Reds make four changes for clash with Lions
Reds
The Reds have made four changes for Saturday’s Super 14 match with the last-placed Lions.
The Reds brought in hooker Saia Faingaa, lock Rob Simmons, No. 8 Leroy Houston and wing Rod Davies for the match at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Backrower Ezra Taylor was also recalled Thursday to the 22-man squad. He will be joined on the bench by 21-year-old center Ben Tapuai, a former junior Wallaby, who is in line for his first appearance this season.
The Reds’ playoff hopes were dealt a blow last weekend with a narrow loss to the Sharks in Durban which ended a three-match winning streak.
Reds kept in-form Quade Cooper at flyhalf after his outstanding individual performance in a losing effort against the Sharks. Scrumhalf Will Genia will again captain the side and rugby league convert Will Chambers, who scored two tries last weekend, again starts at No. 13.
The Lions have lost all seven of their matches in this year’s competition.
Coach Dick Muir was forced to justify his team selections this week, the Lions’ bye week, after disgruntled fans wrote letters to the union to express their disappointment.
The Lions also announced Wednesday that they would appoint a defense coach “within the next few days”. They have conceded 313 points in seven games, nearly 70 more than any other team in the competition.
Reds: Peter Hynes, Rod Davies, Will Chambers, Anthony Faingaa, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia (captain); Ben Daley, Saia Faingaa, Laurie Weeks, Rob Simmons, Van Humphries, Scott Higginbotham, Daniel Braid, Leroy Houston.
Substitutes: Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes, Ezra Taylor, Jake Schatz, Ben Lucas, Ben Tapuai, Luke Morahan.
[AP]
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