Reds intent on showing their superiority at scrums in Super Rugby Pacific showdown

The scrum battle is set to be a talking point of the Reds’ Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Brumbies.

Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn has taken a thinly veiled shot at the Brumbies’ scrum tactics ahead of Saturday night’s Super Rugby Pacific showdown at Suncorp Stadium.

There is no love lost between the Reds and Brumbies. The Queenslanders held bragging rights last year by beating their Canberra-based rivals in the Super Rugby AU final, while the Brumbies top the Super Rugby Pacific ladder with six wins from as many matches.

Those wins included a 16-12 victory over the Reds in Canberra two weeks ago.

Despite being outscored two tries to one, the Brumbies won on a night where scrum penalties marred the game.

The Brumbies have in the past complained about the scrummaging of powerhouse Reds’ tighthead prop Taniela Tupou.

However, Thorn seemed in no doubt which of the two teams had scrum issues, praising the work of Queensland’s scrum coach, former Wallabies prop Cameron Lillicrap.

“The scrum going to ground, we’re not about that here,” Thorn said.

“If you look at us in the last four years, with Cameron Lillicrap, we like to scrum and we feel we get dominance through that, so we’ll be looking to compete there.

“You just want to have a good game of rugby that’s competitive and with two teams trying to win, but we’re also in the entertainment business.”

Reds coach Brad Thorn is ‘passionate’ about scrums. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

When asked if the Brumbies’ tactics were negative, Thorn said: “I’m not really interested in commenting on any of that stuff.

“I’m saying we want to scrum. Everyone knows that. We want to play positive.”

Thorn said Tupou was an obvious “force”, but also praised the entire Reds pack.

“We’re an eight-man scrum. That comes about because you’ve got Cameron Lillicrap there. He’s been around the game a long time – he’s quality.

“And … I was a scrummaging lock, so we are passionate around the scrum.”

Thorn had hoped lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto would return on Saturday night, via the bench, from am ankle injury.

However, the Reds coach said Salakaia-Loto wasn’t ready and would be replaced on the bench by Connor Vest.

Having been on the selection outer for a month, winger Filipo Daugunu will make his 50th appearance for the Reds, replacing the injured Jock Campbell (hand).

“He had some errors in his game that he needed to work on,” Thorn said of Daugunu.

“He’s worked away and … in a competitive environment, it’s just about an opportunity, and he’s got an opportunity.

“`Lipo’ at his best is a very good footballer.”

Originally published as Reds intent on showing their superiority at scrums in Super Rugby Pacific showdown