Rugby: Stinging cut at fielding 2nd XV

By Wynne Gray

The Queensland Reds are the only team outside the South African squads who have had to handle four offshore Super 12 matches in succession.

They endured that tough campaign in 1997, and starting tomorrow night against the Auckland Blues, are repeating it with games against the Canterbury Crusaders, the Stormers and the Northern Bulls.

But coach John Connolly is adamant he will not use any Stormers-style second-string selection tactics to manoeuvre his squad through the next month.

He blasted the selection methods of Stormers' coach Alan Solomons in resting most of his top side in the last round against the Otago Highlanders.

After the Reds went through a four-match overseas stretch two years ago without a win against the Bulls, OFS Cheetahs, Chiefs and Blues, Connolly might have been tempted to use Solomons' scheme this year, but it did not enter his thinking.

"You don't throw matches, and effectively that is what the Stormers did," Connolly said. "No one can deny that, because they did not put their best team on the field.

"I think they should have points deducted. Sport is all about trying and if you have the best horse in the world you don't put a kid on it who can't ride, you give it its best chance.

"If Sanzar don't deduct points from them, then it is a sham. The bottom line is, they didn't try."

The Reds and Connolly are in a unique position to enter the debate. In 1997 and again this season, the Reds will be the only side from Australia or New Zealand who have experienced the four-match overseas programme which each South African side have to undertake every year.

Connolly's comments followed similar stinging criticisms from Australia's chief executive, John O'Neill.

In a statement yesterday, the Sanzar board said they were unanimous the Stormers selection did not constitute a breach of the Sanzar contract with NewsCorp, in that all members of Super 12 squads are top players.

However, all Super 12 coaches were reminded of their obligation to all stakeholders, especially the public whether in attendance or the viewing audiences, and the inegrity of the competition.

South African union chief executive Rian Oberholzer defended the Stormers' policy, saying sides from the republic could not be expected to field their best combination in every match. The demands were too great.