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Reds crash back to earth with big loss at hands of Highlanders

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

It’s taken but 35 seconds for the Highlanders to serve up a reality check for Australia’s Super Rugby hopefuls in a crushing 40-19 win over the Queensland Reds in the Trans-Tasman tournament opener in Dunedin.

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Triumphant over the Brumbies only six days ago in a thrilling Super Rugby AU final, the Reds came crashing back to earth with a 40-19 loss to the Highlanders at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The Highlanders won only three of eight games in Super Rugby Aotearoa while the Reds lost just one in the AU version.

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The panel of Ross Karl, James Parsons and Bryn Hall talk about all the action and news from the week of rugby in New Zealand and across the world.

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The panel of Ross Karl, James Parsons and Bryn Hall talk about all the action and news from the week of rugby in New Zealand and across the world.

Yet New Zealand’s fourth-best outfit was still streets ahead of Australia’s champions on Friday night.

They set the tone in the opening minute with a try through lovely hands to centre Scott Gregory.

The Reds levelled shortly after through Kalani Thomas but spent the rest of the first half camped almost exclusively on their own line as the pace and intensity of New Zealand opposition exposed an ominous gulf in class.

The Highlanders converted their glut of possession and territory into a 21-7 halftime advantage following further five-pointers to lock Josh Dixon and winger Sio Tomkinson, both tries converted by flyhalf Mitch Hunt.

With coach Brad Thorn already opting to rest several stars, the Reds suffered another blow when skipper and playmaker James O’Connor failed to front for the second half after failing a HIA.

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Injected into the action after the break, prized recruit Suliasi Vunivalu wasted little time reviving Reds hopes when he soared sublimely to reel in a Bryce Hegarty cross-field kick and touch down in the corner in the 45th minute to reduce the deficit to nine points.

Alas, the Highlanders hit back through a second try to Dixon four minutes later as the Reds’ ball security and ill-discipline repeatedly cost them any chance of victory.

Replacements Ngatungane Punivai and Liam Coltman came off the bench to secure a bonus point for the Highlanders with two tries in the closing 10 minutes.

Code-hopper Vunivalu clinched his maiden try-scoring double with another leap after the siren – but it was all too little too late for the Reds.

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– Darren Walton

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RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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