Jonny mentor Dave Alred unveiled as Reds kicking coach

Wed, Dec 12, 2018, 11:00 PM
Sam Phillips
by Sam Phillips
He's mentored some of the biggest names in world sport and now the Queensland Reds have their hands on him for the 2019 Super Rugby season appointing Dave Alred as their new kicking coach.

The Englishman who sharpened the super-boot of Jonny Wilkinson has joined the Reds' coaching staff.

Dave Alred was today unveiled as the club's new kicking coach, the last of Queensland's coaching appointments for the 2019 season.

His appointment could prove to be a masterstroke.

The Reds have not had a reliable goal kicker feature prominently in their starting XV since Mike Harris reeled off a record 24 straight Super Rugby shots in 2012.

Alred, who was England's kicking coach at the 2003 Rugby World Cup, will be charged with turning the potential Hamish Stewart boasts into a 75 percent plus shooter, 

Stewart must be the Reds' man when the kicking tee is called for as James Tuttle - the club's best shot at goal - recovers from an achilles injury.

Dave Alred is Queensland's new kicking coach. Photo: QRU Media/Brendan HertelWhile Alred may be the man behind the boot which sunk Australia's 2003 World Cup bid his CV isn't limited to the rugby field.

He holds a Ph.D. in Performing Under Pressure from the sports-renowned Lougborough University in England and is, per the QRU, regarded as one of the world’s best elite performance coaches with more than 30 years of experience.

After playing his part in England's World Cup triumph he has played a prominent role in three British and Irish Lions tours and advised the Springboks, England's cricket team and English Premier League giants Manchester City.

He has also recently worked with boom golfer Francesco Molinari, who became the first Italian to win a Major championship at the 2018 British Open.

Few coaches boast as many illustrious gigs and Alred said he was immediately taken by coach Brad Thorn's approach to rebuilding a Reds team which hasn't played finals football in five years.

"Having been in touch with Brad and seeing the ethos, work ethic and attitude he’s created is really a coaching dream to come in and start form scratch and try to have an influence on players in a way which hopefully will help them throughout the whole of their rugby career," he said.

"First of all my role is to give the players confidence and to give them a technique which is not physically debilitating.

"I’m very concerned about the biomechanics and how that works.

"Also teaching them how to kick under pressure and to have more of an appreciative idea of a kicking game."

Share
Force 'heart and soul' Pomare set to reach rare Super W milestone
Michael Hooper is excited about the challenge of playing Sevens in Hong Kong. Photo: Nick Holland/RA Media
'Rookie' ex-Wallabies skipper Hooper ready to step up Sevens unknown
'Brumbies DNA': Wallabies selections on the line for Reds clash - Larkham
'It's pretty hard to leave an environment like this': Jorgensen eager to commit future to Waratahs