
Reds and Sunwolves media briefings after Brisbane showdown:
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments