Super Rugby R7 review: Rebels stun Brumbies; Reds sneak home: Waratahs miss Israel Folau

THE Waratahs badly missed Israel Folau but a night of poor discipline and some shrewd Sharks niggle should be more of a concern. Read our R7 review!

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - MARCH 29: Jean Deysel of the Cell C Sharks and Nick Phipps of the Waratahs off the ball during the Super Rugby match between Cell C Sharks and Waratahs at Growthpoint Kings Park on March 29, 2014 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Just how important is Israel Folau? NSW Waratahs fans got a fair idea early Sunday morning as Michael Cheika’s side were soundly beaten by the Sharks in Durban.

There was better news for Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels supporters as they ended two and three-match losing runs with victories over the Stormers and Brumbies, respectively.

Read on for a full review of round seven!

ROUSING REBELS SHOW THERE ARE NO AUSSIE EASYBEATS

Thank you Melbourne, that’s what we have been waiting for.

Ever since they came flying out of the blocks against the Cheetahs in their season-opener, fans have been anticipating a repeat of the tough tackling, enterprisingly attacking, resurgent Rebels that promised to make great strides in 2014. News_Rich_Media: A stunning upset in Melbourne with the Rebels ending the Brumbies four-match winning streak with a fine second half comeback.

Three-straight losses quickly put paid to that theory, until Tony McGahan’s men showed that they really can mix it with the best by upsetting the high-flying Brumbies 32-24 at AAMI Park on Friday night.

Returning fullback Jason Woodward was the hero with a Rebels record 27 points, through a terrific try, two conversions and six penalty goals and he was ably supported right across the park.

Flanker Colby Faingaa and lock Luke Jones were men on a mission as they led the unheralded Rebels forwards in muscling up against a Wallabies-laden Brumbies pack, while centre Mitch Inman and winger Tom English were a constant menace in attack.

The challenge for the Rebels now, as it was after that triumph over the Cheetahs, is to prove they can play like this consistently – and on the road. Next up is a trip to Dunedin to take on the Highlanders,

For the Brumbies this match might be viewed as a wake-up call. They started strongly – and led 17-6 after 50 minutes - but failed to make their early dominance count.

Will this loss prove costly? Only time will tell, but at the very least we know there a runaway Australian conference winner seems highly unlikely. Just three points separates the first four sides after seven rounds, and the last-placed Rebels have now shown they won’t be easybeats.

REDS GET UGLY TO RESTART SEASON

IT was one of their ugliest victories in recent memory but the hard-working, five-point triumph over the Stormers might just be the win that kick-starts Queensland Reds’ season.

Stung by two straight defeats and the unwanted tag of being the most penalised team in Super Rugby, the Reds had to scrap all the way to the 80th minute as the South Africans’ smothering defence once again proved incredibly difficult to break down.

The Reds managed just the one five-pointer, scored by an unlikely source in Rob Simmons, while the remainder of their points came from the boot of Quade Cooper who kicked a conversion, four penalties and a drop goal.News_Rich_Media: 17 points from the boot of Quade Cooper has kept the Stormers at bay as the Reds bounced back from consecutive defeats to score a crucial 22-17 win over their South African visitors at Suncorp Stadium.

It wasn’t Cooper’s finest evening by any stretch with the fly half unable to find any space in which to work his magic, while short kicks in behind a rushing Stormers defence resulted in many cheap turnovers.

Still it may well prove the best possible preparation for this week’s visit from Western Force. The Perth-based franchise may not boast the same defensive reputation as the notoriously frugal Stormers but in their last three matches they have conceded just four tries.

They also kept two-time defending champions, the Chiefs, tryless in their last outing two weeks ago.

The significance of the Reds’ grinding win wasn’t loss on vice-captain Will Genia.

“The Force are going to be the toughest side we’ve played so far this year in terms of their recent results and the way they always lift to play us,” he said.

“This was grinding style footy to beat the Stormers. Discipline. It will get us ready for that warfare against the Force.

“Discipline is an attitude thing. We showed it by cutting our penalties (in half to just eight) from our previous game and sticking to plans.”

TAHS MISS IZZY AS SHARKS NIGGLE WORKS A TREAT

Are the Waratahs a one-man team? On the face of it, Israel Folau’s absence from Durban would appear to suggest so.

But while there’s little doubt the star fullback was greatly missed, there’s no hiding from the fact the Waratahs’ forwards were badly beaten up front while the Sharks’ niggling tactics could not have worked any better.

There was very little between the two sides in a narky first-half that saw several minor scuffles break out and resulted in post-game citings for Rob Horne and Francois Steyn.

But two missed penalties from Bernard Foley – from virtually right in front – ensured the hosts went into half-time with a 12-3 lead.News_Rich_Media: The Sharks have handed the Waratahs a horror start to their South African tour, collecting a resounding 32-10 win at Kings Park Stadium.

The match’s major turning point came eight minutes after the resumption as Waratahs skipper Dave Dennis reacted to some perfectly-timed Bismark du Plessis chat with nothing more than a push. But having warned both captains the next incident – no matter how tedious – would result in a sin-binning, referee Mike Fraser was left with no option but to show Dennis yellow.

Well played, Bismarck.

Three minutes later the Sharks had their first try via a well-taken rolling maul and the game was virtually gone for the Waratahs.

The Sharks crossed for a second try with eight minutes left on the clock while the Tahs added a little respectability to the scoreline with a consolation five-pointer shortly after.

For the second straight week it was a case of another Australian side finding themselves on the end of a heavy penalty count (18-9 against) and just like the Reds, the Waratahs’ tour of South Africa could well be a winless one.

Folau is only a 50-50 chance of playing against the Stormers, but even if he does recover in time it’s going to take a greatly-improved showing from the rest of his teammates if the Waratahs are to triumph in Cape Town.

CHIEFS CHARGE HOME TO SNATCH THRILLING DRAW

Was it the greatest comeback in Super Rugby history?

Well that’s a discussion for The Crowd.

Probably the main thing we can take out of the Chiefs’ clash with the Bulls is that the men from Waikato are rarely, if ever, beaten.

A week after a shock upset to Western Force, the Chiefs found themselves trailing 31-15 in Pretoria with less than 11 minutes on the clock – and somehow managed to not lose.

Replacement back Gareth Anscombe was the comeback king for the Chiefs, starting and finishing the back-to-back Super Rugby champions’ stunning late surge.

First he capped off a brilliant length-of-the-field team effort to score down the right-hand side.

Then when star flyhalf Aaron Cruden planted down in the corner with 15 seconds to go – on the back of lock Matt Symons’ try - it was Anscombe who stepped up to nail the sideline conversion after the hooter and seal the draw.News_Rich_Media: Defending Super Rugby champions the Chiefs looked dead and buried in South Africa before sparking a miraculous comeback to end their clash with the Bulls at 34-34 at the Loftus Versfeld.

The result means the Chiefs drew level with the Brumbies in second place on the ladder, but with a game in hand.

The Bulls, meanwhile, let slip a chance to climb into outright second ahead of their four-game road trip that begins in Napier against the Hurricanes this weekend.

DID YOU SEE THAT?

It was the weekend of the long-range try.

Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis got the ball rolling when he took a quick tap from a penalty just inside his own half and took off before putting Ryan Crotty in the clear, the centre then turning provider himself with a pinpoint grubber for winger Johnny McNicholl to gather cleanly near the left-hand corner post and score untouched under the posts.

The Chiefs had two in the final five minutes, with the Anscombe and Cruden five-pointers starting inside their own half, while Bulls winger Bjorn Basson’s earlier shimmy and grubber to himself down the left-hand touchline was a 45m special.News_Rich_Media: Livewire winger Alapati Leiua fended off five tacklers in a brilliant individual try to lift the Wellington Hurricanes to a thrilling 29-26 win over the Crusaders in Christchurch.

Bernard Foley’s late consolation for the Waratahs – on the back of a Pat McCutcheon break - was another try that topped 40 metres for distance travelled.

But it was Hurricanes flyer Alapati Leiua who takes the cake for his brilliant individual effort at AMI Stadium.

With the Canes trailing by two and less than eight minutes on the clock, the big winger took matters into his own hands, racing more than 50m down the right touchline and shredding five tackles to score the try that put his side in front – and sealed a much-needed second win of the season.