The defeat that changed things for the Reds
SUPER RUGBY AU SPOTLIGHT: All year the Queensland Reds have been sticking to a simple theme in their quest to return to the Super Rugby AU Final – earn it.
Having fallen short in the 2020 decider to the Brumbies in Canberra, the Reds used a shot at redemption as their primary motivator this season.
With that achievement ticked off, flank Angus Scott-Young says there’s a new message as the Reds face the Brumbies in Saturday’s final at Suncorp Stadium.
“It was a tough night last year. Going down to Canberra and losing the way we did,” Scott-Young said.
“A lot of soul searching after that one, tough reflection, but we’re a better team for it.
“A big theme for us this year has been we’ve got to earn that spot again. We’ve done that throughout the season.
“We’ve earned that spot and we’re in the grand final at home, how good. Now we’ve got to earn it all again.”
Scott-Young knows all about the Reds’ title triumphs at their Brisbane home.
He was a teenage fan in the stands for the 2011 Super Rugby win over the Crusaders.
A decade later, the 24-year-old still has the ticket stub from that game – a match he said was personally life-changing.
“That was a big moment for me. It was sort of where I decided that I wanted to pursue it as a career,” he said.
“It was just an unreal night to see all the support for Queensland … that’s something I want to replicate in my career.”
The Reds will take on the Brumbies without centre Hunter Paisami, who suffered a broken cheekbone in a loss to the Western Force in Perth.
Captain Liam Wright said while it was a blow to lose Paisami, he was confident whoever replaced him – with Josh Flook, Hamish Stewart and Jordan Petaia among the contenders – would be up to the task.
“He’s a big loss and we can’t underestimate that but we’ve got plenty of guys to fill in and step into those shoes,” Wright said.
“We’ve got a myriad of different options.”
That 27-30 loss to the Force was the Reds’ only defeat this season.
Queensland twice turned down a penalty straight in front of the posts in order to go for the win against the Force and Scott-Young said that mindset would continue in Saturday’s final.
“In that moment we backed ourselves to get over and score that try and win the game,” he said.
“That’s the decision that was made, it didn’t turn out to be favourable but hindsight’s 20/20 right?
“When it comes to those tight decisions this weekend we’ll look to back ourselves.”
