Reds centre Dre Pakeho delivering the goods following Josh Flook hamstring injury
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rugby. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Queensland Reds' Super Rugby premiership pursuit has been aided by the incredible depth at coach Les Kiss' disposal.
The most notable player stepping up to the plate this season was 20-year-old revelation Dre Pakeho, who has come out of the woodwork to put himself in the frame for Rookie of the Year honours.
His sound 80-minute performance in a 35-21 win over the Blues on Friday, where he bested his 81-Test All Black opposite Rieko Ioane, further entrenched his name in those conversations.
'He stepped up completely,' Kiss lauded.
'He found great running-line timing, hitting the shoulders and punching himself through, creating a bit of a collapsed defence situation which created momentum.'
Off the ball, Pakeho — who was signed from the club's Academy late last year — was also a hitman responsible for nullifying a high-class Blues backline which featured Ioane, Mark Tele'a, fullback Zarn Sullivan and Beauden Barrett which made next to no noise.
'He smoked a guy when he needed to. He took the space and really smoked him,' Kiss said.
'There were some really mature moments for a young man.'
The Sydney-born midfielder, of Maori heritage, only turned 20 in January and entered the season with no expectations due to Queensland having Josh Flook and even Filipo Daugunu as its No.13 options.
But the Reds have been turned to Pakeho following a calf injury to Daugunu and a season-ending hamstring injury to Flook.
Kiss said Daugunu will miss the Reds' next clash against the Fijian Drua in Suva but could 'possibly' return against the Waratahs on May 9.
Kiss was less optimistic about Flook. 'I don't think Flooky is going to be here for the season,' Kiss said.
'At this stage, there's a bit of work to be done with that hamstring.'
It has opened the door for inside centre Pakeho to show his class and versatility at outside centre where he has played 80 minutes against the Chiefs, Brumbies, Blues and Force in the last month.
'He has an edge in his game,' Kiss said in praise.
'We've needed him to step up because we've got injuries in that area and we always focus on who we have got rather than who we haven't.' Lynagh's early double sets up Reds' big win over Blues
Originally published as Boom Reds centre Dre Pakeho delivering the goods following Josh Flook hamstring injury
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- News.com.au
Wigan star Sir Billy Boston becomes first rugby league player to receive a knighthood
'Trailblazing' rugby league star Sir Billy Boston's honour came 'a little bit late', his son said, as his father became a knight in a first for the sport. Sir Billy, who scored 478 tries in 488 matches for Wigan after making the switch from rugby union in 1953, was knighted by the King in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. The 90-year-old, who was born in Wales, revealed in 2016 that he was living with vascular dementia. Speaking after his father was knighted, Sir Billy's son Stephen said: 'It's a really great honour. I think it has come a little bit late. It could have come a little bit earlier.'
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
'We're a team within a team: Lomax lifts lid on selfless act that sealed victory in Origin I
Zac Lomax has opened up about the selfless act that went a long way to helping NSW win game one – and ensured he was voted man of the match by his Blues teammates. Brian To'o's sin-binning on the brink of half-time at Suncorp Stadium, for tackling Xavier Coates in the air, left NSW needing to survive the opening ten minutes of the second half defending with 12 men. Lomax had watched the Maroons send all their attacking kicks to Coates's side of the field, where the towering Maroons winger enjoyed a hefty height advantage over To'o, and knew they would continue to attack down that flank when the game restarted. As revealed by colleague Roy Masters the day after the 18-6 win at Suncorp Stadium, Lomax approached Laurie Daley during the interval and volunteered to switch from the right side of the field to defend on the left while To'o was in the bin. Lomax was confident the NSW right edge would cope, because Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin and Stephen Crichton 'had defended together forever' in clubland, and suggested he would be of better use switching over and helping out Latrell Mitchell try and stop Coates. The Maroons scored a try while To'o was in the bin, but it came from a Mitchell error rather than any luck attacking with the extra player. The foresight and maturity shown by Lomax was praised by Daley – and yet another example of how quickly the Parramatta recruit has adjusted to life in the representative arena within 12 months. As he joined his Blues teammates in camp in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday, Lomax opened up on the Origin I half-time conversations with the coaches.
The Age
11 hours ago
- The Age
'We're a team within a team: Lomax lifts lid on selfless act that sealed victory in Origin I
Zac Lomax has opened up about the selfless act that went a long way to helping NSW win game one – and ensured he was voted man of the match by his Blues teammates. Brian To'o's sin-binning on the brink of half-time at Suncorp Stadium, for tackling Xavier Coates in the air, left NSW needing to survive the opening ten minutes of the second half defending with 12 men. Lomax had watched the Maroons send all their attacking kicks to Coates's side of the field, where the towering Maroons winger enjoyed a hefty height advantage over To'o, and knew they would continue to attack down that flank when the game restarted. As revealed by colleague Roy Masters the day after the 18-6 win at Suncorp Stadium, Lomax approached Laurie Daley during the interval and volunteered to switch from the right side of the field to defend on the left while To'o was in the bin. Lomax was confident the NSW right edge would cope, because Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin and Stephen Crichton 'had defended together forever' in clubland, and suggested he would be of better use switching over and helping out Latrell Mitchell try and stop Coates. The Maroons scored a try while To'o was in the bin, but it came from a Mitchell error rather than any luck attacking with the extra player. The foresight and maturity shown by Lomax was praised by Daley – and yet another example of how quickly the Parramatta recruit has adjusted to life in the representative arena within 12 months. As he joined his Blues teammates in camp in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday, Lomax opened up on the Origin I half-time conversations with the coaches.
