Queensland top Super Rugby AU table after breaking 7-year hoodoo
Queensland have emerged as surprise Super Rugby AU leaders after breaking a seven-year hoodoo with their victory over the Western Force.
For the first time since 2013 the Reds have been unbeaten for four successive games, with their 31-24 Suncorp Stadium victory edging them edge a point clear of the title-favourite Brumbies.
Like the Reds, the Brumbies came from behind to win as they accounted for the NSW Waratahs 24-23 on Saturday night.
Replacement halfback Issak Fines dashed across for a last-ditch try before the conversion sealed the deal.
The Brumbies are also unbeaten and, with the Reds having a bye next round, they could regain top spot after the clash with the Melbourne Rebels.
However, they will be without young playmaker Noah Lolesio who injured his hamstring.
A Brumbies official said that Lolesio, who was visibly upset after being injured against the Tahs, was set for scans on Monday but they feared he would be out for “at least a couple of weeks”.
While the standard of play was an improvement from round two, one worrying sign for Rugby Australia in the midst of broadcast and future competition structure negotiations is that New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aotearoa is proving almost as popular with Fox Sports viewers.
While Sunday’s figures don’t include sport streaming service Kayo subscribers, 53,000 people watched the Waratahs-Brumbies match while 49,000 Fox Sports viewers in Australia watched the clash between the Hurricanes and Blues.
Reds coach Brad Thorn said before round three that Super Rugby AU was still finding its feet, with teams jumping straight into competition without the benefit of trial games following the coronavirus shutdown.
Thorn said he thought his team’s performance was an improvement,
“There was a step taken but we’ll continue to build,” he said.
“We left some points out there, which is exciting, potential and all that but I guess that’s part of this comp, us just seeking to improve.”
The largely-inexperienced Waratahs sit in third place but are stinging after letting a 20-5 lead slip against the Brumbies, who they haven’t beaten in two years.
Well-led by veteran lock Rob Simmons, the Waratahs dominated the lineout and scrum but quick tries from Folau Fainga’a and Rob Valetini got the Brumbies back in the match before the late heart-breaker.
“For large sections it felt like the boys did a great job,” Waratahs coach Rob Penney said.
“We played well and deserved the dessert but credit to Brumbies who hung in there.
“There were a lot of positives but there’s some bitterly disappointed boys in the change room.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo 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.
33 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
33 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
33 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.
33 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.
33 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.
33 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.
33 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 comments