Queensland Reds debutant Tom Murday to make experience count against Highlanders
WHEN Tom Murday played his first Super Rugby trial at 18 as a skinny streak of potential, he avoided the gaze of All Blacks leader Richie McCaw when he was eyeballed.
WHEN Tom Murday played his first Super Rugby trial at 18 as a skinny streak of potential, he avoided the gaze of All Blacks leader Richie McCaw when he was eyeballed.
He blinked. In that moment, the rookie from north Queensland knew how much he had to learn and how assertive he needed to be to crack the big time.
Remarkably, it has taken seven years and dead end trials at the Western Force, ACT Brumbies, Auckland Blues and Reds to finally generate his second chance at the Reds.
Everything that slow rise has taught him must be thrown at the tough task up front in Dunedin tonight against the dangerous Highlanders.
Not since the late Ilaitia Savea and Doug Cooper, on a playing holiday from England, were paired during a 1988 emergency has a Queensland side relied on such inexperienced lock stocks.
Dave McDuling, in his first starting role, and South African Marco Kotze have just eight Super Rugby games between them while bench back-up Murday has 26 minutes.
How well the trio fill the void behind injured Wallabies James Horwill and Rob Simmons and freshly sidelined Ed O’Donoghue (knee) may well decide tonight.
There’s something admirably old-school about Murday, 25, building his experience brick by brick that tells you he won’t be overawed.
Before last season he helped out as a labourer’s hand laying the foundation blocks for the new clubhouse of the Port Douglas Reef Raiders where he played in his teens.
“Always close but not quite getting there has been my career until now,” the 2m Murday said.
“It’s a dream to get started.”
Playing two seasons for Northland in New Zealand has toughened him to meet the Kiwi forward fire head-on tonight.
“Just getting high-intensity rugby week in, week out in New Zealand was the biggest help to lift my physicality,” Murday said.
“I was a kid playing in a trial for the Force in 2008 when I ran on for the final 10 minutes at flanker against the Crusaders.
“Richie McCaw was staring me down on the side of the first scrum I packed. I looked away, looked back and he was still staring.
“I’m older now and not overwhelmed like that day. I feel very comfortable going against the Kiwis so the long road has definitely been a help in that way.”
The return of inside centre Anthony Faingaa from injury injects a key defensive element to stall the power-running of All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa.
Reds coach Richard Graham agreed yesterday that the tight, kick-based plan that beat the Western Force in the wet last weekend “won’t beat the Highlanders” on a dry field.
“The Highlanders back three (Ben Smith, Waisake Naholo and Patrick Osborne) is one of the most dangerous in the world so we can’t be kicking straight to them,” Graham said.
“There’s been a lot of purpose to a new game plan this week.”
Originally published as Queensland Reds debutant Tom Murday to make experience count against Highlanders