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'Really cool thing': Queensland Reds excited by Samoa trip to play Moana Pasifika

Danny Toala of Moana Pasifika poses for a photo during a Moana Pasifika Captain's Run at Apia Park National Stadium on April 13, 2023 in Apia, Samoa. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Brad Thorn has not shown any signs he will fall on his sword as Queensland Reds coach as the team prepares for a Moana Pasifika ambush in Samoa.

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The Reds (2-5) have lost three straight games and off-contract coach Thorn has taken the heat, admitting after a heavy loss to the ACT Brumbies he had “possibly” taken the team as far as he could.

A candid Thorn looked out of answers after that game, conceding ill-discipline and poor execution were areas haunting the 2021 Super Rugby AU champion that he’d be unable to improve.

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The coach has offered little insight in his only media appearance since, an unannounced interview with the Reds’ media unit from the airport’s departure lounge in the early hours of Thursday morning.

“It’s been a good week; the guys have applied themselves after a disappointing result,” he said.

“Had a solid critique, review … building towards this game in Samoa.”

Pasifika have not won a game this season, thumped 59-0 by the Hurricanes and conceding 62 points to the Brumbies in recent losses.

But they scared the Crusaders with three first-half tries last week and will be a different proposition in their Apia Park debut.

As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, it’s a home ground they’ve been denied since debuting last year as a New Zealand-based side.

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“It’ll be a big occasion for them, a really cool thing that’s happened,” Thorn said of the expansion side’s return to Samoa’s capital.

“They’re not afraid to play footy from anywhere on the park.

“It will be a physical battle, but their willingness to play footy and the skills, speed, power, make them really dangerous.”

Co-captains Tate McDermott and Liam Wright, who broke his hand at training on Wednesday, have both publicly backed Thorn and insisted their much-scrutinised game plan is sound.

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A bye next week offers Queensland Rugby Union enough time to review the situation but it’s unlikely Thorn, who took over in 2018 and is the club’s longest-serving coach in 20 years, will leave his post early.

In the Reds’ favour is an eight-team finals system that affords plenty of wiggle room and a belief they can match it with any opponent on their day.

They’re currently clinging to eighth spot while the Highlanders finished eighth in 2022 despite carrying a 4-10 record.

There is also no obvious replacement with former Brumbies coach and Wallabies assistant Dan McKellar Leicester-bound and Reds assistant Mick Heenan well-credentialed at Brisbane club level, but only fresh on the Super Rugby scene.

So it’s head down for Thorn, who has been frustrated not to realise the side’s potential despite the likes of Jordan Petaia and Harry Wilson boasting arguably career-best form.

Thorn recalled winger Suliasi Vunivalu at Filipo Daugunu’s expense and is clear on what he wants to see.

“Just a big man, running fast,” he said.

“The power he has carrying that footy. He’s good in the air and Suli at full flight, it’s a really good prospect so we’re hoping to see plenty of that.”

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Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

4 Go to comments
N
Nickers 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Very poor understanding of what's going on and 0 ability to read. When I say playing behind the gain line you take this to mean all off-loads and site times we are playing in front of the gain line???


Every time we play a lot of rugby behind the gain line (for clarity, meaning trying to build an attack and use width without front foot ball 5m+ behind the most recent breakdown) we go backwards and turn the ball over in some way. Every time a player is tackled behind the most recent breakdown you need more and more people to clear out because your forwards have to go back around the corner, whereas opposition players can keep moving forward. Eventually you run out of either players to clear out or players to pass to and the result in a big net loss of territory and often a turnover. You may have witnessed that 20+ times in the game against England. This is a particularly dumb idea inside your own 40m which is where, for some reason, we are most likely to employ it.


The very best ABs teams never built an identity around attacking from poor positions. The DC era team was known for being the team that kicked the most. To engineer field position and apply pressure, and create broken play to counter attack. This current team is not differentiating between when a defence has lost it's structure and there are opportunities, and when they are completely set and there is nothing on. The reason they are going for 30 minute + periods in every game without scoring a single point, even against Japan and a poor Australian team, is because they are playing most of their rugby on the back foot in the wrong half.

43 Go to comments
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