Reds coach Brad Thorn has challenged Wallabies hopefuls Seru Uru and Fraser McReight to improve their games as they get used to Kiwi competition, suggesting it's given his side a reality check.
Uru and McReight have been rested for Friday's clash with the Blues despite emerging as two of their brightest stars across Super Rugby AU.
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McReight came into the Trans-Tasman tournament having been crowned man of the match during their Final win over the Brumbies.
However, Thorn has called on the pair to continue their development and refine their game if they wish to match it with the Kiwis.
“It’s good for these guys, it’s not the end of the world for a young player to have a break,” Thorn said on Thursday. “I felt that Wilso (Harry Wilson) turned his year around after his break, started a little bit slow but he’s been great.
“Seru I’ve been trying to challenge him around his physicality. He is an outstanding football player but there’s the physical side of the football game as well, it’s not touch football. If he gets that physical side of the game, he can be a great player cause he has all that other stuff.
“No one works harder than Fraser (McReight), his work ethic around the park is phenomenal…the defensive side of the game is something he needs to put some work into."
Entering Trans-Tasman as the Australian champions, the Reds were dominated during their opening two games, conceding over 100 points.
Whilst they bounced back against the Chiefs, Thorn believes the pair of defeats showed why he was disappointed with their performances throughout Super Rugby AU and the need to constantly play their Kiwi counterparts.
“We were five games into Super Rugby AU and I got interviewed and I wasn’t happy because we were playing the Waratahs (giving up) 19 turnovers and winning. We’re looking for quality rugby so the NZ teams are showing if you give up turnover ball, have some lapses then you’ll give up tries. It’s high quality and we need to play that,” he believes.
“I was unhappy after those five games because I know reality and that’s why I saying we needed to play the Kiwis.
“Next year, we need that competition because you look a couple of years ago, the margins were under ten points if we lost so it’s important that we play the best.
“New Zealand Rugby play an attacking style of Rugby which is how we play and if you notice our game's changed and grown since AU. When we played against the Chiefs, we played a lot of positive footy even with them a man down but it’s that defensive side, being able to handle the skill set and ability of those guys.”
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Thorn noted how the margins have blown out across the competition since they have been forced into domestic competitions.
He called for the return of NRC as well, questioning the development of players outside of the Wallabies set-up.
"My concern is not having NRC,” Thorn revealed.
“This is the second year now and you look at the Crusaders, they have Tasman and Canterbury – two of the strongest teams in the Bunnings Cup – for us we had (Queensland) Country and (Brisbane) City and if you look at our squad, a lot of our guys came through that gap between club and Super.
“Not having that for me, that’s a tough one…Something has to be done. You have the Currie Cup, Championship in England. Your test players go away, that’s awesome but you have to have that middle ground for guys to cut their teeth and coaches as well.
“We use it better than anyone else in the country I reckon and we had that 20’s tournament a few years back that got finished, the NRC that got finished and now there’s a gap.
“Meanwhile, the Bunnings Cup will be going and all those guys get that exposure so that’s a big hole for me because we want to get better. You can train as much as you want but you need to play in different experiences and scenarios."
