Aussie teams thrash Kiwis 3-0, Super Rugby 2013

Aussie teams thrash Kiwis 3-0

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 7:33p.m.

The Brumbies beat the Highlanders as Aussie teams went 1-2-3 over Kiwi sides (AAP file)

By Jim Morton

A 12-year Super Rugby drought is over after Australian sides this weekend claimed a rare 3-0 trans-Tasman drubbing in a heartening sign heading into the British and Irish Lions tour.

The table-topping Brumbies, red-hot Reds and battling Western Force all combined to turn the tables on New Zealand sides in a round which has reshaped the Super Rugby standings.

The Brumbies, who beat the Highlanders 30-19, and the Red, upset 31-23 winners over the defending champion Chiefs, started with successes on Kiwi soil before the Force produced the shock of the weekend with a gutsy 16-14 home win over the Crusaders.

The results give Australian teams a remarkable 6-1 advantage in trans-Tasman battles at the midway point of the competition.

The last time New Zealand outfits suffered a three-game whitewash was the penultimate round of 2001 - the season the Wallabies claimed their first series against the Lions before John Eales led them to the Bledisloe Cup.

The All Blacks have had the Bledisloe under lock and key since 2003 and the Wallabies have won just three trans-Tasman Tests from 18 since Robbie Deans took charge in 2008.

The only round eight disappointment for Australian rugby was the Melbourne Rebels conceding a 10-point lead to fall 30-27 to the Southern Kings at home to continue their winless run against South African opponents.

A late ground invasion in Perth, which saw Crusaders centre Ryan Crotty tackle a drunken fan, was another low point but still couldn't sour the 12th-placed Force's celebrations as they triumphed for just the second time in 2013.

The Reds' bonus-point win over the Chiefs (29) helped the Brumbies (33) regain the competition lead and also set up a season-defining clash between the leading sides at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Brumbies coach Jake White has already started the mind games.

"The Reds must have all the pressure," White said. "The reality is they're at home and they've probably got the best home record of any team in the competition.

"They've got players who have won championships. The pressure will be on everyone but we must not underestimate they must be king favourites, every guy in their starting team is a Wallaby."

White added the Rod Macqueen Cup clash is "about testing ourselves against a team that have been the best, are considered the best, have no injuries, have won the conference two years in a row".

"They've even got a better coaching staff after adding (former Force coach) Richard Graham. They must be better off than they were this time last year."

The South African conference tightened up with the pace-setting Sharks (26) beaten 22-15 by the Stormers (20) while the Bulls (23) ended the Cheetahs' five-match streak with a 26-20 win in Pretoria.

The Blues (27) jumped to fifth with a four-try 28-6 shutout of the Hurricanes in Auckland.

NZN

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 Yes indeed Sharkbok see post number 17 for further info.

Love it...! That would explain the spring in my step today...

@Beeno - deathly silence from the talking kiwis.... hahahaah tooo funny...

BTW hows the 'log' aka 'ladder' looking?? Reds and Brumbies taking it to the opposition - form teams from the so called 'weak' conference...

ABs hopefully to suffer same fate as kiwi s15 teams this year...

Feel sorry for all the domestically abused wives in NZ..... tide is turning.... i can sense it...

Redsman that 'spring' in your step is through you having your head firmly shoved up your ass.  You can be smug when you actually win something. Currently you have not one piece of silverware in the cabinet , zero, zip, NOTHING. Not a lot of reason to be smug I would have thought.  Its really a toss up these days whos more pathetic, You or beanbrain. 

tense words from ludwig... hope you wife isnt too bruised up.... fair bit of silverware in cupboards actually... Anyway will see if your hapless cheifs and crusaders can beat their 'lesser' opponents this weekend...

It is good for the Aussies, it is good for the competition, it is good for rugby in the south and it is a good feeling when you achieve above expectation.  The Southern Kings were ridiculed and nasty things were said by many "experts" who all had a madness of the gums.  And now? Now those buggers are too quiet, nê!

Well done to the Ausies beating the South Sea Extended Island teams.

well let me describe my weekend from hell. on friday i was struck down with some freaking virus which left me bed ridden for two days. it was so severe it had taken away any urge of mine to watch rugby, yup it was pretty bad, fever, chills & didnt care about rugby, doctor said it wasnt life threatening, but im sure we can all agree given the symptoms i described he clearly had no idea as to what he was talking about.
but yesterday against all odds i overcame my ailments and sat down to enjoy some rugby, specifically the NZ/OZ trans-tasman battles.

so first on the list was the highlanders/brumbies, always a tough ask so watching the highlanders get smashed was always sad but to be expected.

then came the chiefs/reds match, this was to be the match of the week for me & i was really looking forward to it (nek minit), after a tough grueling match, the reds came through to upset the chiefs, o_O

the reds result was surprising, but given the quality of the reds team & coopers performance, i wouldnt say it sarth ending surprising, but now i could watch my hurricanes who were finally coming into some form,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,o_O

soooooo the the hot and cold blues were playing the hot and cold hurricanes & on this weekend it was the blues that were hot while the hurricanes that were cold. o_O

so after a disappointing three games i thought to myself finally, the crusaders vs force, now this match is money in the bank, theres no way the crusaders can lose to the force..................... o_O

so after watching 4 matches back to back, i realised i felt worse then i did before i got sick, so now i need stronger antibiotics or liquor, or maybe both, LMAO, :oD
but thats the beauty of rat shit weekends, theres always another weekend to change ur fortunes around, so as always,,,,

GO HURRICANES & GO NZ RUGBY!!!

Don't worry Sas your boys will be back. But I'm also glad for the Oz sides that have improved.

Before the 6N the Frogs gave the Oz a huge clap...and then went on to receive the wooden spoon in that tournament.

Les Bleus are meeting you guys 3 times this year and lets see how the British and Irish Lions are handled in Australia.

The Boks have got two soft ones in Italy and Scotland.

There is still a long and tough road ahead...lots of surprises too.

Sasu
Its unfortunate you had a fever. What are your thoughts on Patrick Osborne? He was potent in attack when he came on, I definitely thought he was the top performing centre in round 9 although its a pity he started on the bench, the chiefs really have to consider starting him this week. I think physically and mentally the NZ teams have to look back at the problematic aspects which was lacking in order to improve. Genia is very mobile player which caused some frustration for the chiefs, his tactical kicking is by far the best i've seen from any scrum half, the opposition team needs to be fully aware that Genia's key factor is to kick to ball directly behind players in to touch but its fairly short similar to a grubber kick, if the team isn't aware of that im afraid there is some problems. I believe barrett should make a transition back to fly half where he belongs it will benefit the hurricanes in some areas.