Brad Thorn to start for Bond University Queensland Country in Toowoomba
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Loading...Former Rugby World Cup winning All Black lock Brad Thorn will start for Bond University Queensland Country in there Round 6 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship match against the NSW Country Eagles in Toowoomba this Saturday, 1 October.
After making his debut from the reserves bench in Round 5 against the Western Sydney Rams, Thorn will pack down alongside Izack Rodda in the starting second-row, in place of the injured Phil Potgieter who will miss the chance to play in front of his home crowd at Clive Berghofer Stadium.
Thorn’s elevation to the run-on XV is one of only three changes made to the starting team from last weekend.
The other changes see Ben Daley return to the line-up at loose-head prop, and former University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Saints Rugby Club junior and Toowoomba Grammar School old boy Liam Jurd will return to the side to start on the wing.
Head coach Toutai Kefu said: “While we didn’t get the result last week, the team played some really good passages of Rugby and we’ve tried to keep some consistency in the starting team.
“The addition of Brad (Thorn) to the starting team will add a lot of experience to the starting side. It will be a great chance for many of our young players to learn from him directly on field, an experience that is invaluable.
“Jurd has been working towards this game after making his debut against the Sydney Rays in Round 3, he can’t wait for the chance to play in front of his family and friends at home in Toowoomba.”
In the reserves, Easts’ Tyrell Barker will provide cover at lock, while fellow Tiger and Queensland and Australian U20s flanker Liam Wright will be in line for his potential Queensland Country and NRC debut.
A total of four players with ties to the Darling Downs region will line up for Queensland Country on Saturday, and Kefu believes these players are evidence of the pathway system that exists in country Rugby.
“Liam Jurd and Matt Gordon are both Toowoomba products who have come through the local ranks and have gone on to play representative Rugby, while Mack Mason (Mitchell) and Maclean Jones (St George) are examples of players who have emerged from more remote areas of the Downs.
“These players provide the Darling Downs juniors with something to aspire to and are testament to the pathway opportunities that exist in the region.”
The match will be the second Country v Country battle of the border to take place in Toowoomba this year, after the Queensland Country Heelers knocked off the NSW Country Cockatoos in July.
In that game, Goondiwindi fullback Mick Jamieson helped the Heelers secure a narrow 29-27 win over their southern rivals with a last-gasp try and Kefu said his side will look to take inspiration from that performance.
“The Queensland Country Heelers did an excellent job to get over the line earlier this year and produced a gutsy performance. We’ll channel that heading into this weekend’s game,” he said.
“It’s important for us as a team to represent the Country Rugby community and it would be great to deliver the Darling Downs crowd a second win over NSW Country for the year.”
Queensland Country play the NSW Country Eagles at 1:00pm (AEST) on Saturday. Tickets are available via www.redsrugby.com.au, and entry for children 15 years and under is free.
Bond University Queensland Country side to play the NSW Country Eagles, Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba, 1:00pm AEST, Saturday 1 October:
1. Ben Daley – Reds/Bond University/Gold Coast
2. Alex Casey – Souths
3. Taniela Tupou – Reds/Brothers
4. Brad Thorn – GPS (Starting Queensland Country and NRC debut)
5. Izack Rodda – Queensland U20s/Easts
6. Ted Postal – Brothers/Townsville
7. Maclean Jones – Queensland U20s/University of Queensland/St George
8. Angus Scott-Young – Queensland U20s/University of Queensland
9. James Tuttle (c) – Reds/GPS
10. Mack Mason – Queensland U20s/Easts/Mitchell
11. Liam McNamara – Queensland U20s/Sunnybank
12. Duncan Paia’aua – Reds/Norths/ Rockhampton
13. Tyrone Lefau – Wests
14. Liam Jurd – Queensland U20s/University of Queensland/Toowoomba
15. Tom Banks – Reds/University of Queensland
Reserves
16. Feleti Kaitu’u – GPS
17. Richie Asiata – Queensland U20s/Easts
18. Sef Fa’agase – Reds/University of Queensland/Beaudesert
19. Tyrell Barker – Easts
20. Liam Wright – Queensland U20s/Easts (Queensland Country and NRC debut)
21. Scott Malolua – Souths
22. Mitch Third – Bond University/Gold Coast
23. Matt Gordon – Easts/Toowoomba
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