Part 1 – Friday’s games:

That's how we roll...

Chiefs VS Reds: Round 4 of the Super 14 got underway with the Reds reminding us once again that they are no longer the doormat of Super Rugby and that they now have the players, the coaching, and finally the hunger to once again be a successful Super Rugby franchise.

The Chiefs opened the scoring in just the 3rd minute of the game when Sivivatu, as he frequently does, eluded several defenders to cross the chalk and score the try. Lelia Masaga, in only his second game back from injury, added to the Chiefs lead just 5 minutes later.

The Reds didn’t give up there though, and mounted their counter attack, chipping away at the Chiefs’ lead until they found themselves on top. It all began with a very deft, no-look pass from Reds’ #10, Quade Cooper to Will Chambers, who touched down near the posts. Just like that, the Reds were only 8 points down, 26 minutes into the game.

My two cents worth:

• Quade Cooper and Will Genia are really coming into their own, more and more so every week, making strong statements for themselves as potential Wallaby halfback combination for years to come.
• The Reds’ depth is really going to be tested in the next couple of weeks, as they sustained injuries to their entire back three as well as captain, James Horwill. Hynes and Ione are expected to be fit by next week, but time will tell.
• The fact that the Chiefs let the Reds back into the game highlights the importance of converting tries and gaining the extra two.
• Lelia Masaga and Quade Cooper each missed 5 tackles whilst Stephen Donald missed 3. That kak just doesn’t fly at this level.
• Tanerau Latimer made an incredible 26 tackles, whilst Liam Messam made 23.

Chiefs VS Reds 2010 Highlights: [WRNrugbynews]

Scorecard:

You've been taking the camera off of me mate, you're out of here...

The game got underway with a relatively slow start, each team picking up 3 points through penalties, before (now) Australian referee, Steve Walsh, who was discarded by his own country, New Zealand, and recently came back onto the scene after a lengthy suspension, for some obscure reason, yellow carded Lions prop, Kevin Buys, for repeated collapsing of the scrum. An offense that I can’t ever recall a player being yellow carded for in the past.

A few minutes later, in what can only be described as a brain-fart, Walsh awarded a penalty try to the Brumbies after Lions #9, JP Joubert, played the ball at the back of the Brumbies’ scrum, after Walsh had judged that the ball was out.

My two cents worth:

• Steve Walsh obviously enjoys being on camera, I’m not sure what he is trying to do with the old “card in the sock” trick. take that as a sign never to play poker with him though.
• The whole Lions backline needs to learn to tackle. They collectively missed 17 tackles.
• Law 10.2a, referring to intentionally offending, states that: (I have highlighted the section referring to the penalty try in bold and italics. The operative words in that sentence being “probably otherwise“)

A player must not intentionally infringe any Law of the Game, or play unfairly. The player who intentionally offends must be either admonished, or cautioned that a send off will result if the offence or a similar offence is committed, or sent off.

Sanction: Penalty kick.

A penalty try must be awarded if the offence prevents a try that would probably otherwise have been scored. A player who prevents a try being scored through foul play must either be cautioned and temporarily suspended or sent off.

Brumbies VS Lions 2010 Highlights: [WRNrugbynews]

Scorecard: