South African-born Reds skipper Liam Wright returns home in search of upset victory
Durban-born Liam Wright has early memories of watching games at Johannesburg’s “hallowed” Ellis Park but never thought he’d be playing his first game there as Queensland captain.
But years of boarding at Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar, more commonly known as rugby nursery Churchie, proved the perfect conversion therapy for the 22-year-old.
The new Reds skipper learnt what it meant to be a Queenslander there, where he was part of a 2014 team featuring NRL trio Kalyn Ponga, Brodie Croft and Jaydn Su’A that went undefeated through the GPS season.
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The backrower is now the fresh face of Brad Thorn’s Reds and, after coughing up a 10-point lead to lose their Super Rugby opener to the Brumbies, knows a win against the Lions would be “massive”.
“I watched a few games here when I was younger,” Wright said.
“Returning with a captain’s armband (with Queensland) is definitely not how I pictured it.
“But I’m looking forward to it; it’s just a classic, traditional ground and one you hear about growing up here in South Africa.
“It’s hallowed turf and they’ll (the Lions) definitely be strong at home.”
The Reds bullied the Brumbies’ representative pack at times last Friday, their set piece impressive before the hosts rallied in the second half.
The Lions, licking their wounds after a heavy loss in Argentina to the Jaguares last weekend, boast a similarly physical pack.
But last year’s finalists showed there were ample ways through them in a 38-8 win.
Massive signing alert??https://t.co/62LVq2aSVm
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 7, 2020
Wallabies lock Izack Rodda will return to the starting side this weekend while the hefty boot of Hamish Stewart at No.12 could exploit the thinner air of Ellis Park, which sits about 1800m above sea level.
His promotion from the bench has shifted James O’Connor to No.10 and Isaac Lucas to the pine, coach Thorn hopeful Lucas can make a late impact against tired legs.
The Reds move to Argentina next before their first home game, Thorn making clear that returning with one win from their around-the-world road trip would be a success.
The hosts start warm favourites but Wright said last season’s breakthrough against the Sharks in Durban – their first there in 15 years – enhanced their reputation as good travellers.
Wright pilfered the ball after the siren to seal that win and said it remained a poignant moment for the young group.
“It was an awesome game and … brought us closer and we’re a tight group, looking to replicate that this week with the Lions,” he said.
– AAP
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Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
2 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments