The Reds are in the Mothercity preparing for their crunch Super 14 clash against the Stormers on Friday and what a nice, down-to-earth bunch they are.I'm not a big Aussie fan, in fact I get quite peeved and filled with feelings of contempt against them whenever they play one of our teams whether it be rugby or cricket. I couldn't stand their apparent arrogance and aura of supremacy they display every time they take the field.
But those feelings of contempt have since changed to almost feelings of admiration. When I met captain Berrick Barnes and winger Digby Ioa! ne at the Cullinan Hotel in the CBD, I remember thinking to myself that these are guys I could hang out with. They were so friendly and relaxed and very forthcoming. They couldn't stop talking about how great Cape Town and the people are and how this is their favourite South African city to visit.
It was a pleasure interviewing the guys and there was no sign of arrogance or that aura of supremacy, but that could have something to do with the fact that they've been the whipping boys of Super 14 rugby in recent times. I don't think so though, I think they're genuinely nice guys.They did have a qui! et confidence about them especially from Barnes. He thinks the! Stormer s' expansive gameplan could play straight into their hands because they were strangled a bit by the Bulls last week and only showed what they could do when the game opened up a bit. On paper, the Reds don't have a bad side especially in the backline. Wallaby rookie of the year, Peter Hynes, is still in the best form of his life and always a threat on the right wing as is Ioane on the left. Barnes is a regular in the Wallaby starting lineup and has seldom had a bad game and his midfield partner Morgan Turinui knows all about how to make something out of nothing.
Flyhalf Quade Cooper has shown he belongs at this level while newcomer Mark McLinden comes in at fullback highly rated.
So, definitely not a side to be scoffed at but the Stormers will nevertheless have to play well to get past the Reds who will come at them hard in the opening exchanges. Kick off on Friday night is at 19:10.
