Super Rugby: Ryan the man of the moment as Reds end Crusaders dominance
Queensland winger Tim Ryan continued his brilliant start to his Super Rugby career as the Reds ended a 25-year Christchurch drought. Plus, how Waratahs prove the finals system is flawed.
Queensland winger Tim Ryan continued his brilliant start to his Super Rugby career as the Reds ended a 25-year Christchurch drought with a 33-28 win over the Crusaders on Saturday.
Having scored three tries in his first Super Rugby Pacific appearance last Saturday, Ryan crossed for two more five-pointers as the Reds claimed a historic win at Apollo Projects Stadium.
The Queenslanders hadn’t tasted victory in Christchurch since a 36-23 defeat of the Crusaders in March 1999 with a team containing a host of Wallabies including Tim Horan, Ben Tune, Toutai Kefu, Chris Latham, Daniel Herbert and David Wilson.
However, the long wait between drinks at Christchurch came to a deserved end thanks to a gutsy five-try performance that also included five-pointers from forwards Fraser McReight, Jeff Toomaga-Allen and Harry Wilson.
Reds captain Liam Wright hailed his side’s “massive” win.
“We did a great job to hold on,” Wright said after Queensland’s fifth victory of the season.
“There were some big moments there from key players which is what we spoke about during the week, just owning our moments.
“It’s a great feeling. We just trusted in each other. We knew it would come.”
It took 22 minutes for the first points of the game to be scored and they came courtesy of a try from returning Reds star McReight.
Back in the side after serving a two-match suspension, McReight forced his way over the tryline from close range to score a five-pointer whose origins came from a weaving run from Queensland fullback Jock Campbell.
With their tails up, the Reds scored again five minutes later when Ryan crossed to complete a sweeping move that started inside Queensland’s half on the opposite side of the field.
Flyhalf Lawson Creighton’s second conversion from two attempts lifted the visitors to a 14-0 lead.
“We started the game brilliantly,” Reds assistant coach Brad Davis said.
However, the Crusaders dragged themselves back into the contest two minutes before half-time with a Dallas McLeod try that was converted scored just before half-time through centre Dallas McLeod that was converted by Welsh great Leigh Halfpenny, who was making his first Super Rugby appearance at the age of 35.
With the scores locked at 21-21 in the 62nd minute, Reds No.8 Wilson charged down a clearing kick from Crusaders flyhalf David Havili, regathered and scored next to the posts.
Creighton’s conversion gave the Queenslanders a seven-point lead.
Ryan’s second try of the match gave the Reds enough of a buffer despite Crusaders winger Sevu Reece scoring the final try of the match in the 74th minute.
WARATAHS PROVE FINALS FLAW
Someone needs to change Super Rugby’s finals system.
Awarding a spot in the playoffs to any team that finishes eighth in a 12-team competition has become a running joke because it rewards mediocrity.
It’s the only thing that is keeping the Waratahs’ season from hell alive after their lopsided 41-12 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night.
It was NSW’s eighth loss in 10 matches this season.
“The way they played with speed at the start of the game was hard to stay with,” Waratahs captain Jake Gordon said.
“Upfront, we knew they were powerful and we really had trouble containing them, they are a quality side.
“We did some good stuff but sort of let ourselves down a little bit.
If the comp was fair dinkum, they’d already have a fat red texta line drawn through their name because they shouldn’t be in contention for the finals.
But they are still in the mix, even though they are sitting in 11th spot. With four games to go, they could sneak in without winning them all.
Their biggest dilemma might be winning just one of their remaining fixtures because there was little to admire from their dismal showing against the Hurricanes.
To be fair, the Canes are a pretty formidable side, perched at the top of the table, but the Waratahs made them look like the Harlem Globetrotters as the Kiwis raced to a 26-0 lead inside the first half-hour.
The signs were ominous right from the opening kick-off, with the Waratahs unable to hold on the ball and missing too many one-on-one tackles.
Wellington’s first try, courtesy of their hard-running captain Billy Proctor, came within the first three minutes.
The second, from Brett Cameron, came after just 14 minutes. Then the third, from Joshua Moorby, arrived three minutes later.
The contest was over when Braden Iose strolled over the chalk to dot down after 27 minutes.
To their credit, the Waratahs did dig in and avoided a complete humiliation after missing 24 tackles in the first half alone.
Although they gave up another three tries in the final 53 minutes and got two themselves in a positive sign ahead of next weekend’s must-win clash with the Brumbies, who beat the Hurricanes last week.
Replacement winger Vuate Karawalevu crossed out wide, with his teammates celebrating like they’d won a championship then Hugh Sinclair crashed over next to the sticks.
“I thought some of the play late in the second half, there was some really good moments,” Gordon said. “But you know against a quality team we need to do it for longer.
“It’s always a big game playing the Brumbies, especially at home.
“We’re going to have to review this pretty heavily but it’s a sprint this competition, we have to move on pretty quick.”
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