Queensland hooker Saia Faingaa is set to miss Saturday night’s season-opening Super Rugby grudge match with NSW due to an ankle injury.

Faingaa failed to train with the Reds on Monday afternoon at Ballymore with understudy James Hanson now poised to go head-to-head with Wallabies rake Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Coach Ewen McKenzie wanted all his players to train at 100 per cent in the first session of the week to prove their readiness for the brutal interstate battle expected at ANZ Stadium.

The fact Faingaa, who strained ankle ligaments in the Cairns trial against the Brumbies on February 11, failed to take the field is a clear sign the 16-Test hooker must bide his time.

Hanson started just two matches in the Reds’ charge to the 2011 title but his impact off the bench impressed Wallabies coach Robbie Deans who included the 23-year-old in his initial 40-man Test squad.

Faingaa’s blow would also give versatile prop-hooker Albert Anae a chance to make just his second Super Rugby appearance from the bench.

Fellow Test forward Scott Higginbotham shrugged off a back complaint to train on Monday and is well in the mix to start despite failing to play in the Reds’ two trial wins over the Brumbies (27-20) and Western Force (40-10).