Rugby: Reds work but Lions roar

SUPER 14
Reds 20
Lions 31

Anyone interested in the proposed expansion of the Super 14 - one of the latest proposals involves 18 teams - and who watched this match would have felt a little more comfortable with that one, burning question: where will the players come from?

This was a contest between two of the cellar-dwellers in the Super 14. The Lions are one game away from finishing a four-match tour of Australia and New Zealand which has so far garnered them a solitary competition point and uncomfortable proximity to the Cheetahs at the foot of the table.

They looked, for a start, as if they wanted to be anywhere but Brisbane but have to go to Perth and the Force before they get to go home and pull the blankets over their heads.

The Reds, all playoff hopes long gone, are playing now for investment purposes - putting some game time into a young side with some developmental promise.

But, in a surprisingly entertaining match between the worst-performed Australian side and one of the worst-performed Bok sides, it gave some hope that these two nations might be able to produce six sides for a Super 18.

The Lions, for example, won the match even though they were down to 13 players against 15 at one stage, after two yellow cards and after the Reds went to new lows in not being able to make their efforts and superiority tell.

The quality wasn't there last night - there were too many mistakes and lack of accuracy - and the diluting effect of expansion also gives cause for pause.

The Reds have tried to run the ball all season and the Lions, after a stolid start, choked them off and then responded in kind.

The Reds did all the early attacking and threatening but, just as they did against the Highlanders last week, couldn't finish. After absorbing pressure, the Lions cantered away on a counter-attack and winger Henno Mentz galloped away for a try through a melting Reds defence.

The Reds finally put it together when exciting young halfback Will Genia (think a young George Gregan with muscles) scored a fine individual try after the Lions defence went on holiday. However, the Reds' split personality was shown when Genia took too long on a clearing kick and Lions skipper Ernest Joubert scored with a clever run.

Then replacement Reds flanker Scott Higginbotham scored and they went to the halftime break 17-10 down.

It was more of the same after the break. Berrick Barnes goaled a penalty but some more good attacking by the Lions saw Mentz slip through the defence for his second try before the bounce of the ball went the Reds way and ebullient first five-eighths Quade Cooper was put into a hole for the try.

At 24-20 to the Lions came the snafu that settled the match. Cooper and Barnes produced a terrible kerfuffle that saw the ball left behind, the Lions scooped it up and Mentz was sent flying 80m for a runaway try and his hat-trick.

That was the story of the night - the Reds did all the work, but slipped over when it came to polish and the Lions punished them quickly.

For the Lions, Mentz showed his real pace and danger running as did skipper and flanker Joubert. Earl Rose was always elusive and a fine link man and Andre Pretorius might be just a tad older and slower but he's still a class act when it comes to control.

For the Reds, Barnes had a night to forget and, to be fair to him, all of his team-mates joined him in the spilled ball contest that meant few, if any, Reds could be said to have had a good game.

But there was enough, just enough, to suggest that 18 teams could be possible. At a stretch. Never mind the quality, feel the width.

Reds 20 (W. Genia, S. Higginbotham, Q. Cooper tries; B. Barnes con, pen), Lions 31 (H. Mentz 3, E. Joubert, tries; A. Pretorius 4 con, pen). Halftime: 10-17.