QR Reds' Ioane to miss Chiefs match with knee injury
Ioane - injured in Blues match
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
QR Reds and Wallaby back Digby Ioane has been left out of the Reds squad to fly to New Zealand this morning because of an injured knee, meaning Head Coach Ewen McKenzie will name an all new back three for Friday night’s round four Investec Bank Super 14 clash against the Chiefs in Hamilton.
The Reds had already lost fullback Peter Hynes (finger dislocation) and wing Rod Davies (fractured cheekbone) for the match and McKenzie had the option of taking a gamble on winger Ioane’s fitness or leaving him behind to rest his knee.
“The feeling is that it’s better to get it right. With the short turnaround (between last Saturday night’s game and the Chiefs on Friday night) and with the travel there was a lot of things conspiring against us to get him right for this weekend.
“There was an opportunity to leave (the decision) right until the game, but even then there would be some doubt, so we have left it so he can regain full fitness for the Western Force game (at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, March 14).
“We’ve still got a lot of games to go. We could leave it right to the death and with no preparation go out there, but that could make the injury worse and we’d be having the same problem the week after.”
McKenzie will take a squad of 22 to Hamilton, which contains five changes from the squad that played Auckland: Ioane, Hynes, Davies, reserve backs Tim Walsh (broken hand) and Richard Kingi (hamstring) have been replaced in the 22 by Blair Connor, Ben Lucas, Luke Morahan, Brando Va’aulu and QAS Reds Academy back Ben Tapuai.
McKenzie expects to name his starting lineup tomorrow (Thursday), before the team has its final training session.
Half Lucas and outside back Va’aulu were regular Super Rugby starters last year and have 48 Super Rugby caps between them. Connor, Tapuai and Morahan all made their Reds debuts in 2009, while Morahan was also called up for the end of season Wallaby tour as an injury replacement.
A badly corked calf muscle suffered in the trial match against the Western Force kept Lucas sidelined for the early part of the season but he has bounced back strongly for the QAS Reds 2nd XV during the past month. Va’aulu also fought through some shin problems earlier in the year and is now hitting his stride.
The pair combined for the only try against the Junior Waratahs last Sunday, with Va’aulu the beneficiary of a pinpoint Lucas cut-out close to the line.
“There is some useful experience and depth in our backs. The new guys in the squad have been waiting in the background for an opportunity to stake a claim so this is their chance. They all train with the squad so they know what’s required,” McKenzie said.
“As far as who plays where, we’ll play around with the possibilities and finalise it closer to the game."
The squad is;
Forwards: Daniel Braid (vc), Adam Byrnes, Ben Daley, Saia Fainga'a, Sean Hardman, Scott Higginbotham, Greg Holmes, Leroy Houston, Van Humphries, Jake Schatz, Robert Simmons, Laurie Weeks
Backs: Will Chambers, Blair Connor, Quade Cooper, Anthony Fainga'a, Will Genia (c), Ben Lucas, Luke Morahan, Ben Tapuai, Morgan Turinui, Brando Va’aulu
