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Dwyer’s View: A Crucial Super Rugby Weekend

Bob Dwyer July 1, 2012 33

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The Force were letting themselves down with inaccuracies. They established good field position and had the throw-in, but it was called ‘not straight’. They again established good field position with good, determined attacking play – with Cummins well to the fore – and inaccurate passing let them down.

The Brumbies’ next try, to Henry Speight, also told a story about accuracy – again in positional play in support. If the support player maintains his depth off the ball-carrier, he gives a big target for the pass. Conversely, if he gets flat, the target becomes too small and too difficult for a passer under pressure. After great work by Kimlin, White and the Holmes continued. Holmes’s ‘Hail Mary’ pass under pressure was easily accepted by Speight for his try.

Fards and beard – would look good in the G&G?

Again a second-half revival, this time for the Force. They looked much more positive and ambitious and were prepared to have a go”with the ball in hand. Well done in the break by Phil Blake! Cummins did excellently – I thought that he was a bit unlucky to miss the Wallabies squad a few weeks back – for two tries and Mafi showed the way in carrying from the back. A very well-executed, driving maul (they rebuilt it three times) gave the Force their third try for a 17 to 25 scoreline and a few Brumbies heart flutters. Well done the Force!

Good leadership soon got things right again for the Brumbies and their dominant scrum closed out the game. Well done Ben Mowen; his captaincy has been a clear factor in the Brumbies success.

The Brumbies front row were again very good. I thought that Alexander was better in the tight/loose – he played a lot closer to the ball! Kimlin was again a big contributor and should soon be rated more highly. I like Fardy; in fact, I think that I would give him a go at No. 6 at a higher level – at least in a midweek your game. He could play, I think like a fair dinkum (Kiwi) No. 6! (Regular readers will know why I’m looking for one.) Interestingly, one of the Brumbies coaching staff told me last week,that Fardy leads the Brumbies stats for steals – and he took two more in this match!

McCabe and Smith were good and both continue to grow – albeit from different starting points. We need some big, strong, fast guys around the No. 13 spot. Cummins and Smith would be well worth an investment, I reckon.

POSTSCRIPT.   If anyone wanted a demonstration of the value of attention to the fundamentals of the game, they could take a look at the two halves of Aaron Smith’s performance last weekend. I gave him some considerable praise for his All Blacks performances recently, but his first half for the Highlanders was dreadful. He constantly lifted the ball and took a step and a backswing for his clearing pass. Consequently, he squandered at least four hard-earned possessions for his team. After the break – and, no doubt, a few well-chosen words from Jamie Joseph and/or Simon Culhane – he was back to his smooth, precise delivery. Well done coaches!

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POSTED IN » ACT Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels, Queensland Reds, Super Rugby, Western Force
About the author: Bob Dwyer View all posts by
If you don't know Bob Dwyer is the world cup winning coach of the 1991 Wallabies, then give yourself an uppercut. He did a load in between, but he now runs Bob Dwyer's Rugby Workshops, which you can read more about on his site.

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Discussion »

  • johnny-boy

    Another good wrap Bob. Cooper is definitely on another planet when it comes to skills. Pretty to watch. Holding a prop up over the line to prevent a try was gold. Hallelujah !. Someone at the Reds has told Harris to back himself and have a go and run hard and it is working a treat. Another estranged kiwi benefitting from being away from the typical dark kiwi game plan. I’ve never been impressed with Cummins. Bit of a journeyman to date I thought but saw some real gung ho enthusiasm last night. The Reds are marchin’ …..

  • pedro

    Nicely summarised Bob, the run up to the finals is looking great. If the Brums can roll the tahs with a bonus point next week, the reds are gonna need a wildcard.

  • Patrick

    The Reds are definitely going to need a wild card but they’ll get it.

    I agree entirely with Bob’s comments on Beale, I was very disappointed to see JO’C at 5/8, I think all our best moments this year have been with him at 5/8.

    Can the wallabies play him and QC at first and second five, or QC at fullback?

    I agree on the Rebels needing a stronger front-row although I think it is critical at TH. I think the Rebels need a strong 13 too, (is Frans Steyn bored? Would Cummins like a new job? How about another year or two for Rougerie?) and perhaps a 7 – I’d be happy with Alcock for example, he is presumably not the Tah’s happiest camper.

    • Tom

      agree on the front row and Tapui would have been a good get in the centres, but i reckon Saffy is great at 7 if he can sought out that nasty injury i will back him in.

  • D.

    “I like Fardy; in fact, I think that I would give him a go at No. 6 at a higher level – at least in a midweek your game. He could play, I think like a fair dinkum (Kiwi) No. 6! (Regular readers will know why I’m looking for one.)”

    Gold Bob, absolute gold!!!!!!

    • Touko

      I’ve watched most of the Brumbies games this year and when I read that comment from Bob, my first thought was fuck yeah. Fardy has been playing superbly and has been close to the best of the Brumby forwards every time I’ve seen him play. I think he’s definitely worth consideration for the next level, and I could certainly imagine him playing at 6.

  • commonasmud

    Bob, I’m a Higgers fan, but not so blind that I can’t see that Fardy should be given a run, be it at 6 or as a lock. If only the Timani brothers had Fardy’s consistent agression and competitiveness. Luke Jones is another that might come into reckoning at 6.

  • Jimbo81

    Beau Robinson and Wallace Harrison just earnt themselves a Gold Jersey. Head and shoulders above any other 5 and 6 in the comp. These guys ensure that the ruck battle is won – not like all the other pretenders that give easy ball away. Finally some starch in the Aussie forwards – in the tradition of Sam Scott Young.

    Will Deans ever pick them though? There’s a reason the Reds are the best side in super rugby…..

    • Patrick

      That’s an interesting one, I assume you mean Beau instead of Higgers – obviously you don’t mean Pocock lacks starch??

      But Hooper seems pretty starchy, too, what about him? As does Dennis for that matter.

      • Jimbo81

        Beau should be Wallaby 6. jiggers at 8, pocock at 7.
        Gill on Bench.
        The reds + mckenzie would slaughter the wallaby side that limped past wales (if such a match with clones were possible).

    • Barbarian

      Can you start writing articles Jimbo? Because your mind doesn’t seem to work in the same way to us normals. A running blog would be a revealling insight into the mind of, well, a deluded Queenslander.

      I mean, Beau Robinson played the second half of a game against the Rebels, where the Rebs actually were on level pegging for most of the half. To the impartial, intelligent observer you would suggest his impact was fairly minimal. But to Jimbo he has ‘earned himself a gold jersey’ in a position he doesn’t even play!!

      This is dizzy stuff folks…

      • Patrick

        I wanted to make the point that from where I was sitting just behind the goals, the Reds were a lot LESS effective with Beau on than off, too!

        But I think it had more to do with Beale.

      • Jimbo81

        I’m not looking at Beau Robinson in isolation, although he was outstanding again last Friday, but over a lengthy period. He has been an absolute standout over the past two seasons. Menacing at the breakdown. Devastating in clean outs. There is a reason the Reds have won three in a row against the over-rated Brumbies: better players in every position.

        Looking forward to Beau breaking the hearts of the b-boys in Canberra come playoffs.

        • Patrick

          I’m not sure how over-rated the Brumbies are, in fact, I’m almost certain that they were almost written-off before the season, whilst I’m equally confident that the Reds came into it as reigning champions (I hope we can agree on that point at least).

          It’s fairly hard to be over-rated when you started from where the Brumbies did and are now clean fourth in the comp with a finals place almost guaranteed.

          I’m looking forward to seeing them play QLD too, actually.

  • Glenn Condell

    Yes some great rugby on the weekend. Especially good to see Genia, Cooper, JOC and Beale all at once. Each of them did a few special things, with a couple of memorable Cooper passes, JOC linebreaks, Beale deceptions.. but Genia’s split second aim and bullet pass for that winger’s try was the pick. Accuracy!

    And count me in the Fardy fan club. No-nonsense, no shirking. Put him in with Toby Lynn and we yield to no-one in the locking facial hair dept.

  • Red Kev

    I will be really interested to see what the Waratahs can dish up for the Brumbies and Reds in the next two rounds.

    • JimmyC

      Well they have finally picked the right backlin. Only took until Foles had his nuts on the board

      • RockyElboa

        I think that is a bit unfair. The tahs finally have a full strength backline, this has given Foley the opportunity at 10, to play him earlier without the other senior players around him may have been disastrous.

  • Lee Enfield

    I think the Brumbies should be on the lookout for an ambush. The Waratahs are shuffling the backline, with Foley to 10, Barnes to 12, Turner to the Wing and AAC to 15, a far more dangerous prospect. The Waratahs who played in the June tests will be still on a high.
    I can see the Waratahs beating the Brumbies by 12.
    The Reds will be left with no doubt that it will be game on against the Waratahs in the final round.

    • Red Kev

      I agree that the Waratahs look far more dangerous with that backline formation, the Wallabies players will be full of confidence and looking to finish big, but Jake White is too smart to get ambushed and the Waratahs still have two glaring weaknesses (1) poor service from their halfback and (2) the breakdown. The Brumbies need to focus on disrupting the rucks and hammering whoever is in the number nine jersey.
      The forward battle will be very interesting. Especially seeing Palmer pack down opposite Robinson.
      I have tipped the Waratahs because I think they’ll have something to prove, but it will be a tight game and they won’t be able to back up the following week at Suncorp (all the better for the Reds in my opinion).

      • johnny-boy

        I agree Red Kev. Funnily enough it’s the first time the Waratah backline looks a half decent threat this year. Beware Brumbies and Reds. Often when changes like this happen the first game it goes great then the second game it goes crap. Perfect timing.

  • RJ

    If the chiefs beat the saders, it’s quite possible NZ would only have 1 team on the finals. Must be becuase they have such a weak conference.

    • Patrick

      Both those outcomes must be very good odds at the moment. Saders didn’t look nearly good enough, if they couldn’t beat the Canes with no scrum or lineout then the Chiefs might clobber them.

      I agree with Lee Enfield that the Tahs look much better that way but can’t see them beating the Brumbies.

    • johnny-boy

      That would be too much joy to hope for RJ …..

    • JezaCBHS

      It’s possible…but the thing in the saders favour is that they have a high points difference.

      The Reds would have to win both games with a bonus point and the saders couldn’t get 2 bonus points in their loss to the chiefs.

      The Sharks have to beat the Bulls with a bonus point and i cant see that happening.

      • SW

        Crusaders are on 52 points. If they lose the the Chiefs, and the Reds win (with no bonus point) the Reds go to 53 points, and slot into 6th place.

        The Caines going to 5th place (on 53 points) due a 4 point bye.

        Even if the Sharks win (assuming no bonus point) they will only be 7th, as they have won less games than both the Reds and Caines.

        If it plays out this way on the weekend the Saders will be 8th.

        Their points diff won’t matter for shite if they lose to the Chiefs this weekend – which IMO is a good a bet given DC is still sidelined.

        Then if the Reds, Chiefs and Sharks all have a win in Round 21 (all pretty likely outcomes) there will be only one kiwi team in finals: the Chiefs.

  • http://BigFella Big Fella

    Agree Bob that Simmons played well and went to another level with his ball running efforts.
    I’d like to see him widen his feet when running to stop him being felled so easily. At the moment tackling both ankles at once is too easy a target.
    The pass that caught my eye was White’s pass to Holmes for Speight’s try. It was a

    • http://BigFella Big Fella

      Sorry!!!
      …..it was a beauty, long and thrown nicely in front of a fast moving Holmes, and through returning Force traffic.
      Pocock is starting to miss some tackles on the outside when he’s burned for speed, and this won’t go unnoticed by fleet footed backs.
      Like Cummins too, his aggro and enthusiasm are contagious, and he’s big and strong to back it up.

      • JimmyC

        BF I noticed that too. I blame his requirement to do every bloody thing for the team

  • Redsfan1

    For all of Jake White’s blustering the Brumbies still lost to the Reds home & away. They also skipped the Stormers & Crusaders in their draw- not bad. I hope the Reds get them in the Wuarters to make it 3 in a row.

    • pedro

      Just be happy that there are potentially two aussie teams in the finals. I cheered on the reds last year when the brums weren’t playing them.

  • Robson

    The difference that Quade makes to the Red’s backline was very apparent when he wasn’t on the park in the second half. It was still composed and fluid for sure, but it didn’t look nearly as dangerous as it looked in the first half when Quade was calling the shots. There is just a hint that he is bringing a far more mature attitude to his game too. And I also think Wallace-Harrison is getting pretty close to being a lock of international calibre too.

  • Mark

    Good call on Fardy. He has been one of the Brumbies best all year. Tonnes of agression and does the tight stuff that a good blind side and 2nd row should. Plays like Vickerman in some regards. I can’t understand how he could get overlooked for Wallabies selection behind someone like Timani? Smith has been a better 13 than Horne in every facet of his game this year as well.

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