Battle of the Blood Red: Lions v Queensland Reds 8th June 2013

[Hugh Jarse]

I thought the backs got some sting in them when aussie mike came on.

What an uncharacteristic and rather embarrassing miss at goal by Aussie Mike. Gotta fell a little sorry for the poor bugger.

Is Premier Newman going to revoke his QLD citizenship?

 

[The Red Baron]

Very happy with the boys. They had a real crack and let the Lions know that they were in a game.

Luke Morahan was a standout on both attack and defence.

 

[Craig Riddington]

One thing I know if Farrell ever must start at 10 for the Lions or are forced to they are royal e screwed. He is not good enough to wear that shirt

Based on last night?? There's a lot of fresh air between Sexton and O'Ferrell but he's nowhere near as bad as people are making out. So what was it about last nights game that proved he would be such a disaster at Test rugby? Was it his kicking, his passing, his defence, his running? Did he "sit too deep"?

 

[redstragic]

Personally enjoyed the game, though to be fair I said to wife I wouldn't actually want to watch the Reds or anyone play that style every week, I find it all a tad tedious after awhile. Still good idea to play against a touring team like this, entertains the crowd a bit, and certainly early in tour can make their defence scramble a bit. Like I said good to watch, thought the Reds went well, disrupted Lions patterns and gave it a good shot. Lions look like they got some good players, and will play within their structures pretty well I think come test time.

That game was exhausting to watch. At aboit the 8 minute mark, I felt as though I'd seen almost a full half of footy played.

 

[Craig Riddington]

Personally enjoyed the game, though to be fair I said to wife I wouldn't actually want to watch the Reds or anyone play that style every week, I find it all a tad tedious after awhile. Still good idea to play against a touring team like this, entertains the crowd a bit, and certainly early in tour can make their defence scramble a bit. Like I said good to watch, thought the Reds went well, disrupted Lions patterns and gave it a good shot. Lions look like they got some good players, and will play within their structures pretty well I think come test time.

Supporting the Reds might take years off your life but it's rarely dull

 

[Scrubber2050]

You can blame the Ref, shitty passes, shitty kicks, missed tackles, forward passes blah blah and blah. BUT

It was a great game of entertaining rugby !!!!!! Loved it

 

[convenient wisdom]

Loved the game last night and the effort from both teams. As another poster has commented, nearly all the variety of skill sets our game has to offer were displayed by 1 or the other team. I watched at home, and was wondering if it was just a camera angle thing or were the lions especially farrell offside in defence quite often ? maybe someone at the game would know.( Not including the assistant refs, so Glen Jackson, dont bother posting champ ). The Lions deserved the win, though. What was amusing was Greg Clarks comments on Fox, where he said multiple times " If the tests are going to be like this, we have a great series coming up". Greg, the tests are not going to look much like that, my friend,............. no, not much at all................

But I have woken up today more convinced that the wallabies can beat this lot !!

Injury Updates anyone ??

Last point - The Reds have to seriously fix up their kick chase ...first the rebels and then the lions just ran back through the guts.. Straigth line , correct spciing, communicate !!

 

[Dan54]

Supporting the Reds might take years off your life but it's rarely dull

Lol tell me about it Craig, if you look at my profile I a Canes man(where I from inNZ), I was a member at Reds for a couple of years, but didn't think the heart could handle 2 teams like that to support, so one had to go!!

 

[BDA]

I thought I'd find the SkyUK commenters more entertaining to listen to last night. I didn't. I don't know the commentators by name but one of the guys was like the British/Irish version of Marto.
the bloke continually commented that the Lions team is "nowhere near full strength". take your hand off it. There were a number of perceived starting players in the run on side, and most of the bench was guys you'd expect to see in the starting side. this is the 40 best players from B & I. There is not a huge gap between the best and worst players in the B & I squad, so to say they were nowhere near full strength is ridiculous. actually this game had two players that should have played the tests that now wont (Bowe and Manu) The truth is there is a much bigger gap between the quality of this Reds side and our national squad... a massive gap. Ben Daley is no Benn Robinson. Frisby is no Will Genia. O'Donugue is no Horwill. Hansen is no Moore. etc.

The Lions should have gone out there and dominated that scrum and Lineout because of the Reds' lack of quality in that area. most of the good Super 15 sides would have done the same. If anything I thought the Lions should have been more dominant. They were unable to get a pushover try against a make shift tight 5. I thought other than the set piece the Reds generally outplayed the Lions. If it had not been for the rain ruining the Reds game plan or alternatively if the Reds had just made their kicks, this could have gone the reds way. The Lions also benefited hugely from having a quality bench that the Reds didn't have.

The breakdown was one area where I thought the Reds mostly got the upper hand. The Lions better hope like hell they improve in this area because Beau Robinson dominated the breakdown (before going off injured) and he is not in the same league as Gill/Hooper at the moment. those guys are going to absolutely tear it up in the tests.

Physicality was also concern. The Wallabies pack will be generally bigger and more physical than this Reds team and the Lions battled to win the collisions against what was a relatively small, albeit dynamic pack.

Finally I thought that Cooper was good, but the Reds style of play cannot be attributed solely to Cooper. People yarning on about how the Wallabies wont and cant replicate that style of play are mistaken in my view. With LOC, Lilo, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Beale, Folau, Genia, Ioane, etc we have much more ability to threaten out wide than the Reds did. If Luke Morahan tore wholes through the lions defense then guys like Beale and Folau will have a field day. Genia will essentially be our quade cooper at test level. He dictates play better than cooper and his passing game is even better.

Robbie deans would be a complete idiot if he did not look at this game and the squad he has and realise that he has the players to win this series.

 

[Paradox]

Quade was really good despite a few Quadish brain farts. How many times did he touch the ball? I thought he seriously asserted himself and rarely died with the ball. He was dominant tonight and gave the Reds their width. Set piece killed them in the end but Quade inspired those Reds.

Great effort from the Reds, proud of that as a fellow Aussie.

 

[lewisr]

How many times did he touch the ball? I thought he seriously asserted himself and rarely died with the ball.

Unfortunately for some that is not a good thing. I think it is brilliant - when he pulls it off - and the screw ups come with the success but thats just my opinion.

 

[Muttonbird]

No Qwerty - The rest of us are watching the game and cheering for an Aussie team to get one over the Lions. Fancy that.

We all know you only watch Reds games to count Quades errors. It's got to the point where it drowns out the occasional rational post you make.

Now where's that ignore button?

Anyone calling for QC (Quade Cooper) to be in the Wallabies squad should be counting his errors. It's quite important and that's what the Wallaby coaching panel will be doing.

Quado's nailed his colours to the mast which is fine. He's been told what to do with his game in order to warrant Wallaby selection and has ignored that advice as far as I could see from last night's performance.

My guess is, if he does make the Wallabies squad this year it will be because they are under severe injury pressure.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I enjoyed QC (Quade Cooper)'s performance last night. He showed great skills at times.
Not sure I would have enjoyed it if it actually mattered.

 

[No4918]

Should QC (Quade Cooper) go and play the game the Wallabies coaches want if his franchise coach wants something entirely different? Not in my view so blaming him for not showing the 'skills' they want takes a pretty simplistic view. He has shown an ability to play different game plans many times under Link in the last few years but that does not help justify excuses for not picking him this year.

 

[lewisr]

For those wanting the stats of Quade Cooper:

8 Runs for 61m
8 Mauls/ Rucks - Second most in the team
11 Kicks for 413m
2 Offloads (This seems dodgy, thought he had more)
2 Turn overs - 10th worst in the match

Unfortunately no stats on tackles yet. I thought I saw 3 or 4 where he missed and slipped off. Some of those he still put the person to ground which was common for most players due to the rain.

Only the one forward pass? One Stupid no look pass where it was clear Lucas went the wrong side. Still, part of his riskiness and should avoid that stuff.

BDA if you're going to play the expansive, riskier game why not choose the person who lives and breathes that style of rugby?? If we are going conservative then there is no place for Cooper but I don't see why you'd waste the most talented attacking 10 if we decide to go that approach. We aren't saying the wallabies can't do it without him. They can just do it better with cooper at flyhalf.

 

[BDA]

I enjoyed QC (Quade Cooper)'s performance last night. He showed great skills at times.
Not sure I would have enjoyed it if it actually mattered.

I think that comment goes to the heart of the issue here. Cooper undoubtably over played his hand last night. There was one point in the 20th minute where he passed to no one and if it had not been for a mistake from the Lions player it would have been 7 points against the Reds.We cant afford that in the tests.

Cooper's long passing game would be an asset, but we have other guys that bring similar Skills. Will Genia for one has a beautiful long passing game, knows how to put his players into space, knows when to spread it wide, generally dictates play much better than cooper, whilst puts his players under pressure less often and throwing less forward passes.

We need to play a fast paced, dynamic game that revolves around Genia.

Edit: I'm not saying that I wouldn't have Cooper in my squad. I would. But the reality is he wont be playing in the tests. There are advantages and disadvantages to not picking cooper at 10.

 

[Quick Hands]

If you are a coach/selector and you have a player like QC (Quade Cooper) you have a choice - 1) pick him, accept the brain snaps but believe that they are more than offset by his brilliance or, 2) decide that you for all he brings you don't think the brain snaps are worth it. He's a polarising personality and those who believe in choice 1 will never be convinced by those who believe in choice 2 and vice versa.

People shouldn't take the gloss off last night's brilliant match by turning it into the latest chapter of the Quade saga.

The Reds were very very good and Quade played his part - but I don't think that last night will change anyone's view.

Well done Reds and I hope that the Waratahs can put in a similar effort next Saturday.

 

[Paradox]

Anyone calling for QC (Quade Cooper) to be in the Wallabies squad should be counting his errors. It's quite important and that's what the Wallaby coaching panel will be doing.

Beale, for example, makes just as many errors and hands the ball back with silly chip kicks and grubbers and yet he's in favour. Barnes as well is guilty of handing the ball back with ineffective kicks. These are often as bad as turnovers.

 

[No4918]

Did anyone else notice Big Kev on the side line? He was on his feet yelling at every man and his dog for at least most of the second half. He lives and breathes QLD rugby. I have on occasion sensed he may be more passionate for the Red than Gold jersey, or at least carries a different sort of special affinity for the Red that in some aspects may surpass those he feels for the gold.

 

[BDA]

I agree with Quick Hands. To each his own.

I have no problem with JOC (James O'Connor) starting at 10. With Beale at Fullback, Lilo/Barnes at 12 and the world's best halfback inside him, im sure he'll do a great job, but we'll have to wait til the first test to find out. JOC (James O'Connor) has never let us down on the field regardless of the number on his back. He'll rise to the occasion.

If our attack is horrible in the first test, then I'd like to see Cooper brought in, which is why I think he should be in the squad but not necessarily the starting side.

that's just my person opinion. I do agree we should at least have the option of picking Cooper.