Blues beat Reds in Queensland

What a match it was last week! The Reds not only beat the Crusaders but they pretty much hammered them.

 

If the truth be told they were unlucky in their opening match against the Waratahs as they should have won that match too.

 

New Reds coach Ewen McKenzie is clearly on to something with their new "free" playing style.

 

We are waiting for the kick off. The match is underway.

 

0.54: The Reds get the perfect start as Will Genia catches the ball from a Blues grubber and puts his toe down and runs 70m to score the Reds first try !

 

2.00: Quade Coper nails the conversion. If you are a Reds fan you can't ask for more.

 

The Reds put together 7 phases and th Blues turn it over. Brett boots the ball downfield and the Reds chase.

 

4.00: It's a quick session of aerial ping pong and then the ball goes out.

 

7.00: Big scrum from the Reds and Alby Mathewson gets caught offside so the Reds boot for touch. They win the following line out and form the maul. They pass out to Ioane who darts off but puts a foot in touch.

 

9.00: The Blues get some good attacking ball but they are called back for a penalty.

 

10.00: Stephen Brett misses the penalty.

 

14.00: The Blies give away a penalty so Quade Cooper takes the shot and nails it.

 

18.00: The Reds give away a penalty so Stephen Brett takes the kick and this time has no problem.

 

22.00: The reds go on attack but the ball gets dropped on the boot by mistake and the Blues have to retreat which they do and counter.

 

24.00: Morgan Turinui has a run down the wing but the ball beats the Reds. Genia makes a break but as they go forward someone knocks on. The Reds look dangerous in the loose.

 

26.00: Digby Ioane has a run and gets flattened. Big big hit. He gets back up.

 

27.00: The Blues enjoy their best attacking spell. They swing the ball wide but get called back for a knock on.

 

30.00: The Blues are pressing hard and testing the Reds defence. The Blues set up a scrum on the 25m line. We have a few resets and finally the Blues fire off from the scrum and Peter Saili passes to Rene Ranger who brushes off seven Reds players - and takes four with him as he drives for the line and scores! Great try.

 

33.00: Stephen Brett slices the conversion.

 

34.00: The Reds find a small hole and take it but get called back for a forward pass.

 

36.00: The Reds get a penalty so Quade Cooper takes the shot and nails it in the rain from well out. Great kick.

 

38.00: The Blues get the Reds on the backfoot and push them back into their 25. The Blues do well at the breakdown and they win a penalty.

 

39.00: Stephen Brett takes the kick and takes his time at it as the clock ticks over 40.00...but misses.

 

It's half time.

 

 

The second half is underway.

 

41.00: The Blues start well and press hard inside the Reds 25. They get to within 5m. The drive over the line and Anthony Boric comes up with the ball after the try.

 

44.00: Stephen Brett adds the conversion and the Blues are in front for the first time.

 

45.00:Daniel Braid and Rod Davies clash heads as they tackle a Blues player. Davies goes off for blood and so does Peter Hynes who is holding his wrist.

 

50.00: The Reds are really under pressure as the Blues push forward. Alby Mathewson finds some space and scores a pretty soft try.  

 

53.00: Stephen Brett misses the conversion.

 

55.00: The Reds are really starting to unravel. Nothing they try is coming off.

 

58.00: The Reds get some good field position but the Blues win the line out. They pass to Stephen Brett who boots way downfield.

 

59.00: The Reds are starting to fight their way back but the Blues are still weathering the storm.

 

61.00: As the Reds attack the Blues turn it over and fly down the wing. They kick for the wingers on the other side's wingers but the ball rolls into touch. We do however get called back for a foul play report by the touchie.

 

62.00: The Reds fight their way back and Laurie Weeks gets driven over the line by his forwards for their second try.

 

64.00: Quade Cooper just misses the conversion.

 

65.00: The Reds have been fired up by that try. Genia breaks and takes a couple with him. The Reds recycle and try to go with the forwards over the tryline. They get held up. Genia goes over but is stopped. We get called back for a Reds penalty.

 

68.00: Quade Cooper takes the penalty kick and just shaves the outside of the posts.

 

69.00: The Blues get an intercept and Boric darts off. They spin the ball wide but a Viliama Ma’,afu foot goes into touch. Try saved.

 

71.00: The Reds look to lift the tempo of the game. Ioane breaks and finds space. A ball pops up and is loos over the line. Morgan Turinui dives on it. We go upstairs. No try. 5m scrum.

 

73.00: The scrum goes down and gets reset.

 

75.00: The Reds win the scrum but the ball gets knocked on. We scrum again.  

 

76.00: Blues win the scrum, pass to Stephen Brett who boots the ball well downfield. Reds throw in at the line out and it's not straight.

 

77.00:Alby Mathewson breaks on his own, He boots the ball up and chases it. He regathers and as he goes over the line he loses the ball !!

 

78.00: The Blues go again and this time they swing it wide to the other side where Rudi Wulf flies over in the corner and scores ! That's the bonus point.

 

79.00: Lachie Munro sends the conversion between the posts.

 

80.00: The siren goes. Thats it the Blues win with a bonus point.

 

 

Reds - 15 Peter Hynes, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Morgan Turinui, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Rod Davies, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia (c), 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Jake Schatz, 5 Van Humphries, 4 Adam Byrnes, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Ben Daley.

 

Reserves: 16 Sean Hardman, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Leroy Houston, 20 Richard Kingi, 21 Tim Walsh, 22 Will Chambers.

 

Blues - 15 Paul Williams, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Rudi Wulf, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Anthony Boric, 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Keven Mealamu (c), 1 John Afoa.
 

Reserves: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Tony Woodcock, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Viliama Ma’,afu, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 22 Lachie Munro.