Leroy Houston is ready to fight for a position in arguably the strongest back-row unit in Australian rugby.
Houston, 30, came from the clouds to win his debut Wallabies cap last year and is desperate for a platform to further impress coach Michael Cheika by carving out a place in Queensland’s starting 15 this season.
A former fan favourite at English Premiership club Bath, Houston will need to beat former Wallaby Scott Higginbotham and highly rated youngster Caleb Timu – regarded by some at Ballymore as a future Wallaby – to get hands on the No.8 jersey.
That would mean the luxury of playing alongside veteran great George Smith and Japanese international Hendrik Tui, who are likely to be the first-choice flankers.
The Reds are tipped to be big improvers in 2017 and Houston wants to be a major part of it.
“It’s a huge challenge but I strive for that,” he said.
“Me personally, I don’t feel any expectation. I just feel like, I’m trying to make the starting 15.
“It might be a selfish goal but for now it’s just focusing on playing good footy and trying to make that starting 15 week in, week out.
“We’re going to push each other to play to the best of our ability and better rugby. Hopefully it leads to success for the team.”
Houston has trained the entire summer at Ballymore after signing with the Reds in May last year, ending a five-year stint in European rugby.
He also played off the bench at Twickenham against Argentina in October to make his first Wallabies appearance, which came more than a decade after he was first included in a Test squad.
“I haven’t had a full-on pre-season like this for a while,” Houston said.
“I had ones overseas but because the seasons are so long over there, they don’t push you as hard.
“How tough the pre-season is, the (heat) just puts it on another tenfold. But you can’t knock the weather, the sun’s real beautiful.”
Houston is likely to make his first appearance for the Reds at the inaugural Brisbane Global Tens on February 11-12.
Doubles
Guest
Those two in particular are passengers ...Kane Douglas is the second most usesless lump of a 202 cm 125 kilo human i`ve seen, Slightly better than Sitaleki Timani...He is also made of glass and has a history of getting broken. He cost an interchange when he went off injured in that RWC you mentioned mate .. 2014 was his best year, but he was still ranked behind Jackpot ,Skelton, Dennis ,Hooper and Palu in the WARATAH back 5 impact.. FACT As I said Leroy Houston was usless .he made so many errors and missed so many tackles when he played for the reds it was embarrassing... FACT .. He is still pretty average going from what i`ve seen since he left Queensland ... The rest of the squad apart form those two I really like.. Juries still out on those other two..Cadern Neville is a much better player IMO
Doubles
Guest
Totally agree Hoy.. Even the Grey Herbert pairing was better than we have today... Kerevi is the REDS best centre by a mile ..Play him 12 and with Quade at 10, it should get interesting
Markus
Guest
Tui only has one more season signed with the Reds. I suspect Timu will be developing in the squad for most of this season, then fighting with Houston for a starting berth in the back row in 2018 alongside Higginbotham (at 8 or 6) and Smith.
dru
Guest
Paiaua plays a second fly style of game. Two playmakers suits the sort of rugby that most Red fans wish to see. The question is how Hunt is going, slow improvement for a while, is this the break-out year? If he can take a roving second playmaker role (ala Beale) then there is no need for a second fly. So then you bring in the big boppers in the centres. May as well place Kerevi at 12 to build a relationship with Cooper in their WB aspirations. First though, I'd like to see how Duncan goes at second fly.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I think Australia needs to move away from the second 5/8 idea. It hasn't worked for us for 10 years now. Go back to the last truly successful 12 we had... Horan. An out and out centre. Drop the second playmaker and start picking a centre. Time to pick as 12 as a centre. If your 10 needs help running the show, he has no place being 10, OR his centres need to be replaced as they are not giving him good options.
Noodles
Guest
You are a generous fan Doubles. I see you've totally written off Leroy and shafted Douglas. One if them has had a great few seasons in the U.K. And the other was a key player in the WBs getting to the RWC final. I often wonder whether the reds biggest problem is half arsed fans?
Rugger
Guest
Caleb Timu has to be chance to prove himself and develop his game. Reds and for the matter ARU does not need Hendrik Tui as it will hinder development of talent like Timu.
Markus
Guest
I wish Australian teams would start looking at the "second flyhalf" in the same way that cricket teams should be looking at all rounders. If you have a centre who possesses a Test strength passing and kicking game as well as Test standard ball running and defence, by all means pick them at inside centre. But when you are down to your 5th string "second flyhalf" who has shown zero form in Super Rugby to warrant a starting spot, pick your best available centres. For the Reds that is as you say Kerevi and either CFS or Magnay. For the Wallabies, in the absence of Beale it would be Kerevi and Kuridrani.
Hoy
Roar Guru
The starting forward pack picks itself, as do the halves... I just can't help but think Kerevi has a better game suited to 12 not 13, but 13 seems where he is pegged for the Wallabies. Paia'aua has really not impressed me at all. I would have Kerevi and either CFS IF he is fit and works hard (big if) or Magnay at 13. Wingers, as you say Browny, could be two of any, and I suppose Hunt at 15, though Hunt could surprise us all and be put in at 12. Is there another fullback option?
Doubles
Guest
CK for mine is not quite super standard..Yet. .Perese is unknown in the big league, but on his NRC form, he looked like he could be a great prospect..I`d like to see Samu at 12, feeding Perese, SK has good hands and can pass short and long with a nice grubber here and there.. (.. Nonu esque..) not saying he`s Nonu yet, but at just 23 ,he will be some player.. Magnay needs to bulk up..I heard he has. .I`d still have CFS and Nabuli on wings although they can go missing at times and,if they do, they should get chopped..CFS came good last 3 games....He really needs a rocket to get super fit for the whole season ,not just 3 weeks... Don`t forget we have ex BRONCO winger Lachlan Maranta..hahaha.. Marto loves this guy..^^^^^
Browny
Guest
I think most of the selections for the Reds are pretty straight forward this year. Where it gets more interesting is who gets picked at 12, 12, 13 and 14. Kerevi will be at 12 or 13, that's a given, but will they put him at 13 with someone like Paia'aua at 12, or does Kerevi play 12 with a Perese, Magnay, etc outside of him? Wingers could be any of Nabuli, CFS, CK, Perese or Magnay (I've probably missed someone in there too). None of the Reds wingers really stood up consistently last season, hard to do considering how they fared. Nabuli did ok but he still had his face-palm moments. Hopefully he can work those out of his game this season.
Doubles
Guest
My XV 1. James Slipper 2. Stephen Moore 3. Sam Talakai 4. Kane Douglas ( Last chance saloon ) 5. Rob Simmons 6. Hendrik Tui 7. George Smith 8. Scott Higginbotham 9. Nick Frisby 10. Quade Cooper 11. Eto Nabuli 12. Samu Kerevi 13. Izaia Perese 14. Chris F-Sautia 15. Karmichael Hunt 16. Andrew Ready 17. Sef Fa’agase 18. Taniela Tupou 19. Cadern Neville 20. Caleb Timu 21. Jake Mcintyre 22. Campbell Magnay 23. Moses Sorovi J Tuttle M Gunn L Houston L Tui ( Lock) I Rodda ( Lock) A Korcyk injury cover.. If Kane Douglas fails to perform at a high level and not slacken off ( As I expect he will ) ..We have plenty of locks to replace him...
Doubles
Guest
He is a tub of lard and had zero impact or workrate back then .The reds punted him at the end 2011 premiershp year ( that tells you something)..We used to call him Leroy " BUTTER FINGERS " Houston back then as he dropped the ball so often .. He has zero chance even for a bench spot for mine..
Browny
Roar Rookie
You'd think as it stands now it'll be Tui-Smith-Higginbotham with Houston off the bench. Timu is a bit of an unknown so it'll be interesting to see if he can do enough to push himself into contention for the 23.