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'Sport on the weekend doesn't compare to looking after people, specifically our elderly folk
Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn is disappointed the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the Super Rugby season but admits there are bigger concerns than sport to consider.
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Shortly after the Reds came back from a 17-0 deficit to thrash South Africa’s Bulls 41-17 at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, it was confirmed the tournament would be suspended indefinitely after this weekend’s matches.
The decision was largely forced by the New Zealand government announcing strict restrictions on travellers entering the country.
Anyone arriving in New Zealand after Sunday will have to isolate themselves for 14 days to help combat the spread of the potentially lethal virus.
The news will be frustrating to Thorn given his team had largely completed their overseas component for the season and were eyeing off a big finish to their campaign.
“It’s probably a little bit tough for us because we’ve paid our dues this year, we’ve done our three round-the-world tri ps, played Christchurch, down in Canberra, all these sort of things,” the World Cup-winning ex-All Black said.
“We’ve been looking at this comp and we’ve seen real opportunity in front of us … it’d be nice if there was some more footy played, you know, down the track but sport on the weekend doesn’t compare to looking after people, specifically our elderly folk.
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“We’ve got to take care of them. Look after them.”
SANZAAR is hopeful of resuming the tournament in coming weeks but that will depend largely on when the New Zealand restrictions are lifted.
The Christchurch-based Crusaders defeated Japan’s Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday in a match that had already been relocated from Tokyo to Brisbane due to the virus outbreak.
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson was desperate to get himself and his team home before the restrictions kick in and did not discount the idea of the nation’s five franchises playing each other during the suspension.
“The re’s always opportunity in some adversity and there’s potential for opportunities to maybe innovate the competition,” the championship-winning coach said.
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For the Sunwolves, the suspension means the loss to the Crusaders could be the team’s final appearance in Super Rugby.
SANZAAR has already announced the Japanese franchise will be axed from the competition in 2021, although chief executive Yuji Watase was confident the team would play on in some capacity next year.
“SANZAAR decided to kick us out from this year but still we’re trying to find a way,” Watase said.
“Even if, like from next year, we cannot play in the Super Rugby we still have to go in some direction to keep running and keep our rugby level in Japan.”
Sunday’s match between the Brumbies and the NSW Waratahs on Sunday in Canberra will be the final fixture before the suspension takes hold.
– AAP
WATCH: The sixth series of ‘The Season’ in partnership with Brisbane Boys College – In the lead up to the series premiere, we take a look at some of the personalities involved including barnstorming centre, Jack Howarth.
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments