Ben Daley to captain QR Reds in Lismore

QR Reds prop Ben Daley will captain an extended 30-man squad in Queensland’s first hit-out for 2010 against the NSW Waratahs in Lismore on Saturday (kick-off 6:40pm Queensland time – 7:40pm local time).

The squad contains 19 Reds contracted players, six QAS Reds Academy players and five players from the newly introduced Wider Training Squad (WTS), a group of elite Premier Rugby players who have been given the opportunity to train and play with the extended group during preseason.

Head coach Ewen McKenzie has selected two teams to play a half each, with four replacements set to cover both periods – hooker Heath Tessman, centre Michael Bond, and flyhalves Dallan Murphy and Jono Lance.

Four players have also been selected to start both halves: scrumhalf Richard Kingi – the newest member of the contracted Reds squad – Academy back-rower Jake Schatz, and experienced locks Adam Byrnes and Van Humphries.

Loosehead prop Daley, who made his Investec Bank Super 14 debut for the Reds in 2008 against the Crusaders, stepped up a level last year when he started in six matches after former Wallaby Greg Holmes suffered shoulder and neck problems.

He now gets first crack at the number one jersey in 2010, with Holmes joining 11 other contracted players on the sideline.

McKenzie said the 21-year-old law student was rewarded with the captaincy after buying into a new culture being developed in the off-season.

“We’ve identified some attributes that we think are important and he has done a pretty good job in the off-season encapsulating that, so we thought we would give him an opportunity to lead the team into battle,” McKenzie said.

“It’s a reward for a good off-season. You have to recognise people giving you what you ask them to give you, and he has done a good job. We think he might be able to lead by example on the day.”

In the first half Daley will join Saia Faingaa and Jack Kennedy in the front-row, with new European recruit Lei Tomiki rounding out the forward pack with Schatz and Scott Higginbotham, and locks Byrnes and Humphries.

The talented Ben Lucas has been named as vice-captain and flyhalf, with Reds contracted players Kingi, centres Anthony Faingaa and Morgan Turinui, wing Brando Va’aulu and fullback Luke Morahan in the backline. Academy prospect Dom Shipperley is on the other wing.

In the second period new rugby league recruit Will Chambers will get his first taste of professional rugby at outside centre.

He will join Reds Kingi, Blair Connor and Rod Davies, Academy players Ben Tapuai and Aidan Toua.

WTS member Tim Walsh, who has been playing overseas and interstate after earning four caps for the Reds baclk in 2004, has been named at flyhalf for the second half.

In the forwards, Byrnes, Humphries and Schatz are selected alongside props Slipper and Laurie Weeks, hooker James Hanson, and back-rowers Ezra Taylor and Andrew Shaw.

McKenzie said he looked forward to seeing how the squad would perform in a real game environment.

“We’re very interested in all the guys. They’ve all done good things in the off-season, so it will be interesting to see how they go under game pressure,” he said.

“Opportunities come sometimes frequently, sometimes not very often. You’ve got to make sure you capitalise. But ultimately it is about combining as a group and wanting to get the job done.

“Clearly there are 10 or 11 guys not playing for whatever reason, but that’s not an excuse. This is about 30 guys getting the opportunity to play and showing us where they’re at.”

QR Reds v NSW Waratahs (first game)

1. Ben Daley (c) (QR Reds)

2. Saia Faingaa (QR Reds)

3. Jack Kennedy (QR Reds)

4. Adam Byrnes (QR Reds)

5. Van Humphries (QR Reds)

6. Jake Schatz (QAS Reds Academy)

7. Lei Tomiki (QR Reds)

8. Scott Higginbotham (QR Reds)

9. Richard Kingi (QR Reds)

10. Ben Lucas (vc) (QR Reds)

11. Dominic Shipperley (QAS Reds Academy)

12. Anthony Faingaa (QR Reds)

13. Morgan Turinui (QR Reds)

14. Brando Va’aulu (QR Reds)

15. Luke Morahan (QR Reds)

QR Reds v NSW Waratahs (second game)

1. James Slipper (QAS Reds Academy)

2. James Hanson (QR Reds)

3. Laurie Weeks (QR Reds)

4. Adam Byrnes (QR Reds)

5. Van Humphries (QR Reds)

6. Ezra Taylor (QR Reds)

7. Andrew Shaw (QAS Reds Academy)

8. Jake Schatz (QAS Reds Academy)

9. Richard Kingi (QR Reds)

10. Tim Walsh (Wider Training Squad)

11. Blair Connor (QR Reds)

12. Ben Tapuai (QAS Reds Academy)

13. Will Chambers (QR Reds)

14. Rod Davies (QR Reds)

15. Aidan Toua (QAS Reds Academy)

Reserves

16. Heath Tessman (Wider Training Squad)

17. Dallan Murphy (Wider Training Squad)

18. Jono Lance (Wider Training Squad)

19. Michael Bond (Wider Training Squad)

WARATAHS

15. Sosene Anesi ( Waratahs)
14. Nemani Nadolo (Manly/ Waratahs)
13. Rory Sidey (West Harbour/ Waratahs)
12. Tom Carter (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
11. Peter Betham (Sydney University/Wider Training Group)
10. Daniel Halangahu [c] (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
9. Josh Holmes (Warringah/ Waratahs)
8. Locky McCaffrey (Eastwood/ Junior Waratahs)
7. Chris Alcock (Gordon/ Waratahs)
6. Dave Dennis (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
5. Hendrik Roodt (Gordon/ Waratahs)
4. Kane Douglas (Southern Districts/ Junior Waratahs)
3. Dan Palmer (Southern Districts/ Waratahs)
2. Damien Fitzpatrick (Eastwood/ Waratahs)
1. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
Reserves
16. Luke Holmes (Warringah/Wider Training Group)
17. Ofa Fainga’anuku (Gordon/ Junior Waratahs)
18. Chris Thomson (Warringah/ Waratahs)
19. Will Caldwell (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
20. Brendan KcKibbin (Eastern Suburbs/ Junior Waratahs)
21. Ben Seymour (Manly/ Junior Waratahs)
22. Adam D’Arcy (Manly/ Junior Waratahs)
23. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University/ Junior Waratahs)
24. Dylan Sigg (Manly/Wider Training Group)
25. Hugh Perrett (Eastwood/Wider Training Group)
26. Tom Azar (Eastern Suburbs/Wider Training Group)
27. Alex Rokobaro (Sydney University/ Junior Waratahs)
28. Jacob Woodhouse (Sydney University/ Junior Waratahs

Related posts:

1. Queensland Reds v Waratahs in Lismore: schedule released
2. McKenzie pursues change at QR Reds
3. Lismore hosts big-time rugby
4. NSW, Queensland to play Super 14 trial in Lismore
5. Durheim to captain Titans’ junior team

Related Articles:

Related posts:

1. Queensland Reds v Waratahs in Lismore: schedule released
2. McKenzie pursues change at QR Reds
3. Lismore hosts big-time rugby
4. NSW, Queensland to play Super 14 trial in Lismore
5. Durheim to captain Titans’ junior team