Taniela Tupou runs the ball for the Reds against the Hurricanes earlier this season. "We had a good chat last week, had a team meeting where we discussed what we needed to work on and we worked on it all week," Tupou said. But a buzz has returned to Lang Park with the elevation of Thorn, who coached the Reds' youth side to the national title last year. With a bye this week, the Reds will pause and reset before continuing their playoffs bid away to the Sunwolves in Tokyo. Tonga-born Tupou was a schoolboy sensation in New Zealand but turned down a national contract to move to Australia at the age of 18.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 30, 2018 20:03 UTC