Clearly there must be a stigma attached to being the leader of the Australian Super Rugby conference, as the Waratahs and Brumbies appear to be doing everything possible to avoid being top dog. The Brumbies have lost their way since Matt Toomua became unavailable through injury, while the Waratahs continue to make a mockery of their defending titleholder status.

You feel some sympathy towards the Brumbies. They would have won against the Stormers in Cape Town but for a diabolical conversion miss by Christian Leali'ifano from 15 metres; a successful kick would have put them ahead in the final minutes, and this clanger could turn out being one of the most damaging misses of the season.

Adding to the exasperation was the fact that ever-bewildering South African referee Stuart Berry gave the Brumbies virtually nothing while penalising them out of the game - with a 19-5 count going against them. Most of the penalties against the Brumbies were understandable, especially at scrum-time as the Stormers easily won that encounter. But some were difficult to fathom, which saw the visitors lose their composure. One wrong decision at the breakdown also went against the Stormers late in the game, having them also momentarily wonder whether a new law book was in operation.

It was clear by the endless brawling during the game that the Brumbies were distracted, and felt hard done by. Their aggressive actions also brought Berry back into the encounter, and he was able to wreak havoc … not for the first time in his short and already controversial refereeing career.

You cannot feel any sympathy towards the Waratahs, though.

In a dreadful game, which at times was near impossible to watch, the Waratahs were victims of basic 'rope-a-dope' tactics from the Force. All the Force had to do was look tough, bash away at the tackle, slow everything down, kick endlessly to play the territorial game. The Waratahs were immediately sucked in by it, clearly intimidated by the opposition's aggressive tactics, became flustered, and lost all semblance of form or cohesion. Balls were dropped. Passes went astray. They started to run around in circles.

The only redeeming moment came when Taqele Naiyaravoro attempted to win the game by himself, taking everyone on in a devastating sideline run - that had suggestions of a certain Jonah Lomu charge during the 1995 World Cup. This was really the only time the Waratahs properly threatened the opposition line, and that from a poor final pass to the winger that had him picking the pill from the ground while facing backwards. The West Australian faithful can go on all they like about "showing the critics" by at last ending a 10-match losing streak, but this was a case of the Waratahs losing the game rather than the Force winning it.

In the end, the most admirable Australian performance of the weekend came from the Rebels. There is so much to admire about this bunch of battlers.

They are obviously well coached, have a precise game plan that the players stick to, and it is so clear that they are playing for each other. That is important. You just have to look at the mess that is the Reds to know what happens when the opposite is going on.

The Rebels produced easily the best back-row performance from any of the five Australian teams, with Jordy Reid a standout, Colby Fainga'a producing his best performance for some time, and Scott Higginbotham once again keeping it all together at the back of the scrum. Reid has taken all of his opportunities over the past three weeks, and it will now be near impossible for Rebels coach Tony McGahan to keep him out of the starting line-up. Their young No.10, Jack Debreczeni, also improves dramatically week by week, with his defence, regarded by some as a weakness, getting better as his confidence rises. He is starting to show he could go the next step.

Colby Fainga'a and the rebels are improving week on week © Getty Images

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As for the Reds, shame on you.

The bulk of the players appeared to just give up against the Crusaders. Surely after such a pathetic effort, which was the ultimate example of a group not playing for their coach, the Queensland Rugby Union will institute widespread off-field staff changes. After that "disgraceful" effort, head coach Richard Graham cannot survive.

It's time for a new coach, a new face - someone outside the old boy's network - to instill new ideas. Instead, the QRU appear driven in looking after their own, bolstering the ranks with past team officials. Adding to the farce, we keep getting told they have complete faith in a coach who has let standards slip badly at a once strong province. After all, they won a Super Rugby title just four seasons ago. The old TV segment Red Faces must be on a continuous loop in the QRU offices. They never learn.