REDS’ YELLOW CARDS
Blues’ scrum problems a target for opposition
Brad Thorn wasn’t happy with the yellow cards given to wing Jordan Petaia (lifting tackle) and prop Taniela Tupou (no arms in tackle) during his team’s defeat to the Blues (who took full advantage). But the laws are clear on both and the Reds pair put themselves at risk with their actions.
Coach Robertson has the Crusaders playing an adaptable style — they are equally comfortable with a wide game or a territory-based setpiece focused strategy — but are near unbeatable at home at this time of year with conditions favouring a side who can flourish despite a slippery ball. They have one of the best scrums in the competition and their lineout maul is second to none.
They have finals pedigree. It’s difficult to imagine any other team lifting the trophy in 2018. After breaking their victory drought at home which enabled them to farewell Jerome Kaino in fitting fashion, the Blues and coach Tana Umaga will have quickly turned their attention to what went wrong against the Reds, and there was plenty.
The main issue was their scrum, and loosehead prop Alex Hodgman, in particular. The Blues No 1 conceded four penalties in four scrums and caused referee Egon Seconds to warn skipper Jerome Kaino early in the second half that he would sinbin Hodgman if he couldn’t or wouldn’t improve.
Umaga replaced the 24-year-old almost immediately, only for his substitute Sione Mafileo to earn Seconds’ ire and a yellow card for continued offending. The Blues gave up 14 penalties in total, with more than half of them coming from their scrum.
The Blues pair were apparently bewildered afterwards. Neither has had such issues previously but with two matches against New Zealand opposition remaining for the Blues this season — the Hurricanes in Wellington and Crusaders in Christchurch — Umaga doesn’t want either man to get a reputation as a serial offender.
The All Black-laden Crusaders’ pack, in particular, will have seen the Blues’ set-piece as a big area of opportunity after the home side’s overdue 38-16 win at Eden Park. If former Crusader Hodgman makes the trip south to face Owen Franks and Joe Moody and company, it could be a very uncomfortable night for him.
“Obviously there are some things we need to look at and we’ll ask the questions,” Umaga said. “We need to make sure we don’t have a picture painted of us going forward. We need to get some clarity on that.
“And obviously Alex needs to know to let everyone know he hasn’t got an issue. We have a couple of props in there [shed] who are wondering, so we need to get clarity and we’ll get that I’m sure.”
The Blues were awkward in the opening quarter — as though they knew the importance of a victory for their leader Kaino, off to France shortly, but didn’t quite know how to go about it.
The two yellow cards in two minutes shown to Reds players Jordan Petaia and Taniela Tupou removed that anxiety and if there were two positives for Umaga they were that they finally showed a ruthless edge and that in Rieko Ioane they have an extremely influential player in the absence of Sonny Bill Williams, out for another six weeks or so with Jerome Kaino
a shoulder injury.
“He leads a young group within this group,” Umaga said of Ioane. “They look to him — I think everyone does. To lump him with that could be a bit too much at this stage, but he’s got some young guys around him who will back him.
“For us having Rieko there — he’s a talker, he’s confident and he gives others around him confidence.”
The Hurricanes were awful against the Brumbies in Canberra — their third loss in three matches. Another loss for them would put their chances of a home quarter-final at risk.
A Mafi, D Paia’aua tries; J Lance 2 pens.
21-6. T Naiyaravoro, W Miller, N Hanigan, B Foley tries; Foley 4 cons, 1 pen.
D Haylett-Petty, M Ruru tries; R Hodge 2 cons, 4 pens.
17-10. S Alaimalo,T Pulu (2), K Tu’inukuafe, L Jacobson, S Wainui tries; D McKenzie 6 cons, 1 pen.
T Walden (2), A Seiuli, S Frizell tries’ L Sopoaga con.
52-0. D du Preez, A Esterhuizen, L Mvovo tries; du Preez 2 cons, 4 pens.
R Combrinck, C Brink, K Smith tries; E Jantjies 3 cons, 1 pen.
11-21. B Delguy, M Orlando, G Petti tries; N Sanchez 2 cons, 2 pens.
D Leyds, S Notshe tries; J du Plessis 2 cons.
15-7.