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Rugby News, NSW Waratahs win yet again for the fourth straight time after a brilliant display v Fijian Drua at Allianz Stadium

by Sports Benches

Fijian Drua opened the scoring account first with the three-point penalty goal & then the same again, while the Waratahs got away by overtaking them twice alongside these two tries where they just extended their lead after the 2nd big score at half-time, 13-6. Later on, the Tahs continued to score a few more tries in order to stay ahead. On the other hand, Drua at last improved their play with back-to-back tries. But then there’s only winner to settle and that is the Waratahs where they responded to Drua’s fightback well before they got away with a comfortable win in front of their home supporters. The final score over in Moore Park was 32-18.

Commiserations to the Fijian Drua with their hard-fought loss tonight, even though they’ve done well at times with a great vibe amongst the Fijian supporters out there watching in-person. Their defense & the way they control possession with the ball wasn’t bad where they won a few penalties/turnovers, as well as back-to-back three-point penalty goals earlier on before Drua managed to fight back with back-to-back tries in the 2nd half. But the only key weakness they couldn’t overcome was the Waratahs defensive blocks where they gave them a really hard time before Drua were being punished in return along the way before it was just too much to keep up towards the end – that’s all. It doesn’t mean that their bid to the Finals is over though with back-to-back home games ahead v Moana Pasifika next Saturday & QLD Reds in two weeks time.

And how good it was to see the Tahs win another game yet again for the fourth time in a row, having won the last three at home including the Reds away in Townsville. Their defense has been outstanding where they held the Drua’s conversion play accountable before they cashed in with back-to-back tries through a good lead ahead of the break. Then they managed to extend their lead along the way thanks to their amazing attacking momentum & patience. Now the Drua may have fought back at times, but the home side stayed ahead with another few tries before the job was well & truly done towards the home run first. Great timing to have the strongest side back together in time for the Finals soon. For now, they hope to win another upset v Crusaders this time on in Christchurch next Saturday arvo just like last year at Leichhardt Oval.

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Rugby News, Top 3 players from the Queensland Reds v Blues Game in Round 13 of the 2023 Super Rugby Season

by Sports Benches

I’ve gotta say that Harry Plummer was outstanding particularly in the 2nd half on the Blues inside midfield at No.12. He too can cover everything, particularly when he had to take over from the main No.10 in Beauden Barrett with the kicking duties after he had to come off not long following half-time due to injury. Nevertheless, his passing has been excellent with the ball as always, so the link-up play can continue through the channels that led to another few tries along the way. And once the tries are done, Harry’s kicking has been spotless to add the extra conversion points & bonus point win too. Although there’s still some unfinished business left & hope injuries don’t affect their goal of winning the championship next month.

Next up is Cameron Suafoa in the No.5 Blues shirt who provided a great link with the backline well that not only help got away with a great start, but also extend their winning lead along the way. Speaking of balance, he too unpacked his natural game well between pace, power & physicality. He has done the digging with the ball on hand while his attackers are ready to pounce. That way, the Blues were able to show so much fight with more tries under his watch. And once the Blues were in an easy position towards full-time, he deserved an early mark off to the bench with 20 to go. Well done on giving his backline that link to help finish off for him.

And Liam Wright has been excellent last night on the Reds blindside back row at No.6. Every time he contributes in the attack, he’s such a huge threat where his towering frame & packed muscle broke away the Blues’ defensive wall on occasions. You can see there he has found the support he needs verbally & physically in order for the Reds to get over the line where a few tries are being made there with all credit to Liam. His hard work saw the Reds land not far behind the Blues at half-time, but they just couldn’t build on their good start when they just couldn’t stop the firing Blues attack while their finishing play has been consistent as well.

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Blues too good in the end where their fiery attack was outstanding against the Reds at Suncorp Stadium last night

by Sports Benches

It was a close opening 40 minutes of play between the Queensland Reds & Blues where the Blues fired off first while the Reds held them back with 1-2 tries, as the Blues held a narrow three-point buffer ahead of half-time, 14-17. In the end though, the Blues were simply too good where their attack has been outstanding with a comfortable win on the Reds’ home turf over at Suncorp Stadium. The final score was Queensland Reds 26-43 Blues.

After an upset win last Friday v Chiefs over in New Plymouth, NZ, the Reds just couldn’t get the job done this time against the Blues last night. Their first-half wasn’t bad for a start with a great fightback through 1-2 tries earlier on where they weren’t far behind by three points at half-time. Yes, they managed to score another 1-2 consolation tries later on in which they cannot retract from that. But what’s really disappointing is not only they couldn’t stop the dangerous Blues attack, but their finishing continued to be inconsistent in which is still happening for some time this season. They got the Highlanders from Dunedin though next up over in NZ & they’re under heaps of pressure down in 11th right now, so no doubt the Reds can get this done with a win on Friday night.

Meanwhile, the Blues continue to prove what it takes to be such a dangerous force as if they’re preparing for each Finals game that will begin in three weeks from now. Their first-half wasn’t bad when they got themselves ahead early while being held up by the Reds at the same time by a small lead going into the break. But the Blues managed to turn themselves around with more tries on the board while they extend their winning lead. And they were simply too good towards the end with a bonus point win. Now it remains to be seen if the Blues can cope with their injury hit-list, having seen a few go off the bench unexpectedly in the 2nd 40. They’ve got the Hurricanes next Saturday night followed by the Highlanders both at Eden Park to end the regular season, but hope they’re okay ahead of the Playoffs soon. 

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Top 3 players from the NSW Waratahs v Melbourne Rebels Game in Round 12 of the 2023 Super Rugby Season

by Sports Benches

Ben Donaldson has been excellent more than just his usual kicking game tonight, particularly during the 2nd half where the Waratahs were well secure towards the win at No.10. Every time the Waratahs have their chance with the ball, he designed the attack well by throwing some passage of play thanks to the patience being built there. It allowed them to sneak can sneak their way past the Rebels wall through some room before rewards begin to go their way & that is exactly what the Tahs wanted in the end with both the win & bonus point. Such a dynamic No.10 to watch after the Tahs finished off well for him while adding the extra conversion points with credit to his backline runners.

I’ve gotta say that Jed Holloway has been so influential on the Waratahs second row at No.4. The partnership with Hugh Sinclair worked really well while talking up as always at line-out time, so they know what are the Rebels’ weaknesses & where his side can find the sweet spot. Thanks to Jed, the Tahs were able to get the job done a few times through a mix of sensational steals & penalty tries from this spot. Great to see him come back stronger for his 2nd spell here under Darren Coleman as he still has plenty to offer at age 30, who possesses such a towering build along with excellent vision & brutal strength that reflects his natural game.

And Richard Hardwick has been excellent tonight in the No.8 Rebels shirt where he worked so hard that helped them put themselves on the front foot. The promising signs were there every time he caught the Tahs players down defensively while building some momentum & backing them up with the ball. It’s how the Rebels got away on a flying start as well as winning back turnovers & some penalties thanks to his on-field input. It’s just a shame that the poor line outs really hit them hard; So does a few missing tries where the game could’ve been theirs, but then they couldn’t capitalised it before it went even worse in the end with the loss.

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Waratahs win three-in-a-row with an easy end to the match while the Melbourne Rebels threw away their flying start at Allianz Stadium

by Sports Benches

It was a tight first 40 where the Rebels were on a roll with back-to-back tries for a start, but then a mix of missed TRY finishes to try & extend their winning margin saw the Waratahs catch up to them that hit really hard before the Melbourne-based side narrowly held the lead ahead of half-time, 14-17, courtesy of a penalty goal. Going into the 2nd half, however, the game easily belongs to the Waratahs, while the Rebels continued to suffer with not just their poor finishing but also the line-outs & discipline as well. The final score at Allianz Stadium was 38-20.

Hard luck to the Melbourne Rebels with the loss there, having fell so short by seven-points against the Brumbies at AAMI Park last Sunday. They fired off really well with back-to-back tries while trying to stay in the fight through some three-point penalty goals. However, their display was largely disappointing when not only the line-outs were bad, but also their messy finishing where the game could’ve easily been theirs if the Rebels successfully added another 2-3 tries along the way. It’s just a shame they couldn’t capitalise on these missed opportunities before it gets worse & worse with the ill-discipline, and it’s something they couldn’t recover ever since. They will now be flying over to Dunedin, NZ where the Rebels continue to fight for the 8th Playoffs spot next Saturday v Highlanders.

Meanwhile, it’s great to see the Waratahs end up with three straight wins now on what has been a wonderful night in front of their supporters at Allianz Stadium (Moore Park). Now they may have been disadvantaged from the beginning but boy they showed so much fightback along the way. The credit comes from the Rebels poor line-outs, ill-discipline & missed TRY opportunities where the Tahs made up some lost time going into half-time before they were unstoppable on the run home with a comfortable win. Such a brilliant show where they are in a good position now to secure another year in the Final  Playoffs at 6th right now thanks to Head Coach Darren Coleman. But first, they still got three games left with the Fijian Drua next up – who is not far from the Top 8 bubble in 9th right now behind Western Force – also on a Saturday night at home.

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Top 3 players from the Chiefs v Queensland Reds in Round 12 of the 2023 Super Rugby Season

by Sports Benches

Hats off to Tate McDermott following a hard day’s work that helped end the Chiefs’ long-running unbeaten run tonight as the Reds’ main No.9. He always provided a great link between his forwards & backline department in all areas, so the Reds know where to find the sweet spot. It helped his side get the ball rolling with the fightback being shown there, particularly when he snatched a TRY himself to level at half-time thanks to a great maul off the line-out. Then his leadership & on-field input kept the momentum going with another 1-2 tries before his side were able to close out the game with a big shift in defense where all credit coming from McDermott. All they have to do is finish off the attack well & you will thank him that made the Reds so dangerous with the ball.

Next up is Reds reserve No.10 Tom Lynagh who made such a huge difference in the 2nd 40, especially when they were turning themselves around before his side finally tasted victory thanks to his excellent display that includes the winning penalty goal. He’s always young & hungry every time he gets his chance, having been away with injury for some time this season. It’s not just his conversion kicks that gave them a boost of confidence, but he too can also lend a helping hand too defensively. Love how he caught Rameka Poihipi down on the far left short side & luckily his forwards were there to hold the ball up that went the Reds way. Looks like he’s ready for more to give Brad Thorn the good send off he deserves as head coach.

And Etene Nanai-Seturo has been brilliant with back-to-back tries during the first half in the No.11 Chiefs shirt (left wing). Every time he has the ball, his finishing has been explosive with pace & power that will make any opposition side pay under his watch. When we look back at his 2nd TRY while the Reds were scrappy on one occasion, he too was so instantly ready to incept with a mighty soccer kick before he picks it up & no one couldn’t stop him. Great timing to see him read these Reds mistakes by cashing it in with space. But then the Chiefs were not themselves tonight when their 2nd half run was just inconsistent that left them so little time to upsurge the Reds; Sadly it was just too much pressure to get out in the end.

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Queensland Reds finally end the Chiefs unbeaten run of 2023 with the win they wanted at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth

by Sports Benches

It has been a really close match up to watch that changed everything for both teams after full-time. We saw some great competition during the first half with the Chiefs off to a great start, while the Reds fought back with two tries of their own that both teams level the scoresheets at the break (12-12). Going into the second half, Reds continued to score another 1-2 tries; However, the Chiefs never gave up where they scored a penalty goal + another TRY later on with 7 mins to go. In the end though, the Reds fought one back through a three-point penalty goal once more going into the full-time hooter, and they’ve put in such a scrambled defense against a threatening Chiefs side where it was enough to leave Yarrow Stadium with the win & end their unbeaten winning streak of 2023. The final score was 22-25.

It’s been a great run but the Chiefs unbeaten hoodoo of 2023 has now came to an end after 10 rounds. However, it doesn’t mean their season is over just yet with three regular games to go + another 2-3 Playoffs games if they want to lift the Super Rugby trophy this year. Their first half performance wasn’t bad with back-to-back tries thanks to some sensational finishing from Etene Nanai-Seturo on the left wing at No.11. But what really hurts them with the three-point loss tonight was some inconsistent finishing play in the 2nd half – nothing more apart from winning penalties/advantages before more pressure began to pile on them towards the final hooter & sadly it was too much to escape really when the game was won by the Reds. The Chiefs’ next match this time over at FMG Stadium in Hamilton is on Saturday night against the Hurricanes.

Meanwhile, it’s great to see the Reds win away from home in New Zealand for the first time in a decade also against the Chiefs during that time – 23-31. They showed terrific fightback that not only helped the Reds get the ball rolling, but they also levelled with the runaway leaders at half-time. Then the Reds were able to build on the momentum with another 1-2 tries + a late three-penalty goal before they put in a good defensive shift towards the end where it was enough to take away for the win. What a night that is for the Queensland supporters watching from home, as well as some who were also travelling to the game for their mighty Reds team over at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth. Now all they have to do is to improve their finishing play, particularly when playing the top teams like the Blues next up at Suncorp Stadium next Friday.

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Top 3 players from the Reds v Waratahs Game in Round 11 of the 2023 Super Rugby Season

by Sports Benches

First of all, take a bow to No.8 Langi Gleeson who was instrumental of the Waratahs win against the Reds tonight in Townsville. He has so much offer in his position, having exposed the Reds’ poor conversion play by holding them up defensively. Plus, he can also smash his way through the Reds blocks with the ball every time the Waratahs need to build some attacking momentum. And with patience, his side were able to accrue as many big scores than the Reds side did throughout his 60 minute shift. Now there’s unfinished business left to make more damage from such a talented youngster with youth (age 21) by his side.

Next up is Dave Porecki (No.2 at Hooker) who back from injury recently at the right time to help turn his side’s season around, having been excellent with his throw-ins at line-out time as always before he controlled with the ball really well that led to tries on the board. Not only he opened the Tahs scoring account himself, but he credits the Reds poor attacking executions & ill-discipline that led to more chances to get the job done from his end. The Tahs need him the most based on his vast experience & he will continue to work hard by delivering them tries & wins in return.

And Suli Vunivalu has been dangerous earlier on during the opening 40 in particular on the Reds wide right role at No.14. He too can jump up high to receive the ball, as well as run back & fourth through the channels where his vision was tested really well, and Suli can even use the pacey power to dive past the Tahs blocks down low that secured his team’s 2nd TRY. Now his presence may have kept the Reds in contention at 17-17 going into the half-time break, but then their poor attacking conversion play & ill-discipline sadly continued to hurt him with the loss.

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Waratahs regain the Bob Templeton Cup off the Reds following a comfortable finish in the 2nd half tonight in Townsville 

by Sports Benches

The first half has been a very tight one to kickstart Saturday Night of Super Rugby, with the Waratahs scoring first while the Queensland Reds ran from behind to make up some lost time as they’re both locked up 17-17 apiece at the break. But then the Waratahs won the other 40 where not only they regained the lead, but they got away fair & square with an easy win 24-32 at North Queensland Stadium in Townsville.

Don’t know where to start but the Reds just couldn’t cut it with their conversion play, having done the same mistakes time & time again that saw many established teams & now the Waratahs punish them in the end. Yes, they showed some fight earlier on when the Waratahs opened their scoring account first before the Reds overtook them at one point for the lead before they being levelled at half-time (17-17). But overall, they were inconsistent with the poor finishing & ill-discipline while watching on the Tahs regain top spot & then later extend their winning share through the finish line, which is not what they wanted to see in Townsville. Now the Reds got a tough last four games of 2023  coming up starting with the Chiefs on Friday. 

Meanwhile, it’s great to see the Waratahs end up with back-to-back wins this time against their arch-rivals of the Queensland Reds after they took home the Bob Templeton Cup. They fired off really well to open the TRY scoring account first as well putting a great defensive shift to expose the Reds poor finishing play & most importantly, they took their time well to finish off the attack with a few tries on the board. This is what made the Tahs so great as of late, especially when they never gave up all long with an easy 2nd-half display. Now they’re looking to stay in the Top 8 bubble for another year, with back-to-back home games at Allianz Stadium in Moore Park ahead starting with the Melbourne Rebels next Saturday.

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Top 3 players from the Highlanders v Chiefs Game in Round 11 of the 2023 Super Rugby Season 

by Sports Benches

First of all, take a bow to versatile back Damian McKenzie (No.10 tonight) who was not only was excellent with his kicking game & attacking creativity as always; but he too has also set another record as the fourth NZer to reach 1000 points in the history of Super Rugby. He just never stops generating these big scores and extra conversion points while designing the Chiefs’ passage of play with some pace & space to get past the Highlanders through the channels. It goes to show how extraordinary he is so far this year as Damian is here to stay for another two years, with winning a Super Rugby championship a huge golden goal to tick off come Finals time early next month. If he can do that, then he will no doubt want to their main No.10 for the All Blacks in a bid to regain the World Cup later this year.

Gotta say that Daniel Rona has shown some magic on the Chiefs outside midfield at No.13 tonight. Love how he assisted Shaun Stevenson with a brilliant little kick where the Chiefs overtook the Highlanders for the first time halfway through the opening 40. Then he always backs up their attacking play going forward while scoring back-to-back tries in the 2nd half that sums such a brilliant night by the 23-year old. Daniel has oozes of talent, physicality & pace to show the world as to why he wants to take Super Rugby by Storm for himself & the Chiefs.

And Shannon Frizell has been excellent on the blindside back row at No.6 for the Highlanders tonight based on his brilliant physicality against the Chiefs defense which was tested really well. You just couldn’t stop such a huge player who has the tall reach & vast expertise every time he unpacks with the ball, so the Highlanders know that they’re trying to build some attacking momentum. It helped his side score the opening TRY v the Chiefs including some fightback later on where he scored one of the late tries himself. Sadly, a lack of executions has isolated their defense & ill-discipline mightily where they were brutally beaten at the hands of the runaway leaders.

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