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Super Rugby AU Final: Reds Player Ratings

By Finn Morton
Taniela Tupou (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The Queensland Reds have gone down fighting in the final of Super Rugby AU, losing 28-23 to the Brumbies in Canberra.

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Here’s the Reds player ratings:

1. JP Smith – 6/10
Smith did his job against the Brumbies, playing his part in the Reds dominant scrum during the first half.

2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa – 5.5/10
The Reds earlier season lineout woes came back to haunt them in the Final, with Paenga-Amosa missing pivotal throws throughout the contest. The Reds struggled to gain any ascendancy in the forwards as a result. The 24-year-old also only had one carry, and made just four tackles in the decider.

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3. Taniela Tupou – 7.5/10
Tupou was a standout for the Reds in the Final, just as he has been all season. The Tongan Thor was dominant in the scrum, getting the better of Wallaby Scott Sio to earn his side a few penalties in the first half. He was also tough to bring down when he got his chances in attack, running for 30 metres off six carries.

4. Angus Blyth – 6.5/10
Not sure about his haircut, but Blyth capped off a great campaign with another promising display. The 22-year-old showed glimpses of his potential even with the Reds lineout struggling. Blyth also managed to cross for a try late that got his side to within touching distance of the lead.

5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – 5/10
Salakaia-Loto struggled to make an impact, finishing the match with one carry and one tackle. Went off early in the second-half after a nasty head clash, but was good to see the 24-year-old walk off.

6. Liam Wright – 6.5/10
It was a tough night for the Reds skipper, who showed plenty of heart, but couldn’t influence the game with his efforts. Wright applied plenty of pressure on the Brumbies lineout, especially later in the game.

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7. Fraser McReight – 6.5/10
It was a quiet night for the 21-year-old, who was uncharacteristically ineffective around the breakdown. McReight was penalties a few times at the breakdown, instead making his mark in attack. Especially later in the match, the flanker looked dangerous down the left-hand side.

8. Harry Wilson – 7/10
In a losing side, Wilson was a shining light for the Queensland Reds, with his work rate impressing once again. The 20-year-old finished with a turnover and made the most tackles of any Reds forward. He also crossed for a try in the 31st minute, running in support of a rampant Jordan Petaia.

9. Tate McDermott – 7/10
With only 39% of possession in the first-half, McDermott couldn’t make his usual impact with the ball in hand. He did get more lively as the game went on, with his highlight play coming with 15 minutes to play. Showing fantastic footwork, the scrumhalf managed to break through the Brumbies defence and lay the ball back for Blyth to cross over.

10. James O’Connor – 7/10
O’Connor’s leadership and organisation guided a young Queensland Reds side to the Final, but it wasn’t enough to get them over the line against the Brumbies. He ran the ball well when he had to, but was also very deep which kept his side on the back foot. O’Connor also kicked plenty of ball away without finding the grass. He did finish with 13 points to his name though, and the Reds wouldn’t have come so close to silverware without his experience.

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11. Filipo Daugunu – 5.5/10
Daugunu has arguably been the form winger of Super Rugby AU, but he didn’t have his best performance in the decider. The winger was yellow carded 50 minutes in for a tip tackle, in what was an otherwise quiet night. He made no tackles and only had three carries.

12. Hamish Stewart – 6.5/10
Was once again solid in defence, making the most tackles of any Reds player with nine without missing any. But Stewart did struggle to make an impact in attack, only having a limited amount of opportunities.

13. Hunter Paisami – 7/10
Paisami was a bolter in Dave Rennie’s first Wallabies squad, but reminded everyone why he’s gunning for the gold 13 jersey with a brutal display in attack. He was constantly bumping off defenders, proving very hard to bring down, even when he had little to no room to move. Great work rate as well.

14. Jordan Petaia – 6.5/10
Only got half a game, but Petaia showed once again, that he’s truly a special talent. The up-and-comer made something out of nothing to set up Harry Wilson, running through a broken Brumbies defence before laying the ball off to his teammate with a flick pass.

15. Jock Campbell – 6.5/10
A frustrating night for the fullback, who showed glimpses of his threat but struggled to make a genuine impact. He’ll be disappointed with his final contribution from the Final, dropping the ball cold as the Reds looked to mount a final attack from deep.

Replacements:
16. Josh Nasser
17. Harry Hoopert 6/10
18. Ruan Smith
19. Tuaina Taii Tualima
20. Angus Scott-Young 6/10
21. Moses Sorovi 6/10
22. Bryce Hegarty6.5/10
23. Jack Hardy – N/A

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Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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