We had an article about the brave Crusaders – I want to salute another team – The Reds.
From “cellar dwellars” to topping the Super Rugby Log in 2011. They won the most games of all competing sides this year, 13 out of 16.
The Queensland Reds’ amazing rise is set to see them surpass the Brisbane Broncos as South-East Queensland’s biggest football club drawcards.
The Reds, cellar dwellers two seasons ago, are expected to sell out Suncorp Stadium for the second time this year when they host the Auckland-based Blues in Saturday night’s Super Rugby semi-final.
Less than 10,000 tickets remain for the match where a Queensland victory would enable the Reds to host the July 9 final.
Crowds are already up by 29 per cent in 2011, with an average attendance of 29,436 watching the Reds win seven of their eight home games in their charge to top of the competition standings.
A 50,000-strong crowd for Saturday’s clash with the Blues would give the Reds a season average of 31,723 eclipsing the current mark of NRL giants the Broncos, who are attracting 30,932 per game.
The Reds have already leapfrogged the Brisbane Lions (22,150) in the hot-ticket stakes for the first time since before the AFL club won three consecutive premierships.
The fledgling Gold Coast Suns (19,684), Gold Coast Titans (16,606) and A-League champions Brisbane Roar (12,619) also fall behind.
The Reds have already set an Australian Super Rugby crowd record once this year when 48,301 packed in to watch Queensland defeat the Crusaders 17-16 a month ago.
Performance on the field:
In 2007 the Reds won only 2 games and racked up 2 massive losses against the top 2 teams that year. 16 – 59 vs the Sharks and 3-92 against the Bulls. They scored 201 points and concedded 438. They scored 15 tries and concedded 52, deserving their last spot on the Log.
In 2008 and 2009 they won 3 games and scored 32 and 36 tries, more than double than the dissasterous 2007 year.
In 2010 the new Reds team started to show their mission is on track. They won 8 games, went into a positive points difference for the first time in 8 years and scored 42 tries. The Reds was not a joke anymore. Everyone took notice, they beat both the finalists of that year in the competition. Stormers were downed 16-13 and the Bulls 12 – 19.
2011 is work in progress and it might end in a fairytale by winning the first Super 15 competition. They scored many brilliant tries, players are topping many of the statistical figures and they look far from finnished. I always like fairytale endings and for them to come from that season ending 3 – 93 to be the Top Dog in 2011, makes them the most deserving team in my eyes.
I wish them all the best.
GO REDS, get to that final….. and beyond will be fine with me.
Queensland will regain the services of three key players for Saturday’s home Super Rugby semi-final against the Blues at Suncorp Stadium.
Two Test backs, blockbusting winger Digby Ioane and tough centre Anthony Faingaa, and rugged flanker Beau Robinson, are all on track to return to the side after recovering from injury.
Ioane, who was man-of-the-match in the Reds’ 37-31 win over the Blues in Brisbane in May, returns after missing two matches with concussion.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Faingaa sat out the past two games with a hamstring tear.
An elbow injury sidelined Robinson for the Reds’ past three fixtures, but he played half a game of club rugby on Saturday.
Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie said they are three important and influential players.
“Apart from the nine and ten, Digby touches the ball more than anyone else and runs more metres and breaks more tackles, so he’s pretty important,” McKenzie told AAP on Sunday.
Yes we have to congratulate the Reds. After that huge hiding first from the Sharks to that absolute thrashing they got from the Bulls in 2007.
They sure put all that behind them. Reds have climbed the from the bottom right to the top. Also be one of the best teams in this tourney. Not just this year last year as well. Well done to them.
Wish them well for their game against the Blues on Saturday.
If Reds win and Saders beat the Stormers, I will put my total support behind the Reds, cause of their remarkable climb up and of course cause of our good friend here OldG.
I can say though if Stormers beat the Saders and have to face the Reds, my FULL SUPPORT will be behind the Stormers.
South Africa teams will always get my support against the overseas teams.
Australia says
Poll Booth
Which two teams will meet in the Super Rugby finals?
Reds v Crusaders
48%
Reds v Stormers
31%
Crusaders v Blues
17%
Stormers v Blues
4%
Total votes: 1205.
Poll closes in 4 days.
New Zealand says
Who will win this weekend’s Super Rugby semifinals?
Blues and Crusaders
658 votes, 36.7%
Blues and Stormers
59 votes, 3.3%
Reds and Crusaders
874 votes, 48.8%
Reds and Stormers
201 votes, 11.2%
Total 1792 votes
SA Voted
45 % Reds and Stormers
20 % Reds and Crusaders
27 % Blues and Stormers
8 % Blues and Crusaders
@ Puma:
Hey Puma, a fair enough view on your support and your rationale behind it. The Reds have been a dynamic side over the past few years and Ewen Mackenzie deserves every success.
I like their chances of a win, so I don’t think it really matters who they play in a final, if it is at Suncorp. They will be particularly tough at home.
Exciting times ahead: I’m relishing the upcoming Tri-Nations and then the big one: RWC.
Go the Reds!
Go the Stormers!
@ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney:
The 2 teams that deserve it the most must be the Reds for their great recovery from 2007 onwards and the Stormers who build team up to this, and their aprenticeship must be completed by now. After they lost the final last year they certainly did some adjustments and look more menacing this year. They look a complete team.
The way the Reds dismantled them earlier this year must be worrying. They must wish them away. They are brave in saying bring it on against the Crusaders too, but there will be some concern. Anyway i think the 4 teams in the finals are the ones who deserve their spots.
to me the 2 teams that deserve it the most are 1 the Reds for obvious reasons as mentioned before and then 2 the Crusaders as they have had to perform against all odds, no home ground, terrible dramas in their personal lives and they have performed consistently………I will however scream for the Stormpies right up to the end 🙂
@ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney:6 – Howzit OldG,
Reds and their supporters can be really proud. After being at one stage at the bottom of the log, to this year topping the whole lot at the top. Well done to them.
Like I said if Stormers don’t beat the Saders and they go through to play Reds next week. My support then will be behind the Reds totally. Cause of their remarkable climb from no where a few years back to now to top of the log. Also they are now one of the top SuperTeams.
Though if Stormers beat Saders. My support will be with Stormers being a saffa side.
Good luck to both this weekend. I also have a good kiwi friend on the other blog that supports Blues. But he will understand that for this game I will support the Reds. They deserve it.
At least this week we will see both stadiums in Brisbane and Newlands fullhouse. The way it should be.
Go Stormers against Saders. Do hope Stormers win this week.
Users Online
Total 36 users including 0 member, 36 guests, 0 bot online
Most users ever online were 3735, on 31 August 2022 @ 6:23 pm
No Counter as from 31 October 2009: 39,521,046 Page Impressions
_