Queensland head to the SCG trying to prevent a 10th straight NSW win
Beating the Waratahs used to be an annual event for the Reds but the tables have turned and after nine straight losses a desperate Queensland head to the SCG with their reputations on the line.
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The humane call would be to end Queensland trips to Sydney, sit in a trophy-less corner at Ballymore, timidly curl up and watch old videos of when the Reds conquered the NSW Waratahs where it stung most.
Enough. It’s way over time.
Queensland rugby warriors Peter Slattery, Sam Scott-Young, Rod McCall, Nick Stiles and 79-year-old Alex Evans have just been the most prominent voices this week urging an end to an era of interstate inferiority not known since the late 1950s and early ‘60s.
Former coach Bob Templeton would be turning in his grave because the cup named in his honour to mark interstate dominance has not been in Queensland hands since 2013.
After nine straight losses on interstate night, veteran backrower Scott Higginbotham is the only player in the squad to have ever gulped from the chalice in a sweat-soaked Queensland jersey.
The cabinet that was built especially for it in the Queensland Rugby Union boardroom has been empty for so long, you’d probably find spiderwebs in it.
Captain Samu Kerevi’s fresh Queensland side is heading to the Sydney Cricket Ground for Saturday’s latest interstate stoush yet not all will understand the old-style hurt being felt.
Evans feels it and will always quote you “1962” during the disastrous 12-game interstate losing streak when he was sometimes captain and always pack leader.
“NSW refused to play us (in 1962),” says Evans of the ignominy of being forced to play North and South Harbour teams from Sydney instead.
“We always brought that up as part of our motivation.”
Former coach Stiles came closest to snapping the current hoodoo in 2017 when his fired-up Reds scored four tries-to-two, led deep into a rousing clash at Suncorp Stadium and were gutted 29-26 by Bernard Foley’s two late penalty goals.
“That loss still haunts me. We did everything but win but ‘refusing to lose’ is just as powerful in the psyche for these interstate nights,” Stiles said.
“It’s time. Play tough up front on Saturday, give nothing to Izzy (Folau) and Kurtley (Beale) and we can win it.”
The Stiles’ masterstroke was to reintroduce the maroon Queensland jersey as a one-off that night to highlight just how special clashes against the oldest enemy always are.
Coach Brad Thorn has made the jersey switch full-time which is the Reds’ biggest win of the season so far at 0-2.
The ferocity of Queensland-NSW is in Thorn’s DNA yet the tepid 37-16 trip last year was just another collapse in Sydney to follow those of 2016 (30-10), 2015 (31-5) and 2014 (32-5) in the NSW capital.
Omens? Anything will do.
It got pretty grim in 2003 for former Reds coach Andrew Slack with his team lurching into Sydney with a 0-4 record.
That Queensland team was ridiculed as the “SML Reds” for “Stone Motherless Last Reds” throughout a big interstate luncheon in Sydney by crowing NSW rugby posers.
In 80 inspired minutes, the Reds came to life. Wendell Sailor celebrated a try gem in a 35-23 upset.
On-field runner Damian Mednis chuckled to Slack through his headpiece from centrefield when the win was assured.
“For The Good Times,’’ is all he said. He had tipped Slack into a Sandown race winner that same day -- a $5.50 pop, For The Good Times.
Thorn doesn’t need omens. He needs 15 Bruce Banners suddenly transforming into maroon Hulks who won’t cop defeat against Michael Hooper’s men in blue.
It’s easy to trick the memory into believing it was always Tim Horan, John Eales, Chris Latham, Will Genia and Quade Cooper who dominated victories over NSW over the past 30 years.
In truth, it has been as much about unheralded players rising to heights on interstate night because, as Stiles says, “there’s nothing normal about playing the Waratahs.”
Flanker Mark Murray was a second-half dynamo in the 1999 win, Junior Pelesasa was outstanding in the centres in the 2002 edition and Rudi Vedelago had perhaps his best game for the Reds as a try-scorer in 2003.
Winger Peter Hynes tackled Lote Tuqiri every time the NSW matchwinner twitched in the epic 2004 win and finisher Dom Shipperley scored the epic runaway try on full-time to win in Sydney in 2012.
By late Saturday night, you’d like to dream that Duncan Paia’aua, Angus Scott-Young, JP Smith or Tate McDermott had joined such a roll call of heroes with a monster game.
“Tempo” and his chalice would be happy again.
THREE WAYS TO WIN IN SYDNEY
2012: Reds 25 bt Waratahs 21
With time all but up, the Waratahs kick the ball away in a brainsnap moment. The counter-attack from the Reds was immediate and flyer Dom Shipperley scooted down the right touchline for the matchwinner.
2003: Reds 35 bt Waratahs 23
Wendell Sailor scored a rousing 80m try to silence Waratahs fans who had come to see a clear-cut win. The underdogs from Queensland produced a classic backs-to-the-wall fight for their first win of the season.
1999: Reds 30 bt Waratahs 13
A boxing-style fight bill was used to promote the 1999 interstate clash and the centre clash between Nathan ``Young Gun’’ Grey and Tim ``The Legend’’ Horan most of all.
Horan and the Reds were winners by a knockout.
Originally published as Queensland head to the SCG trying to prevent a 10th straight NSW win