What to say that hasn't been?
- The Brumbies deserved to win, period. Congratulations to them, and most positively, many good omens for 2012. We need at least 2 consistent top tier 15 teams for rugby to re-build in Australia, 3 would be excellent, under JW and with all the ACTRU drains cleaned out, let's have the Brumbies power into consideration in 2012! I posted before this game re the hugely impressive defence of the Brumbies v Stormers, and it was if anything even better last night. In many ways the Brumbies shrewdly copied the game plan of the Force Rnd 1 v Reds, and this time, just as then, the Reds did not cope well with it
- My only qualification is that, as history shows, teams that have nothing to lose are often emboldened to win in a manner varying from their state when the fear of loss or table-dropping (in a championship contest for survival in the top group) is all too real
- QC (Quade Cooper) is now in a subtle state of 'net benefit' decline for me: there are now too many 'daring play attempt becomes reckless error' and poor hand kicks (simply conveying possession with increased risk and no gain) compared with brilliant success moments, and his kicking is simply far too game-to-game erratic at present, he needs to be replaced as kicker (but by whom?) or specialist coached into more stable returns. The Reds nearly lost to Cru vis QC (Quade Cooper)'s boot, and last night would have been much closer with 2 kickable goals, his %s are consistently below par. The notable positive is that his defence - both effort and technique - has markedly improved (from a low base). It's possible QC (Quade Cooper)'s ego is getting a bit out of alignment with reality, and I hope Link can soon manage him back into his very best
- It would appear that Beau R provided the petrol to Higgers' and Samo's engine tanks, and they were far from well-fuelled last night, as compared to the last 6-8 games. The Reds' backrow (and thus Reds' attack speed per minute) was hugely affected by Beau's withdrawal, precisely as it was with Braid's injury period last year. The Reds' mode of play necessitates an outstanding, link-playing 7, and without it, the V12 is soon a V8. I think Link erred in Coridas, his inexperience showed at this level, Schatz would have been better IMO. I thought the Reds v Canes rotations displayed coaching over-confidence, as I feel was the case with Coridas
- There were definitely parallels with the game v Canes after a tough, big win, the Reds seemed denuded and oddly rudderless from the very first minutes, and there was an early hint of 'we are invincible here' about the mood of the team, but it soon became a kind of addled uncertainty as to how the deal with the multiple problems the Brumbies were handing them; there was no sustained composure
- S Fainga'a's passing (to twin) and key not-straight line throw errors were highly expensive for the Reds; one instance was a near-certain try, the other a 60-70% likely try that close to the Brumbies' line. But many good opportunities were botched by normally solid Reds' players all night, their error rate under pressure was uncharacteristically high, and part of the credit for that must go to the Brumbies
- We fans desire the ultimate achievements of a team that has delivered so much, and so very well, for nearly 18 months now. But the dream must sometime confront reality - no team just wins, and wins, and wins, even at the Fortress, but we all believed it was possible that the dream would just never end. Well, put another way, what are fans for, if not to make the dream last longer ;-)?
- With the injuries, and this result, a loss to the Force (possessing as they do the perfect DVDs I and II as to how to do the job) looks quite likely. Can the Reds recover enough for their home Qualifier or SF? I'd make it 60/40, in their favour, but not a % more. The Reds - coming from a late 2000s nowhere - may just need 2010 and 2011 in steps upwards to mature fully to a place where they can take the ultimate prizes.
- Re Giteau: well, anyone who has followed his rugby life and who thinks he might act other than precisely in his own interests, has sadly not respected the wealth of data available
