Reds' scrum lesson learned

Mon, Mar 14, 2016, 8:00 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
The Reds won't be slipping off their scrum focus again. Photo: Getty Images

The Queensland Reds might have let complacency creep in at scrum time against the Rebels but hooker Andrew Ready says they won’t be letting that happen again.

Queensland’s scrum has proved a major weapon in recent seasons but was beaten a handful of times by the Rebels, in a nail biting loss at AAMI Park.

Ready said a sliver of contentment might have contributed to that.

“Reflecting on the weekend it was probably an area we thought we could rock up and dominate,” he said.

“We look forward to next week against the Blues and to put an emphasis on the scrum again.

“It is our weapon.”

The Rebels match came at the end of a tumultuous week for the Reds, waving farewell to coach Richard Graham and ready said there was a simple mission for the players once match time came around.

“Before the game, we huddle up and guys like Simmy (captain Rob Simmons) and Holmer (Greg Holmes) put it onto the players now,” he said.

“It was pretty much the end of the game we’ve got to look at each other and be proud as a player and make the fans proud as well.”

Asked whether he thought it was mission accomplished, Ready was swift to answer in the affirmative.

“Yes. I guess it was a milestone for myself, my first start so I tried to leave everything out there.”

Ready said he was adjusting well to the new coaching set up, one of a handful of players from new interim co-coach Nick Stiles’s NRC-winning Brisbane City team, an opportunity for which ready ifs grateful.

“Just to get that experience at another level just above club (is valuable)," he said.

‘It’s not quite Super Rugby but it’s a great experience and playing with guys like Schatzy (Jake Schatzy), Gilly (Liam Gill) - guys who have played a lot of Super Rugby games and have that knowledge.

“You can’t beat it.”

The Reds take on the Auckland Blues at Suncorp Stadium this Saturday night, kicking off at 7:40pm AEDT.

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