Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'Sport on the weekend doesn't compare to looking after people, specifically our elderly folk

Reds coach Brad Thorn looks on before the round 15 Super Rugby match between the Reds and the Highlanders at Suncorp Stadium on May 26, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

“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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

F
Flankly 2 hours 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
LONG READ
LONG READ The joy, spirit and obstacles of the rugby pilgrim The joy, spirit and obstacles of the rugby pilgrim
Search