Queensland Reds list their provisional squad for Super Rugby title defense in 2012
Brisbane based Australian Super Rugby franchise, Queensland Reds, has announced their 31-man squad for their 2012 Super Rugby campaign. The Reds squad presented the roster on Saturday, August 20th, during the Reds Gala. Out of the 31 players, 27 players
were part of the unit, which lifted the Super Rugby title, earlier this year.
Reds are the 2011 Super Rugby champions, and the squad announced highlights their plans to defend their title during the 2012 Super Rugby competition.
The four new players added to the squad include Aidan Toua, David McDuling, Chris Feauai-Sautia and Jono Lance. The trio of Lance, Toua and McDuling are Reds academy products. A few weeks ago, Reds inked deals with the young and talented trio to give them
their first professional senior Rugby Union club contract.
Reds head coach, Ewen McKenzie, has expressed his delight on unveiling of the squad for their 2012 Super Rugby campaign. He has expressed his pleasure at the fact that the Reds have retained most of the players from the last season to ensure continuity
in the squad.
McKenzie added, “We’ve got an extremely talented group of individuals but what makes this bunch so unique is their character, resolve and willingness to learn. The players are already speaking about next season and are determined to keep the trophy in Queensland.”
Reds are still waiting on the signing of their utility backs player Digby Ioane. Ioane played an important role in the Reds win during the 2011 Super Rugby tournament. Reports are that he is negotiation his new contract with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU).
However, it is also been rumored that he has verbally agreed to join a Japanese club on a one million dollar per season deal.
Commenting on the recovery of the Reds fullback, Peter Hynes, from the injury, McKenzie categorically has discredited rumours that Hynes had fully recovered from the knee injury. He said, “Hynes is a major unknown at this stage considering the complexity
of his surgery, It’s a complicated issue and our focus is on ensuring he gets back to a normal level of knee function. At this point in time he is a long way from us being able to consider him for rugby training.”
Another recruit in the squad is 17-year-old Feauai-Sautia who caught the eyes of the Reds’ management with his impressive performances for both Queensland and Australian Schoolboy teams. He has delivered some memorable performances for Australian Schoolboy’s
side, in their 2009 and 2010 tours of the UK and New Zealand respectively.
The Reds will announce their final 30-man squad, for the 2012 Super Rugby season, later this year.
The Reds’ provisional squad for their 2012 Super Rugby season, announced on Saturday consists of,
Quade Cooper, Ben Daley, Rod Davies, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Liam Gill, James Hanson, Michael Harris, Scott Higginbotham, Greg Holmes, James Horwill, Van Humphries, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane*, Jono Lance, Ben Lucas, David McDuling, Luke
Morahan, Ed Quirk, Beau Robinson, Radike Samo, Jake Schatz, Guy Shepherdson, Dom Shipperley, Rob Simmons, Chris Feauai-Sautia, James Slipper, Ben Tapuai, Aidan Toua, Adam Wallace-Harrison.
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