Reds’ hopes of making final series could be undone by a lack of punch from backrowers

THE Reds backrowers have body-on-the-line effort at the breakdown but they just don’t make the tackle-splitting runs that change a game.

Reds backrower Jake Schatz is hit hard by the Western Force defence on Saturday night.

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The Reds backrowers have workrate, tackling zeal, versatility and body-on-the-line effort at the breakdown but they just don’t make the tackle-splitting runs that change a game.

The stats are damning.

Reds backrowers Ed Quirk and Jake Schatz have not made a linebreak in seven matches and shed just four tackles between them, according to Fox Sports Stats.

Compare that with the bullocking menace of Western Force No.8 Ben McCalman or Melbourne Rebels backrower Scott Higginbotham, the Red who got away.

McCalman bulked up by 5kg to build the authority in his game that had Force coach Michael Foley tagging him “the best No.8 in the country” at Suncorp Stadium last Saturday night.

News_Rich_Media: Queensland Reds coach Richard Graham addresses the press following his team’s 29-32 loss to the Western Force.

He poured 14 big-hearted runs into that 32-29 upset of the Reds. He lifted his season tally of linebreaks to six, tackle busts to 13 and key tries to three and he’s played two games fewer than the Reds pair.

The harsh reality for the faltering Reds is that they are constantly playing under stress because they no longer have gamebreakers, outside their champion halves, to demolish rivals.

The lack of line-crunching impact from the backrow is emblematic of the issue. Using a “Made in Queensland’’ model for recruiting is noble but there has been no creativity in filling the void left by departing backrow forces Higginbotham and Radike Samo over the past two years.

Aussie options are rare but NSW Waratahs import Jacques Potgieter must have a burly South African cousin. What about an Argentinian hardhead?

News_Image_File: Reds backrower Ed Quirk tries to evade two Western Force defenders.

In their seven matches, more than nine hours of rugby, the Reds have held a 10-point buffer from which to play freely for just 21 per cent of that time.

Just as the Lions did in Johannesburg, the gritty Western Force stayed close enough to spring a late upset.

The Reds face a daunting tightrope. They must win seven of their remaining nine matches or they will miss the play-offs for the first time since 2010.

To ignite any sort of revival they must start by toppling the ACT Brumbies, Australia’s form team, in a Friday night classic at Suncorp Stadium.

Reds coach Richard Graham yesterday agreed that the stakes were huge against the Brumbies when saying that sitting 11th had to be put into context.

News_Image_File: Schatz contests a high ball against Force centre Kyle Godwin.

“There has never been a Super Rugby competition with teams as condensed on the table. We are still only two points outside the top six, so this is an extremely important game,’’ Graham said.

Players are stepping up. Lock James Horwill and centre Ben Tapuai, with his sharp early line break and try, played their best games of the year against the Force.

Tapuai’s form spike means Chris Feauai-Sautia, who ran at 90 per cent late last week, will return on the wing against the Brumbies if his hamstring is right.

Graham disagreed that the Reds were kicking too much and weren’t playing with freedom because scores were always tight.

“I don’t think we are playing with fear. This group of players has played in a lot of tight games and pride themselves on winning plenty of them,’’ Graham said.

“We do have to learn how to throttle sides.’’