I don’t know what happened to the Reds. You would think after the advice they received from the Crusaders they would have sorted out a couple of things. Like I don’t know? .... The ****ing scrum, the lineouts and just about every other facet of their forward play. The week off made them look totally ordinary. Ok they haven’t looked brilliant yet for a whole half, however they have beaten 2 Kiwi sides.
Look I don’t know if it was just I was tired and had a screaming kid in the room but the Reds looked at half pace. For ****s sake Herbert in the interview after the game looked as though he hadn’t raised a sweat. It seriously looked as though they played the game at ½ pace and had taken a good dose of valium before they got onto the field. I know it was wet and blustery but ……….
How Cockbrain didn’t get sent to the sideline for an extended period was beyond me yet again? Talk about the penalty magnet. The forwards as a whole were ordinary, the exceptions yet again were: T. Kefu who didn’t stop trying; Croft who acts like a ferret after a rabbit (ball); and Sharpe who kept running it up all night. Perhaps it is time to go to the bench and get some of the younger players a run in the starting side. I wouldn’t mind seeing other players in 2, 3, 5 and 6 for the rest of the season. Hell, why not just send an SOS to Foley and ask him to get the scrum working and kick the rest of the forwards arses to keep them moving.
Yet again the Reds failed to get quick ball to the backs when the forwards are supposed to be going forward. The 2 times it did happen Tune and Herbert cashed in and made the Hurricanes backs look ordinary. Perhaps the Reds forwards should look at the benefits of quick and clean ball to the backs by watching the Chiefs v Highlanders game. Well done Muir on your return match and giving me a total of 0 out of 4 picks for the week.
However, the backs have some issues as well. Can someone send a subtle message to Flatley with a piece of 4X2 when the gale is in your back, kick for territory! Christ, at least when Knuckles was coaching the Reds they had that going for them. The Hurricanes at least knew how to use the wind.
Ordinary is looking suspect at halfback again. And to be honest there is a drought in the rum container on Flatley’s shrine at the moment.
The knock-ons were a bonus at least the Reds woke up to the fact that the Ref had no idea what the concept was there and started to make easy meters by dropping the ball forward and regathering it.
The number of times I had to get up and leave the room to yell constructive criticism (little ears were present) to either the Reds or the ref was wearing a track in the carpet.
I refuse to comment on the Sailor v Lomu battle as I failed to register it during the game. Did anyone else see anything apart from the battle for the number of knock-ons they could register and get away with? Did Hello Sailors fingers get cold from not doing anything all night?
That’s it I have vented my spleen for this weeks game. And I am now looking forward to a couple of easy matches for the Reds. I will be asking for a refund on the season ticket if they don’t win against the Bulls. Hell Sailor might actually score a try? Nar the Bulls aren’t that bad.
