The Right Stuff is Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book, which chronicled the post-World War 2, American high-speed flight and space exploration program, focusing on the test pilots and astronauts who risked their lives in the name of discovery.
You can read Wolfe’s description of what the right stuff entailed in Chapter 2 at this link, but a short translation is the courage to keep competing and the ability to find a way to win.
It is clear that Reds captain Liam Wright has the right stuff, as demonstrated by his palpable desire to win, his canny play and his excellent leadership of the Queensland Reds through a difficult period in 2020, taking them all the way to the 2020 Super Rugby AU grand final.
However at 23 years of age and with five Test caps, Liam Wright is a relatively inexperienced captain. Were it not for the emergence of James O’Connor as interim captain, due to an injury to Wright at the beginning of the season, Wright’s relative inexperience would not be an issue. Nobody would ever have said, ‘Damn, we only have Liam Wright as captain’.
(Photo by Patrick Hamilton / AFP via Getty Images)
However, O’Connor has emerged as an outstanding captain. He is one of the most gifted all-round professional Australian rugby players in living memory and is 30 years old, with 55 Test caps to his name. O’Connor’s talent and experience as a player have translated directly into the captaincy, with seven wins out of the seven games that he has led the Reds in.
It is no insult to Wright to accept the reality that he is not currently at O’Connor’s level, because he has far less elite experience. To give the Reds the best chance to win their first silverware in ten years, it is clear that O’Connor should be returned to the captaincy for the grand final on May 8 at Suncorp Stadium.
Over the next couple of years, Wright should be considered as O’Connor’s apprentice, tapping O’Connor’s experience and helping to ensure that the Reds’ new culture of excellence lasts when O’Connor inevitably moves on. There should be no doubt that Wright is a man who can ensure that legacy, just as capably as he led the Reds through the difficulties of 2020.
As a player Wright is a bit unusual as he is a tall and relatively slim man who played number seven for most of his career. His body doesn’t fit the mould of a traditional short, quick number seven who pilfers, or a taller, heavier six who provides mobile muscle and jumps in the lineout.
Wright can fulfil both roles well at a Super Rugby level and the versatility that he brings is valuable. However, the players with the more position-specific body types who have been playing in his absence, Fraser McReight and Angus Scott-Young, have both demonstrated an edge over Wright this season.
(Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)
However, it is possible to see Wright’s build as an opportunity rather than a problem. His excellent lineout abilities combined with his experience at seven make him the only genuine jumping number seven in Australia.
This potential is not well evidenced at the Reds where the other loose forwards such as Scott-Young and Seru Uru are also excellent jumpers. However at the national level, having Wright at seven would allow a player like Rob Valentini, who is a beast in contact but not a great jumper, to be played at six without compromising the lineout.
Against teams that have big forwards, good lineouts and who emphasise tight play, such as South Africa, England and Ireland, this combination could be formidable. It would provide the Wallabies the beef to win in contact and jumping ability to win the lineout, while the domains of the traditional seven, pilfering and open play, are less relevant in games with tight play and opponents with disciplined clean-outs.
Of course for Wright to develop as Australia’s jumping number seven who can also play six, he needs to have opportunities to play in the position with the Reds.
In Super Rugby Trans Tasman in the weeks to come it would be good to see him get his fair share of starts at openside, mixed up with starts at six. It would ensure that Wright, McReight and Scott-Young all develop, while managing their workloads.
However, for the Super Rugby AU final in just under a fortnight, the wisdom of disrupting selections and changing a game plan that won the Reds seven from seven prior to the changes with Wright’s return in Friday’s loss to the Force needs to be questioned.
It also needs to be asked how fair it is to not select players who have given the Reds their best season in a decade, to accommodate Wright. Wright will have plenty of opportunity to show us that he has the right stuff for years to come.
blue
Guest
Wright offers the Wallabies nothing. He offers no point of difference. Nothing in his game suggests he can dominate at test level in any way. He is a solid Super rugby player, no more. I was astounded at his selection last year. It felt like the last man standing. There are many players like him, who look decent in Super rugby, but they just aren't internationals. Australia has lacked size, aggression and go forward at blindside for some time. There are numerous better options.
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
Rassie - U pick the right player not the "best" player. It worked for SA
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
Rassie won the world cup on the basis he needed 5 locks. Cant attribute, but there was a great post going around before that strategy won SA the Cup. PSD was 5th, a further reserve, if, unlikely needed. ASY was sort of hung out to dry - lack of practice there.
Bobbles
Guest
unfortunately it doesn't matter how well McReight plays or any other 7 for that matter.The pretender Hooper will always be wallaby 7 until he retires. Hooper was diobolical in 2016 - 2019 and was never dropped.He is RA's Golden child.
Wowser
Guest
He should be in Rennies 23 as Wallaby 7 .Hooper has failed for 6 years.
numpty
Roar Rookie
Thorn 2019 - "That's why for me, a big thing was around Queensland. It couldn't just be about money, it had to be about the mateship - they've come through together, they care about each other - and the connection to the state." Thorn 2021 - "So there was two things I went hard on. Queensland, 140 years of rugby but it could be netball, tennis, whatever. Everyone knows Queensland, everyone knows it's maroon. And mateship. To me the best thing about rugby as a six-year-old, and then when I was a 40-year-old playing it's the mateship, the camaraderie I love."
Noodles
Roar Rookie
Wright is an example of the Reds stage - being a season or so short of maturity. He will be bigger in a year. In fact he should end up near Fardy’s build. The Reds are needing that extra year or two to get the ability to match it in the first half with tight, hard playing teams. The whole Reds pack will be daunting a year or so from here. But not yet. Wright is one of that number who needs to focus on the smarts and build the frame out a bit.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Yes, lots can happen is 3 minutes, as we proved! :stoked: Even so, if it were my team I would be comfortable with his decision.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
The Red's major team principle since the Sharks debacle last year has been to win with no rewards for trying, I certainly hope that hasn't changed.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
He had three minutes to go with the first penalty, that is plenty of time for this team to win the game without even needing to go to extra time.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
"....to close out the game with a score of any type or to go to extra time." Just had a another look and the rule I believe is the game is won by the first team to score a try in extra time. Tactically his decision was correct. By taking the 3 they lose fantastic field position and cough up possession. I feel strongly his after game apology was in light of the final result.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately I don't think we have had anyone at 7 at the NZ level for some time now....sad face.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
IM0 Wright has been 0vertaken ..... there are better 6s and 7s .... at best he sh0uld be Reds and Wallabies bench c0ver.
Brian Westlake
Roar Rookie
I am more than interested to see how mcrieght will go against nz loosies. It will show where he stands for further representation. He has shown ability through the early Australian games, but I cannot for the life of me, rid my mind of last years Australia A game at Leichhardt oval where he was completely out of his depth. I hope this is not the case against some serious competition from nz such as savea, cane et al
numpty
Roar Rookie
Yep you made 3 main points for why JOC should be captain: the reds are 7/7, Wright is a less experienced player, and he doesn't fit in the b/row. But you don't mention that Wright is a more experienced captain, that he has been the leader of the group for years, that he has still been the off field leader, and that he also led them to a SR final last year. You also only use on field performance as a metric, but a captains role is so much bigger than that within a playing group and is something we cannot see or judge. In regards to b/row fit, i'm not even going to go there other than to say he fit there pretty bloody well last year and in his shift from the bench against the brumbies. It also wouldn't be loyalty to one player, it'd be loyalty to his and the teams principles.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Mate you read the article didn't you? I gave a clear rationale for why O'Connor is a better captain than Wright and there is far more to it than one loss. I don't know what Thorn will do, but I would suggest that he would be a very brave head coach to risk the best shot at significant silverware that this club has had in ten years, over loyalty to one player.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
The Reds locks on the weekend were poor. ASY to the bench for the final for me. Wright is the better choice against the Brumbies back row.
numpty
Roar Rookie
Yes but you do suggest the one loss as evidence that he isn't as good as JOC. That seems a stretch. You also don't mention that it is actually Wright who has more experience as captain than JOC and has been the off field captain the whole season. "teams need to be ruthless, both on the field and at the selection table." I disagree with this and I think that Thorn and the reds approach does too. Thorn invested in a whole bunch of youth for years knowing that it would take time and losses but he backs them. He talks about mateship and playing for each other. Backing out on Wright would go against this and one of the keys to the teams rise and success. No matter what you think "should" happen, I would be highly surprised to see Thorn back out on Wright.
soapit
Roar Guru
you dont rate campbell’s kicking?
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
I never suggested that one loss does wash away Wright's his former achievements. I just suggested that O'Connor is a better captain and should lead the team and the events of this season constitute compelling evidence to that effect. The object is to win and to win teams need to be ruthless, both on the field and at the selection table. I feel a bit bad for Wright but it doesn't change what should be done.