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'Just another team': Reds mindset shift aims to end winless run against NZ teams

By Ned Lester
Connor Vest takes the ball into contact for the Reds. Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images

New Zealand’s dominance over their Australian counterparts throughout the various recent Super Rugby competitions has, unsurprisingly, not diminished in the latest Super Rugby Pacific format. Queensland Reds lock/flanker Connor Vest revealed that his team has spent time during their preseason directly addressing their mindset towards the Kiwi teams.

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Back in 2010, the Reds rounded out a woeful six years of Super 12/14 form by losing 50-cap Wallaby Berrick Barnes to the Waratahs, only to incidentally unearth the Wallabies’ next star halves partnership of Will Genia and Quade Cooper.

Cooper and Genia guided the Reds to the Championship the following season, beating the Crusaders 18-13 in front of a record Brisbane crowd.

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Since that match 12 years ago, despite the emergence of stars like Samu Kerevi and James O’Connor, the Reds have struggled mightily against their rivals from across the Tasman. In the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the Queensland side lost all six of their contests with Kiwi teams.

“We are doing a lot of work at the moment on resilience and not thinking that the New Zealand teams are better,” Vest said.

“We are just thinking that it is just another rugby team … a team of white jerseys so to speak.

“Week-in and week-out, it doesn’t matter who you are playing. We are going to go out there and play our style of footy, our brand of footy…and it is just another team.”

The Reds 2022 campaign was ended in the quarter-finals at the hands of the Crusaders. Vest’s side were in the hunt until the 56-minute mark of that match, just one point behind the reigning champs before a Richie Mo’uga try broke the game open and inspired a 21-0 run to end the match.

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Vest spent part of his Super Rugby offseason in New Zealand, playing for Auckland’s National Provincial Championship team.

“It was something I dreamt of playing when I was a young kid,” he continued. “I got over there expecting a lot and got so much more than I expected.”

“The way they play the game is so quick. The way they train is something my body was not used to. Just learning … the continuous flow of the game. It is the reason why the All Blacks have been number one for so long.”

The 28-year-old’s form throughout his debut Super Rugby season was enough to earn him a contract extension, a vote of confidence from coach Brad Thorn that Vest is determined to reward as he sets his sights on a starting role.

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“Now I can put my best foot forward to hopefully lock down a starting spot and rip and tear.

“We’ve got Ryan Smith, Seru (Uru) and Luke Jones. They are all very experienced players. Going up against them day-in and day-out is going to be the key.”

Vest says Wallabies omission James O’Connor has made his presence felt at Reds camp while Dave Rennies’ 44-man squad have spent the week training on the Gold Coast.

“He has been in rehab for a bit and now he has filtered back into the sessions.

“He was dropping videos in our group chat at eight o’clock last night. He is running rings around some of the younger boys. It is really good to watch.”

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Trevor 5 minutes ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 4 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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