Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie says he feels like he’s playing a game of snakes and ladders as he battles to deal with the Reds’ growing Super Rugby injury toll.
McKenzie has made five changes to the run-on side for Saturday night’s clash with the Western Force in Perth, with outside centre Joel Rapana named for his Queensland debut against his former side.
Flanker Liam Gill has been promoted for a daunting tussle against star Wallaby David Pocock, while hooker James Hanson, prop James Slipper and lock Van Humphries are the other fresh faces.
Radike Samo was the biggest casualty from last week’s 61-8 mauling at the hands of the Bulls, with the Wallabies flanker replaced by Eddie Quirk on the bench.
Queensland have tried to retain some sort of continuity in their backline, with Rapana’s inclusion for the injured Jono Lance (broken leg) the only change.
But McKenzie admits it’s been hard to develop combinations following a glut of injuries in the backline, with the loss of five-eighth options Quade Cooper (knee), Mike Harris (hamstring) and Ben Lucas (hamstring) particularly damaging.
“There’s a reality there that a dozen players aren’t available … but there’s no point offering it up as an excuse,” McKenzie said in Perth on Wednesday.
“It’s the reality of the competition.
“But we are unfortunately getting them in the same positions.
“Every half a game, you seem to be trying to develop a new combination either on the field or for the next game.
“It is frustrating because your training time should be about taking your team further rather than starting again.
“So it’s been a bit like a game of snakes and ladders in some respects.
“The silly part is in three weeks time, we’re probably going to get five or six players coming back. We’ll have too many players in some positions.”
McKenzie backed the ability of 19-year-old Gill and his fellow back-rowers to nullify the influence of Pocock, who has established himself as the game’s best breakdown scavenger.
The championship-winning coach was also confident Lance would not be overawed by the occasion of returning to his former stomping ground.
“He’s 25, so a bit more mature and been around this level before,” McKenzie said.
“I’ve been impressed by him. He’s very cool and a nice guy. He suits us as a team.”
With back-to-back losses, the Reds have slipped to eighth overall on the table, and second to the Brumbies in the Australian conference.
But McKenzie has paid little attention to the points tally.
“I don’t spend any time looking at the table. I couldn’t even tell you where we’re sitting on the table or in the conference,” McKenzie said.
“I like to wait until the round-10 mark. That gives you a better idea of what’s going on, because everyone would have had a bye.”
The Force name their squad on Thursday, with backs Cameron Shepherd and Pat Dellit in the mix to return from injury.
Queensland Reds: Rod Davies, Dom Shipperley, Joel Rapana, Ben Tapuai, Luke Morahan, Dallan Murphy, Will Genia, Jake Schatz, Liam Gill, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (capt), Van Humphries, James Slipper, James Hanson, Ben Daley. Res: Albert Anae, Greg Holmes, Rob Simmons, Eddie Quirk, Beau Robinson, Nick Frisby, Nathan Eyres-Brown.
WQ
Guest
So whats the slight difference? The point made by McKenzie is the upset to the Team and the constant development of combinations creates a difficult environment and a loss of quality training time. I would imagine that this is no different for any Team regardless of the quality of players involved. You are correct Henry did not go digging into the sporting academy to find Carters replacement, he went down to the skate park in Palmerston North to find Cruden, then to a river in the South Island to get Donald whom had both knocked off for the season. As for the fullback and winger you say would have made no difference, one played 100 tests for New Zealand and the other ripped the Canadians to bits in pool play!
Mongolian Expat
Guest
One title champions because Cooper will never recover from his embarrassment at the world cup as his ego is too big. He will move to the NRL. I have to say McKenzie wasn't looking for sympathy and obviously won't get much on this site.
Funk
Guest
There is a slight difference between international and super rugby replacements when it comes to injuries, Henry didn't go digging into the sporting acadamey to find Carters' replacement, every one of them had significant super rugby experience, and the ony reason that the duck was his forth choice flyhalf was because evey nz'er (including henry himself) lambasted him as the one and only reason that the abs lost the HK bledisloe! His incumbent fullback...was on his last legs/past it prior to the WC, one...did you say one of his wingers...yeah that'll lose you the title every single time won't it!
Crashy
Guest
one positive is the amount of new talent accross the 5 Aussie teams that the injuries have produced. McKibbon and Kingston for the tahs, Hooper, Mogg and others for the Brumbies, Pyle and Kingi for the Rebels, Shipperley, Morahan, Gill etc for the Reds. Its a good sign for Australian Rugby. I can't imagine how strong the tahs would be towards the end of the season if wehave Elsom, Vicks, Mitchell etc coming in as reserves - what depth that would give us if they make the finals.
reds fan
Guest
so do i!
Will Sinclair
Guest
That's good because he's not going to get any. It's a big test of the so-called Queensland spirit here. They folded like deck chairs last weekend, and I hope they find a bit more spine this weekend.
Go_the_Wannabe's
Guest
All the replacement players aren't slouches, otherwise they wouldn't be playing super rugby. What is more important is the systems and processes in place to enable these replacements to slot seamlessly into the team with minimal disruption to the overall style of play of the team. The All Blacks have been masters of this for years and the WC was just one more in a long line of examples. Also, there needs to be a sense of tribalism and loyalty over individual paychecks and survival. Again refer to All Blacks as an example (or even the Crusaders). Once teams like the Tah's (and others) somehow have an epiphany and realise the two points above, they will find it a whole lot easier to win a championship. I can't see this happening anytime soon.
reds fan
Guest
another one who cant read. he says he doesn't want sympathy.
Will Sinclair
Guest
Agree. Cry me a river, Reds. I don't remember much sympathy for the Tahs last season when they lost half a team to injury, but still picked themselves up and made a run to the finals.
formeropenside
Guest
Its not so much the number of players, its the fact that four players who can play 10 are all injured, leaving the Reds with the 5th choice and no reserve 10. I'd say there is enough cover for the other positions, as a whole - even though we have Rapana at 13 - but losing a whole bunch of players for the same position is the problem. What makes it galling is that Cooper is so nearly back, and also that its not like the Force's failure to secure a backup 10 after Ripia was known to have problems, and JOC decided to build his "rugby brand" elsewhere. There were 5 guys able to play 10 in the squad. One was known to be injured for the first seven or so rounds. Three more have gone down. That is a loss in any position, but especially at 10 (or at prop, as the Reds found out in 2007). Anyway, hopefully the boys can have a big win over the Force and put SA behind them.
just sayin'
Guest
If you actually read what Link wrote in his column (which is on rugbyheaven weekly) you'd see he's not looking for sympathy. He'll be aware (as the Tahs were last year) that even with a horrendous run of injuries the conference system gives them a decent shot to make the finals (even if their games are all hard) - after that it's about turning up for 80 minutes at at time. He'll also discover (as the Tahs did) that even if you make the finals without your first choice players you won't get much further unless they can make it back. All that said, the Reds don't have it this year - if they'd gotten a split from their SA tour maybe, but I now rate their chances of defending their title as zero.
jameswm
Guest
Now the Reds are discovering the hard way what the Tahs went through, esp in the 2nd half of last year. The Tahs still have their first choice players at 4, 6, 11 and 14 injured too (and I'd concede only two of them are a significant loss, maybe a third if Rocky rediscovers his mojo). At least now Palu, Barnes and STimani (os, not injury) are back. I'd like Vicks and Mitch asap please. What's the word on them? Link, don't come to me looking for sympathy.
WQ
Guest
C'mon kpm, fair suck of the sav. He lost his first, second and third preference number 10's, (one of which is arguably the best number 10 in the world) he lost his incumbent fullback, lost one of his number 1 wingers, was missing his first choice number 8 for most of the tournament and was constantly nursing the best player in the world hoping he would get through the tournament! The only reason that they kept winning was the quality of the players that he had to cover these losses and the robustness of the game plan.
El Gamba
Guest
The injury to Colin Slade was a godsend for Henry.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
WQ that really only applies to fly-halves. He has his first choice centres, back three, back row (just), second row, even front row. In fact Carter was the only injury to a starter in the team. Henry had it very easy with injuries.
WQ
Guest
Welcome to Graham Henry's world at the RWC 2011