After a horror run with injuries, Aidan Toua hopes to revive the razzle dazzle of his schoolboy years spent playing alongside Quade Cooper in Queensland’s Super Rugby clash with the Hurricanes on Friday night.
The former Anglican Church Grammar School teammates developed a good understanding at the Australian rugby nursery which Toua says he’ll try to draw on this weekend.
“You can’t go in with any preconceived ideas (with Cooper). You just have to be off the cuff most of the time,” he said on Tuesday.
“Most of the time, I don’t think he even knows what he’s doing.”
The Suncorp Stadium clash looms as a try-scoring shootout.
Reds director of coaching Ewen McKenzie has picked a slick young backline loaded with attacking options to match his Kiwi rivals who posted 15 more tries than any other side last season.
With young centres Chris Feauai-Sautia and Ben Tapuai, who also played with Cooper and Toua at high school, so impressive in last week’s 25-17 win over NSW, McKenzie has give Anthony Faingaa more time to get over a hand injury.
Toua’s recall at fullback comes at the expense of superboot Mike Harris who, while far from under-performing, hasn’t convinced McKenzie he’s a better option than Toua in a game promising all-out attack.
“This is a different type of game than the last two weeks,” said McKenzie whose only other change is the inclusion of big Radike Samo off the bench.
“We want to play footy. They like to score tries and they’re very good at using the width of the field.”
Port Moresby-born Toua has overcome some serious injuries and McKenzie obviously likes what he offers the team. Toua said he hoped to have put a few tough years behind him.
“I have had a few disruptive years with two knee recos and several hammy tears last season,” he said.
“I feel I’m ready to repay the faith Ewen has shown in me.”
Because of their poor record against the Hurricanes, whom they haven’t beaten since 2007, McKenzie rates the clash highly.
The Reds might have won 22 of their past 25 games at Suncorp Stadium but their record against the free-spirited Hurricanes is an abysmal 1-9.
“We’ve worked hard over the past few seasons in overcoming numerous hoodoos and creating a history of our own,” said McKenzie.
“Friday night presents another opportunity for this group to step up and do what no other Reds team has done since 2007.”
Toua is confident the Reds can deliver for their coach.
“People are going on about how the Hurricanes have scored the most tries but pretty much every back in our team can break the line,” he said.
Damien
Roar Guru
LOL. Thanks HT. Your vein-popping rant gave me a really good laugh. Not because I disagree with it because I agree with all of your post but because it was directed at Johnno. The situation reminds me of a whle back when Paris Hilton wore a bikini and decided to post a YouTube video herself 'lecturing/grilling' Senator John Mcain (who was NOT on the video). It got quite abit of exposure in the States. The funny thing was that McCain couldn't really respond to Paris Hilton because then it would have been an argument between a Senator/Presidential hopeful and a blonde socialite sunbaking in a bikini. Somtimes you just have to let things go through to the keeper. PS I'm not suggesting that Johnno in anyway resembles Paris Hilton in a bikini LOL..
GWS
Guest
Dude. Manners are free.
Hightackle
Guest
Australia doesnt have enough players for 5 teams. The Rebels have TEN IMPORTS and their biggest mega huge draw card is Delve. Your wrong Johnno, nothing that you go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about is actually worth saying once becuz its based on a fantasy that has nothing to do with how things actually are. The big stars are not coming and wont come becuz we offer less money than Europe or Japan. You go on about how 5 imports will make them come, TEN DOESNT! You go on about how we need more teams for more opportunity for Ausie players but then go on to say you want LESS OPPORTUNITY BY BRINGING OVER DOUBLE THE IMPORTS! You say you want the Tahs dropped. You cant just drop a team. Think Johnno, for once THINK. Everything you say on this subject, EVERYTHING, is not based on reality. You imagine things that are not going to happen and repeat over and over and over and over. You dont consider what reality actually is. You say stuff like "We need all the roads to be made from chocolate, nobody would ever go hungry and our tyres would never wear out". Then you go on on the most narcissistic way about how you see the big picture. No Johnno, you are not the special one, you are the one who doesnt get it.
Hightackle
Guest
My god!!! Write a letter to somebody. Why the hell do you just keep going on and on about it? "Bla bla 6 teams, bla bla imports" OVER AND OVER!!!
Hightackle
Guest
Mitchell and Cullen didnt like each other and it had nothing to do with Deans.
Hightackle
Guest
Somerville played most of his tests under Henry and to try and say the assistant coach of the ABs (who was mainly a backs coach wasnt he) was the one who picked Somerville becuz he just happened to be a Sader is ridiculous.
Ajax
Guest
@Johno.... Im a bit bemused by all this as well, the Reds seem have quality backs 5 deep on the bench, yet the Force are recruiting middleaged journeymen from overseas? Ive lost count of the amount of times Ive just shaken my head bewilderment at some of the guys "The Farce" have signed... (waiting for the Riposte blaming this on the ARU the way). Surely the ARU and the franchises should meet every pre season to nut out their squads... and these young guys who probably wont get a run should get loaned out to other teams where they probably will. Fortunately in this case the young guys are getting a run. But it sounds like there are a few guys in the QLD set up who could really help the Force on 1 year loan deals. I dont know why we dont have a draft camp like they do in the AFL...
Colvin
Guest
Pocock?
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Brett... Well said. You're one of the only Experts I hold I very high regard!
sheek
Roar Guru
I'm watching you blokes..... :-) :-) :-)
Malo
Guest
Yeah Johnno lets have 10 Aussie super teams that is ridiculous considering how crap aussie teams are going so far.. You need an even playing field and that is what club rugby is for, just develop the clubs like in the 90s when Randwick competed well against the All Blacks at coogee oval. KPM wtf Jake White cannot at all be criticised. He had a brand new team and they did well last year you dont just continually get new people in you try and build and develop a team that showed plenty of flair and commitment which the brumbies are doing very well and that is why they will probably be top this year with very few known wallabies .
ScrumJunkie
Guest
I don't think it's just about money, surely the disire to play a proper game of rugby comes into it.
borris
Guest
x 2
ScrumJunkie
Guest
I can't comment as I have no interest or understanding of league or soccer.
elevenyearold
Guest
Go the Easts boy!
soapit
Guest
its such a shame you've been blitzed into silence kpm.
soapit
Guest
maybe you could try wearing a bib?
jeznez
Roar Guru
Tomane is another. True the team is largely the same as last year but last year it was a pretty brand new team
jeznez
Roar Guru
I always thought Fuse was an ironic nickname because he didn't have a short fuse. LIke calling a bald bloke, Curly or a ranga, Blue. Although I found this on a courier mail story: "Formerly known as Sensible Al (for obvious reasons, says Waugh), Baxter's new nickname is "the Fuse" - earned for snapping and belting Ultimate Fighter Chris Haseman in a pre-World Cup sparring session."
formeropenside
Guest
If the ARU tried to direct Qld to do that, Qld should politely tell them to go away. Throw injuries into the mix, and all of a sudden Davies becomes invaluable.