Kiwi favourite Mike Harris has the first crack at Quade Cooper’s No.10 jersey but Wallabies tourist Ben Lucas will fight him all the way to Queensland’s Super Rugby opener against NSW.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie will start the robust Harris at five-eighth in Saturday night’s first trial against the Brumbies in Cairns, with utility back Lucas to replace him at halftime.
Since superstar Cooper ruptured knee ligaments at the World Cup in October, Harris has been seen as the natural replacement on the basis of his 2011 breakthrough at inside centre.
But Lucas has also impressed coaches in the pre-season and can fill the dual playmaking and goalkicking role by outpointing the former New Zealand under-20 representative in trials against the Brumbies and Western Force.
The fact the season kicks off with three interstate derbies, highlighted by the February 25 clash with the Waratahs, McKenzie has stressed he’ll select the form No.10 from the two auditions.
“Training’s something you can go with but in the end there’s nothing like the heat of battle,” McKenzie said on Wednesday.
“When it’s a fair dinkum game you can assess it best from that and that’s what we’ll do.”
Rather than be downcast by Cooper’s absence for at least six matches, McKenzie believes Harris or Lucas will give Queensland an element of surprise.
“We think there’s some exciting stuff that we can play around with tactically and both players offer us something,” he said. “We want to share that and see what they’ve got.”
A revelation at inside centre in 2011 before his season was ruined by a knee injury, Harris admitted he wasn’t looking to replicate Cooper’s left-field attacking flair.
“Quade’s pretty flamboyant with his trickery but I haven’t played a game for a long time so for me it will be about doing the basics right,” the 23-year-old said.
Although a dark horse for the role, second-string halfback Lucas was groomed for No.10 in 2010 when Cooper was sidelined in the pre-season before making way and then taking his chance at fullback last year.
McKenzie has selected leaders James Horwill and Will Genia among seven Wallabies on the bench and named returning prop Ben Daley as captain of a starting side containing three Test players.
Among the most intriguing selections, initial playmaking contenders Jono Lance and Dallan Murphy will play at outside centre and fullback respectively.
Queensland: Dallan Murphy, Dom Shipperley, Jono Lance, Ben Tapuai, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Mike Harris, Nick Frisby; Radike Samo, Beau Robinson, Eddie Quirk, Adam Wallace-Harrison, Rob Simmons, Greg Holmes, Albert Anae, Ben Daley (capt). Res: Kevin Davis, James Hanson, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill, Digby Ioane, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Liam Gill, Ben Lucas, Luke Morahan, Jake Schatz, Guy Shepherdson, James Slipper, Ulupano Seuteni, Aidan Toua.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Jiggles I agree with your summation I too have watched both the Lucas boys when they were at Terrace. They were at that level quite brilliant. It may have been the case that Ben wasn't given the chance at later levels but I still think that Harris would be my choice. Poor Ben might go through his career with this happening all the time. An example was Peter Slattery from a few years back trying to make the Wallabies half back spot his own only to be put out by others that were just shading him. Still Peter had the best time and made the most of a long career.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Like Gary I have also been watching Lucas for a long time. Ever since he pulled out an outrageous chip and chase in an Under 13 internal trial game at Gregory Terrace in 2001. Everyone scratched their head and said "who the hell is that kid?" at school boy level I believed he was a superior 10 to Cooper in all departments and also through his time in Brisbane club rugby. I still believed this up until about half way through the 2010 super rugby season when Cooper really came into his own. Lucas just never got the chance to play 10. Well now he has a chance and I think he will go very well.
jameswm
Guest
How surprising that Qld have looked at their no.10 options and narrowed it down to Harris or Lucas. Who woulda thunk it? Harris-Tapuai-Fainga'a at 10-12-13 - not too bad.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Harris would seem to be my pick as opposed to Lucas. I have watched Lucas right through his career and while he is very talented he always seems to be a utility player to me. I doubt that he has the absolute ability to nail down a specific position. He is very servicable in all positions that he plays but not quite brilliant. Whereas Harris was quite brilliant last season at inside centre and previously when he played NPC in New Zealand at fly half the season before. Harris is just that much bigger and while I don't really have an opinion that bigger is always better in this case I think that I would prefer Harris just on his ability by itself. We will see how it goes in the trial. Harris may not come back as good after his layoff from injury???