Super Rugby AU: Five Talking Points from Round 1

Fraser McReight of the Queensland Reds carries the ball against the Waratahs in Brisbane

Credit: Getty Images

Super Rugby AU is here and Round 1 is finally in the books.

No longer need Aussie rugby fans cast jealous eyes across the ditch as domestic rugby has returned and it was an intriguing battle across the board.

The Reds snapped an 11 game losing streak against their bitter New South Wales rivals the Waratahs, while the Brumbies lived up to their pre-tournament billing as the team to beat by putting away the dangerous Rebels.

With lots of young talent on display and old foes doing battle on opening weekend, here are the major talking points out of a dramatic first round.

Battle of the back rows decisive in pulsating Suncorp clash

One of the most intriguing aspects of the battle between the old foes the Reds and the Waratahs was the battle of the back rows.

In particular, Australian captain Michael Hooper facing down the exciting 22-year-old Queensland skipper Liam Wright as well as first-time Super Rugby starter Fraser McReight.

Despite a classic Hooper performance and able backup on the blue side of the field from Lachie Swinton, there is no doubting the Reds’ back row claimed this contest in style along with a 32-26 victory.

Wright and McReight, ably assisted by number 8 Harry Wilson, tore into the ‘Tahs all night and made themselves a total nuisance across the 80 minutes.

McReight in particular, fresh off a breakout 2019 and captaining Australia U20s to a World Championship final, well and truly stamped his mark on the occasion.

Not only that, he showed he is ready to assume the mantle long promised him as David Pocock’s heir apparent for the Wallabies.

With half an eye on international honours down the track from the word go in this competition, the Reds’ back row have all put up pretty convincing cases that they should be in the mix for gold jerseys whenever they become available again.

Rookie playmakers stand up

Brumbies flyhalf Noah Lolesio makes a break during the game against the Melbourne Rebels

Credit: David Gray/AFP

One of the common themes of this first round of Super Rugby was the amount of young talent being given opportunities as a new World Cup cycle clicks back into gear.

Tate McDermott, like Aaron Smith for the Highlanders did the next day, showed that it doesn’t have to be a flyhalf who controls a game.

He ran the game superbly from the base of the ruck and was denied two scores only by desperate defensive efforts from Will Harrison and Jack Maddocks.

His performance would certainly have turned some heads at international level as the Wallabies search for their long-term replacement for Will Genia.

Will Harrison showed his mettle in filling the shoes of Bernard Foley at 10 for the Waratahs, additionally without the playmking services of the now-departed Kurtley Beale and shouldered the team’s playmaking burden with aplomb.

His front-on defence clearly needs work but his direction and general kicking was of good quality and he will only continue to grow into this team’s structure and his role.

Noah Lolesio, coming back after an injury lay-off, also showed he has lost none of his spark as he directed the fancied Brumbies around the park.

Only 20 years old, he is already showing he is a force to be reckoned with, not least in his superb break to set up winger Tom Wright for what would turn out to be a crucial score early in the second half to extend the ACT side’s lead.

One would expect the trust being placed in young talent to continue as Super Rugby AU evolves, as we have seen in its sister competition in New Zealand, and judging by the Round 1 performances we could be seeing some really special talents emerge.

Let’s not forget, we haven’t even seen Jordan Petaia yet.

The ‘Tongan Thor’ brings down the hammer

Taniela Tupou of the Queensland Reds put in a great performance in Super Rugby AU Round 1

Credit: AFP

He’s long held some promise to become one of the best props in the world game, and it finally looks like Taniela Tupou is ready to take that next step.

Bursting onto the scene on account of his superlative ball-carrying skills, it was probably Tupou’s scrum performance and tight work that would have most impressed watching Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.

His destruction of Angus Bell would have sent shockwaves to not only the other Australian sides but the wider rugby community, telling them that this kid is well and truly here to play in all areas of the game.

No-one has ever doubted his ability with ball in hand, and indeed his open-play intelligence was shown by an opportunistic (if ultimately disallowed) try early on.

However, the criticism levelled against him is that he has needed to improve his technical work to really prove he was ready for top-level Test rugby.

More performances like this in the tight will surely put that concern to rest and see him take full possession of the Wallaby tight-head jersey when the time comes.

Rebels pay price for poor first half…

When you’re up against probably the dominant Australian outfit of the last few seasons, you can’t afford to start slow.

That was a lesson the Rebels learned painfully on Saturday as they let the Brumbies get away before they’d had so much as a chance to make the game a contest and duly lost 31-23.

The writing was on the wall as Andy Muirhead got across in the third minute off a wonderfully slick lineout move and the Rebels were just not able to get a foothold until around the hour mark, by which point it was just too much for them to make up in a short space of time.

Credit must be given to the Melbourne outfit for the way they fought back and made the game a nervous one for the ACT side, but you cannot give a side of the Brumbies’ calibre that kind of start and expect to come away with the chocolates.

Well-worked scores from Jordan Uelese and Dane Haylett-Petty did threaten a comeback for the ages at GIO Stadium but ultimately the Brumbies had too much in the locker and closed the game out relatively easily.

…but score major victory at scrum time

Six scrum penalties in one game. By anyone’s logic, that’s a domination at the set piece.

Despite and indeed made worse by the fact that they ultimately couldn’t win the game, the Rebels made a real statement in what has traditionally been an area of strength for the Brumbies.

The Australian struggles at an international level in the scrum have been well-documented - just ask England’s Andrew Sheridan in 2007 - but it will be heartening to incoming coach Dave Rennie to see more sides are starting to develop some nous in the tight.

The Brumbies will no doubt be desperately looking to rectify that area in the coming weeks, but the Rebels will take away a great deal of confidence.

Similarly, the Reds will take some heart from a dominant scrum performance against the Waratahs, indicating the scrum battle going forward in Super Rugby AU could be a fascinating one.