"Hmmm, Van was right. They rolled us.."
Week five saw two of Australia’s teams, the Reds and the Waratahs, put in their best performance of the season to date. On the flip side it saw another team, the Force, put in perhaps their worst performance for a number of years.
The Brumbies? Well they won. They haven’t clicked just yet, but how well are they sitting? They are in 5th spot, on for and against alone, as they have the same number of points as the 4th placed Chiefs. It’s a handy run in for them town, basically staying in Australia for the rest of the comp, except for two short hit and run missions across the pond to take on the Blues and Crusaders. So, in my eye, they are still the Australian team most likely to challenge for the trophy.
But first let’s all glow on the warmth that was the energy created by the running rugby played by both the Tahs and Reds over the weekend. A cumulative effort of 123-22 against the two bottom teams of the comp. 18 tries to 3. Nice!!! The poor Force must really be looking forward to taking on the Tahs this weekend. In reality it will be a great challenge for both outfits – for the Force to see if they can pick themselves up, at home, after one of their lowest points; and for the Tahs to see if they can springboard off their excellent Saturday night win for another exciting game in Perth.
But back to this week, and let’s try to come up with some sort of Team of the Week:
Team of the Round:
15 Adam Ashley-Cooper (BRUMBIES)
14 Francis Fainifo (BRUMBIES)
13 Digby Ioane (REDS)
12 Anthony Faingaa (REDS)
11 Drew Mitchell (WARATAHS)
10 Quade Cooper (REDS)
9 Will Genia (REDS)
8 Wycliff Palu(WARATAHS)
7 George Smith (BRUMBIES)
6 Scott Higginbotham (REDS)
5 Dean Mumm (WARATAHS)
4 Kane Douglas (WARATAHS)
3 Al Baxter (WARATAHS)
2 Tatafu Polata-Nau (WARATAHS)
1 Ben Alexander (BRUMBIES)
So what do you think? Six from the Tahs, five from the Reds and four from the Brumbies. Part of me feels that the work of the Reds’ forwards was undervalued, and the likes of Van Humphries, Laurie Weeks, Saia Faingaa and Ben Daley were definitely in contention. However, it is a credit to that Tahs tight five, and a wonderful performance by Benny Alexander, that they get the jump on the Reds. Sadly for the Force no one really got close. Matty Hodgson got the most raves, if you can call them that, but George Smith was fantastic against the Sharks.
Player of the Round:
Now, this was hard. Traditionally we’ve picked one player from each of the Australian teams to vote between here. However this is difficult for two reasons 
here. Firstly, the ‘dismality’ that was the Force. I mean come on, who played well there? Secondly, how do you pick the one stand out for the Waratahs and Reds? In the end I left much of it up to our readers over at the Forum. Each week they gather and vote on their three best players for each Aussie team, so by checking the leading vote getters of the round for each team, I’ve come up with this.
First of all, Anthony Faingaa, in a close call from Quade Cooper. FaingaaA has been fantastic this year and showing the potential many of us heard about from his younger years. He really started the rot in the Force game with his strong opening try. He scored two for the day, but it was also his strong defense that was a feature, and it has been all season. For the Tahs, there is a clear leader – Drew Mitchell. Four tries. What an effort. In equals the most scored by an 
individual in a single Super 12/14 game. But he was dangerous every time he touched the ball (in more ways than one) and showed great instinct and industry, all match. Further south, and the Brumby option is also quite clear.
Ben Alexander was yet another multiple try-scorer. In fact he was his team’s only try scorer. The best part? Both tries were both real ‘prop’ tries. Alexander’s work rate around the field is second to none among front rowers and was again a shining light in Saturday night’s game. Ok, now this one is a toughie. The Force. Well the man the forum has come with, is the man who has been arguably the Force’s best all year. Matty Hodgson. There weren’t many opportunities for Hodgson on the weekend as the Reds controlled the ball well, and the Force coughed it up way too easily. But his work ethic and professionalism shone through and coach John Mitchell would’ve wished for another 14 Hodgsons like Matt on that loooong Sunday afternoon.
[poll id="72"]
Try of the Round:
If you thought coming up with the team of the round was hard, and finding someone good from the Force was challenging, then trying to nail down two tries as the best two of this round was damn near impossible.
So I’m not going to do it. What I am going to do instead, with all due respect to Benny Alexander’s efforts, is simply repost the highlights of the Tahs and Reds games. You choose your own try. Myself? I loved Quade’s passes for Digby’s 2nd and FaingaaA’s 2nd. Beautifully timed. The kick ahead for Digger’s first was also a delight. My Reds try of the round was probably the one finished my Morahan but with great touches by the likes of Braid, Houston, Diggers and Quade.
For the Tahs the standouts were Lachie Turner’s first, from the Josh Holmes quick tap, the Palu run and the Hangers kick. The Drew Mitchell 2nd try, from the set backline play, was probably my favorite due to its wonderful execution and Mitchell’s balance whilst running flat out. Cliffy Palu’s try was also a great example of team work and a variety of skills as well.
But here you go. Knock yourself out.
Tahs v Lions
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ymTXedkYlE[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJYl07PqXR4[/youtube]
Reds v Force
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeNcKQznbuE[/youtube]
Moment of the Round:
I wanted to make this about the Force, and the naming of their team, because it was from that moment on I felt their game against the Reds would not end well. But it seems unfair to focus on a negative when so much positive rugby was played on the weekend. So I’m going to say it was the combined cheers of enjoyment from the Sydney crowd whilst they watched their beloved Tahs demolish the Lions on Friday night. It had been a nasty week, in the lead up, with many complaining about the boring and uninspired rugby their team was playing. When Chris Hickey named the same team again, for the Lions game, the howls of derision could be heard up here in Brisbane. And yes we know it was ‘just the Lions’ but still, it was wonderful to watch, and a moment of escapism the Tah fans needed, if only for one night.
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The artist formerly known as "Noddy" grew up in a golden age of Queensland Rugby and wakes up every morning hoping that THAT day will be the start of a new one. I like to reminisce. Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/RugbyReg. 
Agree entirely with that team of the week.
Did you see the SMH one the Tah team of the week?
Great blog, and a very fair team of the week.
WOnderful round up and very fair…however how Quade is not the best of the round I dont know…..he set up faingaa with that wonderful dummy then put him into a gap you could run a truck through…..he and genia are the best 9-10, not just of the aussie teams but the whole comp at the moment. Quade has to come into contention.
Agree, but while cooper has that stupid goose step he should never get player of the round. It makes him look like a flog. the last bloke to do that was campo and he is a dickhead.
Best 9-10 of the whole comp! I think your myopic views will be completely undone when your beloved Reds face the Bulls. Not even jet lag will save them from a truly classy and proven 9-10 combo. Quade is a frowning ballerina with a bad attitude. A good Bulls crunching is what he deserves. If he plays for the Wallabies he will be found out very quickly.
way to keep up to speed Springbok.
Quade’s already played 11 tests.
Oh, and remember who was playing 10 for the Reds the last time the Bulls played at Suncorp? You know, when they got done by 32 pnts?
Springbok….I love the passion and look forward to the clash…however, both are wallabies and IF this trip to SA goes well, the bulls wil be in for their first loss at suncorp in a month. I think the your age will finally catch up after a long tour
The bulls have conceded some points this season and the reds like to score them. Could be a cracker.
Noddy,
While the Brumbies are in a good position, and are well placed to make the top 4, if they continue to play the way they are there is no chance they will lift the trophy.
Based on form, the Tahs and Reds have more chance of this.
yeah, on current form yeah. I guess what I was trying to say is that to be sitting where they are, after their South Africa tour, with a hell of a lot of home games left, and still not playing well, puts them in a good spot. If they find form over the next few weeks they may well be unstoppable.
It will be ironic if Mortlock’s absence leads to them finding form.
Wouldn’t surprise, really. Friendy has actually said that if he’s off, the whole team is off. Tyrone Smith does make an impact when he comes on.
Agreed he does make an impact. The other equation that we haven’t considered yet is the points for and against differential which is always crucial when two teams are tied in the top five. On the current basis the Brumbies won’t make the top four if they are tied with the Reds at fourth equal. In fact, without doing the numbers, it is my feeling that they could be embarrassed by tying with any one of a number of teams in the comp.
The Brumbies need to not only have a good win (a five pointer) this weekend, but they also need to put a few points on the board.
Personally I hope they can do it, but I’m not holding my breath.
The brumbies need to bench Gits if they want to find form… I don’t know what is wrong with him this season, all he does is run across field or kick away possesion.
I can tell you what is wrong with him, he played to many years at the force.
I’m voting informally for Alexander’s tries, both of them!
Good wrap up G&GR. Good to see that someone else sees the good work of Ashley-Cooper and Fanifo(unusual!) even thought the Brumbies are looking ordinary.
Seriously – SMH put Lachie Turner in there which is tragic.
Lastly – I think you should just leave #7 and 8 vacant and not awarded until someone does something worthy. Sad state of affairs but Palu goes missing and Smith/Waugh are well below their usual outstanding form. Rocky and Higginbotham and Dave Dennis are the only ones looking like they want to play in Wallabies back row.
i thought smith played pretty damn well. With the new law interpretations the number 7′s just dont stand out as much. But he still managed to have a large impact i thought.
Don’t get me wrong Smith (and Waugh) are oustanding. Just one dimensional at the moment.
The new law interpretations have actually shown how #7′s had been neutralised in the past few years. It used to be good enough to simply get low, leaning on tackled players and hold onto the ball and wait for the inevitable penalty.
Look how the Sth Africans just went away from the whole prospect of stealing the ball and put another jumper in at 7 – Burger and Smith, et al are about a foot taller than traditional 7s
The best 7 in the country is sadly a kiwi at the moment. They breed them to not just tie up the ball but take it away. A skill Waugh and Smith (and Crofty) USED to have. Let’s hope someone doesn’t bash it out of Pocock, Shatz, Hodgson, Brown, Shaw, etc…
I’m unashamedly a Baxter fan, especially the way he has been playing this year, but he can’t be in team of the week. He only played 1/2 a game before being replaced by Kepu and was struggling with a calf injury in the latter part of the first half. Surprised if he plays this week although he has been named. Give Laurie Weeks the THP spot.