Angus Scott-Young and Liam Wright to replace suspended Reds’ big names
ROOKIE backrowers Liam Wright and Angus Scott-Young have been drafted to mend the hole ripped in the pack power of the Queensland Reds by two costly suspensions.
Rugby
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BRAD Thorn has ignited the career of young gun Liam Wright for a Queensland Reds outfit which never identified David Pocock or Sean McMahon as a similar gem.
Both Pocock and McMahon were inexplicably allowed to slip away from Brisbane as youngsters to dominate for backrows who punished the Reds for their oversights.
Not Wright. Not on Thorn’s watch.
The tall, talented Wright was thrust into the starting role at openside flanker to face the ACT Brumbies in Friday night’s clash at Suncorp Stadium.
Angus Scott-Young, also 20, is on the bench to revive a name renowned for some mayhem when father Sam ripped in for Queensland sides of the late 1980s and early ‘90s.
The rookie backrowers and recalled former Wallaby lock Kane Douglas will mend the hole ripped in the Reds’ pack power by the suspensions of Scott Higginbotham and Lukhan Tui.
Thorn has had an eye on how good Wright can be since he first coached him two years when he was just 18.
It’s over-the-top to call this lift-off for rugby’s next big thing at flanker.
What can’t be disputed is that Wright is different, an openside flanker who breaks the traditional mould of a young Pocock or George Smith.
At 193cm, he’s 13cm taller than Smith for starters and will be a lineout factor where most opensides are not.
“Australian rugby has a great tradition of out-and-out (ball) fetchers but Liam has more to his game as a lineout operator who is also good on the ground and with the ball,” Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said.
Wright has a Zimbabwean father like Pocock and made his mark at the same school, Churchie, after his family arrived from South Africa when he was seven.
For Thorn, his rating of the Durban-born Wright also runs to attitude.
“He’s a natural leader, very smart as a footballer and he showed some composure at a difficult time when he played his first minutes (against the Rebels) last Friday,” Thorn said.
Wright is delighted to receive the call-up and has his debut jitters behind him.
“I was a bit nervous waiting on the sidelines but once I got on in Melbourne I was fine ... it was fast, physical, full on, but I had a blast,” Wright said.
“I’ve worked with Thorny and Squab (assistant coach Paul Carozza) for a few years and knowing they back your ability is a huge factor in being confident you’re ready.”
Thorn joked that Scott-Young would be a physical addition but perhaps without his father’s hair-trigger reputation.
“He’s an OP1 student studying medicine so nothing like his old man ... he takes after his mum (Donna),” Thorn said with a laugh.
“His dad went hard and had some crazy eyes and Scotty does it his own way as a physical player.
“I know his family and they’ll be really proud.”
Queensland Reds v Brumbies
7:00pm (Qld time), Friday, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
1. James Slipper (c) 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa 3. Taniela Tupou 4. Izack Rodda 5. Kane Douglas 6. Adam Korczyk 7. Liam Wright 8. Caleb Timu 9. James Tuttle 10. Jono Lance
11. To Nabuli 12. Duncan Paia’aua 13. Samu Kerevi 14. Chris Feauai-Sautia 15. Aidan Toua
Reserves: 16. Alex Mafi 17. JP Smith 18. Sef Fa’agase 19. Harry Hockings 20. Angus Scott-Young 21. Tate McDermott 22. Hamish Stewart 23. Filipo Daugunu
Originally published as Angus Scott-Young and Liam Wright to replace suspended Reds’ big names
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