Queensland Reds losing streak extends to five games after Blues thrashing in Auckland
QUEENSLAND has copped a pasting from the Blues in Auckland, in a match where the referees once again took the spotlight from the players in the middle - prompting an angry outburst from coach Brad Thorn.
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FRUSTRATED Reds coach Brad Thorn tonight lamented that rugby is being “hurt” by over-policing, trial by slow-motion replay and dubious yellow cards.
World Rugby’s strict zero-tolerance measures ruined another Super Rugby spectacle on greasy Eden Park in Auckland where the Queensland Reds slipped up 39-16.
It must be declared from the outset that the Reds have never even conceded they have a problem with tackle technique even after a rash of yellow cards for two seasons.
Just how the contest can be sucked out of match was still highlighted by three frustrating first half calls and Kiwi TMO Ben Skeen.
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The more enterprising Blues deserved the victory despite the Reds scrum thumping out supremacy by earning eight penalties as the source of all the team’s points.
The Reds were forced to play for nearly eight minutes of the first half with just 13 players and the Blues grabbed the game in that period with a 13-0 spurt to 21-6.
Teenage winger Jordan Petaia was ejected in the 25th minute for a low-level lifting tackle that brought centre Michael Collins gently to earth with arm outstretched and on his side.
Prop Taniela Tupou was carded shortly after when going in hard, low and without a proper wrap of the arms on the leg of prop Ofa Tuungafasi.
At real-time speed, it was awkward rather than brutal.
No damage was caused by either tackle yet Skeen advised yellow cards like a policeman trying to rush towards his quota of fines before the end of the financial year.
“The game is an interesting place at the moment...I don’t know that that’s enjoyable for people,” Thorn said.
“Fans, coaches, players, everyone, (have concerns)...the game is getting hurt.
“With the lifting tackle, he (Petaia) didn’t drive him into the ground and Taniela went in hard and low and missed the tackle.
“Yeah, penalise but (sigh) yellow as well?”
Scott Higginbotham was bound to the ruck and Blues flanker Jerome Kaino torpedoed his shoulder into the Reds’ skipper’s own exposed shoulder for which he needed treatment.
Rugby should never become a tit-for-tat list of rulings and grumbles but that’s what it has become.
The Reds were poor away from the scrum with little fluency and a multiple errors.
When replacement backrower Caleb Timu did split the defence at the hour-mark he set up a sharp try for centre Duncan Paia’aua.
Weighed it up against a ruck incident after four minutes.
Blues great Kaino was farewelled from New Zealand rugby with a fine gesture when Higginbotham lined up the Reds to usher him onto the field.
As big a handful as All Black Rieko Ioane was with a slicing 40m try against 13 men, burly brother and No.8 Akira was more so with 13 bullocking runs for 175m and 10 tackle busts.
The Blues had two players yellow carded late in the game but as Higginbotham said “there was a bit of pay there for some dominance but it was too little too late from us.”
Tupou, fellow prop JP Smith and new Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa were at the core of the early scrum dominance before a new front-row earned their own plaudits.
The Brisbane Global Rugby Tens were today officially shelved for 2019.
5 THINGS WE LEARN ABOUT THE REDS
1. If the Reds could scrummage for 80 minutes they’d be Super Rugby champions. Supreme dominance from prop Taniela Tupou and co. earned eight penalties in this area yet way too few highs everywhere else.
2. Variable conditions often get the better of the Reds because the handling errors in slippery conditions never allowed the tight, squeezing, pressure game plan to be enacted.
3. One of the harder nights for teenage winger Jordan Petaia with 10 minutes in the sin bin but he’s class and the big backline find of this season.
4. The fading 4-10 status of the season means this Brad Thorn campaign has had a similar success rate to the Richard Graham and Nick Stiles years.
5. It’s great to see new Wallaby Caleb Timu get a chance a to run. He set up a try and when he does that for the Wallabies he’ll be a bona fide weapon in gold.
Originally published as Queensland Reds losing streak extends to five games after Blues thrashing in Auckland
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