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Three weeks into competition for the Australian teams and the conference is looking rather surprising with a couple of teams at the top that might not have been fancied at the start of the season. Here are this week’s grades:
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REBELS – A
Another week, another record tumbles for the Rebels. This time it was their highest point score against the Brumbies. Considering the tumultuous summer that just went, with the club not sure if they would even be in existence, their start has been superb. They have recruited superbly and even without captain Adam Coleman, they didn’t miss a beat.
The Brumbies held them to a 10-10 half time scoreline but once they sniffed blood when the Brumbies went down to 14 men they cut loose to gain their third attacking bonus point of the season and remain as one of two unbeaten teams in Super Rugby. Next Sunday’s game at the Waratahs looks like a cracker.
BRUMBIES – D
After two very disappointing results and probably three halves of disappointing rugby, the men from the capital certainly fronted up for the first 50 minutes in Melbourne. They caused more problems to the Rebels than they did to the Reds and the result was in the balance for all that time.
The sin binning of Leslie Makin was a key point in the game and the Rebels struck straight away. From that point fitness and the extra man was telling. A point of concern is the kicking off the tee. The Brumbies have scored four tries in two games, none of which were converted. They will be pleased to be back at home next week to try and get their season back on track.
REDS – A
The Reds have recorded back to back wins in Super Rugby for the first time since 2014. This was a great result for the Queenslanders, their home form will be vital with their young squad and they will take a lot of heart from this performance. Trailing 14-10 at half time they came back to win and even put up a rear guard action after conceding a last minute penalty on their line.
Their lineout functioned well but it is their scrum that is turning heads. That is growing into a weapon for the Reds as teams cannot live with the pressure exerted and Jono Lance has proved to be an inspired, cool head at 10. They could prove a lot of people, including myself, wrong.
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WARATAHS – D
This game was over after 20 minutes when the Jaguares had scored their fourth try to make it 26-0. The Waratahs were caught completely off guard by the blistering start the hosts made. They did rally and get themselves four converted tries of their own but their set piece was a worry once again.
The lineout did not function well and the scrum was dominated by the Argentinians. They have had a tough start but now look at the Rebels game at home next week as a must win.
