Reds Front-rowers Earn Praise From An Expert

Sun Herald

Sunday May 14, 2006

By DAVE DONAGHY TOWNSVILLE

HIGHLANDERS skipper Anton Oliver labelled the Reds' front row the "best in Australia" after Queensland escaped with a 22-16 Super 14 win in Townsville on Friday night.

Oliver made the call after his side had finished on the wrong end of a tight battle up front, with Queensland props Rodney Blake and Greg Holmes eager to avenge the embarrassment suffered in the corresponding clash last year.

Blake and Holmes sent a timely message to Wallabies coach John Connolly with a powerful performance against the visitors in the first Super series game played in a regional centre.

With little but pride on the line, Queensland needed a big performance from Blake and Holmes to help end a dismal Super 14 season on a high, and Connolly hoped to see the pair prove they were worthy contenders for the national team.

Everyone got what they wanted.

With Connolly and incoming Reds coach Eddie Jones watching from the stands, Blake and Holmes turned in eye-catching displays worthy of places in the Wallabies squad for the Test season.

"The Reds are the best of the Australian front rows we've played," Oliver said after facing the Waratahs, Brumbies and Queensland in successive weeks.

Departing Reds coach Jeff Miller agreed: "Absolutely [the best front row in Australia]. They deserve to be in the Wallabies squad."

Their performances have left Connolly with a welcome selection headache in sorting out his front row before the Wallabies' two-Test series against England next month.

Although they outplayed their opponents in most facets of the game, the Reds had to wait until the final moments to seal their fourth win of the season and send Miller out in style.

"I thought if we could find a way to blow it we would, but I'm proud of the boys for sticking in there at the end," Miller said.

The Highlanders will view as the turning point a first-half stint in the sin bin by Hoani MacDonald.

With the score 9-6 in the Reds' favour, MacDonald was handed a yellow card for slapping the ball out of Josh Valentine's hands at the back of a ruck in the attacking zone.

His absence allowed Queensland to cross for two tries - to David Croft and Ben Tune - in the space of four minutes and to take a 19-9 lead at half-time.

Tune and fullback Julian Huxley were particularly dangerous for the Reds.

Queensland faltered after the break and looked as if they were going to add to their tally of five games they had lost by seven points or fewer this season when Ben Smith scored a late try for the visitors.

Several late errors by the Reds kept the disappointing crowd of 10,580 on the edge of their seats before a late penalty goal by Berrick Barnes eased their nerves.

Reds veteran Mark Connors broke a long-standing state-playing record held by former Wallabies skipper Andrew Slack when he took to the field in his 134th game for Queensland.

© 2006 Sun Herald

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