Super Rugby 2020: Queensland Reds banking on Harry Wilson giving Crusaders a few headaches

Queensland Reds’ Harry Wilson adored the Crusaders when a child but he just might become the New Zealand powerhouse’s worst enemy when they come face-to-face in Christchurch.

Influential Reds No. 8 Harry Wilson has shaken off a head knock to be in fighting shape to take on the Kiwi rugby giants he most admired as a kid.

Ladbrokes may be listing the Queenslanders as 25-point underdogs for Friday’s match against the Crusaders in Christchurch but no one has told Wilson.

“Playing against the best is what I’ve always wanted to do and you don’t get a better measure than the Crusaders,” Wilson, 20, said.

“I’ve always admired how the Crusaders play since being in the crowd as a kid at Suncorp Stadium when the Reds beat them in that final (in 2011).

Watch every tournament of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

“First trip to Christchurch for me and ready to rip in.”

The upbeat Wilson’s presence is one of the reasons the Reds can take it to the Crusaders.

His natural one-handed off-loading on his forceful runs has been significant in making the Reds the No. 2 off-loading outfit in Super Rugby.

Good off-loading is a big marker for winning sides and it hasn’t happened by accident.

“We’ve worked on a lot of stuff like highball catching, defence, breakdown and with off-loading we have gone from down the bottom to near top,” coach Brad Thorn said.

“Off-loading for continuity is something you see in all the good sides.”

How the Reds have led in the second half of all five of their games and been successful just once is less of a mystery when you consider their poor kicking.

Reds' Harry Wilson presence is one of the reasons the Reds can take it to the Crusaders.

That’s poor exits to escape from their own quarter, haphazard kicking to pressure opponents with a good chase, popgun kicks to touch and too little of the territory game when in front.

It’s almost as if the Reds don’t feel good kicking needs to be embedded into their game plan which is astonishing when South Africa won a World Cup four months ago with a brilliant kicking strategy.

The Reds (15) are one of the lowest kicks-per-game teams in Super Rugby, certainly behind the high-flying Crusaders (22), Sharks (22) and Jaguares (25), who all attack well too.

Any poor kicking on Friday will be run back as seven-point counter-attacks by weapons like 108kg Leicester Faingaanuku and pacy All Blacks wing partner Sevu Reece.

Thorn is excited that young flyhalf Isaac Lucas is match-sharp with 30 minutes a game under his belt for his match-up against All Blacks No. 10 Richie Mo’unga.

“All Isaac’s minutes have been beneficial and this will be a wonderful experience for him against the current All Blacks No. 10,” Thorn said of James O’Connor’s replacement.

“This is all part of him learning and growing.

“There’s no pressure on Isaac.

“He can just go out there and express himself and we all know there’s always something possibly on (when he gets hands on the ball).”

New halfback Scott Malolua is a better goalkicker than Jock Campbell, who is operating at a poor 63 per cent (12-from-19), and should take the shots off the tee.

Harry Wilson has admired the Crusaders since he was a child.

MORE RUGBY

DISASTROUS RA DEAL: OPTUS TO LAND RUGBY RIGHTS

MASS CHANGES: BEALE ENDS 13-YEAR WAIT

BLURRED VISION: EX-REDS STAR TO DONATE BRAIN

CRUSADERS v REDS

CHRISTCHURCH, FRIDAY 4.05PM

Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (S Af)

CRUSADERS

George Bridge, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, Dallas McLeod, Leicester Faingaanuku, Richie Mo’unga, Eretara Enari, Tom Sanders, Tom Christie, Cullen Grace, Mitchell Dunshea, Scott Barrett (c), Michael Alaalatoa, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody. Reserves: Brodie McAlister, George Bower, Oli Jager, Luke Romano, Sione Havili, Mitchell Drummond, Brett Cameron, Manasa Mataele.

REDS

Jock Campbell, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Hunter Paisami, Hamish Stewart, Henry Speight, Isaac Lucas, Scott Malolua, Harry Wilson, Liam Wright (c), Angus Scott-Young, Harry Hockings, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Taniela Tupou, Alex Mafi, JP Smith. Reserves: Ed Craig, Dane Zander, Josh Nasser, Angus Blyth, Fraser McReight, Tate McDermott, Bryce Hegarty, Filipo Daugunu.

TV (live): Fox Sports, Kayo