Skipper DCE vows to help ‘Mun’ do his thing
Maroons skipper Daly CherryEvans has turned to ancient Chinese philosophy to describe why he and his halves partner Cameron Munster must be on song to secure an upset win over NSW at Suncorp Stadium.
“I feel like we are a bit of yin and yang,” Cherry-Evans said.
“We complement each other. I make sure I get him feeling as comfortable as I can around the side and our structure, and then Mun can do his thing.
“Mun’s unpredictability is one of his greatest strengths so if I can have him not worrying about structure and just running the footy and playing what he sees, then that is going to be better for Queensland.”
‘Yin and yang’ is an ancient Chinese concept which describes what appears to be conflicting forces that in reality act in a complementary way.
In rugby league terms, when it comes to halves combinations for the Maroons, think the Wally Lewis/Allan Langer and Darren Lockyer/ Johnathan Thurston partnerships. They were totally different styles of players who together were a potent force.
Cherry-Evans and Munster are yet to reach those kind of heights as a duo but in last year’s series win Munster was at his best in the two games the Maroons won when he was playing off the cuff and free of any shackles. Cherry-Evans assumed the role of an organising general and it worked a treat.
Munster, who was struggling with a foot injury in Townsville, said he was guilty of “ball watching” in the 50-6 loss to NSW in Game One and was determined to reboot his running game and be a foil for his captain at Suncorp Stadium as he was last year.
Cherry-Evans said they had both faced the brutal truth of their failings and were ready to make amends.