‘Upset of the round’: Two ex-Wallabies react to Force’s win over Reds
Australian broadcaster Sean Maloney has described the Force’s stunning 40-31 win over the Reds as the “upset of the round” as the men from out west got their season back on track.
Before round five, the then-second-placed Queensland Reds were overwhelming favourites to get the job done over in Perth after starting the season with three wins from four starts.
The Reds had emerged as a genuine contender in Super Rugby Pacific after their near-perfect run, with their only loss coming in a golden point thriller against the Hurricanes at AAMI Park.
As for the Force, they started their season with a series of tough defeats and sat anchored to the bottom of the table along with the winless Crusaders.
But the panel on Stan Sports’ Between Two Posts were quick to praise the Force this week after a Bayley Kuenzle double helped inspire a nine-point win over their Australian rivals.
“We’re all wondering how good the Reds were and how consistent they could be,” former Wallaby Morgan Turinui said.
“The Force looked good, they looked smart.
“(The Reds) played poorly because they weren’t allowed to play well,” he added.
“I thought there were some adventurous little bits of pieces in there in the beginning of their match which was like a new little phase play, the mini maul… just the fact that we saw a few new things I wonder whether this week was, ‘Oh let’s try some things.’
“We don’t want to overanalyse what the Reds have done, the Force were excellent. Breakdown pressure, intensity, beat the Reds to the punch.”
After a scoreless start to the match, wing Bayley Kuenzle started the Force’s first-half point-scoring blitz with the opening try in the 15th minute, which was converted by Ben Donaldson.
Former Maori All Blacks lock Tom Franklin and New Zealander Chase Tiatia also added to the score as the hosts ran in 21 unanswered points.
While Queensland slowly clawed their way back, the full-time score made the match look closer than it was with Fraser McReight and Jock Campbell scoring tries late in the piece.
The Force have moved up one place on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder to 11th after that drought-breaking defeat, with the Crusaders the only winless side left in the competition.
As Super Rugby champion Stephen Hoiles explained, the Force have “got it in them” to be a more competitive side should they develop into a more consistent side away from home.
“The thing is with the Force, take out the game before last weekend, every game up until now… there’s been great starts or great finishes, so they’ve shown glimpses in all but one of their five games and last weekend’s game was excellent,” the former Wallaby explained.
“They were very good at home last year and they weren’t very good on the road, and they’ve been poor on the road this year. That’s what they’ve got to change.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Fiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
33 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
33 Go to commentsShould'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 comments