'Soft' Reds fall hard
The Reds' fall from grace in Super Rugby has been as spectacular as it has been sudden.
From a team that reached the play-offs the past three seasons – they were champions in 2011 – they have slipped to the basement of the tournament standings.
Their current position of 13th puts them two positions below the Lions, a team that has statistically the worst record in the competition.
Reds head coach Richard Graham and captain James Horwill bemoaned what they termed the team's "inexcusable soft moments" for their latest flop.
The Reds lost 29-57 to the in-form Crusaders in Brisbane on Sunday.
However, it was a 20-minute blitz by the Crusaders in the second half that saw the Reds rooted to bottom of the Australian conference table.
Trailing 16-17 at the break, the Crusaders scored 31 unanswered points in the first 20 minutes after the break to end the game as a contest.
Graham said he thought his team had started the game well and were in control prior to half-time, but lapses early in the second half cost them dearly.
"In the first half I thought we had the balance right," Graham said.
"A combination of putting the ball in the corner and putting them under some pressure for extended periods, along with good shape in our attack, had us leading at the break," he added.
"The two tries within the space of five minutes after half-time put us under some pressure.
"We didn't handle the next period of time as well as we would have liked and allowed the game to become fractured – Dagg and McNicholl took advantage of it on the right-hand side.
"We've got a six-day turnaround until we meet the Rebels on Saturday and that's all we need to think about right now.
"We'll continue to work hard for an outcome."
Horwill also rued the "soft moments" as they crashed to their equal worst streak since 2007 – when they finished last.
The rout started when Wyatt Crockett caught out lazy defenders to barge over from a quick-tap, before Dagg punished a poor Mike Harris kick and non-existent chase by sending Johnny McNichol over for a 50-metre try.
"Wyatt Crockett's try was a soft moment," Horwill said.
"Not chasing a kick was a soft moment.
"Fourteen points on the scoreboard and in this competition you take your eye off the ball for two minutes – that's what happens.
"We have to be better. I'm not going to sit here and make excuses.
"It's not good enough and we're a better team than what we showed."
