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Kerevi: Tongan Thor has got just one job

Taniela Tupou of Australia

He’s capable of “ridiculous” on-field feats, but it’s the simple things that Taniela Tupou must nail in a crucial month of Super Rugby for the Queensland Reds.

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Brad Thorn’s men are 4-5 and just six points – or one-and-a-half wins – behind Australian conference leaders Melbourne ahead of hosting Tokyo’s Sunwolves (2-8) on Friday.

Games against Melbourne and the Waratahs follow in what shapes as defining period for Brad Thorn’s regenerating side.

Much like the team as a whole, Wallabies prop Tupou has enjoyed a season of fluctuating form and glimpses of brilliance as he eyes a World Cup berth later this year.

Captain Samu Kerevi has seen the man known as ‘Tongan Thor’ at his complicated best but says, like the rest of his side, it will be the simple tasks that need doing well against the Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium.

“Where do I start with Nella,” he said.

“He’s an amazing player, ridiculously talented player … if you guys could see some o f the things he does for how big he is and how fast he moves.

“He has a big aura about him on the field … if he just simplifies it (the team will benefit).”

Tupou will have a chance to make an early statement, particularly in the scrum, when he starts against a Sunwolves team that was humiliated 52-0 by the Highlanders last week.

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But that same Sunwolves team has beaten the Waratahs and Chiefs this year, while they put 63 points on the Reds last season.

Injuries to Jordan Petaia, Filipo Daugunu and Jack Hardy have given Jock Campbell his first Super Rugby start on the wing.

Fijian-born flyer Semisi Masirewa is the trump card on the wing for the visitors, having crossed seven times for the Sunwolves this season.

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Nickers 24 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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