NZ World Cup-winner says Super Rugby AU standard will improve as Force name side for Reds clash
Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn feels the scratchy standard of Super Rugby AU will continue to improve as teams build back into form after their long competitive layoffs.
The Australian competition has compared unfavourably to the New Zealand tournament derbies but before the Reds’ round three showdown against the Western Force on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium, Thorn felt there were better times ahead.
The former All Blacks forward said jumping straight into competition without any trials after a three-month hiatus had contributed to the average standard.
“The teams are just getting started and getting used to a few things,” Thorn said on Thursday.
“You look at the New Zealand competition, they’re really humming along now.
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“I imagine with our competition in the next week or two, we’ll really start to see more and more rugby played and the quality will continue to improve.”
The Reds are unbeaten but Thorn said he expected more from his troops in their first match against the Force in three years.
“We haven’t been that happy with our first two performances,” he said.
“With the ball, we want to see a lot of improvement and we want to play some rugby.”
Thorn hoped Chris Feauai-Sautia would add some spark to their attack.
“He’s a pretty special player when he gets in the mood,” Thorn said.
“He’s very good at keeping the ball alive, his continuity play, his pop passes and he’s a physical specimen out on the wing.
“I wouldn’t imagine he’s a pleasant guy to run into.”
Queensland’s second-row depth will be tested with injury to Angus Blyth meaning a shift for flanker Angus Scott-Young.
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The Force have brought Ollie Atkins onto the bench for Johan Bardoul in the only change to their squad, with new signing Richard Kahui not included.
Coach Tim Sampson said World Cup-winning former All Blacks back Kahui was fit but hadn’t played for four months and he wanted to keep some continuity in the squad.
Prop Greg Holmes, who played more than 140 games for Reds, will be on the bench against his old team.
– Melissa Woods
Comments on RugbyPass
The best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
2 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
3 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
114 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
2 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
3 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
3 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
114 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
4 Go to comments