Stiles: Simplicity key to success

Fri, Feb 24, 2017, 11:32 PM
Sam Phillips
by Sam Phillips
James Tuttle has delivered the Queensland Reds the perfect start to 2017. He scored the match-winning try with his second touch of the game against the Sharks at Suncorp Stadium. See all the highlights right here.

Queensland Reds coach Nick Stiles has preached the importance of simplicity in the wake of his side's last-gasp win over the Sharks last night.

This Reds roster has a complete face lift over the summer but it was a case of the more things change the more they stay the same last night, as the home side were rewarded for simply getting clean ball to their best attacking weapon, Samu Kerevi, who grabbed a double.

The flashy backline moves will pay dividends when the combinations begin to gel but for now, keeping the attack as simple as possible should be top priority.

"The pleasing thing about the tries we scored is that's the kind of football we went into the game planning to play," Stiles said.George Smith was solid in his first game for the Reds. Photo: Getty Images"We wanted to carry hard through the middle and I’m really pleased with the job the forwards did there.

"The more we play with some simplicity on the front foot, we are going to be a better side."

There is no question that last night's match was one the Reds of the last three years would not have won.

They deserve credit for that but their attack will need to be more fluent in the weeks ahead if it is to become a serious problem for opposition teams.Quade Cooper's radar way off from the kicking tee last night. Photo: Getty Images"You’ve got to understand that this side has come together in the last couple weeks in terms of our combinations," Stiles said.

"We didn’t lead until that last try and to win those tight games and show character like that, it’s what you build success off and we will get more out of coming here - we didn’t play as pretty football as we wanted to but we will get more out of that tough win and understanding the belief that we can get better each week.

"You don’t win the Melbourne Cup in January and you’re not going to win the Super Rugby title then either but what we’ve done is win the first game and a game that there was no possible way we would have won over the last few years." - Nick Stiles

Stiles would not be drawn on several contentious calls made by referee Nick Briant, preferring to run his hands through his hair when asked about it.

The 15,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium collectively held their breath when Quade Cooper stayed down after his team's match winning try but Stiles said he had copped a minor knee knock and would be right for next Thursday's clash with the Western Force in Perth.

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