Super Rugby AU: Five Talking Points from Round 7
Harry Johnson-Holmes is congratulated for his try by his Waratahs teammates
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Round 7 of Super Rugby AU was a week of acid tests, as the mettle of the sides looking to challenge the Brumbies to the title were tested.
The Reds needed to respond after a thumping at the hands of the Waratahs last time out.
They took on a Rebels side who - flush from triumph over the previously unbeaten Brumbies - wanted to ram home their advantage.
However, they failed to do so as the Reds put on a defensive clinic to win a grinding game 19-3 in Brisbane.
Not far away on the Gold Coast, the Western Force took on the Waratahs who were aiming to capitalise on suddenly finding themselves back in the title race.
The men from Sydney got the job done with minimal fuss, recording a 28-8 win over the Force who still managed to come away having made the men in blue work for it.
As the last few weeks of the competition begin to take shape, here are the key takeaways from Round 7.
Magic Maddocks the main man as Tahs take next step in revival
The Tahs Jack Maddocks looks to break away against the Force
Credit: PA
Few can deny that one of the major reasons the Waratahs are still in this competition has been the performances of Jack Maddocks.
The fullback has taken the responsibility of filling the not insubstantial shoes of Israel Folau in his stride, proving solid at the back and lethal with ball in hand.
He has also struck up a formidable partnership with back-three comrades Alex Newsome and James Ramm, with Maddocks offering running threat and playmaking skills against the Force.
It was an important win for the Waratahs, best summed up by Julien Linden in The Australian: “Most teams wouldn’t be crowing about going back-to-back but most teams haven’t got 17 months without winning two on the trot.”
In what was a decent but flawed performance, Maddocks came up with the moments of magic again after a stellar performance against the Reds last week that ultimately saw the men in sky blue (or in this case white) home.
After a slow start, the fullback sprang to life shortly before halftime to play two vital roles in Alex Newsome’s try.
He chimed into the line perfectly off Michael Hooper’s short ball and his strength in the tackle allowed him to flick a lovely offload to Lalakai Foketi, who proceeded to put Jake Gordon away.
Not content with just that involvement, Maddocks also took control at the base of the ensuing ruck and had the vision and skill to throw a long pass out to the right where his winger was in acres of space to go over.
He wasn’t done there, either - just minutes after the interval, he read Jono Lance’s cutout ball perfectly to intercept and race away for a five-pointer of his own.
He could have added to his tally as well, with a truly filthy line bringing him a score that was ultimately chalked off for a forward pass - but trust me, it deserved the five points.
Those moments of magic capped off a superb individual performance that featured 76 running metres from 12 carries - along with two offloads and four defenders beaten.
What is more, it was a showing that rammed home once and for all that his name will be alongside the likes of Dane Haylett-Petty, Tom Banks and Reece Hodge as new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie assesses his options to fill the 15 jersey.
Hunt in the…hunt for Wallabies jersey
Karmichael Hunt was on top form for the Waratahs against the Force
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Another man from the Waratahs who will be firmly at the front of Rennie’s thinking when the time comes to pick his first squad should be Karmichael Hunt.
He has been forced to step into the breach vacated shortly before the start of the competition by Kurtley Beale and while that’s a challenge some would shrink from, Hunt has stepped up magnificently.
Hunt showed he was not afraid to step up into first receiver, just as Beale would have done, and take the pressure off young Will Harrison who himself is growing into the 10 role more every week.
His distribution has been crucial in unleashing the talent in the Waratahs’ outside backs, with the likes of Ramm benefiting off the good service, extra time and space he can give them.
A perfect example of his game awareness was, again, in a try-scoring move that was ultimately disallowed as he ran onto Harrison’s cute chip over the Force defence.
Hunt collected the ball and instinctively knew Jake Gordon was coming up on his shoulder to allow him to throw the pass back inside and put the number 9 away.
The try ultimately didn’t stand because Gordon had not retreated onside from the kick, but it served as a perfect example of the multi-threat Hunt is proving to be in that Waratahs’ midfield.
They’ve got a way to go yet, but if the Tahs can continue to get the best out of Hunt they may just find themselves going places.
Did I mention I quite like Byron Ralston?
A day may come when The Flanker does not make a point of praising Byron Ralston in these weekly rundowns, moving to examine other players and trends that are maybe more important at the top end of the table.
But it is not this day.
There is just so much to like about this kid - he is making a serious case that even if and when Super Rugby returns to its usual format and the Force likely drop out of the competition again, he should be continuing to rub shoulders with the best the league has to offer.
He had three clean breaks against the Waratahs, with none of his teammates having more than one, and beat four defenders - another team high.
He doesn’t shirk his defensive duty either, chipping in with nine tackles on the night including an out and out try saver on Jake Gordon after he was put in by Foketi.
Unfortunately for Ralston, it would eventually lead to a score for Alex Newsome and the Tahs but you can’t fault the effort.
His support instincts are fantastic and is elusive with ball in hand. Ralston is not afraid of taking a man on the outside - a trait that is actually surprisingly lacking in a lot of modern wingers, with many content to step inside and take contact rather than risk flirtations with the touchline.
What impressed me more than a lot of things about him though, even in a losing side, were his effort plays that maybe weren’t always successful but showed the kind of character he is.
Added to the trysaver on Gordon, whenever the Waratahs went through Ralston was always the guy chasing back and trying to make last-ditch tackles even when it was pretty obvious there was no hope.
Plays like that should not go unnoticed and if Ralston has been ignored throughout the competition so far then I am, in the words of the mighty Nigel Pearson, an ostrich.
Reds bounce back as Rebels fail acid test
The Reds needed to make a point against the high-flying Rebels in Brisbane and boy, they did it.
It was not the kind of dazzling attacking performance we have seen from them, but the Reds put in a monster shift to grind out a win they badly needed after last week’s confidence sapping battering by the Waratahs.
The 19-3 win was built on some monster defensive efforts, with the Reds making 232 tackles to the Rebels’ 80.
All but three of the starting side got into double figures for tackles, with Angus Blyth and the outstanding Fraser McReight topping the charts with 23 and 22 respectively.
The Reds’ defence absorbs yet another tackle against the Rebels
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Compare that to the Rebels, with their 67% possession and whose top tackler was scrumhalf Frank Lomani with 10, you start to see the scale of both the Reds’ defence and the worrying lack of spark for the Rebels.
To muster just three points from the boot of Matt Toomua from that much ball and field position (74% territory) will be a serious concern to coach David Wessels.
The concession of 18 turnovers will be a real point of annoyance to the coaching staff, as will an 80% tackle success rate (80/100) when your opponents rack up 90% success when making well over 200 (the Reds were 232/260).
This game was a serious opportunity for the Rebels to stamp their authority on second place and lay down a marker to the Brumbies ahead of their return from the bye next week, but they couldn’t get the job done with almost everything going in their favour.
Inconsistency reared its ugly head again for the Melbourne boys but so much credit must go to Brad Thorn and his Reds, who have picked up the pieces from last week’s disappointment and got themselves back in the mix.
Prime-time Petaia will be a serious weapon in the last weeks
Jordan Petaia could be a serious trump card for the Reds as Super Rugby AU wraps up
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If the Reds were going to get a shot in the arm from somewhere, the return to the starting team of the freakishly talented Jordan Petaia was the way to get it.
This parish said on his return from shoulder surgery via the bench that he was someone to keep an eye on in the latter stages of this competition and his performance against the Rebels proved that correct.
The 20-year-old showed remarkable maturity in taking his place on the field little more than a week after the sudden death of his father and, what is more, put in a performance that would have made his dad proud.
He made two clean breaks, more than anyone else on the park, as well as clocking up 36 run metres from 6 carries.
They may not be the most astonishing numbers, but they don’t tell the full story of the quality of his involvements.
His instincts with ball in hand are second to none, as he proved when spotting a gap through which to snake for the opening try of the night.
It was a piece of play that showed off the dazzling footwork and acceleration he possesses. When on the field, he ensures no opponent can relax.
Even if the Reds cannot go on and win this competition, Petaia may be something of a kingmaker in how he goes through the last weeks of this league.
Stay tuned, folks, because this could be box office.
