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For the first time in a few weeks all four Australian Super Rugby teams were in action. The Rebels were up first at home after a bye before the Brumbies tried their luck across the ditch in Dunedin with the Reds and Waratahs wrapping up the weekend action. Here are the grades for each team:
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Rebels – D
A season that started so promisingly is in danger of fading away. Adam Coleman turned down a gimme 3 points on the final whistle to get a draw to opt for a scrum. The Jaguares put pressure on the scrum and won the turnover soon after to close the game out. The Rebels had held an 11 point lead at the start of the second half but once again have succumbed in the second half of games. It is big difference starting the season 6-2 to 5-3 where the Rebels now find themselves.
Brumbies – C
The New Zealand dominance continues. This one could have been very different. The Brumbies were coming off a good win against the Reds the week before whereas the Highlanders have lost their last 2. At 15-10 down in the second half and a man up with Lima Sopoaga in the bin, the men from the Capital were piling on the pressure. Waisake Naholo picked up an intercept try and from then on it was one-way traffic. 43-17 might have been tough on the Brumbies but you have to take your chances.
Waratahs – B
The Waratahs claimed top spot in the Australian conference with a fairly comfortable win over their rivals from the North. In a game strewn with errors the Tahs asserted their dominance up front which gave them the platform to pick up the bonus point. You have to feel that a better team would have comfortably reversed the result.
Reds – E
The wheels have fallen off a little for the Queensland Reds. Humbled last week by the Brumbies and never really in it at the Sydney Cricket Ground. They were dominated upfront by a Waratahs pack that has been known to struggle at times. Back to the drawing board for Brad Thorn after this one.
