Reds skipper James Horwill says clash with Brumbies is ‘massive’ after loss to Force

REDS skipper James Horwill has hinted that his side’s clash with the Brumbies is season-defining, following their late loss to Western Force.

James Horwill cuts a dejected figure after the game.

JAMES Horwill is not a player who talks in extremes like “crisis” or “we’re flying high”.

So when the passionate Reds skipper hints that a game is season-defining, you snap to attention.

When Horwill weighed up Friday night’s titanic clash against the ACT Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium, he was blunt.

“It’s a huge game for us ... and this result just magnified it,” Horwill said in the gloom of Saturday night’s late loss to the Western Force.

This is it for the Reds, a last stand in April.

The Reds have lost four matches already but beating the Brumbies would almost carry “double points”, as a revival win because it would claw back the team leading the Australian conference race for a guaranteed semi-final spot.

News_Image_File: James Horwill contests the ball with Force lock Adam Coleman.

Unfortunately, Horwill has to do something about the repetitive soundtrack to the Reds season so far.

The comments were all there again on Saturday night: “We didn’t make the most of our opportunities”, “plenty of line breaks but just not clinical enough”, “unfortunately we didn’t hold on” and “the intent was right.”

The words could be from the lips of Horwill, coach Richard Graham or a senior player. They have all used them at different times.

The Reds are letting themselves down again and again.

The harsh truth is they don’t have a game-breaker like a Digby Ioane or Radike Samo or Scott Higginbotham to produce a big-play escape anymore when it’s needed.

News_Rich_Media: Catch all the highlights from the Reds’ game against the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium.

Teams are sticking close enough to the Reds to do big damage. The Queenslanders have now led the Lions and Force at the death only to drop both games.

Force coach Michael Foley and talismanic flanker Matt Hodgson deserve great credit for moulding a side of such grit and character.

Beating the Chiefs and Reds in succession, the teams that have won the 2011-13 titles between them, is massive.

“There is belief in the group now with the way we can finish. We know it’s not over until the end,” Hodgson said.

You had to feel for rookie Reds back Jonah Placid, whose debut at 18 lasted just six minutes before he copped a knee to the sternum when soaring to contest for a high kick.