Reds v Highlanders: Reds trio deserve Wallabies call-up, Highlanders rival Crusaders
The Queensland Reds have got their season back on track with an utterly dominant 31-nil win over the Highlanders at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
For both teams, this match had a bit of a finals feel to it. While there are still almost two months between now and the playoffs, this seemed like an important match for the Reds and Highlanders alike.
Queensland had lost three on the bounce before this clash, while the Highlanders had also been beaten in their last four. With the Super Rugby Pacific season passing its halfway point, the significance speaks for itself.
The Reds took control with tries to Hunter Paisami and Ryan Smith during the first half, and the second term was more than same as the Highlanders struggled to really fire a shot at the world-famous rugby venue.
Here are some takeaways from the Reds’ bonus point win over the Highlanders.
No McReight + McDermott = No McWorries for Reds
The Stan Sport broadcast panned to some Reds players in the stands during the first half. James O’Connor was there, as was young gun Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, but two men stole the show after being ruled out of this match.
O’Connor, who is still yet to take the field this season due to a hamstring injury, pointed towards Fraser McReight and Tate McDermott as the cameras began to linger. Both men have been ruled out for a series of matches after being sent off last week.
McReight is expected to miss two matches while the blazer-wearing McDermott has been suspended for three. The absence of the Wallabies duo leaves a big hole in this Queensland Reds side.
Without both men, other players had to stand up against the Highlanders. It has to be said that a talented trio didn’t just do that, they went above and beyond. Ryan Smith, Liam Wright and Hunter Paisami have all proven themselves worthy of an international call-up.
Captain Liam Wright was a menace at the breakdown – having won a penalty during the first half – and was also the primary target at the lineout for hooker Matt Faessler. It was impossible not to notice the flanker’s impact on both sides of the ball.
Wright has played for the Wallabies before, but it’s been a while. With a new coach in Joe Schmidt, now would be the perfect time to reintroduce the Queensland Reds backrower into the test arena. After all, teammates Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson also in the conversation.
Harry Wilson with a cheeky flick 😉#SuperRugbyPacific #REDvHIG pic.twitter.com/eY4JcKzFq2
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 19, 2024
Then there’s Ryan Smith. Playing in his 50th match for Queensland, Smith won a lineout against the throw early on and later scored a try in the 27th minute. Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui said it best: “He’s been everywhere in this first 28 minutes.”
Smith has been knocking at the international door all season, but a performance like this is exactly what Joe Schmidt would’ve wanted to see from the lock in the absence of some of the Reds’ best players.
Finally, Hunter Paisami was brilliant. There’s just no other way to look at it. Not only did the centre score a try and win a penalty at the breakdown, but he also got stuck in with some no-nonsense carries and some clever work as a playmaker alongside fly-half Tom Lynagh.
Paisami also registered a try assist by sending Lawson Creighton over for a score inside the final 20 minutes of the fixture, and added another on the siren with a kick across field for Suliasi Vunivalu.
It was the icing on the cake for the Reds.
With no McReight and no McDermott there were no ‘McWorries’ for the Reds on Friday and the trio of Smith, Wright and Paisami deserve credit for that. All three men are there or thereabouts when it comes to an international call-up with the Wallabies.
Highlanders rival Crusaders as a struggling New Zealand outfit
A lot has been said this season about how impressive the undefeated Hurricanes have looked and how the Crusaders’ struggles have shocked pretty well every rugby fan in the world. These storylines have dominated Super Rugby Pacific in 2024.
But then there’s the other New Zealand teams. The high-flying Blues have received plenty of praise themselves as they look to keep close to the Canes on the ladder, and the Chiefs are not too far behind with Damian McKenzie at No. 10.
Then there’s the Highlanders. The Dunedin-based outfit were sensational during pre-season but they’ve so far failed to repeat those heroics on a consistent basis when it counted. They’ve only won two matches from eight starts this season.
The Highlanders’ last win was on March 8 in Sydney. In that fixture, Waratahs fly-half Tane Edmed missed a penalty attempt at goal which would’ve handed the hosts a famous win in front of their home fans at Allianz Stadium.
It’s been a long month and a half for the Highlanders since. They’ve lost five matches on the bounce now, including a 47-12 defeat to the Hurricanes at home last month, and remain inside the bottom four and away from a playoff spot at the moment.
The Highlanders rival the Crusaders as a struggling New Zealand side. Whether one or both are good enough to rally and make an appearance in the finals remains to be seen, but it appears quite unlikely that both teams can charge into the top eight.
Quick hands Hunter 🔥#SuperRugbyPacific #REDvHIG pic.twitter.com/PCCAt6Fblo
— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) April 19, 2024
Folau Fakatava needs to start for Cam Millar to shine
There’s been a lot of hype surrounding Cam Millar in New Zealand. The young first five has shown plenty of promise throughout the ranks of New Zealand rugby and is considered a long-term prospect to wear the No. 10 jersey in Dunedin.
Millar was handed a start against the Reds but unfortunately failed to fire. Wing Connor Garden-Bachop came closest to scoring with a chip-and-chase but even that seemed like a long shot with a number of Reds players getting back in defence.
The New Zealander is a good player, and the same can be said about his understudy tonight, Ajay Faleafaga. But if either man is to step up and grow at Super Rugby Pacific level then the Highlanders need their best players on the park.
When All Black Folau Fakatava came on, the Highlanders looked a little bit more threatening. Fakatava utilised his experience and unique skillset to steer the visitors around the park as they continued to search for their first points of the contest.
The Highlanders still had an off night and Fakatava doesn’t fix that on his own. But in matches like this which may have big ramifications on playoff spots, every team needs their best players on the field when they’re available.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
2 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
163 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
163 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
163 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the deportation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
163 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
2 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
163 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
163 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
163 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
163 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
163 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
163 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
163 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
163 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
163 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
163 Go to comments