Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss has hailed his young team’s togetherness and backed their ability to kick on from this season’s Super Rugby quarterfinal exit.
The Reds were smashed 43-21 by the Chiefs in Hamilton, going behind early and never giving themselves a shot.
It was a contest that will have proven sobering viewing for national coach Joe Schmidt with many clear Wallaby favourites outplayed.
Others whom he might have looked to call up for the July Tests did little to enhance reputations as the cowbells tolled on some potential international careers.
While Tate McDermott scored two tries, and Fraser McReight never stopped battling, there were less impressive performances from the likes of Ryan Smith, robbed of the ball in virtually the opening breakdown, and Seru Uru. In the backs, Tim Ryan, the Junkyard Dog, was on a leash, while Josh Flook and Hunter Paisami had their hands full trying to stem waves of attack.
Connor Vest and Tate McDermott of the Reds react after losing. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)
Tom Lynagh received praise from former All Blacks No.10 Aaron Cruden on the Sky Sports feed but he was replaced on 52 minutes having looked a mile off the standard of Damian McKenzie in the Chiefs’ No.10 jersey.
Kiss said Lynagh and his replacement, Lawson Creighton, had shown “physical and mental toughness”.
“They’ve been through a lot of different experiences this year,” said Kiss. “And Harry McLaughlin-Phillips at home as well, the other young one. They’ve got poise, they’ve got a great disposition in that position.
“They read the game well. Toughness as well. Physical toughness and mental toughness.
“Building a way to manage the game has just been our growth all year. And I think, all of them turned a corner at some stage to become better this season.”
Kiss was big on the soft factors of mentality post-game – one in which his team came away with ‘attaboys’ from the Kiwi players and pundits but were, in truth, completely outclassed.
Damian McKenzie of the Chiefs makes a break. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)
“We went from eighth to fifth. That’s a big step,” said Kiss. Also pleasing to him was “our try scoring and for and against and all the metrics that tell you that you’re playing a good positive style of game.
“But more than anything, I think it was the fact that the boys built a really special locker room.
“They care for each other deeply. What we do, we do with passion. They have a lot of compassion for each other and empathy.
“All those soft skills, are really strong things that we do have in the place now. That doesn’t always win you footy matches, but it puts you in the hunt, doesn’t it?”
How do you rate Kiss’s first year in the job after replacing Brad Thorn?
Yes his team did move from fifth to eight but fans might think they should have secured a home quarterfinal with this team. They had eight wins and six losses, seven now, but two of those were against teams that didn’t make the top eight in Moana Pasifika and the Western Force.
He clearly wants a harmonious dressing room, but “soft skills” only get you so far against a pumped up Kiwi team in knockout footy.
“We lost that breakdown very early in the piece and then they found their groove very early and we probably let them get their groove too easily,” said Kiss of the moment 40 seconds in when Smith was stripped of possession. It was back foot stuff all the way to 21-0 down.
“A lot of turnovers, a few handling errors and once they got that sniff, they’re pretty dangerous. Everything was working for them. But look, I think we won the second half, 21-12. I guess it doesn’t really matter much, but the boys, they kept fighting, didn’t they? And I’m proud of that.”