Wounded Wallabies skipper Liam Wright has revealed he is on track to launch the Queensland Reds’ Super Rugby campaign, as he battles to overcome a shoulder injury which cruelled his international comeback.
The star flanker, off contract at season’s end, earned his first Test cap in four years when he captained Australia against Wales, before undergoing surgery to end his 2024.
It was the 27-yer-old’s eighth major setback in six years, its nature mystifying doctors after failing to recover in time for the Rugby Championships.
Queensland Reds co-captains Liam Wright and Tate McDermott.Credit: Brendan Hertel
But upon being announced as Reds co-captain alongside Tate McDermott, Wright declared his recovery was ahead of schedule, with his eyes fixed on delivering premiership glory to Queensland and regaining his Wallabies place for the British and Irish Lions tour.
“It’s looking promising, I don’t want to put dates on it anymore because of how it’s gone, but it’s in a really good place,” Wright said, when asked if he would be fit for the Reds’ February 21 season opener against Moana Pasifika.
“We’re a little bit ahead of our week-to-week [metrics], and are trying to take it a session at a time, get a little more loading, start a little bit of contact, and get a bit stronger in the gym.”
Liam Wright
“The Wallabies have been really good at staying in touch. It’s been an unfortunate one because it’s dragged on, and it wasn’t so absolute at the start when we’d be back, but they’ve been great keeping me in the loop.
“Then it’s my job to try and force selection again. I’m putting everything I can into the rehab, training, and trying to come out the other side of the injury a better player and person.
“I trust with my history with a few injuries I can do it.”
Before Wright entertains visions of a dream Lions’ call up, his focus is on ending an Australian Super Rugby title drought spanning 11 years – with only New Zealand juggernauts the Crusaders, Hurricanes, Highlanders and Blues claiming the silverware since the Waratahs’ 2014 triumph.
And McDermott has seen enough to suggest the end of the Kiwi reign was nearing.
The Reds conquered the Crusaders [in Christchurch], the Chiefs and Highlanders to finish fifth. But slow starts against Fijian Drua, Western Force and Moana Pasifika on the road, as well as defeats on or after full-time to the Hurricanes, Blues and Brumbies, cost them a top four berth.
However, McDermott believed the squad’s tour of England, where they play Bristol and Exeter, would strengthen their resolve for the daunting trips ahead.
“A lot came down to the games we played away when our mindset wasn’t quite there, and we probably didn’t have the respect for teams we really paid the price,” McDermott said.
“We’ve got two away games where we can kind of practice that transition of making sure that we’re ready to play, regardless of who it is. I think we absolutely nailed it in Christchurch against the Crusaders, but by that time of the year it was too late for us.
“It’s a lot of little lessons we’ve learnt, some are tougher than others, but as long as we don’t repeat the same mistakes then me and Wrongers [Wright] are doing our job.”
