Queensland aim to pile on the pain for the Blues’ injury-depleted forward pack with tackle jackals Liam Gill and Beau Robinson to wreak havoc at Eden Park on Friday night.
The Reds’ openside flankers will work in tandem from kick-off for just the second time this season as coach Ewen McKenzie set up a no-holds-barred breakdown battle against the Blues’ Braid brothers.
Ex-Queensland ball scavenger Daniel Braid and his brother Luke were also both surprisingly chosen as back-row starters to set up an intriguing battle at the tackle area.
Jaded Wallabies No.8 Radike Samo was dumped altogether from the Reds squad as the defending champions put more stock in mobility and tenacity on the ball.
McKenzie believes Gill and Robinson can reproduce their ruck dominance from the Good Friday 20-13 win over the Brumbies when Scott Higginbotham shone at No.8.
“Starting the game with Liam and Beau worked well for us against the Brumbies and we finished the match with a season-high 27 forced turnovers,” McKenzie said.
“We see similar opportunities against the Blues.”
Wily No.7 Daniel Braid taught many of the Reds forwards the tricks of the trade at the tackle area in his two seasons at Ballymore in 2009 and 2010 so the visitors are well aware of the breakdown challenge.
But the Blues suffered a massive blow to their pack with All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock (calf strain) joining fellow Test forwards and team leaders Keven Mealamu and Jerome Kaino on the injured list.
“He was the player of the game (in the last-start 30-28 loss to the Highlanders) not just for the scrums but the physicality he brought around the field,” coach Pat Lam said.
Following five straight losses and sitting at the foot of the table, Lam is under immense pressure, as is All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu who enjoyed the aftermath of the World Cup too much and returned to action well out of condition.
But Weepu has his chance to silence the knockers in his traditional position – opposite regular Bledisloe Cup rival Will Genia – after being preferred ahead of Alby Mathewson at No.9.
“He has made massive gains, or losses if you like,” Lam quipped about the halfback’s weight since the pre-season. “He’s into the 90s now and out of the 100s which is great and his skin folds have come down quite a bit.”
In a timely return from suspension, Wallabies winger Digby Ioane will gain his 50th Reds cap by lining up at outside centre in what looms as a blockbusting clash against Blues midfielders Ma’a Nonu and Rene Ranger.
The 21-Test flyer replaces the injured Ben Tapuai (collarbone) while utility back Ben Lucas will start at five-eighth in place of Sam Lane (knee).
