Mooney selects strong squad for Japan match
QR Reds coach Phil Mooney has named 18 contracted Reds players in an extended 27-man squad for the Ballymore match against Japan on Wednesday, June 10 (kickoff 7:00pm).
It will be Japan's final hitout before the Pacific Nations Cup.
The Reds lineup is a mix of contracted Reds, QAS Academy, and Premier Rugby club players not involved with the Wallabies or Australia’s Under 20 campaign.
"We’ve got an exciting blend of contracted players and club players,” Mooney said.
“In the forwards we’ve got most of our contracted forwards available and in the backs, due to injuries and Wallaby selection, we’ve been able to select a few club players.”
Joining the available Reds are Academy representatives Jono Lance, Keiran Lander and Dom Shipperley, who have been selected alongside six Premier Rugby standouts: lock Liam Shaw, halfback Curtis Franks, centre Albert Vulivuli, flyhalf Dallan Murphy and wingers Ant Sauer and Ken Robertson.
The youngest member is 18-year-old Robertson, who has a distinguished schoolboy rugby resume having being selected for Australia, Australia A and Queensland Schools in 2008.
This year, the Wests colt has honed his skills by playing in the world renowned 'Samurai' Invitational Sevens tournament and in two camps with the Australian national Sevens team.
Shaw, Sauer and Murphy all come from Premier Rugby leaders Brothers, with Franks and Vulivuli from Easts and Souths respectively.
Academy flyhalf Lance has been selected for his performances with University and in the QAS Reds 2nd XV matches earlier this year, while Shipperley has continued his development in the Academy, for the Australian Sevens, and in Brothers' colts side this season.
Lander is a former Australian Rugby schoolboy representative who signed with Queensland's Academy earlier this year after a brief stint in rugby league with the Brisbane Broncos.
“We are now seven or eight games into the club competition and the boys who have been selected have been performing really well for their clubs,” Mooney said.
“As we’ve seen this year, the guys who have come in have had a real crack, so this is a great opportunity for them.
“We’ve also picked two of the best young colts in Dom Shipperley and Ken Robertson and both have had exposure to the Australian Sevens team.”
Mooney said the match was the perfect opportunity for some of the younger players to gain experience in a professional environment.
“This is an opportunity to play against an international team and it is a great honour for us,” he said.
“These days you don’t get to play against international opposition that often and even on development tours you generally play against other provincial sides.”
The squad commenced training at Ballymore this week.
Backs: Blair Connor (Norths), Anthony Faingaa (Souths), Charlie Fetoai (Sunnybank), Curtis Franks (Easts), Jono Lance (University), Keiran Lander (Easts), Ben Lucas (Sunnybank), Mark McLinden (Sunnybank), Dallan Murphy (Brothers), Ken Robertson (Wests), Anthony Sauer (Brothers), Dom Shipperley (Brothers), Brando Va'aulu (University), Albert Vulivuli (Souths)
Forwards: Adam Byrnes (University), Ben Daley (Gold Coast), Saia Faingaa (Souths), James Hanson (University), Scott Higginbotham (Wests), Greg Holmes (Sunnybank), Leroy Houston (Norths), Van Humphries (Souths), Jack Kennedy (Souths), Poutasi Luafutu (Wests), Ezra Taylor (University), Liam Shaw (Brothers), Laurie Weeks (University)
