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Boyd is misunderstood says Inglis

11th July, 2013
13

No wonder NSW can’t crack the Greg Inglis-Darius Boyd left-edge dominance in State of Origin.

The key to their uncanny understanding is as unlikely as a Blues right-side winger playing consecutive Origin games.

Boyd once infamously held a 30-word press conference and makes media-shy supercoach Wayne Bennett appear chatty, yet Inglis believes Boyd’s communication skills have helped lay the platform for Origin’s most devastating try-scoring combination.

Inglis – who already tops Origin’s try-scoring list with 15 in 20 games – poses a huge problem for NSW ahead of Wednesday’s State of Origin decider.

However, Boyd appears to be the real enigma in the Queensland side after Inglis provided a rare insight into what makes the notoriously shy winger tick.

Asked what he liked best about Boyd’s game, Inglis said on Thursday: “There are a lot of things that people don’t see.

“Even though he doesn’t talk to the media a lot he is a very good talker on the field.”

Boyd may be misunderstood but he does not plan on changing that perception any time soon.

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Boyd has again been shielded from the media in the lead-up to Origin III.

There would be plenty of positives to talk about – his game two double took him to equal second on the Origin try scoring charts with 12 in just 16 games.

But Inglis said on Thursday: “I don’t think he wants people to know the Darius that I know.

“In saying that I know the reasons why he doesn’t want to speak to the media.

“On a personal level he is a terrific guy.

“On the footy field he is a very different person that you see away from it.”

The carnage caused by Inglis is seen as the reason the fifth different NSW winger will line up against Boyd in as many games next week.

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James McManus’ injection marks the 17th centre-wing combination the Blues will use in a bid to stop him.

Maroons coach Mal Meninga made no secret that they exploited NSW’s fixation with Inglis in attack.
“They would be silly to take their eyes off him. So we in turn can use Greg as a decoy, and he becomes an attacking weapon for us without even touching the ball and we use that deliberately to our advantage,” he said.

But Inglis believed Boyd was not receiving enough credit.

“People kind of forget the winger,” he said.

“(But) I have been lucky enough to have him finish those moves off. It’s great to have him outside me.

“”He does have a lot of speed and upper body strength, people underestimate him, he’s deceptive (his strength), that helps him I know he will get the job done.”

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