Melbourne Rebels No.10 Carter Gordon is hoping for a hostile reaction from his former Reds teammates when he returns to Brisbane for the start of Super Rugby Pacific, and it sounds like the Reds will be happy to provide it.
Gordon left for Melbourne last season and will come up against seasoned campaigner and Wallabies veteran James O’Connor in the battle of the fly-halves in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Gordon said he was ready for the words to fly.
“I hope so, I wouldn’t expect anything less from them,” Gordon said.
“I have a lot of mates in that team, I hope they come out and try and do that because I know it won’t affect me and … hopefully I can get under their skin a little bit.”
Jock Campbell, who has spent a lot of time at No.10 in pre-season with O’Connor missing, said he would stay out of the banter, but thought it was inevitable.
“I’m not too much of a trash talker so I’m not sure if I’ll be getting into Cartsy but I’m sure someone in the heat of the battle will say something,” Campbell told reporters on Friday.
“It’s important to put pressure on every 10. If you let the 10s play they can dominate a game. Whether it’s Noah [Lolesio], Richie Mo’unga or Carter, we’re going to try to put pressure on the 10, that doesn’t change.”
Asked who might have a few words, Campbell dobbed in his captain: “I don’t know, maybe Tate [McDermott].”
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Campbell said the coaching staff had worked with him as a back up to O’Connor, should the Wallabies star succumb to injury or need replacing on Saturday.
“If I’m needed at 10 I’m happy to chip in. Obviously 15 is my preferred position but there is the wing too. I’m just happy to be in the starting XV to be honest.”
Campbell is known as a late bloomer, having not been a starter in the first XV at The Southport School, a situation he made wry reference to on Friday.
“I was a No.10 at school, all the way up to year 12 third XV,” he said. “It’s a bit different Super Rugby to third XV footy but it’s enjoyable nonetheless.
“You have different styles of fullbacks and I’m more of a playmaker rather than a big ball carrier – that’s my style, that dual playmaking role.
“If I have to go there in a game hopefully it’s seamless and I can lead the boys around the field somewhat similar to what James does.”
Campbell said the team was keen to give O’Connor a milestone to remember on Saturday, while the season goals were to kick on from last season’s Super Rugby AU win to claim some Kiwi scalps.
“He’s had his ups and downs over his career,” Campbell said of JOC. “I know he’s really looking forward to it and he’s worked very hard to rejuvenate his career back in Australia. Hopefully we can make his night really special, because it’s really special to him.”
Like the other Aussie teams, the Reds know they have some catching up to do to post good results against the New Zealand outfits, and Campbell acknowledged Brad Thorn’s team switched off after claiming the domestic trophy.
“Last year they were better in just about every facet, so we have to improve,” Campbell said.
“Hopefully over the extended pre-season we’ve done that.
“Time will tell but we’re confident and really eager to face those guys. We know they’re the best provincial sides in the world so that’s our challenge.
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“Along with the Australian sides – we’re not just pushing them aside obviously – it’s a competition we want to dominate and those guys are the main marker for our success.
“Last year our goal was the Super Rugby AU title and I think we might have switched off and not performed as well as we would have liked against the Kiwis.
“That obviously hurt when we got dusted here by the Crusaders and over in Dunedin.
“We’re working hard and hoping our stuff on the field will do our talking.”
Teams
Saturday, 7:45pm, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Reds
1. Dane Zander, 2. Alex Mafi, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Angus Blyth, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto,6. Angus Scott-Young, 7. Liam Wright (c), 8. Harry Wilson, 9. Tate McDermott (c), 10. James O’Connor,11. Filipo Daugunu, 12. Hamish Stewart, 13. Josh Flook, 14. Jordan Petaia, 15. Jock Campbell.
Reserves: 16. Josh Nasser, 17. Harry Hoopert, 18. Zane Nonggorr, 19. Ryan Smith, 20. Fraser McReight, 21. Spencer Jeans, 22. Hunter Paisami, 23. Lawson Creighton.
Rebels
1. Cameron Orr, 2. Jordan Uelese, 3. Cabous Eboff, 4. Matt Philip, 5. Ross Haylett-Petty, 6. Sam Wallis, 7. Brad Wilkin, 8. Michael Wells, 9. Joe Powell, 10. Carter Gordon, 11. Glen Vaihu, 12. Matt To’omua, 13. Stacey Ili, 14. Lachie Anderson, 15. Reece Hodge.
Reserves: 16. Matt Gibbon, 17. James Hanson, 18. Sef Fa’agase, 19. Thomas Nowlan, 20. Tamati Ioane, 21. James Tuttle, 22. Raymond Nu’u, 23. Young Tonumaipea.
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