Highlanders v Reds Good Friday 29th March

[Ash]

Great kick, it's over! Back to a 1 point margin, 6 to go. Reds need to kick deep and keep it down their half.

 

[Ash]

Reds go deep to Gear, he gets back to 25m out. Clan go wide but drop it back. Ben Smith with a huge clearance to the Reds line. Cooper kicks it out directly after taking it back. Costly mistake.

 

[qwerty51]

Brainless by Cooper. Zero awareness.

 

[Set piece magic]

Late hit on cooper anyone? Looked like a shoulder in that fs

 

[Ash]

Cooper did it all wrong there. Ran to his support and waited too long to clear under pressure from Ben Smith. Huge kick from Ben Smith to get them on attack.

 

[qwerty51]

How is that not a knock on?

 

[Ash]

Clan overthrow, blatant knock on from Butler. Ref doesn't call it! Then gives Reds a penalty. Major screw up from the ref in the Reds' favour.

 

[Ash]

Reds maul off the lineout, make 5m before it stops.

Reds trying to play out the 3 minutes left.

 

[Ash]

2 minutes left, and it's trapped. Ref gives it to the Clan rightly after a woeful pick and go from the Reds. Simmons needed to go a step wider.

 

[Ash]

This game is a nail biter. Good game so far.

Strong sscrum from the Clan. They go wide, lose the ball and knock it on.

Reds scrum, 1 minute to go. Nonu's pass was a mile forward as well.

 

[Ash]

The Reds just need to win the scrum, hold the ball for a few rucks and kick it out.

20 seconds left as the scrum packs.

 

[ACR]

Oh I forgot, other teams are allowed to knock on against us. How many times have they knocked it on and thrown forward passes? Fuk's sake. Every single game this year the refs have been rubbing green all over our opposition. It's just getting bullshit.

Reds played well enough. Good for them.

 

[Ash]

Reset after the scum is not stable. Scrum is now the last play of the game. Hooter goes. Scrum packs.

Clan push early, free kick to the Reds. Genia kicks it out. Game over! Reds win 34 - 33.

 

[qwerty51]

Australia 3 from 3 vs NZ.

 

[p.Tah]

Couldn't get to a TV to watch this live. Hoped to watch it on delay without knowing the score. I caved in. Come on Reds!

 

[Ash]

ACR dumb play at times cost the Clan as much as the ref. That call about Butler was an absolute shocker though, he definitely knocked that on right in front of the ref.

Issue for the clan is that, while Gill was on, their loosies were pretty comprehensively outplayed.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Australia 3 from 3 vs NZ.

I like the sound of that.

 

[Scott Allen]

Will have to watch this one later - sounds like the Reds were patchy towards the end but taking 5 points away from Dunedin is a good result.

 

[redveincheese]

F#ck, that was close, Ref was shocking, he should get the 2015 WC final.

 

[Ash]

I think the Reds were the better team in the end. Both teams were willing to throw it around though, which made for a good game.

Several issues for the Reds:
1. Defence too passive, letting the Clan get over the gain line too much. The Clan reserves in particular ran too easily past the gain line over and over.
2. Silly errors at key times still costing them, particularly once they get a lead. Reds just seem to switch off when they get ahead.

Over all, very close game unfortunately influenced by a few ref decisions who otherwise controlled the game well.

Well done to the Reds for breaking their Otago hoodoo.