As a player, Brad Thorn built a career on hard work and discipline. Put simply, the dual international always fronted on the field.
At long last, his players delivered the type of performance that should have been the hallmark of a Thorn-coached side.
Unfortunately, the performance was two years too late.
Ever since winning the Super Rugby AU competition, the Reds’ discipline has been their Achilles heel.
You can’t defeat New Zealand opposition by being whistled off the park.
Heading into their clash against the table-topping Chiefs, the Reds ranked third last for discipline in the competition, conceding on average 11.8 penalties.
On Friday night, they gave away just six penalties.
Liam Wright celebrates with head coach Brad Thorn after the Reds’ historic win over the Chiefs at Yarrow Stadium, on May 12, 2023, in New Plymouth. (Photo by Andy Jackson/Getty Images)
That came despite making 220 tackles, 17 more than the Blues who similarly had to front up one night later against a Crusaders side that dominated possession and territory in the first half. Liam Wright made 23 tackles, Connor Vest 20 and Fraser McReight 16.
The Reds benefitted from not having to try and contain strong ball-carriers Samisoni Tauei’aho, Brodie Retallick and Pita Gus Sowakula, as well as the pace and tempo injected by Brad Weber and experience and ruggedness of Sam Cane.
But the Reds would argue they haven’t had gain line monster Taniela Tupou and several others, too.
Nonetheless, more than a month after Wright said their loss to the Rebels was a “line in the sand” for their discipline woes, the Reds finally delivered on their captain’s promise.
Several times throughout the match they defended their own line well, but none was more important than the 27 phases they kept the Chiefs at bay in the final stages to secure their first win across the ditch in a decade.
Even if the Reds have left their run too late in 2023, how they secured their drought-breaking victory across the ditch should be the message that sticks with them for life. It could well be Thorn’s enduring legacy, particularly given they were written off.
Lessons in coaching masterclass
After Etene Nanai-Seturo pounced on James O’Connor’s hurried and inaccurate pass to score the Chiefs’ second try, something extraordinary occurred in the Reds’ coaching box occurred.
The entire Reds front-row was replaced, with George Blake, Richie Asiata and Peni Ravi given an early spell.
In their place, Matt Faessler, Sef Fa’agase and Zane Nonggorr came on.
All three replacement front-rowers played the house down and played their part in Tate McDermott scoring a crucial, momentum turning try on the stroke of half-time.
This was refreshingly smart and brave coaching.
Tate McDermott of the Reds passes the ball during 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)
Australian sides have typically been slow to replace their starters for fear of their depth. They literally try to squeeze the lemon dry in most matches.
But the tactical replacements worked a treat and all three played the house down, with Nonggorr scoring in tight and Faessler and Fa’agase showing their experience and skill in the second half.
While Eddie Jones has often shown the courage to take action in the first half, one hopes others realise that matches can be swung with proactiveness.
Crucially, too, McDermott played the entire match.
While McDermott can’t afford to play 80 minutes because of burnout but also starving the development of others, this was a match to leave the Reds’ courageous and matchwinner on the field. He delivered.
The missing ingredient game-changer needs to fix to become a Wallaby
Corey Toole could well be Australian rugby’s most exciting player.
Together with Tom Wright, the duo are a deadly combination that will continue to light up the domestic stage.
All season Toole has shown what he can do with space.
The highlights reel is adding up on both sides of the ditch, having played his part in Nick Frost’s marvellous counter-attacking try against the Hurricanes earlier this month.
On Sunday, Toole did it all himself as he scored one of the individual tries of the year with his double kick to score a crucial try against the Highlanders.
Corey Toole scored twice against the Highlanders at GIO Stadium, on May 14, 2023, in Canberra. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Had Wright not attempted an audacious pass to Ryan Lonergan earlier in the match, another highlights moment could have been added to the collection.
But as much as Stephen Larkham is enjoying his threat out wide, his comments post-match were telling.
Asked whether he wouldn’t have voted for Toole as player of the match after his second half double by former teammate Justin Harrison, Larkham didn’t miss.
“Not on some the things that he did wrong,” Larkham replied.
“He does a lot of good things. We can score tries and we’re quite an exciting team to watch but defensively we’ve got to make some better decisions and we’ve certainly got to make some better tackle completions out there.”
As has been the case right throughout his maiden Super Rugby season, Toole was found wanting against the Highlanders.
While he’s ahead of Max Jorgensen because of his incredible ability to sniff out a try and turn a game, the 23-year-old, who can hit speeds of 10.2 metres per second, won’t play for the Wallabies until he fixes the area in the game.
Why Brumbies might rely on domestical rivals to seal top spot
The Force aren’t going to give this year’s Super Rugby competition a shake even if they made the finals, but they could prove decisive on who wins tournament.
Unbeaten at home in 2023, the Force will host the second-placed Brumbies on Saturday night.
Even the most one-eyed supporters will know that will be a tough test despite their encouraging year, but the Brumbies can’t afford to take their foot off the gas against the Force in Perth. Many teams slip up heading west, including the Hurricanes last year in the final match of the regular round.
If the Brumbies come away unscathed, they will host the Chiefs, who are currently five points ahead in top spot, a week later.
The Chiefs then have a decision to make.
After tough matches against the Hurricanes and Brumbies, the Chiefs meet the Force in the final round of the regular season.
Should they win their next two matches, the Chiefs will likely rest several players for the long trip to Perth.
But if they don’t, Clayton McMillan could well have to weigh up resting players or taking a full-strength squad to Perth on the eve of the finals. It’s nothing to sneeze at.
Sevens teams learn the hard way
Australia’s men’s and women’s sevens teams would have learned a lot over the weekend.
Not for the first time in recent years, Tim Walsh’s women’s side struggled under pressure against a physical side and didn’t find a way out of trouble.
After losing to France in their pool match on Saturday, Walsh’s side were beaten by the USA 10-7 in Sunday’s semi-final.
Charlotte Caslick’s sides made crucial errors under pressure inside their own half as they tried to run the ball out.
It’s better to make those errors now, but there’s a pattern to Australia’s defeats – and they stem from not executing under pressure.
Maddison Levi, however, continued to stand out, as she crossed for her 57th try – a record in one season – against France during their bronze medal victory.
Meanwhile, John Manenti’s side suffered a shock Cup quarter-final loss to Canada, losing 12-10.
The defeat against the 14th ranked nation in the World Series standings was a blow to Australia’s chances of automatic Olympic qualification, with Australia in fifth spot on 125 points, nine points ahead of sixth-placed Samoa, heading into the final tour leg of the 2022-23 World Series Tour.
It means they’ll need to make the quarter-finals in this weekend’s Twickenham Sevens to ensure they finish inside the top five of the overall World Series standings and thereby automatically qualify for next year’s Paris Olympics.
Making the assignment more difficult is the loss of Darby Lancaster, with the burgeoning winger ruled out due to concussion after copping a nasty blow early against Canada.
Christy Doran’s Australian Super Rugby team of the week:
Te Tera Faulkner, Matt Faessler, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jeremy Williams, Connor Vest, Liam Wright, Fraser McReight, Pete Samu, Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole, James O’Connor, Len Ikitau, Mark Nawaqanitwase, Jock Campbell.
