Reds upset about underdog status

By Luke Pentony

Updated July 7, 2011 17:37:00

Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie says it is "disappointing" the Reds are not considered favourites in the Super Rugby final against the Crusaders.

The Reds, who will take an unchanged squad of 22 into the final at Lang Park, set the pace throughout the regular season, compiling a 13-3 record from their 16 matches to clinch the minor premiership.

Among their victories was a 17-16 triumph over the Crusaders at Lang Park in late May, while they progressed to the final with a solid 30-13 result against the Blues at home last Saturday night.

However, it is the Crusaders who bookmakers have installed as favourites to claim what would be an eighth Super Rugby title.

This is despite the fact the Christchurch-based franchise had to make the trip to Brisbane from Cape Town, where they beat the Stormers 29-10 in the second semi-final last Sunday morning (AEST).

This was the latest trek in what has been an entire season on the road for the Crusaders, who have been unable to play at their traditional home ground of Lancaster Park as a result of the earthquake that hit Christchurch in February.

It is customary in the lead-up to any season decider that rival coaches will vie for the right for their side to be labelled the underdogs, so as to avoid any added expectation.

But McKenzie has bucked the trend, as he feels the Reds have shown they deserve favouritism based on their performances this season.

"We're not favourites for this game, which I find disappointing," he said.

"We don't want to be the underdog going into a final. People talk about that, people want to grab the underdog status.

"We don't want to be the underdog, we would love to go into the game being the favourite. Bookmakers see it the other way and it's disappointing to us."

The Reds have been considered a 'Cinderella' story in some quarters, due to the fact that only two seasons ago they finished second last on the ladder following what was their seventh straight losing season.

It was after 2009 that McKenzie replaced Phil Mooney as head coach and in his maiden campaign last year he lifted the Reds to fifth position with an 8-5 record.

Talk that the Reds are enjoying a fairytale run ignores the hard work McKenzie put into building a player roster with depth, in addition to how well he has adapted his game plan to nullify the strengths of his opponents.

This was evident throughout the season, most notably when they beat the previously undefeated Stormers 19-6 in Cape Town in April.

McKenzie's desire for the Reds to be favourites has much to do with his troops being afforded the respect they deserve.

"For me it's a search for credibility," he said. "We've come a long way."

'Creative' genius

The journey the Reds have taken under McKenzie is perhaps best mirrored in the playing fortunes of star fly half Quade Cooper, who has enjoyed career-best form under the tutelage of the former Wallabies prop.

Cooper had often displayed flashes of brilliance when Eddie Jones and Mooney were in charge at Ballymore, but he struggled for consistency until last season.

McKenzie has refused to take any credit for Cooper becoming arguably the number one fly half in the world, saying the 23-year-old is best left to his own devices.

"I don't spend anytime telling Quade no," he said.

"We talk abut scenarios and options and decisions - saying no to creative people is not a very profitable way to coach, I figure."

Meanwhile, the Crusaders will take an unchanged line-up into Saturday's final, with half-back Andy Ellis passing a fitness test after sustaining knee and shoulder complaints against the Stormers.

Reserve forward Luke Romano has been cleared to play, despite being quarantined in South Africa with chicken pox.

Reds: Jono Lance, Rod Davies, Anthony Faingaa, Ben Tapuai, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Radike Samo, Beau Robinson, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (c), Rob Simmons, Greg Holmes, Saia Faingaa, Ben Daley

Reserves: James Hanson, Guy Shepherdson, Adam Wallace-Harrison, Jake Schatz, Liam Gill, Ian Prior, Will Chambers

Crusaders: Tom Marshall, Sean Maitland, Robbie Fruean, Sonny Bill Williams, Zac Guildford, Dan Carter, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), George Whitelock, Sam Whitelock, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Corey Flynn, Wyatt Crockett

Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Ben Franks, Luke Romano, Matt Todd, Kahn Fotuali'i, Matt Berquist, Ryan Crotty

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, qld, brisbane-4000, new-zealand

First posted July 7, 2011 09:43:00

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Blues assume underdogs status

By Luke Pentony

Updated July 1, 2011 18:38:00

Blues coach Pat Lam says he is happy for his squad to be the underdogs for Saturday night's Super Rugby semi-final against Queensland at Lang Park.

The Blues meet a Reds outfit heavily favoured to progress to next weekend's season decider, the home side having won the minor premiership and enjoyed the week off in the first stage of the finals.

They will also be playing in front of a predicted sell-out crowd at Lang Park of around 52,000, which will be a Super Rugby record.

While the Reds are favourites with the bookmakers, the All Blacks-laden Blues are not without their chances.

They led the competition during a nine-match unbeaten run and had their opportunities to beat the Reds when they met at Lang Park back in round 13 before going down 37-31 to the hosts.

Nevertheless, Lam is quite content to push the line that the Reds are in the box seat, although he is mindful they faltered when they last won a Super Rugby minor premiership.

The Reds led the overall standings following the regular season in 1999 and hosted the fourth-placed Crusaders in their semi-final at Ballymore, only to fall 28-22 to the eventual champions.

"It's been 12 long years between four beating one and everything is pointing to a Reds' victory," Lam told Grandstand.

"They've had the week off, they're on momentum, sold-out crowd, but that is what is so good about rugby.

"It's on the day, it's the contest. For us we're just so happy to be here and we're going to give it everything we can and we're really looking forward to the challenge."

The fact the two sides have already met this season has given the Blues more than some idea of what to expect from the Reds and they took several lessons away from the defeat.

Improving their start have been given priority, as they let the Reds run out to a 24-0 lead during the first half before playing themselves back into the contest to trail 27-14 at the break.

Lam says his troops will be keeping this firmly in mind on Saturday night.

"You learn more from your losses and obviously the biggest one for us is getting off to a better start than we did," he said.

Big match experience

Saturday night will be the Reds' first play-offs appearance since 2001 and only three of their matchday squad - Radike Samo (Brumbies, 2004), Beau Robinson (Waratahs, 2008) and Guy Shepherdson (Brumbies, 2004) - have previously played in the finals with other provinces.

Lam feels the Blues will not be able to exploit their opponents' lack of finals experience, highlighting that they have played in a series of blockbuster matches during the season such as their thrilling 17-16 win over the Crusaders in May.

"It doesn't matter because at the end of the day finals rugby is about big games and they've played a lot of big games," he said.

"Super Rugby, even when you go the Africa ... there's some massive games there, so they're the experiences you draw from and ultimately when you get to the finals rugby it's about the best teams.

"The four teams left have shown quality right through the season, as far as teamwork goes ,and that's what it is going to come down to."

Meanwhile, Lam has opted to start Lachie Munro ahead of Rene Ranger on the wing.

Ranger, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, had been bracketed with Munro but will not be a fresh reserve, while James King and Sherwin Stowers have also been confirmed to take their place on the bench.

The Blues will be without All Blacks lock Anthony Boric because of a foot injury and his place in the second row has been taken by Chris Lowrey.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, brisbane-4000, new-zealand

First posted July 1, 2011 18:21:00

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