Highlanders survive two yellow cards to bank crucial win over Reds
Queensland Reds skipper Tate McDermott has ripped his team’s “embarrassing” defence and complacency after surrendering another lead to hand the Highlanders just their third win of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
The hosts led 12-0 but, for the third straight week against New Zealand opposition, couldn’t seal the deal in a 27-19 loss that’s all but buried their hopes of a top-four finish and home final.
The Highlanders copped two overlapping yellow cards in the early stages, giving the Reds a brief two-man numerical advantage they looked to have made the most of.
But the visitors hit back late in the first half – Thomas Umaga-Jensen slipping five tackles to score out of nowhere – and then had a lead nine minutes into the second half.
Coach Brad Thorn lamented their poor defensive mindset and “another wasted game”, admitting the ruthless visitors had shown them how to close out a contest.
But McDermott was far more scathing.
“The complacency … 12-0 up, we had worked so hard for our points … to have someone walk through our line, it’s embarrassing really,” he said.
“We’re switching off in those moments, in those money minutes either side of halftime we’re opening the door.”
The Reds (7-4), who were crowned domestic champions last season, now boast just two wins from their last 25 games against New Zealand opponents.
Injuries have not helped their cause, with Harry Wilson knocked out and taken from the field on the medi-cab attempting to regather a brilliant Jordan Petaia grubber after a linebreak early in the second half.
Influential Wallabies trio James O’Connor, Taniela Tupou and Hunter Paisami were already on the sidelines, while an ill Harry Hooper was a game-day withdrawal.
They were sorely missed when the Reds needed to steady and build on a solid start, a bench including ring-ins Sef Fa’agase and Albert Anae unable to match the output of their rivals.
McDermott said O’Connor, who could return to face the top-of-the-table Blues at Eden Park next week, was a tough man to replace.
But he said his senior backline partners needed to offer more help to Lawson Creighton, who had been “thrown to the wolves” in the last three weeks.
“I’ve got to give better service to him but we have guys out there like (fullback) Jock (Campbell) and how many times did our centres kick tonight?” he queried.
“There’s so much pressure on Lawson to steer the ship for us and I need to help him out more, particularly in those moments when things aren’t going our way.”
Highlanders co-captain Aaron Smith did just that before his replacement Folau Fakatava stole the show just as Ryan Smith’s try – after 17 Reds phases – had put the hosts up 19-13.
First he perfected a neat reverse flick pass back inside for Scott Gregory to stroll over before popping up again to score the match-sealer.
“Folau’s one of our best impact players … Aaron Smith’s had a big shift and we needed energy and impact,” proud coach Tony Brown said.
“He’s unreal … no one plays rugby like he plays rugby; he can beat anyone in a phone box and create for other players.”
The win pushed the Highlanders, who came back to beat Fijian Drua in Suva last week, into eighth and ahead of the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels.
– Murray Wenzel
Comments on RugbyPass
Should've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to comments