Frankly, who the hell knows what we can expect from this game? Looking at the teams’ respective positions on the table, you’d think we can’t expect too much from it to challenge the type of rugby we saw in the last round of the 6 Nations. But is there any glimmer of hope for this Suncorp Stadium match up? At least for the Queensland fans?
The Form
When considering this game from a purely ‘form’ perspective, there’s not much to get excited about. The Reds are sitting at the bottom of their pool (second last overall) whilst the Lions are equal last in South Africa, alongside the Cheetahs (and 11th-ish overall). Worse still is the fact that we are about to watch the two bottom teams in the comp in terms of tries scored as they have collectively scored only nine times.
God dammit indeed!
So for all intents and purposes, we shouldn’t be expecting a massive try-fest.
Given the season so far.
We all know how the Reds have been travelling, with just the one win (over the Force in Round Two). Meanwhile the Lions have managed to snaffle just one more win (albeit with one more game under their belt). Interestingly both of these wins have been on the road in New Zealand (against the bottom placed Blues) and in Australia (a come from behind win against the Rebels last weekend). This after having started the season with three wins on the trot in their own country.
But if there is a glimmer of hope for this game, at least from a Reds perspective, it comes in the return of a number of high profile players who have the ability to ignite this event and win back a lot of frustrated Reds fans. So significant are these returning players, we are lead to believe, that the season (almost) starts now (kinda).
Key Players
For a little while now, it has been this match that has been promoted as the key return date for a number of injured Reds. As the story goes, we have six returning players coming in to the squad for the Friday night fixture. In reality it is just two that have not played as yet this year being Quade Cooper, who will start at 10, and Greg Holmes who returns via the bench. The other ‘returning’ players have had plenty of game time already already this season, being James O’Connor (two starts), Lachlan Turner (four), Samu Kerevi (three) and Ben Daley (four games from the bench).
It is upon Cooper that all hope lies. Whilst losing the likes of Michael Harris and Ben Lucas, the Reds’ plan for 2015 was for a fit Quade Cooper to be complimented by some ball runners out wide, something they lacked in 2014. Recruitment followed with Karmichael Hunt, O’Connor and Chris Kuridrani joining the likes of Kerevi in providing QC some options in attack for his scalpel-sharp passing game. Whilst all of those players have featured so far this season, the lack of a back up flyhalf has meant they have been unable to be ‘unleashed’.
Whilst the theory stands that we are too reliant on just one player, the fact is we’ve been waiting on Cooper’s return. Evidence to this has been the fact that the likes of JOC, Samu and co haven’t been able to create the opportunities themselves. With the greatest of respect to Nick Frisby, an undoubtedly talented player and passionate Queenslander, he has been unable to provide a suitable alternative as a flyhalf and the backline has suffered because of it.
To the pack the Reds will be without the suspended Liam Gill and have opted to promote Curtis Browning to the starting team in his absence. If anything this provides another strong running option for the Reds, in combination with the ever impressive Adam Thomson. If lock Dave McDuling can rediscover his NRC running form, and if married-life can reinvigorate James Horwill, then the Reds will have some strong metre-gainers in their pack.
The Lions ‘rotated’ a heck of a lot of their players for their last match against the Rebels, but the win hasn’t lead to any selection consistency this week. Whilst their pack remains steady enough, with only hooker Robbie Coetzee returning to the starting side, there are five changes in the backline.
The big change, as it was for the Reds, revolves around the flyhalf position with Elton Jantjies moving in one spot from the inside centre position he filled last week. It’s the position he was playing when the Lions downed the Blues for their first win of the season a couple of weeks ago. He wore it again when they were pantsed by the Crusaders before relinquishing the spot to super-boot Marnitz Boshoff for the Rebels encounter. This week, however, Boshoff will be starting from the bench.
In the pack, if the Reds do try to bring their running game, it will be the 8 and 7 combination of captain Warren Whiteley and Warwick Tecklenburg who will have to stand up to the challenge. Leading tacklers in just about all of the Lions’ matches so far this season, these traditionally hardworking South African backrowers will be out to nullify any attacking forays the Reds attempt.
Prediction
Reds by 8
As I said at the start of this attempted preview, who the heck knows? If it wasn’t for the return of Quade, you wouldn’t expect much of anything for this game – perhaps a try-less draw? But with QC back there, and fully respecting that he won’t be on top of his game, I’m predicting that his return will be enough to boost the confidence of his team mates and encourage them to back themselves and each other more intently. The last match of a long tour for the Lions is a tough one, particularly as you’d think they’ve already achieved their pre-tour goals of a couple of wins.
Teams
Queensland Reds:
15 Lachlan Turner, 14 Chris Kuridrani, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Ant Faingaa, 11 James O’Connor, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Curtis Browning, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Dave McDuling, 4 James Horwill, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 James Hanson, 1 James Slipper (c). Res: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Marco Kotze, 20 Michael Gunn (potential debut), 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Ben Tapuai, 23 Chris Feauai-Sautia.
Lions:
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (c), 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Robert Kruger, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Schalk van der Merwe. Res: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Martin Muller, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Howard Mnisi.
Date : Friday 27 March 2015
Venue : Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick Off local: 19:00 local
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant Ref 1:Matt O’Brien
Assistant Ref 2:James Leckie
TMO : George Ayoub
The Greater Good
Whilst the Reds have been struggling on the field, a couple of them have been doing some fabulous stuff off the field and Friday night’s game is a particular focus.
Prop Ben Daley will be continuing his ‘Be Great, Do Good’ program, this week representing Epilepsy Queensland with his uniquely designed head gear, which will be donated to EQ for their own fundraising efforts.
Meanwhile, flanker Beau Robinson is asking fans to bring their spare rugby kit to the game on Friday to donate it to his ‘Reds and Suporda Kit Drive’ which is collecting rugby equipment for young rugby players in Soweto.
Whilst great causes, these are just two reminders of the need for everyone to keep our eyes on the bigger prize. Sure our team may be struggling at the moment but, c’mon, in the greater scheme of the world, things aren’t that bad.
