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'I think this break's been good for him' - Thorn's praise for ice-cool O'Connor

By AAP
James O'Connor. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Ten years on from his Wallabies’ heroics in Hong Kong, James O’Connor is stepping up to kick match-winning goals again in a welcome and familiar sight for Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn. Thorn was an All Black in 2010 when a fresh-faced O’Connor kicked the winner against him, the coach recalling the moment after he did similar in Friday’s 32-26 defeat of the NSW Waratahs.

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Fullback Bryce Hegarty had made three of his six attempts for the night and, with the game locked up the Reds’ No.10 seized the moment.

His two late, emphatic penalties were the difference as the Reds snapped a seven-year, 11-game losing streak against their border rivals to launch Super Rugby AU.

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Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa and first time starter Mack Hansen

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Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa and first time starter Mack Hansen

“It went down to the wire there and James stepped up, a nice cool head,” Thorn said.

“I think James stepped up and said ‘I want to take it’.

“It was a bit of a frustrating game at times, trying to get the flow of the game, but he just said ‘enough’s enough’.

“(It reminded me of) standing there in Hong Kong in 2010 and a young kid stepped up … I remember thinking ‘if the kid kicks it, good on him’.”

O’Connor, the oldest player of a young Reds outfit on Friday, will turn 30 on Sunday.

He managed a groin complaint earlier this year that stopped him from kicking, but has returned from the shutdown fully fit and confident after sessions with renowned kicking coach Dave Alred.

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“I think this break’s been good for him for his condition and for a lot of the lads,” Thorn said.

Both teams enjoyed the mid-week banter and the competition nature of the derby but Thorn wasn’t entirely pleased, insinuating it was gamesmanship that led to prop Taniela Tupou’s second-half sin-binning.

Twice the forward ran through and knocked over the Waratahs kicker, first conceding a penalty down-field and then being yellow-carded for his troubles.

But neither were particularly late or high shots, Thorn believing Tupou’s only crime was stupidity.

“If they’re seriously injured and go down they should get a HIA,” he said.

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“Because clearly they were fine … rugby’s a tough game, I’m not a huge fan of that sort of stuff.

“On my side as well; I don’t want my players going down with a dramatic fall.

“They should take it, get up and get on with the game.”

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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