Reds enjoying most successful season start in over a decade
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At the halfway point of the Investec Bank Super 14 season, the QR Reds are enjoying their most successful start to a season in over a decade – and have got a few monkeys off their back in the process.
The last time the Reds won four of their opening six games was in 1999, with a side that included 14 players who would go on to earn 100 or more caps for Queensland: Dan Crowley, Michael Foley, Sean Hardman, Mark Connors, John Eales, David Wilson, Toutai Kefu, John Roe, Tim Horan, Elton Flatley, Dan Herbert, Damian Smith, Ben Tune and Chris Latham.
While it’s still far too soon to gauge how successful the Reds will be in 2010, they have already shrugged off a number of hoodoos from recent years, including recording three straight wins (Chiefs 23-18, Force 50-10 and Cheetahs 31-10) for the first time since 2004 and their first back to back wins since 2006.
Their victory over the Cheetahs last Saturday also ended a seven game losing streak in South Africa, while their 40-point romp over the Force a fortnight before was the Reds’ largest winning margin in a Super Rugby game, breaking the previous record set in 1996 with a 50-13 drubbing of the Blues.
The Reds’ other win this season, a 41-20 defeat of New Zealand’s Crusaders, ended an 11 game losing streak to the seven-time Super Rugby champions.
When the Reds meet South Africa’s Sharks in Durban this weekend (kickoff 2:00am Sunday Brisbane time), they have the chance to tick off another three milestones.
A win over the Sharks would give them consecutive victories in South Africa for the first time since 2004, which was also the last year the Reds beat the Sharks in Durban.
But more importantly a win would give the Reds four straight victories for the first time since 2002 and leave them well placed heading into the second stage of the competition.
After scoring 21 tries in their opening six games, the Reds need another 18 in their final seven games to break their all-time Super Rugby season try-scoring record, set in 1996 (38 tries).
QR Reds 2010 milestones:
Reds win 3 in a row - beat Chiefs in Hamilton (23-18), Force at Suncorp (50-10) and Cheetahs in Bloemfontein (31-10)
Last time achieved was in 2004:
April 24 beat Sharks 6-5 in Durban
May 1 beat Cats 47-23 in Bloemfontein
May 8 beat NSW 23-7 in Brisbane
Reds win back-to-back - beat Chiefs in Hamilton (23-18) and Force at Suncorp (50-10)
Last time achieved was in 2006:
April 8 beat Cats 23-16 in Johannesburg
April 15 beat Bulls 20-19 at Suncorp
Reds win in South Africa - beat Cheetahs (31-10) in Bloemfontein (ended seven game losing streak in South Africa)
Last time achieved was in 2006:
April 8 beat Cats 23-16 in Johannesburg
Reds beat Crusaders - won 41-20 at Suncorp
Last time achieved was in 1999:
beat Crusaders 36-23
Reds win four games in a season - wins over Crusaders, Chiefs, Force, Cheetahs (seven games yet to be played)
Last time achieved was in 2006:
Wins over Force, Cats, Bulls and Highlanders
Biggest Super Rugby winning margin - 40 point winning margin over Force (50-10) at Suncorp
Previously:
37 - beat Blues 50-13 (Brisbane - 1996)
Most tries scored in a match - 7 tries against Force (50-10) at Suncorp (equal 1st)
Seven tries also scored:
7 - beat Blues 50-13 (Brisbane - 1996)
7 - beat Bulls 48-12 (Brisbane - 2002)
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