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‘Icing on the cake’: Reds skipper reacts to ‘satisfying’ shutout win
Reds captain Liam Wright has reacted to Queensland’s “satisfying” 31-nil win over the Highlanders at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in a candid interview with Wallabies great Tim Horan on Friday night.
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Queensland got off to a red-hot start with Wallaby Hunter Paisami scoring a couple of minutes into the contest. It was the first blow that landed but one that seemed to knock the wind out of the visitors.
Fly-half Tom Lynagh added a penalty goal in the 18th minute before milestone man Ryan Smith crossed for the Reds’ second try of the night later in a dominant opening 40 from the hosts.
While the Highlanders looked a little bit more threatening after the break, they never really came close to scoring. It was all one-way traffic as the Reds secured a bonus point with another two tries.
Wallaby Suliasi Vunivalu secured all five points for the Reds with a try after the full-time siren. The Queenslanders were all smiles after the match as captain Liam Wright stepped away for an interview.
As Wright discussed, this wasn’t necessarily a must-win game for the Reds but they were “desperate to win” for one another following a disappointing run of three defeats from as many starts.
“The Highlanders are a great team. To keep them scoreless tonight I thought was a resounding effort from our (defence),” Wright said on Stan Sport after the match.
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“Sort of spoke during the week, we’re not by any means in desperation stages but we were desperate to win for each other. We wanted to really put in for each other and show up for our squad, our fans, our families.
“I’m really proud of the way the boys showed up tonight.
“The conditions were really slippery as you saw, a lot of ball dislodged in the tackle,” he added.
“We trusted our defence, at times more than we wanted to… our set-piece showed up, our forwards worked really hard for each other and the backs just put the icing on the cake.”
While the likes of Ryan Smith, captain Liam Wright and Wallaby Hunter Paisami stole the show with some especially impressive performances, make no mistake, this was a team victory for the Reds.
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The Highlanders were kept scoreless for the first time in a Super Rugby match since 2019 and it was also Queensland’s biggest-ever win over the Dunedin-based outfit.
One of the moments of the match that may have come and gone without too much appreciation involved fullback Jock Campbell. The Australia international came up with a play during the first-half which sums up the Reds’ night.
Connor Garden-Bachop kicked the ball over Campbell’s head as the Highlanders wing looked to secure a stunning chip-and-chase try. The New Zealander reeled in the kick but didn’t score.
But Campbell, who never gave up, managed to apply just enough pressure on Garden-Bachop to help make the tackle before getting back up to secure a penalty at the breakdown inside the Reds’ 22.
“A bit of a bounce back for the last couple of weeks and I think we owed that to our fans and ourselves to be honest,” Campbell told former Wallaby Morgan Turinui post-match.
“We’re very happy.
“We spoke all week about being personally accountable because the last couple of weeks it’s been individual errors, not necessarily forced errors,” he continued.
“It’s a big focus for us to sort out our own backyard and I thought we did that really. We played well.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
16 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
218 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
218 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
44 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
16 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
44 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
5 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
218 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
218 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
44 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments