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Decision made on Reds COVID-19 scare as Brad Thorn provides play-off inspiration
By AAP
In a side stacked with fresh faces, Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn has stepped in to fill the experience void this week.
The team itself is light on post-season tales to tell ahead of Saturday's Super Rugby AU preliminary final against the Melbourne Rebels.
But the former All Black, Crusaders, Brisbane Broncos and Queensland State of Origin dual-code great has more than enough stories to share.
"He's spoken a lot more this week about his experiences, because he won pretty much everything," Reds back rower Harry Wilson said.
"He's just said to prepare better and make sure when you're going out there you've got no regrets.
"So we had an intense session today; we don't want to leave anything out on the field."
Like many of his current teammates, the 20-year-old Wilson was a kid in the stands in 2011 when the Reds last won the Super Rugby decider.
That remains their most-recent taste of finals success, Wilson admitting the chance to play under that sort of pressure has been an unexpected bonus from an extraordinary season.
"Pre-COVID we weren't sitting in the best spot, so to have a second chance is exciting and it should help us all in pretty much everyone's first finals series," he said.
"We're excited to test ourselves on the bigger stage with a bit more on the line, in do-or-die footy."
Wilson's slick hands and expansive mindset are a common theme of Thorn's adventurous side, which has also tightened its defence to leak just two tries from the last three games.
That came after a 45-12 loss to the Waratahs in early August that Wilson said was a line-in-the-sand moment.
"That was the week we thought 'we can't ever do that again'," Wilson said.
The Reds are bracing for a 20,000-strong crowd on Saturday, more than double the Suncorp Stadium record since sport's return.
Meanwhile replacement prop Ruan Smith, unable to train with the side on Monday after reporting flu-like symptoms, has been cleared to return after recording a negative COVID-19 test.
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Latest Comments
HAHAHAHA typical.. there is no where near 90% of the top players in Europe Nick. Those playing in Brazil and Argentina still are probably better that 90% of the none top 5 european leagues.
Even just because these australians are in Europe, does not make them better than those at home. And that goes for nearly all the nations with heavy representation in europe.
What you're trying to say is europe is were 90% of the money in football is, that would get your point across better.
Go to commentsScott Robertson wants his men to push through and sight their targets to help minimise errors from rushed and frustrating brain explosions.
This test match will highlight if the entire coaching staff can select from the All Blacks sqaud, a team capable of producing the necessary and silencing their critics.
Go the All Blacks...looking to have the rub of green again vs Ireland... onwards and upwards.
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