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'We're going to ride this': Reds hopeful win over Chiefs a catalyst for finals run

By AAP
iam Wright of the Reds celebrates with head coach Brad Thorn after winning the round 12 Super Rugby Pacific match between Chiefs and Queensland Reds at Yarrow Stadium, on May 12, 2023, in New Plymouth, New Zealand. (Photo by Andy Jackson/Getty Images)

Queensland Reds forward Connor Vest hopes his team can ride their red-hot momentum all the way to a Super Rugby Pacific finals berth, but he’s not taking anything for granted.

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The Reds’ finals hopes were in dire straights a month ago when they slumped to a 2-5 record.

But wins over Moana Pasifika, Western Force and the ladder-leading Chiefs in the past four games have catapulted the Reds (5-6) into seventh spot with three rounds remaining.

The 25-22 triumph over the Chiefs in New Plymouth last Friday was the Reds’ first in New Zealand since 2013.

More importantly, it has fanned hopes Brad Thorn’s men can cause some damage in the play-offs.

The Reds sit six points clear of ninth-placed Fijian Drua, meaning one more win will probably be enough to lock in a finals berth.

Queensland round out their campaign with matches against the fifth-placed Blues (fifth), the 11th-placed Highlanders (away) and Fijian Drua (away).

“It’s a massive momentum swing from where we were a month ago to where we are now,” Vest said.

“We’re three (wins) from four in the last four games.

“The momentum is definitely swinging our way, and we’re going to ride this as long as we can.

“We’ve got a very tough road coming up – we’ve got (the Blues), then the Highlanders in Dunedin, and Fiji in Fiji.

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“It’s a tough three games. If we want to lock down a finals spot, we’ve got to turn up for each and every one of those.”

The Blues’ four-match winning run was brought to a halt last week when they were beaten 15-3 by the Crusaders.

Vest played for Auckland in the National Provincial Championship last year and he knows the Blues are a dangerous side.

“They’re a team full of All Blacks,” Vest said ahead of Friday night’s clash at Suncorp Stadium.

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“They can string together a performance like nothing else.

“I was pretty fortunate I got to play with a few of the players last year so I might know a little bit of the ins and outs.

“I came back with a different rugby mind. They play the game over there completely different to how we do.

“They’re a lot more counter-attack and unstructured play.

“So seeing how that is now benefiting the Reds, and what I’ve brought back to the Reds, we’re sort of capitalising on that.”

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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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