Unheralded Queensland five-eighth Dallan Murphy will get his first Super Rugby start in the Pretoria cauldron this weekend while Reds coach Ewen McKenzie will unveil an innovative bench.
With winger Digby Ioane suspended and playmakers Mike Harris and Ben Lucas injured, McKenzie has rejigged his backline for the clash with the Bulls on Sunday morning (AEST).
Murphy will occupy the seemingly jinxed five-eighth position after Harris and Lucas returned home earlier this week.
Both men suffered a hamstring injury in last weekend’s loss to the Sharks and joined first-choice No.10 Quade Cooper (knee) on the injury list.
Luke Morahan comes in for Ioane, with Jono Lance earning a promotion to the run on side at outside centre and Ben Tapuai shifting from that spot to inside centre.
McKenzie has also revamped his pack with Wallabies hooker Saia Faingaa getting his first 2012 start, Ben Daley starting at loosehead prop and Greg Holmes moving across from spot to tighthead prop.
In two other changes, lock Rob Simmons and No.8 Jake Schatz both return to the run on side.
While he has logged just one previous Super appearance off the bench against the Chiefs last year, 23-year-old Murphy is familiar with the Reds’ system.
“The Bulls are a formidable opponent but I’m excited about the opportunity I’ve been given and believe the familiarity I’ve had with being in the Reds setup since 2010 will put me in good stead,” Murphy said.
McKenzie described Murphy as a running ball player.
“In terms of ball playing ability he’d be the next (best at the Reds) behind Quade (Cooper),” McKenzie said.
“We’re confident he will step up.”
McKenzie doubted he would regain the services of any of his injured backs until after their bye next month, with three more games to be played before then.
While McKenzie initially appeared to have gone for his favoured 5-2 bench split in favour of the forwards, he revealed Wallabies’ No.8 Radike Samo had been training as a back this week “Radike can play in the backs or the forwards depending on circumstances, so we’ve really got a four and a half-two and a half bench,” McKenzie said.
Nathan Eyres-Brown, one of two backs flown to South Africa earlier this week, is poised to make his Super debut off the bench.
Queensland: Rod Davies, Dom Shipperley, Jono Lance, Ben Tapuai, Luke Morahan, Dallan Murphy, Will Genia, Jake Schatz, Beau Robinson, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (capt), Rob Simmons, Greg Holmes, Saia Faingaa, Ben Daley. Interchange: James Hanson, James Slipper, Radike Samo, Van Humphries, Liam Gill, Nick Frisby, Nathan Eyres-Brown.
