Blues bottle Reds

27 Feb 2010

The Blues registered a 27-18 bonus point win over the Reds at a wet Ballymore.

The Reds were coming off a big upset over the Crusaders, but failed to reproduce any of that intensity. They weren’t helped by the season-ending injury to leader James Horwill, but Will Genia made the perfect start to his captaincy career when he intercepted Stephen Brett’s kick and ran 60m to score after just two minutes. Quade Cooper converted the scrumhalf’s score and added a penalty as the hosts went to a 10-0 lead.

The Blues’ pack began to assert their dominance, and in the wet and slippery conditions that proved even more telling. Even with the rain, both sides attempted to throw the ball around, and although the contest became scrappy at times, on the whole both teams showed good skill to produce six tries, with a couple more missed.

Brett brought his side back into the contest with a penalty as the visitors gradually began to exert pressure. Off a scrum in the Reds’ 22, Blues No 8 Peter Saili bumped off a number of defenders, but when his floating pass found Rene Ranger, the centre still had lots to do. The 23-year-old stepped two defenders, and carried three more over the line to narrow the gap to five at the break.

The Blues dominated territory in the opening stages of the second stanza, and made that count as the Reds battled to get out of their half. An impressive maul from the visitors’ pack sent lock Anthony Boric over, and as Brett converted the extras the Blues went into the lead for the first time in the match.

The Blues wouldn’t relinquish that buffer and continued their surge either side of the break when Alby Mathewson scored from a 50m solo effort. The Reds’ defence off the lineout was abysmal as Daniel Braid pushed up too early, but the Blues scrumhalf took full advantage to snipe round and extend the lead to seven.

As the Blues looked comfortable, the momentum changed with 25 minutes remaining. Whereas Reds’ sides of the last couple of years have fallen apart, on this occasion they refused to give in.

A 10m maul from a lineout resulted in prop Laurie Weeks emerging from the pile of bodies as the scorer. Cooper missed the conversion and a penalty with 12 minutes remaining that would’ve sealed the result.

Another enterprising attack, with Cooper the main protagonist, led to the rolling ball being knocked on by a Reds attacker, and with that their chances went down the drain.

The hosts then attempted another attack from deep, but the mistake was made, and Blues winger Rudi Wulf finished off to deny the Reds a bonus point.

By Grant Ball


49 Comments

  • 1.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:24 am

    Reds to win here.

  • 2.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:42 am

    genia, try time!!!

  • 3.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:43 am

    that quade cooper kicking stance is comical…

  • 4.Staal: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:47 am

    @Transformation: :lol: ya – it looks a bit skeef…..

  • 5.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:47 am

    why are the Reds playing at their old ground?

  • 6.charo: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:50 am

    is that a chookie haircut cooper’s got there?

  • 7.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:50 am

    the song is called I got my red jersey

  • 8.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 10:50 am

    oops wrong thread.

  • 9.wp_boytjie: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:14 am

    Reds

  • 10.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:16 am

    ‘he had a million defenders around him’ **** Aussies commentators.

    TRY Ranger!

  • 11.Nils: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:19 am

    I am watching in rugbyzone and all commentators have gone AWOL. All I hear is crowd and referee.

  • 12.SJonesIsAGit: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:21 am

    @RedLion: Better than Bob “the cyclops” Skinstad.

    At least the Aussie commentators are using hyperbole to praise the achievement of the non-Australian team. Try listening to the Brumbies vs Stormers commentary as a non-saffa.

  • 13.KevinRack: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:23 am

    Go reds!

  • 14.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:24 am

    Brett does not have on his kicking boots.

  • 15.Nils: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:25 am

    @SJonesIsAGit: Exactly. They commentate with passion, like them or not. Give me them any day over Bob “my team can do no wrong” Skinstad, Joel “timed pass to perfection” Stransky, Warren “Trytime!” Brosnihan and Garth Wright.

  • 16.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:26 am

    now for the HT entertainment!

    I got my red jersey

    I got a feeling that next will be a good match
    that next week will be a good match
    that next week will be a good match …. Roar

    Yes that is right
    Let’s pitch up
    I got my red jersey
    Let’s put it on!
    go out and smash the enemy
    like win a match
    Let’s get, get, a WIN

    I know that we’ll have a ball
    if we get down under
    and go out
    and just win it all

    Fill up my boys
    Look at us winning
    just take it off
    Lets paint the town
    We’ll shut it down
    Let’s burn the roof
    and then we’ll do it again

    Let’s Do it and do it and do it 1
    and do it and do it 2
    and do it and do it and live it 3
    up and do it, do it 4
    do it, do it, and do it 5
    and do it and do it and do it 6
    and do it and do it and 7 on the LOG!

    Look at us winning dancing (Move it Move it up the log)
    Just take it boys … roar!

    Lets paint the town
    Here we come
    here we go
    we gotta roar roar
    roar roar raor

    Easy come
    easy go
    we will get to the top
    top top top top

    Round and round
    up and down
    around the park park park park

    Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
    Friday, Saturday win a match, Saturday win a match to Sunday celebrate victory

    we keep keep keep keep moving
    we know what we say say
    party everyday with ****
    p-p-p-party everyday

    we gotta roar roar
    roar roar raor

    we gotta roar roar
    roar roar raor

    we gotta roar roar
    roar roar raor

    /\___/\
    /// . . \\\
    \\\ ^ ///
    ROAR …®

  • 17.Nils: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:27 am

    and by the way Superbru staff, too, is gone missing. Drinks?

  • 18.PeaceFrog: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:32 am

    THERE IS NO FAIR CONTEST AT THE BREAKDOWN ANYMORE …. ALL IN FAVOUR OF THE ATTACKING TEAM … RUGBY IS MOVING CLOSER TO LEAGUE … MORE AND MORE DEFENSIVE TEAMS ARE NOT GOING TO COMMIT AT BREAKDOWNS … LETS WAIT UNTIL THE ATTACKING TEAM MAKES A MISTAKE .!!!!

  • 19.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:32 am

    Garth Wright sounds as if his balls haven’t dropped yet? I’d rather listen to cats mating than listen to that voice.

  • 20.PeaceFrog: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:35 am

    @Redlion … jeez boet – your kite is flying high after that loss against the Canes … every match will be dictated by the referee … so it’s a lottery !!! Better write a song for the referee’s !!!!

  • 21.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:36 am

    Warren Bros sounds as if he’s smoked Texan plain all his life.

  • 22.SJonesIsAGit: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:47 am

    Reds are really missing Horwill in these conditions.

  • 23.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 11:48 am

    easy try Blues

  • 24.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:02 pm

    tight game

    18-20 Blues

  • 25.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:05 pm

    Really good pressure rugby by the Reds!

  • 26.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:08 pm

    Bad miss by Cooper!

  • 27.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:12 pm

    “maybe they’re back in new zealand, maybe they’re in new zealand for the first time” – phil kearns is a funny dude!

  • 28.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:12 pm

    The Reds look dangerous when their backs get going.

  • 29.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:14 pm

    5m scrum Blues ball.

  • 30.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:15 pm

    Turned it! Great scrum! Red ball. 5m scrum!

  • 31.CurryMexted: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:17 pm

    Knocked forward Blues scrum!

  • 32.SpringbokSarah: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:18 pm

    And now? Whats up with the Reds?

  • 33.skopskiet: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:18 pm

    this is a good even contested game and must say Steve Walsh so far is best ref on the circuit for my money by a long way.

    Good physical contest going to the wire much like Stormers – Brumbies last night, with home team under the cosh.

  • 34.carol: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:21 pm

    @RedLion: Hey, great song….Love your enthuastic support there Red Lion!!

  • 35.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:21 pm

    Blues WIN game over

  • 36.skopskiet: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:21 pm

    Looks like Blues too strong physically in the end. Turn up for the books. Blues do it in Brisbane.

  • 37.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:22 pm

    @carol: :grin: thank you kind lady.

  • 38.Nils: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:23 pm

    Thank you, Blues!! Now i can keep up with the leaders.

  • 39.sparticus: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:23 pm

    Score ?

  • 40.chch – welcome back Carter: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:24 pm

    @RedLion:

    The original lyrics of:
    Tonight’s the night
    Let’s give it up

    are probably ok as they are :)

  • 41.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:24 pm

    27-18 – Blues scored a converted try with 2min left on the clock. Reds pick up no points.

  • 42.SAussie/QldRed: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:26 pm

    Well done Blues, great effort from the Reds, just went to sleep a bit in the game, weather sux and didn’t help us but its the same for both sides. they nearly had it, damm

  • 43.The Almighty Shaun: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:30 pm

    Will Genia.. The greatest SH on the planet??? solar system… this piece of the universe…

  • 44.RedLion: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:30 pm

    @chch – welcome back Carter: I prefer the Lion version :wink:

  • 45.Puma: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:32 pm

    Poppa if you looking in. Well done to your Blues.

  • 46.chch – welcome back Carter: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:40 pm

    @RedLion:
    :)

  • 47.carol: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 12:45 pm

    @RedLion: 44. It got me dancing anyway….!!!!

    “Tonight’s going to be a good night!

  • 48.poppa69: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 13:14 pm

    @Puma: cheers Puma, very happy, got home from cricket to see the last 12 minutes..

  • 49.AiDoc: Reply to this comment
    27 Feb 2010, 17:23 pm

    The breakdown is now fair. Did you see McCaw last night?

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