Reds welcome back Faingaa brothers

Updated May 03, 2012 10:20:57

Queensland has welcomed back Wallabies centre Anthony Faingaa into the Reds starting side for their Super Rugby final re-match against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Sunday.

Faingaa won back his outside centre starting spot after a solid 30 minutes off the bench when returning from a foot injury against the Blues last Friday.

His inclusion pushes Digby Ioane back to the wing and forces Rod Davies onto the bench.

With Saia Faingaa also back on the bench following an ankle injury, the Reds squad includes both Faingaa twins for the first time in 2012.

Coach Ewen McKenzie said the Faingaas feed off each other and create plenty of enthusiasm on the field.

"The Faingaas bring a lot to the team in terms of enthusiasm and communication and those are the traits you need to win big games," McKenzie said.

"Everyone understands how important and how much they enjoy playing alongside one another so we're glad to finally have them both fit again."

The Reds have again been forced to make changes in the forwards.

Prop Ben Daley and flanker Beau Robinson have been ruled out with respective hamstring and leg injuries.

Greg Holmes will start at loosehead prop while Jake Schatz comes into the side at blindside flanker.

Radike Samo returns to the bench after being left out of the squad last week.

"We aren't expecting Ben or Beau to miss a great amount of time,'' McKenzie said.

The Reds are expecting a fierce battle against rivals Crusaders who sit seven points above them on the Super Rugby ladder and are no doubt after revenge.

"It isn't often a Crusaders team loses a Super Rugby final, they are the most successful team in the competition's history," McKenzie said.

"I'm sure they are looking forward to the match in front of their home fans but so are we. We have a strong record in our recent history against the Crusaders and our guys are proven performers in big games."

Queensland squad:

1 Greg Holmes, 2 James Hanson, 3 James Slipper, 4 Rob Simmons, 5 James Horwill (c), 6 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 9 Will Genia (vc), 10 Ben Lucas, 11 Digby Ioane, 12 Mike Harris, 13 Anthony Faingaa, 14 Dom Shipperley, 15 Luke Morahan. Reserves: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Albert Anae, 18. Adam Wallace-Harrison, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Eddie Quirk, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Rod Davies.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-rugby, australia, qld

First posted May 03, 2012 10:09:04

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Bulls give Rebels rude welcome

Posted May 15, 2011 06:52:00

Northern Bulls gave Melbourne Rebels a rude welcome to South Africa when they hammered the Australian newcomers 47-10 in a Super Rugby match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The Rebels, making their first appearance in South Africa, started brightly and stretched the Bulls defence in the first six minutes with some quick passing movements.

But a seventh-minute try against the run of play, when centre Wynand Olivier gathered a chip kick from fly half Morne Steyn and ran 40 metres to score under the posts, gave the Bulls a lead they never relinquished.

"We're finding it tough to get into games," admitted Rebels captain Stirling Mortlock.

"There is a lot of work to be done," he said of a side firmly anchored at the bottom of the Australian conference table.

The Bulls, Super 14 champons last season but needing a strong finish to the league phase to feature in the play-offs this year after losing five matches, secured a bonus point inside half an hour when they scored their fourth try.

There was controversy about the Bulls' third try when most players from both sides came to a stop after what seemed an obvious knock-on by full-back Zane Kirchner.

Left wing Bjorn Basson, chasing a kick ahead, slowed down but then gathered the ball and trotted through for a try when he realised New Zealand referee Chris Pollock had not blown his whistle.

The defending champions led 40-3 at half-time after scoring six tries, but the Rebels gave a much-improved performance in an evenly contested second half, scoring a try of their own through replacement wing Cooper Vuna, and conceding only one more.

Olivier notched a hat-trick of tries, Kirchner scored twice and the others came from Basson and scrum-half Fourie du Preez.

Steyn added six conversions.

Regular Bulls captain and Springbok lock Victor Matfield was on the bench and not called on to play, while several key players were substituted in the second half as the Bulls lost their intensity.

Bulls captain Du Preez, one of the players substituted in the second half, hailed "an unbelievable first half" while Olivier gave credit to the forwards for his try-scoring feat.

"The forwards gave us a good platform," he said.

Bulls: 47 (W Olivier 3, Z Kirchner 2, B Basson, F du Preez tries; M Steyn 6 conversions

Rebels: C Vuna try; J Huxley conversion, penalty

-AFP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, vic, melbourne-3000, south-africa

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