Friday’s rugby news has some team changes to the Aussie Super Rugby sides, an O’Connor rumour and Benji to make his first start.
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Reds remodel lineup
The Reds have bolstered their starting side to face the Sharks in Durban, adding prop James Slipper, hooker Saia Faingaa and winger Lachie Turner. Despite strong performances in the team’s 43-33 victory over the Cheetahs last Friday, prop Ben Daley and hooker James Hanson will be relegated to the bench. After a particularly impressive game, winger Rod Davies will retain his position, with Dom Shipperley dropped to the bench. Flanker Liam Gill will also start, having quickly recovered from a gruesome cut above the left eye that required 14 stitches.
Coach Richard Graham emphasised that the talent left out of the starting side is an indicator of the team’s strength, saying, ‘Depth is key to achieving success and we’re confident any member of our squad can do the job.’ [/one_half]
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Rebels back to winning formula
After an embarrassingly one-sided loss to the Force last week, Rebels coach Tony McGahan has returned to the same starting line-up which defeated the Cheetahs in round 1. Playmaker Bryce Hegarty will start at five-eighth ahead of Angus Roberts, while flanker Scott Fuglistaller is back after a week off. Winger Tom English, who missed the Force game with a virus, is also back for the upcoming match against the Crusaders with last week’s tryscorer Telusa Veainu moving to the bench.
Paul Alo-Emile and Max Lahiff have also dropped to the reserves, replaced in the front row by Toby Smith and Laurie Weeks whith McGahan saying he plans to rotate the props through the season. Finally, Luke Jones will re-join Hugh Pyle in the second-row, replacing Cadeyrn Neville. [/one_half]
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O’Connor eyeing up Reds
Despite being in negotiations with the Force before leaving for Europe last year, it appears that James O’Connor is now leaning towards coming back to Australia in a Red jersey and joining his former coach at the Rebels, Richard Graham. Although the 44-Test outside back will join Toulon in the coming weeks, he has reiterated his desire to play for the Wallabies again. ‘My goal is to play for Australia, and a World Cup is the pinnacle,’ he said.
O’Connor also said that his time abroad has had a maturing effect, emphasising, ‘to come here and experience a different lifestyle and rugby has been a breath of fresh air.’ [/one_half]
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Marshall to make first start
In an amazing turnaround from last week’s axing from the Blues’ squad, Benji Marshall will make his first Super Rugby start at fullback when the team takes on the Lions in Johannesburg this Sunday. Blues coach Sir John Kirwan said Marshall had been training well and developing his skills in the new position. ‘We believe Benji deserves a start at full-back, he’s jumping out of his skin, he’s ready to go, he’s spent the last couple of weeks really refining that role, so we’ll put him in there,’ Kirwan said.
As a result of Marshall’s promotion, Charles Piutau moves from full-back to wing, and youngster Tevita Li drops out of the side. [/one_half]
