Super12 2002 - Round Eleven

Brumbies 42 defeated Chiefs 15 (Rotorua)

The Brumbies are back in semifinal contention, in the end doing it easy against the Chiefs in Rotorua. There were glimpses of brilliance and (pardon the cliché) "vintage" Brumbies play, as they rolled a team that plays well in patches but struggles against quality opposition.

All things considered, the Brumbies couldn't have asked for a more ideal opponent as they head into their crunch game against the Blues in the final preliminary round. The Chiefs have flair out wide, which gave the Brumbies' defence a good workout, and because the New Zealanders try to play it high, wide and handsome, there was room to move for the ACT backline, allowing them to find some rhythm, confidence and momentum. By the end of the game, the Brumbies were looking their dominant old selves, securing the ball, building phases, and executing at pace and with precision.

The big question is whether they can reproduce this kind of play against the Blues, who - more than any other semifinal aspirant - need to try and get the bonus point. One thing is for certain, the Brumbies' destiny is now in their hands. If they win on Friday, they will be assured a semifinal position.

The key to that victory may well lie in the hands of Stirling Mortlock, who produced a dazzling display of running rugby against the Chiefs. That he was not 100% fit makes his performance even more astonishing. Peter Ryan played his best game of the season, as did Stephen Larkham, who relished the rare opportunity of having some room to move.

But the Brumbies are going to have to dig deep if they are to completely resurrect this season. Injuries are taking a heavy toll, as starters Justin Harrison and Peter Ryan are out for the rest of the competition, as are reserves Tim Atkinson, Radike Samo and James Holbeck, leaving the Brumbies vulnerable in the centres and loose forwards.

- Dan Fowell

Reds 31 defeated Waratahs 24 (Brisbane)

Along with their losing performance against the Brumbies in the first round of the competition, this was the Reds' most impressive hit out of the season. They were visibly fired up and lifted the tempo of their game considerably against their arch rivals, the NSW Waratahs.

But one can't help feeling that the Reds have played their grand final. The Waratahs have made no secret of the fact that they considered this just another game, against just another Super12 opponent. For the Reds, it was different. Much has been made of the fact that many of the Reds consider beating the Waratahs as, if not more, important than winning the competition. I'm not entirely convinced that this is the case, but it gives us some insight into the emotional and physical effort that goes into preparing for this annual interstate stoush.

I'd be surprised if the Reds could lift again if they were required to play the Waratahs in the semifinals at the SFS, a distinct possibility if they manage to overcome the Highlanders this weekend.

But what of the game itself? Well, it was - surprisingly - a high scoring affair, with both teams throwing the ball wide. The Reds deserved this win, as they outplayed the Waratahs in virtually all aspects of the game. The Reds' forwards dominated at the lineout (where the Waratahs were, yet again, completely clueless) and, significantly, at the breakdown, where the Waratahs sorely missed the ever-busy Phil Waugh.

The Reds out-defended, -attacked, -muscled and -passioned the Tahs, who will need to lift their game significantly to defeat the Crusaders and, indeed, the semifinals.

Some comments on specific players:

For the Reds:
- Chris Latham: again rampant. Has to be first choice for Wallaby fullback.
- Wendell Sailor: showed us what he is capable of.
- Dan Herbert: just when I'd written him off, produced his best performance of the season, getting the better of Matt Burke on the day.
- John Roe: Toutai who?
- Mark Connors: Buzzard reminded us that he is not yet a spent force.
- David Croft: we are blessed to have three of the best openside flankers in the world.
- Nathan Sharpe: rock solid in the lineout.

For the Waratahs:
- Mat Rogers: didn't see any ball, which must have been extraordinarily frustrating when trying to press his claims against Latham.
- Sam Harris: produced a performance worthy of the wraps people have on him as a future Wallaby centre.
- Duncan McRae: looked out of sorts, and chose the wrong option on a number of occasions. Should trust his instincts, and continue to back himself with the ball in hand.
- David Lyons: another rampaging performance. If the Wallabies are picked on form, he should get the nod ahead of Owen Finegan.
- Brendan Cannon: needs to reinvent his lineout throw.

- Dan Fowell