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Hurricanes storm through Reds1:11
RUGBY: The Reds have been steam rolled by the Hurricanes attack despite a solid defensive effort.
- April 2nd 2017
- 3 hours ago
- /video/video.news.com.au/Sport/Rugby Union/Super 15/
The Hurricanes ran over the top of the Reds in Brisbane.
AFTER the cyclonic themes of this week, the last thing the Reds needed was to run into the Hurricanes at full force but for 70 minutes they scrambled and counterpunched bravely against all odds.
The elements almost always wear you down and so it was when the Barrett brothers, Beauden and Jordie, blew aside the Reds resistance at the death for a 34-15 win at Suncorp Stadium.
The Red defence has trouble stopping Ricky Riccitelli.Source:Getty Images
Their late tries inflated the margin of a high-tempo contest that had entered the final 10 minutes at 22-15.
The home side refused to cave against the speed and ball movement thrown at them all night and bounced back when the cracks did let in five tries.
It was a fifth successive loss for the Reds but heads can be held high after this one because of the big cover defence, fighting back from 14-0, guts when under the pump and a superb game from No 8 Scott Higginbotham.
“I want to make it very clear I’m not into courageous losses,” Reds coach Nick Stiles said.
That said, Stiles did salute young 20-year-old prop Taniela Tupou for “the footballer he’s grown into” after going strong for 70 minutes at the scrum and in general play in his first start.
“Higgers had a great game and while I’m really proud that we hung in there we made some mentally tired decisions in the final minutes when the Kiwi sides are so good at playing the full 80,” Reds captain Stephen Moore said.
Queensland Reds Press Conference10:41
Super Rugby: Queensland Reds post game press conference
- April 2nd 2017
- 13 hours ago
- /video/video.news.com.au/Sport/Rugby Union/Super 15/
The match was almost bizarre at times with unusual moments.
None was stranger than TJ Perenara taking a quick tap and plunging over for a “try” from a scrum penalty.
Referee Angus Gardner whistled try but TMO Damien Mitchelmore pulled it back because the cheeky Hurricanes halfback had neglected to tap the ball with his foot at all.
Down 14-0 and scrambling, the Reds needed something, anything, to turn the worrying tide midway through the first half.
A spilt Jake McIntyre-Samu Kerevi ball off a scrum looked to been turned into a toe-ahead try to Beauden Barrett and game over.
Gardner rewound to TMO Mitchelmore and found a dangerous no-arms charge on McIntyre by centre Ngani Laumape and a yellow card changed the momentum.
Chris Kuridrani dives over to score the Reds’ first try.Source:AAP
The Reds sprung to life with off-loads, smart attack and pressure in the Hurricanes quarter was turned into two tries which showed the costly lesson of Buenos Aires a week ago had been learnt.
Two classy touches from Higginbotham made the rally possible and he worked non-stop.
A one-handed pass over the top put Chris Kuridrani over but was to come.
The Reds attacked the blindside and when prop Taniela Tupou neatly off-loaded to Higginbotham, the former Wallaby produced a behind-the-back flick pass almost instantaneously.
When it found winger Eto Nabuli and Higginbotham backed up inside for the try, the crowd of 17,439 erupted as if they couldn’t quite believe their eyes.
Jordie Barrett dives over to score the decisive try for the Hurricanes.Source:AAP
Hurricanes No 8 Ardie Savea was a ball-running dynamo and the most influential forward on the field while the chatty, ever-sniping Perenara intercepted an inside ball from McIntyre for an 80m try for his touch of class.
After travelling more than 33,000km on their recent tour, the Reds needed big showings from the bench but got nothing.
Hendrick Tui, Andrew Ready and Lukhan Tui spilt ball and halfback Nick Frisby added another box kick blooper by kicking one into the back of lock Kane Douglas.
Both sides came to play football and Gardner helped the cause.
The older Barrett may have a 49-Test headstart but kid brother Jordie, 20, showed the handling and vision to suggest he’ll join him as an All Black one day.
None of the desperate Reds defence was better than fill-in fullback Duncan Paia’aua dragged down the pacy Matt Proctor, getting to his feet, throwing hands around the ball and earning a relieving penalty
HURRICANES 34 (J Savea, V Aso, TJ Perenara, B Barrett, J Barrett tries; J Barrett 3 conv, pen goal) bt REDS 15 (S Higginbotham, C Kuridrani tries; J McIntyre conv, pen goal)
Originally published as Reds coach sick of ‘courageous’ defeats
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