Queensland Reds -v- Western Force Match Report

[Darren]

Queensland Reds needed another perfect kicking performance from flyhalf Mike Harris to overcome Western Force 35-20 in a scrappy encounter in Brisbane on Saturday.

The Reds scored first-half tries through Ben Tapuai and Radike Samo in greasy conditions at Lang Park but it was the 25 points from a flawless display of place-kicking from Harris, who has yet to miss a kick in Super Rugby, that proved the difference.

“I'm pleased to win but not pleased with how we got it,” Reds and Wallabies captain James Horwill said in a televised interview. “Ball control was poor again and to allow them the soft tries that we did is just not good enough.”

The Force's tries came at the start of the second half from David Pocock and James Stannard but the Perth-based outfit never looked like having the cutting edge to convert pressure into enough points to threaten the upset.

Reds winger Tapuai cantered down the sideline breaking tackles for the first try after 20 minutes and number eight Samo added the second 16 minutes later with a 40-metre intercept that had echoes of his try for Australia against New Zealand last year.

All the while Harris, standing in for the injured Quade Cooper, kept kicking points from all parts of the field and the Reds went in for halftime 23-6 up.

Two tries in five minutes in the third quarter of the match brought the Force back into the contest, however.

Captain Pocock led the way with his charge over opposite number seven Beau Robinson to score under the posts before a slick sidestep from Stannard sealed a brilliant solo effort and the flyhalf converted both to narrow the lead to 26-20.

Harris extended the Reds' lead by another three points with a superbly executed kick from the right touchline just before the hour mark and concluded the scoring with two more in the last quarter.

Harris has now made 16 kicks from 16 attempts in the first two matches of the season

Reuters.

[hertryk]

What is going on. Simple basic mistakes. This is embarrassing. Something needs to be done Fast. It's too painful

[SNOB]

What is going on. Simple basic mistakes. This is embarrassing. Something needs to be done Fast. It's too painful

We will have to wait for the excuses! I thought we had a chance but not now
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[hertryk]

Just hurts worse than my broken ribs!

[hertryk]

Every time the new guy got the ball he coughed it up!

[Darren]

Half Time Stats

Ruck/Mauls (Ave per phase)
Reds: 24(1.8)
Force:27(2.3)

Phases
Reds: 5 or 6=0; 7 to 9=0; 10+=0; Highest=4
Force: 5 or 6=1; 7 to 9=1; 10+=0; Highest=7

Lost possessions/ Turnovers conceded
Reds: 8 (Ruck/Mauls=1; Penalties=1; Lineouts=2; Handling errors=3; Forced into touch=1; )
Force: 10 (Ruck/Mauls=2; Penalties=1; Lineouts=1; Handling errors=5; Other=1)

Missed tackles
Reds: 4 (Missing 1 in 8 tackle attempts, or every 187 secs)
Force7 (Missing 1 in 4 tackle attempts, or every 101 secs)

Line breaks, Offloads
Reds: 2; Offloads=3 ;Intercept=1
Force2; Offloads=2

Handling errors made
Reds: 3 (Stopped play=3; Advantage played=0)
Force: 5 (Stopped play=4; Advantage played=1)

Stats from http://www.ruckingoodstats.com/context/file?id=2730

[hertryk]

They already look like they have lost the game!

[jono]

hopefully pocock can stir them up a wee bit now

[hertryk]

Thank goodness a try...now let's hope they lift their game!

[Darren]

They've been lifting their game the whole half so far - Stannard runs pretty fast for an old guy

[jono]

it's a shame - stannard seems loads more comfortable when he is playing 9 tonight.

[SNOB]

Need to be taught to pass and catch
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[Hoolly Doolly]

The backline dont seem to know how to play whats in front of them, like when to kick for territory, straighten up or when to shovel.......either lacking confidence , skill or iq....or all of the above. Dissapointing.

[palitu]

Horwill has a bad habit of going through the side of a ruck, i saw 2 tonight... very blatant.

[GIGS20]

Well, we're bottom of the conference, will it stay that way?

I haven't seen much to suggest it'll be different, but Ben Seymour wasn't a complete waste of space in 10 and chucky was ok in 9. How the hell did our scrum have trouble against the Reds though? Several scrums on the back foot allowing Genia to get away with his offside bullshit hanging all over the halfback before the ball's out.

Stanley doesn't look up to the standard yet, perhaps we should put Seymour at 12 and swap Chuck into 9 for the second half.

It's Gunna be a long year!