Ewen McKenzie has declared the time right for his unheralded quiet achievers, the Reds pack, to emerge from the shadows of Will Genia and Quade Cooper and grab the kudos they deserve.
Queensland have made a mockery of their absence of Test forwards to rise to fifth in the Super 14 with McKenzie’s “unsung” pack surprising far more renowned rivals.
But such has been the brilliance of Genia and Cooper, rated by former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones as the competition’s form players, that their gritty efforts have largely been overlooked.
With the defending champion Bulls, whose success is built by their accurate and aggressive pack, standing as a massive litmus test on Saturday night, the Reds forwards have a perfect chance to carve out a bigger reputation.
“We’ve been lucky those guys (Genia and Cooper) have gelled as well as they have but I keep saying as well as they’ve been playing it’s the guys playing around them that makes it work for them,” he said.
“The work of the forwards, they’re pretty much unsung.
“We don’t have any Wallabies in our forward pack yet those guys keep fronting up every week and providing a great support role. They’re the guys giving you the options.
“They’re pretty much unsung but they’re going to have to come out from the shadows and front up this week.”
McKenzie has named an unchanged starting team for the Suncorp Stadium encounter but has beefed up his bench with the addition of an extra prop in Jack Kennedy for a 5-2 split.
Only one member of Queensland’s starting forwards has Test experience, former All Blacks flanker Daniel Braid, compared to six in the Springbok-laden Bulls pack.
The Reds lost their only current Wallabies forward when lock James Horwill suffered a season-ending knee injury in round two but they have adapted to the tough circumstances and haven’t looked back.
“Losing Horwill as our sole Wallaby everyone wrote us off at that point but we’ve managed to keep alive,” McKenzie said.
It would be unfair to name one forward above the rest as each has played their own important roles but as it stands only flanker Scott Higginbotham is seen as a prime Test contender.
The tactician in McKenzie is savouring the prospect of undermining the competition pacesetters but he knows his entire 22-man squad must roll up their sleeves for a huge physical battle.
As such, winger Brando Va’aulu has edged Luke Morahan off the bench due to his extra bulk and aggression.
McKenzie used last week’s 41-26 win over the Lions in Johannesburg to road test tactics to throw at the Bulls and feels prepared for the challenge of the Bulls’ predictable driving game.
“It looks simple what they do but they do it so well and they have such power and it makes for a really challenging game but one we’re really excited about,” McKenzie said.
Explosive back Digby Ioane (thumb) has been cleared to start after training strongly and will stay on the wing with the improving Will Chambers keeping his place at outside centre.
The Bulls have made just one change to the team which beat the Chiefs in Hamilton with Derick Kuun starting at flanker after overcoming an ankle injury.
Queensland: Peter Hynes, Rod Davies, Will Chambers, Anthony Faingaa, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia (capt); Leroy Houston, Daniel Braid, Scott Higginbotham, Van Humphries, Rob Simmons, Laurie Weeks, Saia Faingaa, Ben Daley. Res: Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes, Jack Kennedy, Ezra Taylor, Jake Schatz, Ben Lucas, Brando Va’aulu.
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