Reds V Crusaders Friday 6th Feb - Ballymore

[Ash]

Kotze on for Horwill.

Better phase play from the Reds, going a bit side to side but the big outside backs are making ground. Better passes from Paia'aua, but Magnay knocks on.

 

[No4918]

Dave McDuling reading from the book of cliche sports commentary. He might be after a new job.

 

[Ash]

Carter is off.

 

[Forcefield]

Top points to the Reds for the live streaming of all the trials.

 

[Ash]

Crusaders prop is being told by the ref to bind properly, ref is saying he's been binding on the sleave.

Fuck, Faagase is hurt, coming off the field. Arm or shoulder looks like, does not look good. Talakai back on.

 

[Ash]

Reds have dominated possession for the last 10 or so minutes.

Saders get a turnover for Reds holding on. I think it was the Saders lock that earnt that?

 

[Ash]

Wow, shocking throw from the Sader hooker - too slow and not close to straight.

 

[Ash]

Knock on from Kuridrani now, midfield. All gone a bit sloppy.

Paia'aua is looking a lot better than last week, though.

 

[Ash]

Todd off.

Saia off, Ready on.

Browning off, Korzcyk on.

 

[Ash]

Saders scrum had the Reds going backwards there before they cleared.

 

[Ash]

7 mins left, score still 28 - 12 to the Reds.

Clever grubber into the Saders 22 has a Saders lineout. Frisby came up quickly and just dropped the ball from an intercept, otherwise he was in.

 

[Ash]

Reds have given away a few penalties now and the Saders have a lineout in the Reds 22.

 

[Ash]

Schatz steals, Frisby kicks downfield and gets to his own kick first. He can just soccer it forward and the ball goes into touch in the Saders 22.

 

[Ash]

Set move off a lineout, a bounce pass to Kerevi and he beats a few tackles to run 25m and score under the posts.

 

[Ash]

Converted. Reds up 35 to 12, 3 minutes to go.

 

[Ash]

Game over.

Saders were a few metres out, huge tackle from Kotze and the Reds steal the ball and Frisby kicks it out to end the game.

35 - 12 to the Reds the final score, after a 28 - 0 half time score.

 

[Ash]

The great news for me is that Horwill and Genia are looking very good, much better than in previous years.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

So essentially a draw - your blokes won the 1st half, mine the 2nd

Seriously tho, thanks for the updates even if it was mostly painful reading.

 

[Ash]

Reg's commentary went rather well, improving on last week too. Sounds like he's starting to get a bit more confidence.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Congratulations to the Reds. Looked very sharp and definitely the better side. Much more structure in attack than the Crusaders. Scrum very strong especially in the first half, and lineout well on top.

Individually, Will Genia ia very likely to take back the No 1 half back spot for the Wallabies if he continues this form. Don't know what all the hype is about Frisby. Thought he had a shocker. Gave away at least three penalties, knocked on and threw some awful passes, and he seems to have an uncanny knack of picking out the runner who has the most defense on him. Led to another two or three lost balls. But as a Brumbies supporter, sure play him at 9 next week please. Will just couldn't have another top game two weeks running, could he?

Horwill looked fit and showed his best form for quite a while.

Hunt was definitely more influential than Dan Carter and I thought Paia'aua was quite sharp when he came on.

Kuridrani and F'Sautia were both strong in attack and defense, and JJT looked pretty good at 15.

I thought Slipper again showed he is one of the best LHPs going round, and really schooled Franks in some early scrums.

Next week is looking like it will be immense.