1
Coronavirus scare could curtail Super Rugby AU plans
By AAP
Queensland prop Ruan Smith may miss the chance to suit up against his former club Melbourne in Saturday's Super Rugby AU sudden-death final after being sent for a COVID-19 test.
Smith played three games for the Rebels before the season shut-down in March but switched to the Reds two weeks ago to join his twin brother JP, and lined up in their win over the Brumbies on Saturday night.
While Ruan can provide the intel on Melbourne, his participation is in doubt as he was excluded from Queensland training after feeling unwell on Monday. He is now waiting for the all-clear.
His brother JP played down the threat of the virus and said Ruan was still feeling the affects of his first competitive hit-out in almost six months.
"He's still looking for his lungs on Suncorp Stadium," JP said on Monday.
"He's just a bit sore but he'll be back tomorrow.
"He'll help the boys and help the team as much as he can around that but he has a lot of respect for the Rebels ... the Melbourne staff as the team really meant a lot to him."
JP Smith is one of the few players left in Australian rugby who has had a taste of Super Rugby finals, part of the Brumbies' charge to the semi-finals in 2014 and 2015.
He said he would try to teach his young teammates not to get ahead of themselves, with a grand final spot against the Brumbies on September 19 in Canberra beckoning.
The Reds are hoping for as many as 15,000 fans to be allowed into Suncorp on Saturday night.
"We need to look at it as another game and just enjoy the moment as it doesn't come very much," the South African-born prop said.
"We're not looking past this week, it's a grand final for us."
The Brumbies complained after the Reds match about the scrummaging technique of Reds tighthead Taniela Tupou but JP said they felt the Wallabies prop was in the clear.
"As a team, we need to look past that and we'll just do what we've been doing and leave it in the ref's hands," he said.
"The ref's got a job to do, we've got a job to do.
"We want to portray a place at the scrum that we do everything right, and we believe we are doing that."
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales have the same problem
3
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
4
Let's be real about these All Blacks
5
Latest Comments
John, McKenzie was 10 years ago and he only lasted 15 months until the disgustingly unfair affair that brought him down. I thought that if he didn't get another gig over Eddie V2 then he was done. I read that he had been approached but declined to put his name in the ring.
There are no potential Wallaby coaches outside of McKellar unless you have some inside info?
Go to commentsThe way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.
Go to comments