Christchurch Clash: Reds’ Tim Ryan Shines as Wallabies Loom
In a captivating round 11 Super Rugby Pacific match at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch, Queensland Reds’ try-scoring sensation Tim Ryan showcased his prowess on the pitch. The young winger, already making waves in the rugby union world, is momentarily putting his Wallabies dreams on hold to focus on helping the Reds secure a deep finals run.
Ryan, who announced himself as a future star with a hat-trick of tries in his starting debut against the Blues, has continued his impressive form. The 20-year-old scored two tries in the Reds’ win over the Crusaders and added another in their round-12 victory over the Rebels.
“Obviously it’s pretty cool,” Ryan said. “As a young kid I’ve always watched the Wallabies, so it is a big dream of mine. But I’m not focusing on that at the moment. We’ve got a bigger job ahead of us … leading into finals.”
Despite being given a “freshener” with limited minutes in the recent loss to Fijian Drua, Ryan has been thrust back into the starting line-up for the crunch clash with the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night. The young gun, who has already scored six tries in six appearances for the Reds, has caught the attention of new Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.
The versatile winger, nicknamed the “Junkyard Dog,” has also had to overcome some unexpected challenges during his travels this season. “I learned first-hand playing in NZ that the field’s completely different,” he said. “I was wearing my plastic studs and I was slipping all over the place, and we had to get some metal studs on as soon as possible.”
Reds coach Les Kiss has been full of praise for Ryan’s performances, highlighting his ability to create opportunities and his “sniff for the tryline.” Ryan, who followed in his father’s footsteps by choosing union over league, is simply “riding the wave” of his debut season and is grateful for the opportunity.
As the Reds gear up for a crucial clash with the Western Force, all eyes will be on the rising star Tim Ryan, who continues to showcase his rugby union gameplay and scoring prowess, while keeping his Wallabies dreams in the back of his mind.
đź”— Source
